Let's see, for those stateside this would be the Presidents' Day edition of the Bootleg News this week here at HotWacks On-line. First a comment on the seldom-used Bulletin Board page. It has been taken down, primarily due to a programming issue but we have also decided to keep it down indefinitely and to possibly replace with perhaps a Trading Post page or something down the road. Fact is, it just wasn't getting any usage and this blurb might be the first some of you have even heard about it. So, we'll move on. There isn't an overabundant number of things to talk about but we are all familiar with the erratic nature of the bootleg "industry". Let's jump
right in.

Brand new announcments out of Japan this weekend include...DEEP PURPLE "Live In Japan" is a 2CD set from the Darker Than Blue Label and houses a complete show from Festival Hall in Osaka on August 16, 1972...some of which was featured on their official live double-LP "Made In Japan". Keeping it in the family for a few moments, there's a new RAINBOW title out by Power Gate called "Instrument Of Surrender" and features the bands' August 27th, 1981 concert at The Budokan in Tokyo. One CDR release this week from Power Gate, TESLA "Modern Day Cowboy", which is a double-disc title from the Universal Amphitheater concert on November 26th, 2004...and, on Power Gate DVD Masters comes GILLAN "On TV 1978-1982", a double DVD-R release that compiles 3 hours of Pro-shot footage of Ian Gillan's various projects and line-ups during his post-Purple outings...also from PG DVD Masters is DIO "One Night In NYC", a Pro-shot DVD-R title featuring Ronnie's April 29th, 2000 show on a single disc. Other Japanese Label announcements this week include a couple of ERIC CLAPTON titles on a yet to be identified Label..."Festival Hall 1977" and a 2CD set called "To Be Your Woman". No further info on those. Cygnus has the new RUSH "First Part Of Counters" 2-disc set of Tour Rehearsals for the Counterparts Campaign, recorded at the Civic Arena in Pensacola, Florida on January 18th, 1994. King Stork Label has a new 4CDR BRIAN WILSON release called "Mile Stone" that pairs up to stellar audios of his recent Budokan concerts in Tokyo on January 30th and 31st. It should be noted that a new DVD-R release of his January 31st show has just surfaced in Japan on the ROZY Label. I'm assuming it's the same people who provided the stellar audience-shot ROLLING STONES video from March 10th, 2002...and it should be a good film document of one of Brian's Smile gigs. Speaking of Brian Wilson, Watch Tower recently put out a 4CD set called "Brian's Birthday Party" that documents his Phoenix show on June 20th, 2001 on disc 1...and 3 discs worth of rare tour rehearsals from the same timeframe. Thanks to Uncanny for the info there.




In other Watch Tower news...the label is planning it's next LED ZEPPELIN title, and it could be an interesting choice. WT is readying "Coherence", a potentially fresh take of the final Zeppelin concert at the Los Angelese Forum on June 27th, 1977. It's an excellent audience recording documented again by the late Mike Millard. This time it will be issued on a 3 disc set, which is a first. Previous releases from Empress Valley on the stellar "Deep Striker" and The Diagrams Of Led Zeppelin title, "Sunset" and a couple of other minor label releases...have all issued this show unnecessarily on 4 CD's. Other ZEPPELIN boot mentionables...from the Wendy Label next will be "Sweet Home Chicago" (how original! When will these label cease with these overused titles?)...anyway, I digress. Wendy's initial info cites this as being the January 21st, 1975 Zeppelin concert at Chicago Stadium...but, my money is on the January 20th show instead. Recently on the net at EZ Torrent, an upgraded and more complete version of the show
from the 20th was seeded for download to all and it would make sense that it would be the one to see a commercial bootleg release. We'll see. If not, it could conceivably be a collector's bonus...provided it is an upgrade to what Cobra, Tarantura and Silver Rarities have given us in the past. Typically, it's been 2 fragmented tapes from each of the nights on these previous titles, neither one comprising a complete show from either night. Finally, Beezlebub Records has their "In The Garden Of Sweden" title ready for ordering. It is a 2CDR set that provides a complete document of LED ZEPPELIN show at the Tivoli Gardens in Stockholm on March 14th, 1969...we get a Pre-FM complete source tape to compare with a complete audience source -from the master cassette. Very nice, but to assist with any frustration or mixed signals with this label - all of their releases are CDR and DVD-R, NOT Silver Disc like they cite in their marketing emails. In my opinion, that sort of discrepancy fosters some flaming and ill-will towards a label that is just getting it's legs and has some very good material to share. They need to stop shooting themselves in the foot. That is my editorial for today. Looking ahead to what the Premium Japanese Labels have in their pipeline in the coming month or so...Tarantura will have a new 6CD Limited Edition Box Set called "Led Zeppelin In Concert" that will seemingly provide 2 versions of the November 25th, 1971 Leicester University, UK concert together (ala "Going To Auckland"?). Can they really improve on EV's "Best For Hard N' Heavy"? Also from Tarantura is an extremely ambitious and interesting DEREK & THE DOMINOES 11CD Limited Box Set called "12073"...look for that late this month or early March. Empress Valley has probably the most uninteresting Spring Release schedule in their history...the most intriguing of the bunch is "Led Zeppelin Is My Brother", the October 2nd, 1972 show from Master Reel...it goes downhill quickly after that. Also from EV are the next installments of the "Lost Sessions" EP's, Volumes 5 (Chicago '73 Rehearsals) & #6 (Studio Daze & Jennings Farm Blues from Original Master Reel)...Akashic already attained definitive status with the latter, so really. Look for "There's So Much Sound To Hear", Providence, Rhode Island, July 21, 1973...and "Stockholm Syndrome" March 6, 1973 - which could have some potential collecting interest...and then "Live On Blueberry Hill" for the billionth time and something called "Ahead & After" in which there are no details on what that is. "Heavy Metal Kids" is the name of a very nebulus Japanese DVD Release, we'll keep you posted on any further details with that...and finally, Empress Valley has plans for a ROLLING STONES release called"Are You Feeling Good?", from Hartford on November 9th, 1981...a sister title to their "Kings Of Drugs" release from several years ago.

That's it! We hope to have more to relay throughout the coming week so keep an eye on the News Ticker and check back often for many new reviews to be posted in the next 48 hours. I'll meet you back here next Sunday. Thanks for stopping in.

Svengi
February 20, 2005