Bootlegs
My guess is that bootleg recordings have been a problem ever since someone realized there was money to be made from them. It used to be that a bootleg album just meant a live recording. Now with the help of technology there are bootlegs of studio recording as well. In metal circles these are normally recordings that were only released on lp or cassette and never officially released on cd. So someone has one of these copies and then they copy it onto a disc. They copy the cover art and try to sell it on ebay or somewhere listing it as a"rare import". I have seen these listed on many occasions for recordings that I know were never officially released on cd. New Renaissance records released a lot of metal albums in the mid to late 80's. They have released a few of them on cd, but a number of their releases have been bootlegged and frequently show up on ebay. New Renaissance even has a section on their hompage about the problem. If you are interested then you can go to their homepage and go to the section about bootlegs. It just lists albums of theirs that have bootlegged and how to recognize a bootlegged version.
http://newrenaissance.hypermart.net/
Last year Gene Simmons accompanied FBI agents on a raid at a Kiss convention to catch a specific bootlegger that Mr. Simmons was looking for. Several dealers were taken out in handcuffs. I read an interview last year with Ronnie James Dio and the interview took place right after a show and a meet and greet. The interviewer made note that Ronnie signed several bootleg cd's without saying anything. Dio acknowledged that he knew they were bootlegs, but didn't had a problem with it. He felt his fans buy what he releases and didn't have a problem with them getting live bootlegs from other sources. He said he had a friend who had a huge collection of live Dio bootlegs and he didn't have a problem with it. So different artists have different opinions on this matter.
Yes, it is illegal. I don't like the people who are copying studio albums and getting high money for it. They are lying to the customers and I have seen some of these go for $50-$60 a piece on ebay and I know they are bootlegs. However I have less of a problem with live bootlegs. No one is lying about what this is. If you see a live recording that you have never heard of then you know what it is. I am probably rationalizing this just so I don't fell guilty about my opinion, but that's how I feel.
http://newrenaissance.hypermart.net/
Last year Gene Simmons accompanied FBI agents on a raid at a Kiss convention to catch a specific bootlegger that Mr. Simmons was looking for. Several dealers were taken out in handcuffs. I read an interview last year with Ronnie James Dio and the interview took place right after a show and a meet and greet. The interviewer made note that Ronnie signed several bootleg cd's without saying anything. Dio acknowledged that he knew they were bootlegs, but didn't had a problem with it. He felt his fans buy what he releases and didn't have a problem with them getting live bootlegs from other sources. He said he had a friend who had a huge collection of live Dio bootlegs and he didn't have a problem with it. So different artists have different opinions on this matter.
Yes, it is illegal. I don't like the people who are copying studio albums and getting high money for it. They are lying to the customers and I have seen some of these go for $50-$60 a piece on ebay and I know they are bootlegs. However I have less of a problem with live bootlegs. No one is lying about what this is. If you see a live recording that you have never heard of then you know what it is. I am probably rationalizing this just so I don't fell guilty about my opinion, but that's how I feel.
posted by Metal Mark at
12:03 AM
6 Comments:
Ben-They don't always record all of their shows and some times the label may not want the band to release a live album.
When Metallica did thiet Cliff 'em all video in 87 (I think) they used a number of bootleg clips sent to them by fans. I recently looked on the website of the band Nebula and they were asking fans to send them any bootleg videos they had and the band would put them up on their website for everyone to see.
Yeah, I don't have any bootlegged music.
I know people that have taped live performances, knowing it was never going to be released.
I agree with Ben in some regards - I believe an artist should have some control over their catalogue/legacy. Though, there just seem to be so many complications that prevent live shows/outtakes from getting released. Not to mention all of the albums available only on tape or vinyl.
Joe Schmo shouldn't necessarily be profiting from the work of others ... but I don't think pulling a Gene Simmons and going after bootleggers is the way either. I know for several Pixies shows recently - all were recorded and made available in a limited "on-demand" fashion. That, to me, seems like a good solution. I have left so many shows wishing I had a good recording of it ... and then the artists would get the money.
I hadn't heard that Gene Simmons story, but its not surprising. Paul Stanley has been quoted as saying that he doesn't approve of bootlegs, but doesn't blame the fans for wanting to own them. I have a bunch of KISS bootleg concert videos and a copy of the unreleased "Wicked Lester" album (the band Gene and Paul were in right before KISS). I would be happy to buy them again if they were released commercially.
Strutter- Was Jay Jay French of Twisted Sister still in Wicked Lester at the time of those recordings?
Everything I've read indicates that the guitar work on the album was by a guy named Ron Leejack. There's no mention of Jay Jay French at all in KISS' authorized biography, but I have another book called "KISS Alive Forever" where Jay Jay himself says that Gene and Paul weren't happy with the album or the rest of the band and were looking to go in a different direction. Jay Jay apparently auditioned for them several times over a few months but it never worked out.
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