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The End-Of-Year Bootleg Release News Roundup...
18 Dec 2006

Officially, this is the last News Column that will be posted on HotWacks On-line for 2006.  However, if there is an important release announcement or information that comes across over the next 2 weeks, I will certainly make sure there is some sort of official posting right here.  It just won't be a full-fledged column if you will.  What will be happening on the site will be the posting of Top 10 picks over on the Top 10 page.  I will open that up for you all starting December 27th.  Let's at least get Christmas out of the way!  On that note I just want to send out a ton of gratitude to all of you active members that continue to find value in what this site offers thus far.  The site is going into it's 4th year, 2.5 under current site administration and it's still got a long way to go.  I envision incorporating a broader and deeper database that includes older titles (right now the HotWacks On-line database features CD & DVD bootleg reviews on releases from 2003 forward - coinciding with the launch of the site), some pages on bootleg vinyl artwork and information, bootleg label information,  Top Bootleg Releases by artist (I know, I said this last year!), and we may even bring back a bulletin board type page to promote interaction.  I will also continue to work with the site Tech on the manner in which our navigation is set up.  For the most part it was inherited and we've attempted to make it more responsive but I agree with several comments that it just isn't easy enough.  So, we've got much to do and it all just takes time.  First and foremost, we want to be a leader in communication of release information and position ourselves as a resource that is tops with the coverage we provide.  We have some of the best contributors around and would certainly like to add more of you knowledgable people to that staff.  If you have even a passing interest in uploading a review regularly - like, once a month - email me.  We'll make that happen.  We would certainly like to find a few people who collect artists that we don't cover adequately at this stage.  Just let me know!  On with the news...

Sly And The Family Stone TV Rarity Masters DVD 4Reel Productions Crosby, Stills & Nash Sessions Selections Aurora Borealis Label

4Reel Productions will close out their current release schedule with January releases that include SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE, "TV Rartity Masters" DVD that they have put a ton of effort into and boast video sources from 1968-1974 on a Dual-Layer DVD9 that are "jaw dropping" and, clips that have virtually never been seen...so that sounds cool...4Reel's other January title will be the previously talked about VAN HALEN "Largo, Maryland October 12, 1982" proshot DVD that is said to feature both superb video and audio, with a bonus interview with DAVID LEE ROTH.  Aurora Borealis is apparently racking up discs for assembly and letting the ink dry on their artwork for the CROSBY, STILLS & NASH CD, "Sessions Selections" which is going to be a phenomenal if not landmark bootleg title of the band.  I've been afforded the chance to hear some mp3 samples and what I heard is nothing short of amazing...and the cool thing is that it's just the tip of that iceburg!  Expect "Sessions Selections" to be shipping within the next week or so to your favorite channels for collectors...Look for some reviews to post over the holidays on the BOB DYLAN Performing Artist Series from Hollow Horn.  I've received copies of the first 5 Volumes and I can honestly say that while the first 3 document those very early Minneapolis and New York tapes from 1961, Hollow Horn has somehow been able to make them more "listenable".  Volumes 4 & 5 cover 1962-1965 and while I've only sampled, appear to have attained definitive quality for those New York and Newport tapes and are very cool.  I've been told that Volume 6 is slated to be in the pipeline over the holidays with the final 2 in the series to arrive quickly in the first part of 2007.  The pressings have been limited to 500 copies per title (half the copies from last years' series) making them pretty scarce but that shouldn't stop you.  If you seek, you shall find.  In other BOB DYLAN release news...Tambourine Man Records is finishing out 2006 with a flurry of '06 recordings.  The pair of titles that were issued last week are "And A Cannonball Blew My Eyes Away" 2CD, featuring the show performed at the Kohl Center in Madison,  Wisconsin on October 31st, and "Rock And Tangled Up In Blue" 2CD is the October 29th concert at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul,Minnesota...expected in just days are the final 2 titles, "Sing A Little Bit Of These Workingman's Blues" 3CD that pairs recordings from both of the Boston concerts at Agganis Arena on November 11th & 12th, and "New York Modern Times" 2CD that documents the New York City Center performance on November 20th.

Neil Young & Crazy Horse Danny By The River Seymour RecordsVelvet Underground Ultimate Stereo Album Nothing Songs Ltd. Bob Dylan New York Modern Times Tamourine Man Records

Seymour Records is releasing the NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE title, "Danny By The River" 2CD + bonus CDR set which features a superb soundboard recording from The Music Hall in Cincinnati on February 25th, 1970 split across the main discs and the bonus disc contains a recording new to bootleg from Philadelphia on February 28th, 1970...THE VELVET UNDERGROUND have certainly been a focus in the latter half of 2006, primarily for the Nothing Songs Limited Label...and they will close out the year with yet another interesting 4CD compilation titled "Ultimate Stereo Album" that brings together all the niche, rare and loose-ends any VU afficianado might be able to cite!  Featured are the rare and unavailable mixes anywhere else from both Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs VU Original Master Recordings CD's from 1997 & 1998, a 7-inch cardboard disc from ANDY WARHOL's Index Book where Factory regulars like NICO discuss the book itself, 1966 Aspen Art Magazine Flexi-disc 7-inch with non-album track, tracks from the October 1973 "Lou Reed & The Velvet Underground" Swan cover LP, Lou Reed's Alternate Closet Mix of the rare MGM special 3rd Album, tracks from a special promotional cassette tape from 1985 that are not available anywhere else...and the list goes on.  Very coolWith LED ZEPPELIN collector's interest piqued due to Empress Valley's homerun hitting release, "Live At The Whiskey A Go-Go" DVD-Audio/CD set, Wendy Records found it a good time to give the bands' Oakland Coliseum recordings from September 2, 1970 a shot...titled "Live On Blueberry Hill II", it will be a 2-source mix relying heavily on the better recording "B" that was featured on previous releases from Electric Magic ("Another Night On Blueberry Hill"), Tarantura's "Blueberry Hill II" and Silver Rarities' "Two Days Before" - and fill in with the flatter, inferior tape utilized on Holy Grail's "Get Loose" set from way back when.  ZEP titles yet to be released in 2006 are of course EV's previously unreleased '75 soundboard called "Days Confused" 3CD set... and Tarantura's "Kurofune" 13 CD set of the complete 1971 Japanese Tour (35th Anniversary Edition)...Speaking of Tarantura, they have just issued the ERIC CLAPTON numbered and limited edition 2CD set, "Viva La Crossroads" featuring September 23, 1988 show at Irvine Meadows and credited to be a Mike Millard recording, which makes it very interesting as I wasn't aware he was continuing to tape as late as '88.  If that's the case, it should be an excellent title.  In other Slowhand boot release news...Beano has just announced the 6CD set, "Miss You", that will package up 3 shows from his Behind The Sun Tour 1987:  Dortmund on January 20th, Hamburg on January 21st, and Frankfurt on January 22nd, 1987.

Led Zeppelin Live On Blueberry Hill II Wendy RecordsEric Clapton Miss You CD Set Beano Label

Plenty of ROLLING STONES bootlegs to point out or relay this week...The Halcyon Label plans on getting a couple of titles out the door yet this month, "Fan Club DVD" will evidently copy the proshot videos and interviews that were featured on the official website throughout the Bigger Bang Tour legs in 2005 and 2006.  Now, whether it's a copy of the official DVD that was sent out to Fan Club members is yet to be confirmed but in any case, this doesn't sound the least bit interesting or appealing and feel they are severely wasting their time on this material - even though pricing I've seen is fairly cheap, $17.00.  But what's the point, really?  On a brighter note, the label has announced the 2CD set "No Flash, No Gimmicks" which should be a serious attempt at an upgrade to the Ft. Worth '78 soundboard/broadcast...I sure hope they decide to include a bonus DVD of that proshot fragment - THAT would be sweet.  In any case, if they give this one the same treatment "Leeds" and "L&G" received, we're in for a treat.  Idol Mind Productions (IMP) is stepping up their production but as Riccar99 cited in one of his latest reviews here on the site, a high percentage of their titles are now CDRs!...bad decision in my humble opinion and out of about 8 titles on the schedule in coming weeks, only one silver disc issue and that is the single CD "The Sotheby Reels 1969-1970" sounds to me like an attractive manner to sell us all The Trident Mixes again (which was recently re-issued by SODD)..and speaking of Singer's Original Direct Disc, they have 3 more titles coming out by month's end also..."Europe '76" 2CD soundboard, "The Great Lost Live Album" 2CD, and "Twenty Flight Rock" 2CD...which all sound waaay too familiar to be immediately interesting but we'll see what actually transpires out of that lot. 

Finally, some loose ends to mention...Look for THE BEATLES "Definitive Edition Complete Live In Japan" Deluxe CD/DVD set coming from Strange Apple Records...Silent Sea has assured some very tasty relases to kick off 2007...but yet in 2006, watch for information forthcoming on 5 new CD titles from Back To Zero and also a rare CD release from the Yellow Dog Label !

Well there you have it...you now know what I know, up to the moment!  Make it a point to at least hit the News link when you're checking back for review content and updates over the coming holiday weeks.  AND...please make sure to jot down some Top 10 thoughts in the near future and then make sure you stop by and post those picks over on the Top 10 page, again that'll be available starting next Wednesday, December 27th.  I want to wish you all the very best for this holiday season and please enjoy your family and friends to the max, life is very short and each day brings unforseen challenges.  Live it, embrace it. From all of us here at HotWacks On-line...Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa and/or whatever you are celebrating!  I'll raise a toast to another new year of community, sharing, informing and collecting.  It's been a wonderful 2006 and we thank you all.  All the best.

Svengi, December 18, 2006

 
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