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These comments were supplied by members of the Backstreets/LuckyTown Digest mailing list as part of the 1ST ANNUAL BACKSTREETS DIGEST CD BOOTLEG POLL (April-May 1994) and the 1995 LUCKYTOWN DIGEST CD BRUCELEG POLL (May-June 1995).
90 CD Bruceleg titles (out of 325 as of May 1995) are commented upon in this listing.
I've attempted to edit for minor formatting considerations and errors (spelling, etc.) but tried to protect the intent and style of the comment as delivered to me. Many are informational, several are personal, and some are downright funny. It's amazing how widely opinions vary on a particular Bruceleg.
While I included the year (1994 or 1995) a comment was submitted, the individual who supplied the comments is omitted. If someopne supplied a comment for the same CD Bruceleg title in both 1994 and 1995, their 1995 comment replaced their 1994 comment.
Here is a list of those who supplied comments in 1994 and/or 1995.
|
Andy from Irvine, CA Paul Beneker Gunnar Bittersmann Robert Chmiel Drew Farenwald JLK Paul Kaytes Edward Koubek Lisa Kroll Gary Labanca |
Matt Lipman Heikki Olander Barry Orton Tony Ruegger Matt Ryan Michele Stadnik Brian Svoboda Troy (packiderm) Lars Udd Flavio Zazzeri |
ACOUSTIC TALES The Swingin' Pig * TSP149-2 * (94:42) * 2CD Boxed Set * Audience DAT Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California November 16, 1990 AMERICAN DREAM Red Phantom * RPCD1079 * (78:05) * 1CD * Audience Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California November 16, 1990 GREETINGS FROM LOS ANGELES Great Dane Records * FTD3 * (22:36) * CD Single w/ FTD fanzine * Audience DAT Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California November 17, 1990 THE LOST ACOUSTIC SHOW Red Line/Post Script * PSCD1183 * (77:32) * 1CD * Audience Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California November 17, 1990 MORE GREETINGS FROM LOS ANGELES aka THE ACOUSTIC UNRELEASED Great Dane Records * FTD8 * (26:32) * CD Single w/ FTD fanzine * Audience DAT Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California November 17, 1990 SPRINGSTEEN, RAITT AND BROWNE Templar Records * TCD16 * (177:19) * 3CD * Audience DAT Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California November 16, 1990 THUNDER ROAD Men At Work * WORK5540-2 * (83:36) * 2CD * Audience Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California November 16, 1990Okay, bootleggers, here's the deal. You get DAT clones of the two commonly circulating Christic tapes, you master them onto two double-CD sets, and you don't edit them. Now how hard is that?
Evidently, pretty hard. I don't know what planet the makers of THUNDER ROAD got their tapes from, but apparently nobody there has invented the head demagnetizer yet. Its packaging is grossly overrated, as it botches the venue and neglects to tell the listener which performances are from which nights. THE LOST ACOUSTIC SHOW and AMERICAN DREAM give us only smatterings of the performances, also in inferior sound quality.
Great Dane gets a special, dishonorable mention, taking three bites at the apple, yet *still* never getting it right, even though they have complete DAT masters of both nights! MORE GREETINGS FROM L.A. gives us all of the premiered songs, but that ain't enough. GREETINGS FROM L.A. commits the opposite sin, omitting all of the new songs. Finally, SPRINGSTEEN RAITT AND BROWNE gives us the first night in great quality, but edits out the raps, and makes you pay $50 extra for two artists you may or may not want to hear.
That leaves The Swingin' Pig's ACOUSTIC TALES, reputedly giving us the entirety of the first night unedited, in fine sound quality. But there is a special place in Hell for bootleggers who have the chance to give you 160 minutes of Christic brilliance, and yet leave off "The Wish."
No performances have ever made a stronger case against bootlegging, and for tape trading. Blow off all of these losers, find someone with DAT clones of both nights (it's easy to do), and listen contentedly in inexpensive bliss. (*1995*)
ACOUSTIC TOGETHER: Bruce Springsteen & Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Rock Solid Records * RS005 * (60:41) * 1CD * Audience Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, California October 13, 1986Audience, or soundboard? That's the dilemma facing aficionados of the fantastic Bridge show, one of Bruce's finest performances (no matter what Dave Marsh says in GLORY DAYS). The dilemma is made tougher by the fact that the soundboard in circulation always seems hissy and a little flat, while this audience recording pushes Danny and Nils a little too far back for my taste. If your choice is "audience," then this disc is just fine. (*1995*)
ACTION IN THE STREETS Unbelievable Music * UM038/39 * (144:47) * 2CD * Audience Milwaukee Arena, Milwaukee, Wisconsin February 22, 1977One of the most underrated Springsteen bootlegs. Many collectors treasure FORCED TO CONFESS as the best representation of the superb 1977 tour. (This) sounds slightly better, taken from the "official" audience recordings of the era. "Rendezvous" and "It's My Life" replace "Don't Look Back" and "Incident On 57th Street" on FORCED TO CONFESS, among other set changes, so both pieces are well worth having. Great "Backstreets" with bells in the "Sad Eyes" section, and the best delivery of "it don't matter to me now.". One of those boots where, if you can look past some sonic deficiencies, will reward you with many hours of great rocking from a band in top form. (*1995*)
Get this instead of WILL THE REAL BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN PLEASE STAND UP. For my money, this is the best 1977 tour bootleg. (*1994*)
AGORA CLUB aka THE AGORA SHOW Tunnel Records * CD0780 * (150:19) * 3CD * Radio Broadcast The Agora Club, Cleveland, Ohio August 9, 1978This is mastered off a tape recorded from FM signal. There are soundboard recordings of this show in circulation. Get THE TEENAGE WEREWOLF instead, it is mastered off such a soundboard recording. (*1994*)
ALL THOSE YEARS Templar Records * TCD1-5 * (383:31) * 5CD in slipcase * Various Sources Various Locations 1971-82With the passage of time, the definitive Springsteen boxed set no longer seems quite so definitive. The set's professed intent to stay off the beaten path and offer unusual material has been undermined by the subsequent release of several of its shows on boot CD. (4-7-76, 10-2-75, and the River tour rehearsals come to mind.) Moreover, some of the shows are now available in sound quality surpassing that on this disc. (10-2-75 comes to mind.) The packaging, great for 1989, has been left in the dust as bootleg boxed sets have equaled and surpassed the lavishness and meticulous detail of official releases. Finally, the set's uneven sound quality is only highlighted further by the new breed of high-quality audience recordings that have emerged since its initial compilation on vinyl in 1985. Don't get me wrong, it's a whole lot better than LIVE. I wouldn't give my copy up for anything. And there's some amazing stuff here that probably nobody has in better quality, anywhere. (The Jacksonville 3-4-77 tracks, misidentified as 3-5-77, are my personal favorite.) But Bruce deserves a boxed set as good as the Beatles' THE COMPLETE BBC SESSIONS. And unfortunately, as time passes, ALL THOSE YEARS is looking more and more like ARTIFACTS. (*1995*)
AMERICAN DREAM Red Phantom * RPCD1079 * (78:05) * 1CD * Audience Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California November 16, 1990Great show; however, I bet it sounded better live than on CD. Audience recordings leaves a bit to be desired. I very rarely listen to it but it's nice to have. (*1995*)
AND THE BAND PLAYED The Swingin' Pig * TSP051 * (51:44) * 1CD * Radio Broadcast The Agora Club, Cleveland, Ohio June 3, 1974This does not have the complete show. "You Never Can Tell," found on the Great Dane/Follow That Dream GOOD ROCKIN' TONIGHT CD and perhaps the highlight of this show, is missing. This CD is no-noised within an inch of its life. There has got to be better tapes in circulation. (*1994*)
AT THE ROXY Walk About Records * BS781/82/83 * (160:23) * 3CD * Radio Broadcast The Roxy Theater, Los Angeles, California July 7, 1978By most accounts, inferior to Lobster's HANDS ACROSS THE SKY. (*1994*)
BACKSTREETS Chapter One Digital Records * CO125/26 * (105:17) * 2CD * Radio Broadcast The Roxy Theater, Los Angeles, California October 17, 1975This is mastered off a vinyl bootleg. (*1994*)
BORN IN THE STUDIO Archive Productions * BS7375 * (70:01) * 1CD * Studio Demos-Outtakes Various Studio Locations 1973-75The best studio bootleg, IMHO. "Thunder Road" (acoustic) gave me chills the first time I heard it, and continues to do so every time. Why Bruce has never released this, I will never know. Sure, the four alternate versions of "Born To Run" get annoying after awhile, but these are exceptional moments in Bruce history that are preserved for all time. (*1995*)
A good complement to 'BORN TO RUN'. No "Backstreets" hurts but overall very good. I still listen to it mostly for "Thunder Road" and "Born To Run." (*1995*)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - THE EARLY YEARS aka THE EARLY YEARS Early Records * EARLY 9401-A/B * (???:??) * 2CD * Studio Demos-Outtakes Media and 914 Sound Studios, Blauvelt, New York 1972-73Pristine sound quality, although I can see why Bruce did not want this stuff released. (*1995*)
COLISEUM NIGHT Crystal Cat Records * CC350/1/2 * (209:54) * 3CD * Soundboard Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, Long Island, New York December 29, 1980Incredible show in incredible sound. A little distortion from recording with the levels too high is easily overlooked. This is the definitive River tour boot. (*1995*)
The old Great Dane war-horse (IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR) yields as the definitive Nassau boot to the excellent new Crystal Cat release. IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR sounds a little muddy at times (because of a second helping of No-Noise?), while (this title) is a model of clarity. And besides, I prefer "Incident On 57th Street" to "Auld Lang Syne" anyway. (*1995*)
DOWN BY THE RIVER *Label Unknown* * 92-BS-SC-4002 * (65:29) * 1CD * Studio Demos-Outtakes The Power Station, New York City, New York April 1979-August 1980I have never heard THE TIES THAT BIND, so I have nothing to compare this collection of River outtakes. I think that the sound is pretty good, although if THE TIES THAT BIND is *better*, there may be a change in my attitude next year concerning studio bootlegs. (*1995*)
(This) is very good IMHO. The sound is good, not great. After hearing the released version of "Roulette" I realized that it was recorded at a slightly higher speed. There are some great tunes on this! It's my favorite boot. (*1994*)
Speed a little fast which gives it a live feel to me. (*1995*)
One of my first bootlegs and still one of my favorites (and I don't know why). The true "live" sound on the first couple of tracks (2-5) makes it sound like he's playing in your garage. Latter tracks stink, including the worst collection of bootlegged songs in a row (the last 4 "Point Blank"s). Even with now owning THE TIES THAT BIND, I still like the beginning of this CD. (*1995*)
FANTASTICO BRUCE Stonehenge * STCD3010/3011/3012 * (213:54) * 3CD * Audience Stadio San Siro, Milan, Italy June 21, 1985Italian fans ruin the show by clapping off beat throughout the CD. Awful on "Shut out the Light." I hardly ever listen to it. There's got to be better from 1985 (but where?) (*1995*)
FORCED TO CONFESS Great Dane Records * GDR8912 * (144:41) * 2CD * Audience Boston Music Hall, Boston, Massachusetts March 25, 1977Very hot show from a good (for the period) audience recording. The only decent live version of "Don't Look Back" I've ever heard. (*1995*)
I am told that there are better tapes of this show in circulation. (*1994*)
A true dog. I've heard people talk about this CD like its good; however the sound is awful and for the money there's better elsewhere. (*1995*)
FORGOTTEN SONGS Traveling Productions * TPCD1973 * (32:43) * 1CD * Studio Demos/Soundboard Various Locations August 1972-August 1973This is mastered off the 1973 Intersong Publishing acetate. Some of these tracks, e.g. "Santa Ana" and "Seaside Bar Song," are found in better quality on the 2CD THE EARLY YEARS. (*1994*)
FOX THEATER PRESENTS THE BOSS Papillon Records * PPL009/2 * (152:26) * 2CD * Radio Broadcast The Fox Theater, Atlanta, Georgia September 30, 1978Good quality sound but suffers from fade-in of first song ("Badlands") in the middle. (*1995*)
I truly consider this to be the best of the boots I own. A great 2CD disks (while most from the 1978 radio shows use 3 CDs to get more money out of us). The performance and sound are excellent. So the first songs a little messed up and there might be a song missing; however, I think its the best investment of a boot I've got. (*1995*)
Get Turtle Records' HERE'S TO 'YA instead. Both are mastered off FM radio signal recordings. (*1994*)
FROM SMALL THINGS Kiss The Stone * KTS224 * (44:36) * 1CD * *Unknown Source* Eatontown, New Jersey, January-February 1988This is not worth acquiring. Lots of hiss, sound tinny and distracting. Nothing different. "Born To Run" particularly poor. (*1994*)
HEART & SOUL E. St. Records * ES08/09/10 * (226:05) * 3CD in wooden box * Soundboard Activity Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona November 5, 1980(This title) is usually cited as the second best River boot, after IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR. It may be second best, but in this case, second is not good enough. The vocals are mixed so far behind the rest of the band (which is clear, although also poorly mixed) as to make this disk frustrating to the point of being useless. As great as The River performances were, this piece is ultimately unsatisfying. If you must buy one River piece, make it IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (or possibly COLISEUM NIGHT, which I haven't heard). (*1995*)
HERE'S TO 'YA PARTS ONE AND TWO Turtle Records * TR263 * (122:09) * 2CD/"Superpack" longbox * Radio Broadcast The Fox Theater, Atlanta, Georgia September 30, 1978 HERE'S TO 'YA PART THREE Turtle Records * TR263 * (43:39) * 1CD/"Superpack" * Radio Broadcast The Fox Theater, Atlanta, Georgia September 30, 1978A better buy than FOX THEATER PRESENTS THE BOSS. Lavish, yet random, packaging. (*1994*)
HONEYMOON VOL. 1 Leopard * LCD120-2 * (104:45) * 2CD * Audience Ullevi Stadium, Gothenberg, Sweden June 9, 1985 HONEYMOON VOL. 2 Leopard * LCD121-2 * (104:46) * 2CD * Audience Ullevi Stadium, Gothenberg, Sweden June 9, 1985These are mastered off a vinyl bootleg. (*1994*)
(Vol. 2 has) slightly better sound and performance than Vol. 1. Nice box packaging. (*1995*)
HUMAN DEMOS Flamingo Records * FR012 * (50:45) * Studio Demos-Outtakes A&M Studios/One On One Studios, Los Angeles, California 1990-91Combines 'HUMAN TOUCH' outtakes with a 1989 Stone Pony appearance that includes Nils and Max. Sound on 'HUMAN TOUCH' outtakes is slightly muddy. Includes the unreleased "Trouble River." The Pony set is fun, with Bruce very much in "bandleader" mode. Nils handles the lead vocal on "Lean On Me," which is one of my all-time favorite non-Bruce tunes. (*1994*)
The 'HUMAN TOUCH' outtakes are in decent sound quality. No real reason to obtain this except for the unreleased "Trouble River" and the long version of "I Wish I Were Blind," which were the only reasons for me. The Nils & Max performance is an added bonus, although the sound is rather crummy. The Bruce & Nils duet on "Lean on Me," along with the two aforementioned tracks, are worth the price of admission. (*1995*)
THE ICEMAN: Darkness Outtakes 1978 Vol. 1 Scorpio * BS100 * (65:52) * 1CD * Studio Demos-Outtakes Atlantic Studios/The Record Plant, New York City, New York June 1977-April 1978Not a whole lot of value here. Bad sound quality hurts. Stay away (*1995*)
I'M A ROCKER Ottawa Records * OR-81 * (??:??) * 1CD * Soundboard Maple Leaf Gardens Concert Bowl, Toronto, Canada January 20, 1981Suffers greatly from being mastered too fast to get the whole 80+ minute source tape on a 70+ minute CD. Bruce sounds like Alvin and the Chipmunks during the intro to "Stolen Car". (*1995*)
IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR Great Dane Records * GDR9011 * (245:54) * 4CD * Soundboard Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, Long Island, New York December 31, 1980In a lot of ways, The River tour mixed the best parts of shows past and yet to come, the musicianship of the club-days E Street Band, the drama and pathos of the Darkness shows, the connections to community and commitment of the BITUSA tour, with some great butt-shaking rock and roll. (This title) captures all of this within 4 disks, the record of two shows from the end of 1980. There are some negatives, the linking of "Stolen Car/Fade Away/The Price You Pay/Wreck On The Highway" (not performed this way, but assembled by the bootlegger from the two shows) is one of the darkest Springsteen moments on disk, but overall, this set is the best representation of perhaps the greatest tour. (*1995*)
Great show and great recording marred only by some distortion caused by recording with the levels set too high (tape saturation). (*1995*)
The old Great Dane war-horse yields as the definitive Nassau boot to the excellent new Crystal Cat release. (This title) sounds a little muddy at times (because of a second helping of No-Noise?), while COLISEUM NIGHT is a model of clarity. And besides, I prefer "Incident On 57th Street" to "Auld Lang Syne" anyway. (*1995*)
INDEPENDENCE DAY aka WEMBLEY STADIUM JULY 4, 1985 Great Dane Records * GDR9118 * (193:20) * 3CD * Audience Wembley Stadium, London, U.K. (England) July 4, 1985This is mastered off a vinyl bootleg. (*1994*)
IT'S GONNA WORK OUT FINE Scorpio * BS90-8073 * (72:13) * 1CD * Soundboard The Electric Ballroom, Atlanta, Georgia August 23, 1975Somebody, somewhere in the world, has a complete, contiguous recording of this show. And they know what the date is. And their tape has "Kitty's Back." With the "spaceman" intro. But like most of us, Scorpio apparently did not, and this is the result. (*1995*)
THE JERSEY DEVIL Golden Stars * GSCD2005 * (145:02) * 2CD * Soundboard The Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania August 19, 1978Pretty decent, typical of the radio shows. Sound could be better which hurts overall. (*1995*)
KANSAS CITY NIGHT Crystal Cat Records * CC360/1/2 * (199:59) * 3CD * Audience Kemper Arena, Kansas City, Missouri November 19, 1984As far as BITUSA boots go, the one to have if you're having only one. A digital (!) audience recording with fine sound, it would fit in nicely even with Crystal Cat's 1992-93 DAT-mastered CDs. (*1995*)
KICK OFF Red Phantom * RPCD2089/90 * (116:18) * 2CD * Radio Broadcast Hollywood Center Studios, Los Angeles, California June 5, 1992Great sound quality makes this boot of another radio show a good addition. The tracks are mostly all new; however, some good chatter in "Roll Of The Dice" makes it unique. Overall, the best (other than XXplugged) if you want to hear the new stuff live. (*1995*)
KISSES DELUXE (THE PREKISS) Kisses Deluxe * Kiss No. 0 * (48:21) * 1CD * Radio Broadcast Hollywood Center Studios, Los Angeles, California June 5, 1992This is an incomplete version of the 6-5-92 tour rehearsal broadcast, with crappy packaging. Yecchh. (*1994*)
LAST GREAT SHOW Silver Rarities * SIRA51-53 * (217:23) * 3CD * Audience Brendan Byrne Arena, The Meadowlands, E. Rutherford, New Jersey August 20, 1984I think (this title) really gives one the true feeling of being at a BRUCE concert, and it's my favorite. (*1994*)
THE LAUREL CANYON DEMOS *Label Unknown* * BJP0572 * (43:32) * 1CD * Studio Demos-Outtakes Media Sound Studios, Blauvelt, New York June-July 1972I look forward to the (Bruceleg poll) results. I am especially interested in seeing what other people have to say about (this title). Myself and 2 of my friends all bought excellent sounding copies; however, we seem to own the only 3 decent copies out there. Strange. (*1995*)
LIVE AT THE GLOBE Pluto Records * PLR9301 A/B * (153:09) * 2CD * Audience Globe Arena, Stockholm, Sweden June 17, 1992A good pair of CDs, and a good performance of Bruce, although he forget the words on "My Hometown" !!! (*1995*)
Pretty typical of the 1992 shows. Not a whole lot of value here; however, the sound quality is good and it sounds like the BS is trying to impress. A good rendition of "The River". Maybe WEMBLEY NIGHT is a better investment (like these things are investments?) (*1995*)
LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO 1970 VOL. 1 Black Panther * BP066 * (42:29) * 1CD * Soundboard The Matrix, San Francisco, California January 13, 1970 LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO 1970 VOL. 2 Black Panther * BP067 * (44:26) * 1CD * Soundboard The Matrix, San Francisco, California January 13, 1970I obtained these two discs while on a trip to Japan, in the BARGAIN BIN, for $10 each. WELL WORTH the price to preserve this excellent 15-year-old performance. Granted, the sound is a little muddy (and, I have not heard Great Dane's version of this show to compare), but I feel that it only adds to the classic nature of the show. (*1995*)
LIVE IN THE PROMISED LAND (Masters Plus version) Great Dane Records * GDR8906 * (189:13) * 3CD * Radio Broadcast Winterland, San Francisco, California December 15, 1978IMHO, the definitive Darkness tour boot. The sound on the M+ version is as good as the highly touted PIECE DE RESISTANCE although some people would probably argue with me on that. The versions of "Mona/She's The One" and "The Ties That Bind" put this one over the top in a comparison with PIECE DE RESISTANCE. (*1995*)
While the sound ranking may be lower than PIECE DE RESISTANCE, this performance ranks a little above the other. I prefer these versions of "Because the Night," "Point Blank," and especially "Backstreets/Sad Eyes" over their counterparts on PIECE DE RESISTANCE. (*1995*)
This is the model to which live bootlegging should aspire. You take a legendary show, find a master tape that is impossible to top (this one from a radio station master), and you just put it out. With a booklet containing all the stage patter. In English AND Italian. (*1995*)
A little overrated in my opinion. "The Ties That Bind" and the "Factory" are nice additions; however, the last couple of songs are poor sound wise. I like FOX THEATER PRESENTS THE BOSS better. The booklet is excellent but otherwise I would invest my money elsewhere. (*1995*)
Speed problem. I hate that. How can somebody digitally remaster and still get the speed wrong? (*1994*)
MAX'S KANSAS CITY 07/03/73 The Swingin' Pig * TSP ??? * (??:??) * 1CD * Radio Broadcast Max's Kansas City, New York City, New York August 30, 1972Awful packaging if you ask me! (*1995*)
MEADOWLANDS NIGHT Crystal Cat Records * CC327-29 * (218:09) * 3CD * Audience DAT Brendan Byrne Arena, The Meadowlands, East Rutherford, New Jersey June 24, 1993I'm glad this CD is around because I was too drunk by the second set to remember what it sounded like. Maybe the greatest show ever put on by BS as a person (not including the bands). I believe it was his longest show ever with many encores and special guests. Best part of this set is when Southside Johnny makes a long dedication to a song to somebody and BS (who seems not to know the guy) just says in the background "If you say so" in a sarcastic tone. Best encore set I've ever heard. (*1995*)
MIDNIGHT LIGHTNING Seagull Records * SEA028/3 * (232:01) * 3CD * Soundboard Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, Long Island, New York December 31, 1980IMHO one of his best performance, unfortunately, not one of the best recording. The end of the show was truncated and a couple of songs are cut out early. Anyhow a "must" show, perhaps not a "must" boot. (*1995*)
Would be even better without one weakness, it lacks two last songs "Twist And Shout" and "Raise Your Hand" played on the 31/12/80. (*1994*)
An inferior version of the Nassau 12-31-80 show. Get Great Dane's IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR instead. (*1994*)
THE MILWAUKEE BOMB SCARE SHOW Mistral Music * MM9226/27 * (106:43) * 2CD * Soundboard The Uptown Theater, Milwaukee, Wisconsin October 2, 1975Mastered from a better tape than the master for Scorpio's WE HAD TOO MUCH TOO DRINK TONIGHT. This could be the best 1975 soundboard bootleg, with the exception of Great Dane's Masters Plus version of THE SAINT, THE INCIDENT AND THE MAIN POINT SHUFFLE. (*1994*)
MURDER INCORPORATED - THE LOST MASTERPIECE Flamingo Records * FR03 * (68:37) * 1CD * Studio Demos-Outtakes The Hit Factory & The Power Station, New York City, New York 1982-April 1984Until the reissue it was another "must", IMHO. A bunch of wonderful songs, you know. (*1995*)
Ironically, the merits of (this title) relative to THIS HARD LAND shot up as a consequence of 'GREATEST HITS'. A person contemplating purchase of THIS HARD LAND needs to ask herself if she REALLY wants to plunk down $25 for two unreleased songs. If she's nutty enough to want a straight-up presentation of a plausible, alternative version of BITUSA (ala THE TIES THAT BIND), well, maybe so. But if she just wants the songs, and doesn't mind a slight drop-off in quality, then the dilemma is tougher. (*1995*)
NEBRASKA LIVE Flamingo Records * FR01 * (67:34) * 1CD * Audience Various Locations 1984-86Since this was from various sources, the sound varies quite a bit. There's even a too-fast speed problem. (*1994*)
A NIGHT FOR THE VIETNAM VETERAN Winged Wheel * WW 9408/09/10 * (176:00) * 3CD Boxed set * Audience Los Angeles Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California August 20, 1981This set is one of the biggest disappointments in the world of Brucelegs. Released with great anticipation, this set captures perhaps Springsteen's most passionate performance, but in lousy sound. It is clear that Bruce saw much more at stake that night than most, and the performance reflects it. The emotion of "Prove It All Night" comes through clearly, and the rarely if ever performed segue from "Prove It All Night" to "The Ties That Bind" is stunning. A valuable piece for the performance but not for the sound; it can be made listenable by the judicious use of a graphic equalizer. (*1995*)
Sound not all that great but the performance is so phenomenal that to me it warranted an overall of 10. Interestingly, last 4 minutes of "Rosalita" is doubled up on. (*1995*)
With 8-20-81 being one of the all-time greats, I really, really, REALLY wanted to like this set. But time (and the chance to hear a superior tape) has persuaded me that it's a must to avoid. The master tape is not going to garner more than a '7' on the "Backstreets" sound scale, but it's significantly better than these discs. The bootleggers obviously used a low-generation tape, but their sloppy mastering results in high-end distortion, diminished bass and an absurd edit during "Rosalita." I reluctantly reached a similar conclusion with the packaging. The outer box is fantastic, but the fun stops there. Was it not possible to include jewel boxes, or an inside box that was sized for jewel boxes? Maybe this is all somewhat anal, but, dammit, when I'm plunking down $80 for an AUDIENCE RECORDING, a few more bells and whistles would be nice. (*1995*)
Incredible show and incredibly shitty recording. I can't believe they pressed this source tape on CD. DAT masters of this show exist. (*1995*)
OAKLAND NIGHT Crystal Cat Records * CC357/8/9 * (212:14) * 3CD * Audience Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, California October 21, 1984Good audience recording with great performance and great audience reaction, participation. Good show to be at, and I should know... had 5th row seats for this one. (*1995*)
OH BOY! Archive Productions * ALT:001/2 * (128:07) * 2CD * Soundboard The Civic Center, Charleston, West Virginia August 4, 1978The title track leads off and it's lots of fun. Leads right into the stuff that was new on this tour (i.e. the 'Darkness' material). Great, impassioned vocal on "Badlands" and all the 'Darkness' tunes. The guitar intro to "Prove It All Night" may be worth the price of the disc. One drawback, the volume on Bruce's between-song talk is much lower than the volume on the songs. Good spoken intro about "fraternity rock" before "Sherry Darling." Killer guitar in "Not Fade Away." (*1994*)
Run-of-the-mill Darkness tour performance. Long edit in the middle of "Backstreets" really hurts this one. (*1995*)
There is supposed to be a better tape of this show in circulation. (*1994*)
THE ORIGINAL DARKNESS MIXES E. ST. Records * ES08 * (??:??) * 1CD * Studio Demos-Outtakes Atlantic Studios/The Record Plant, New York City, New York June 1977-April 1978A waste of money. Most cuts are indistinguishable from their released counterparts. The version of "Don't Look Back" is not from the acetates as is suggested and instead is the same take as that used for THE PROMISE: Darkness Outtakes 1978 Vol. 3. Sound quality on this great song is ever so slightly better than on THE PROMISE which is the only reason whatsoever to buy this one. (*1995*)
PARAMOUNT NIGHT Crystal Cat Records * CC346/7/8 * (216:59) * 3CD * Audience The Paramount Theater, Portland, Oregon December 19, 1978Sound isn't the greatest. Strange mix and sound quality change during "Jungleland" (probably changing of tape during show). I bought this one mainly for "Rendezous" (I'm a big Greg Kihn fan also). I especially like the early renditions of "The River" and "The Ties That Bind." (*1995*)
PIECE DE RESISTANCE Great Dane Records * GDR9015 * (176:33) * 3CD * Radio Broadcast Capitol Theater, Passaic, New Jersey September 19, 1978With all of my Great Dane discs now dying a slow death due to CD rot, my rankings of them are influenced mainly from memory and dubs. Still, I am pushing for PIECE DE RESISTANCE to take the #1 spot away from THE SAINT, THE INCIDENT AND THE MAIN POINT SHUFFLE because, while I feel that THE SAINT, THE INCIDENT AND THE MAIN POINT SHUFFLE is an excellent boot (and a fabulous performance), PIECE DE RESISTANCE holds a special place for me as it was my very first full-length bootleg. The first time I heard it, I thought "this is what the live album should have been!" "Not Fade Away" segueing into "She's The One" qualifies as my favorite Bruce moment of all-time, and still brings that dry wall head rush every time I hear it. Out of all my Brucelegs, this is the one that I would recommend above all others. (*1995*)
A Classic, without doubts, if I should have just one boot, it should be this one. Best renditions of "Prove It All Night", "Backstreets" and "Meeting Across The River" ...IMHO. (*1995*)
PRETTY FLAMINGO *Label Unknown* * BMCD001 * (193:34) * 3CD * Audience Seattle Center Arena, Seattle, Washington December 20, 1978The conventional wisdom was that of the first two major Winged Wheels sets, A NIGHT FOR THE VIETNAM VETERAN was the one to get, and that this was best ignored. But for whatever it's worth, this is probably a more accurate presentation of the master recording than A NIGHT FOR THE VIETNAM VETERAN is. (*1995*)
PRODIGAL SON Crystal Cat * DOS 101/2 * (152:57) * 2CD * Studio Demos-Outtakes/Soundboard Media and 914 Sound Studios, Blauvelt, New York 1972-73I love "Seaside Bar Song." My Overall vote is so high respect the other two votes 'cause I think that a fan must own this bootleg, although I cannot compare it with other versions. (*1995*)
Real nice. I can play it in my car and people don't complain about the sound quality. "Seaside Bar Song" is excellent as are many of the other tunes. (*1995*)
THE PROMISE: Darkness Outtakes 1978 Vol. 3 Scorpio * BS300 * (70:23) * 1CD * Studio Demos-Outtakes Atlantic Studios/The Record Plant, New York City, New York June 1977-April 1978A very good boot that has quality studio versions of "The Promise" and "Don't Look Back," the two unreleased gems from the Darkness sessions. (*1995*)
RADIO WAVES Great Dane Records * GDR9022 * (65:02) * 1CD * Radio Broadcast WBCN-FM Radio Studio, Boston, Massachusetts April 9, 1974(This) contains acoustic live radio promotion performance with Danny on accordion, Gary on Tuba, Clarence on sax, and David Sancious on sandblocks. Has an outstanding acoustic "Rosalita." (*1994*)
A real nice collection of acoustic tunes played by BS in three separate radio interviews recorded I think in 1974. Does BS ever sound STONED!?! A rare version of "Rosalita" is played at the end of the first interview at the request of the interviewer (BS first refuses to do it saying it's to hard to do acoustic). Clarence et. al. join in and the sound for the first six songs is excellent. After that the sound gets ugly, not because as BS says "the only funny sounding thing you hear is coming from my guitar", but because of crummy radio tapes. An excellent purchase if you can afford 20 clams for six acoustic songs. (*1995*)
ROCKS THE PLAYPEN Moonlight Records * ML 9501 * (??:??) * 1CD * Soundboard(?)/Audience The Playpen, Sayreville, New Jersey October 21, 1994I wish that the sound quality for the Clarence segment was as good as the Playpen gig. I will probably never listen to the Sting track. (*1995*)
ROSES AND BROKEN HEARTS Great Dane Records * GDR9221 * (208:46) * 3CD * Soundboard/Audience Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, California May 3, 1988Best packaging of any boot CD I can think of. Includes nice color shots of both the 'Tunnel' tour band and Palace Amusements in Asbury Park. As for the music, I don't think the "carnival music" that played while the band took the stage translates very well to audio. Disc one is fine, but discs two and three really shine. Includes a fantastic version of "Ain't Got You," with a particularly angry vocal, which goes right into a fabulous "She's The One." This is followed by a funny spoken intro to "You Can Look." There's a slight blip in the sound during the beginning of "Dancing In The Dark." The show ends with a rousing version of "Twist And Shout." The horns are great, particularly throughout the encores, although I prefer the '92-'93 version of "Light Of Day." (*1994*)
Another one of my favorites, Bruce plays more unreleased material in this CD than in any I own. Both BS and the band seem to be having a good time. Some real cheesy intro prior to "Spare Parts" is a downer (sounds too scripted). Encores are superior to any show (other than MEADOWLANDS NIGHT) that I have ever heard. (*1995*)
THE ROXY ROAD Dynamite Studio * DS94A071/072 * (102:38) * 2CD * Radio Broadcast The Roxy Theater, Los Angeles, California October 17, 1975On a night when it counted most, in front of a radio audience far from the comfortable East Coast, Bruce delivered a show that conjures images of the young, hungry challenger getting a chance at the title, and scoring a knockout. And on his own terms. From the very opening moments, listening to the quiet "Thunder Road", accompanied by delicate piano and Danny's glockenspiel, you can almost feel the amazement of the crowd at the intensity of the performance of the street kid from New Jersey. Stellar performances of the 'BORN TO RUN' material, a heartfelt "Fourth of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)," a rare cover of the Byrd's chestnut "Going Back," and an early, driving performance of the "Detroit Medley." Sound gets a little congested in the louder passages, and there is some noise on the quiet parts of "Jungleland," but who cares when the music is this good? Originally issued in several versions on vinyl, and it's clear why, as this show, along with its companion piece, the also excellent 8/15/75 show (available in slightly inferior sound quality on LIVE AT THE BOTTOM LINE) define a performer about to answer all the hype with the power and passion of rock and roll. (*1995*)
THE SAINT, THE INCIDENT & THE MAIN POINT SHUFFLE (Original Version) Great Dane Records * GDR9012 * (150:58) * 2CD * Radio Broadcast The Main Point, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania February 5, 1975Legendary show, but this set has sound drawbacks. The hiss on "Incident On 57th Street" is bad, and the sound on "For You" and "Back in the U.S.A." at the end of disc two is horrendous (or do I have a defective copy?!) (*1994*)
Mastered from an FM signal recording. Get Great Dane's phenomenal Masters Plus version instead. (*1994*)
THE SAINT, THE INCIDENT & THE MAIN POINT SHUFFLE (Masters Plus Version) Great Dane Records * GDR9012 * (150:58) * 2CD * Radio Broadcast The Main Point, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania February 5, 1975(This) is the greatest Bruce performance ever. The ballads, the faster songs, the crowd interaction and the great sound make it the best Bruce boot available. (*1995*)
If the Masters Plus LIVE IN THE PROMISED LAND is the best Bruce boot, this is a very close second. This is rumored to have been mastered from reel-to-reel tapes held by Mike Appel. There is a sound drop-off during "New York City Serenade," but this is because the version of this song on the superior recording is incomplete. An incredible set marred only by this drop-off and some minor packaging errors. Disc one is probably the best single disc of bootleg Springsteen ever, both in terms of sound and performance. (*1994*)
Another great CD that is a must have for all true fans. Sound quality is excellent, almost as good as an official release. "Wings for Wheels" is a highlight, although I like the released version of "Thunder Road" better. My only complaint is that the sound dips to low in several places almost to a point where it's inaudible. (*1995*)
SATAN'S JEWEL CROWN Big Music * BIGBX004 * (272:09) * 4CD Boxed Set * Audience Brendan Byrne Arena, The Meadowlands, East Rutherford, New Jersey June 24, 1993Would have gotten an overall of 10 if "Born To Run" didn't fade after the sax solo. (*1995*)
SMALLTOWN BOY The Swingin' Pig * TSP037 * (53:25) * 1CD * Radio Broadcast The Main Point, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania April 24, 1973Great between-song chatter; excellent sound. Three of the seven songs are unreleased gems, including "Thundercrack." Bruce is young and silly and loose and having a great old time. I like the dense sound of the band, especially the horns. (*1994*)
SOLO ACOUSTIC Cocomelos Records * CM17 * (67:47) * 1CD * Audience Count Basie Theater, Red Bank, New Jersey March 23, 1993The first bootleg I ever bought was (this title). The guy at the desk said he would play a song for me from it to see how it sounds. I told him to play "This Hard Land" (which I never heard at that point). I was blown away--by the song, not really the sound. I immediately bought it and took it home. Pretty good sound wise. The sound is only bad throughout "Achy Breaky Heart" and a few other instances in songs. Plus the guy who taped it was next to some idiot who incessantly kept saying "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!" I'm very pleased with it though. (*1994*)
One of the worst sounding boots ever. I gave mine away four days after shelling out 25 bucks for it. If there is one CD not to own, this must be it. (*1995*)
An incomplete presentation of the analog tape of the Count Basie show. Not worth the money, really. (*1994*)
SPRINGSTEEN, RAITT AND BROWNE Templar Records * TCD16 * (177:19) * 3CD * Audience DAT Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California November 16, 1990This gets a lot of time in my CD player. Bruce's set is essential for many reasons, including "Red Headed Woman" (great crowd response), my favorite version of "57 Channels," plus "When the Lights Go Out" and the definitive "Real World." Jackson fans should NOT miss his updated version of "Cocaine," which was worth the price of the whole set for me. (*1994*)
SUMMER TOUR '81 Flamingo Records * FR05 * (68:44) * 1CD * Soundboard Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan August 12, 1981There is supposed to be a better, more complete tape of this show circulating. (*1994*)
SUMMERNIGHT Q Sound * BS06-7 * (118:41) * 2CD * Radio Broadcast/Audience Olympic Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden July 3, 1988(I'm) dissapointed with the recording they used to master the CD from. They actually use a recording that has a few points with bad FM reception. I can't believe it! My own tape from the same broadcast had better sound, but unfortunately I played it to death. It was broadcast on public radio (this was before we had commercial radio stations in Sweden) which has a very good signal. (*1995*)
TEARDROPS ON THE CITY *Label Unknown* * BSTC6004 * (169:43) * 3CD * Audience Johanneshov Isstadion, Stockholm, Sweden May 8, 1981This is mastered off a vinyl bootleg. (*1994*)
THE TEENAGE WEREWOLF Silver Rarities * SIRA90/91/92 * (206:47) * 3CD * Radio Broadcast/Soundboard The Agora Club, Cleveland, Ohio August 9, 1978Mastered from a soundboard recording. A better buy than Tunnel Records' AGORA CLUB 1978. One oddity: some radio station master recordings of this show have a slight edit during "Growin' Up." Oddly (and fortunately for the buyer) this one does not. (*1994*)
THE TIES THAT BIND *Label Unknown* * ?????? * (38:36) * 1CD * Studio Demos-Outtakes The Power Station, New York City, New York April-September 1979 THE TIES THAT BIND Capricorn Records * CR-2032 * (38:36) * 1CD * Studio Demos-Outtakes The Power Station, New York City, New York April-September 1979This one gets a lot of raves for its sound quality which does, in fact, set a new standard for studio boots. A lot of the takes, however, are virtually indistinguishable from their released counterparts. Were it not for the absolutely incredible arrangement of "Stolen Car" on this one, I would rate it much lower. (*1995*)
A triumph of spelunkean exploration, surpassing Columbia's RIVER CD in sound and artistic coherence. The most significant Springsteen bootleg of the last five years. But I don't give it my highest rating. Why? For one reason, and one only. A casual fan buying the Masters Plus versions of LIVE IN THE PROMISED LAND or THE SAINT, THE INCIDENT AND THE MAIN POINT SHUFFLE would not be disappointed in the least, while the duplication of some tracks with 'THE RIVER' makes this a less-than-ideal impulse purchase. (*1995*)
If only this had been released earlier it would have saved me and countless others some serious cash money. The CD is without a doubt the highest quality boot available. Springsteen himself might own this one. Although I wouldn't trade this one for 'THE RIVER', I'm glad I've got a version of "Cindy" to practice from. If you ever want to get laid, sing this song to a chick (substitute her name for Cindy's), then tell her you wrote it. It's magic pure and simple. (*1995*)
THIS HARD LAND *Label Unknown* * BS2002 * (54:19) * 1CD * Studio Demos-Outtakes The Hit Factory & The Power Station, New York City, New York 1982-April 1984 THIS HARD LAND Red Robin * ROB-???? * (54:19) * 1CD * Studio Demos-Outtakes The Hit Factory & The Power Station, New York City, New York 1982-April 1984Many of the songs are virtually the same as their released counterparts. Who really cares if the intro to "I'm On Fire" is a few seconds longer? With the official release of "This Hard Land" and "Murder Incorporated" on the 'GREATEST HITS' record, there aren't a lot of reasons to buy this one anymore. "Frankie" is one reason! (*1995*)
Ironically, the merits of MURDER INCORPORATED - THE LOST MASTERPIECE relative to (this title) shot up as a consequence of 'GREATEST HITS'. A person contemplating purchase of (this title) needs to ask herself if she REALLY wants to plunk down $25 for two unreleased songs. If she's nutty enough to want a straight-up presentation of a plausible, alternative version of BITUSA (ala THE TIES THAT BIND), well, maybe so. But if she just wants the songs, and doesn't mind a slight drop-off in quality, then the dilemma is tougher. (*1995*)
THUNDERCRACK (Original version) Great Dane Records * GDR8916 * (51:59) * 1CD * Radio Broadcast The Main Point, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania April 24, 1973The first CD Bruceleg I ever purchased, because it preserved the title track, my favorite from the vinyl compilation "Box O Rocks." Bruce at his loosest. (*1995*)
ULTRA RARE TRAX VOLUME 1 Mosquito Records * MR001 * (64:18) * 1CD * Studio Demos-Outtakes/Audience Various Locations 1975-78If you're buying this for the 9-20-78 soundcheck, Great Dane/Follow That Dream's CAPITOL SOUNDCHECK is a better buy. (*1994*)
ULTRA RARE TRAX VOLUME 3 The Genuine Pig * TGP149 * (50:33) * 1CD * Studio Demos-Outtakes Various Locations 1970-72Is this Bruce??? God have mercy on the man who doubts what he's sure of!!! IMHO only an archaeologist could find some interest in this CD! Even the cover photo is abominable... 10$ wasted for 4 songs that I didn't own. (*1995*)
THE UNPLANNED GIG Flashback Worldproductions * FB218 * (66:29) * 1CD * Soundboard The Village, Lancaster, Pennsylvania June 21, 19842 sources. The Lancaster stuff has speed problems but the other half is real good. (*1994*)
A great recording of the June 1984 warm-up gig at the Village in Lancaster, PA. (*1994*)
THE UNSURPASSED SPRINGSTEEN VOL. 2: Max's Kansas City 1972-1973 Yellow Dog Records * YD019 * (75:36) * 1CD * Radio Broadcast/Soundboard Max's Kansas City, New York City, New York August 1972-July 1973There must be a good reason to own this CD but I haven't found it yet. A good version of "Thundercrack" makes it OK; however, I very rarely listen to it. (*1995*)
USA 1978 Arriba! * ARR93.030 * (76:01) * 1CD * Radio Broadcast Capitol Theater, Passaic, New Jersey September 19, 1978Sounds to me a little bit better than PIECE DE RESISTANCE, but only 1/3 of the show. (*1994*)
USA BLUES Crystal Cat Records * CC320 * (73:22) * 1CD * Audience DAT Various Locations 1992-93A wonderful CD! The first two songs move me each time. Half a point less 'cause I hate this version of "Born In The USA." (*1995*)
WARM AND TENDER LOVE Kiss The Stone * KTS280 * (67:12) * 1CD * Audience/Soundboard/TV Broadcast Various Locations 1988-94A good potpourri bootleg, the sound is very various: in 9 songs is excellent, between 9 and 10 but in the other 5 songs it drops about 5/6. The performances are good, especially I like "Come Together" with Axel Rose. Half a point up in the overall for the picture CD. (*1995*)
THE WAY: Darkness Outtakes 1978 Vol. 2 Scorpio * BS200 * (70:20) * 1CD * Studio Demos-Outtakes Atlantic Studios/The Record Plant, New York City, New York June 1977-April 1978Not very good sound on the majority of the tunes. Overall not worth the money. (*1995*)
WBCN STUDIOS 1973 Great Dane Records * FTD6 * (28:44) * CD Single w/ FTD fanzine * Radio Broadcast WBCN-FM Radio Studio, Boston, Massachusetts January 10, 1973BOUND FOR GLORY might be a better buy. (*1994*)
WE HAD TOO MUCH TOO DRINK TONIGHT Scorpio * BS908075/6 * (???:??) * 2CD * Soundboard The Uptown Theater, Milwaukee, Wisconsin October 2, 1975Get Mistral's THE MILWAUKEE BOMB SCARE SHOW instead. (*1994*)
WHEN YOU'RE ALONE On Stage Records * ON2268 * (44:36) * 1CD * *Unknown Source* Eatontown, New Jersey, January-February 1988The sound is quite terrible! The performance is average, thinking we're speaking of rehearsals. It was not a good purchase, although there are some highlights: especially the two different takes of "Valentines Day" - I never heard a live version of this wonderful song - and "From Small Things." (*1995*)
WILL THE REAL BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN PLEASE STAND UP? Real Live * RLCD16 * (69:00) * 1CD * Audience Milwaukee Arena, Milwaukee, Wisconsin February 22, 1977Get ACTION IN THE STREETS instead. This has a couple of tracks from Towson, MD, 3-13-77. (*1994*)
YOU MEAN SO MUCH TO ME Great Dane Records * GDR8901 * (82:12) * 1CD plus a CD Single * Soundboard Kent State University, Kent, Ohio January 19, 1974Would somebody please tell me why there is a picture of the Kenmore Square 'T' stop in Boston on the cover of the second disc? (*1995*)
Mail any suggestions and/or comments to rpb@brucelegs.com.
Copyright © 1994-2000 Richard Breton.
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Last modified on February 1, 2000