"Bootleggers, roll your tapes*"

Bootleg (my definition): unauthorized recordings traded, never sold, by loyal fans who have purchased everything officially issued by an artist. Note: These are not pirated copies of official releases and should not be confused with the oxymoronically titled "official bootlegs" recently issued by Dylan, Pearl Jam, the Velvet Underground, etc.!

In the early days of bootlegs, seedy record stores sold poorly pressed vinyl albums of live recordings with bad sound and minimal artwork at high prices to hardcore fans. With evolving audio technology, bootlegging became a DIY hobby. Tapes were traded rather than sold. The internet and CD burners carried the free exchange of bootlegs to a new level and SHN, FLAC and high speed internet file exchange are the probably the future. However, the gold standard at the present time (in my opinion) is still the compact disc and wav files. Most traders do not want and will not trade for MP3 sourced discs/downloads (probably due to the days of Crapster and incorrectly named MP3 files riddled with digipops and dropouts). It's their game. Follow their rules.

Bootlegs continue to play an essential role in archiving unedited live performances. Unlike "official" live recordings, a bootleg is a unique snapshot of the artist on that given night completely uncut,uncensored and unedited. None of those two seond gaps between tracks. False starts, flubbed lyrics, unusual covers, jokes, heckling and banter are all included. The sound quality varies but soundboard and excellent audience recordings circulate for almost every artist. Others have certainly written more (and better) about bootleg recordings so enough of the boring history lesson. Interested in getting a hold of some boots? I'll tell you how.

The first rule of bootlegging is "Never sell or buy the music!" The obvious question is "Okay, so I don't have any bootlegs and I'm not supposed to buy them. How do I get started with my new hobby/addiction?" Don't go to fleaBay or your neighborhood independent record store (if you can even find one). A quick google search with "artist's name", "cdr" and "trade" will usually bring up dozens of trader's webpages (some active and some burned out-check for a last updated date on the page). For example, a trader's page might look like this Americana Music Trading . Two other trader databases are db.etree.org and phishhook.com. They are both well organized sites used by traders to post their trade lists and trade wants. Now that you've found some (many? hundreds?) of live recordings and you know who has them, how do you actually get them when you can't buy them and have nothing to trade?

B+P (blanks and postage) is the easy answer! Email several traders with polite requests for one or two shows from their list (don't be greedy)! Explain that you are a newbie with no discs to trade. You'll find someone who takes pity, remembering what it was like trying to join the trader's club. If they agree to help you out, you will be expected to send them the appropriate number of decent quality blank discs in paper CD envelopes (no jewel cases-they just get broken in the mail) in a bubble (non-fiber) padded mailer with return postage. They will burn your discs and drop them in the mail reusing your mailer, CD envelopes and the return postage you included. After one succesful B+P you'll have your own small list of bootlegs to offer in trade. Congratulations! There are additional good trader guidelines to follow but that's another post������.

Favorite bootlegs (of the moment):

Alejandro Escovedo and the String Quartet 2cd Asheville, NC 2003
Alejandro Escovedo and Richard Buckner 2cd Houston, TX 1999

*Springsteen: onstage at the Roxy, 1978 (and yes, somebody taped it).