Does Led Zeppelin see the MOST Bootleg activity of all major bands?

[irondirigible]

Of course, all the big bands of the 60s and 70s are bootlegged.  There are many bootleg recordings for The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who, Bob Dylan, and countless others.  There are bootlegs for Frank Sinatra, for The Eagles, and even for Tiny Tim!  There are also plenty of boots for new, current artists.

But when I look around the internet, I can't say that I see more activity in this area for ANY OTHER band or artist.  Led Zeppelin appears to be #1 for bootlegs and #1 for the amount of activity and interest in them.

Am I right about this?

And, if so, WHY?  What makes Zeppelin's music so conducive to this sort of fan behaviour?  

[JTM]

Dylan, The Rolling Stones, The Who  are just three acts that there are many more bootleg recordings than there are LZ boots. Clapton and Pink Floyd too. I would think given their relatively short career LZ are way down the list of bands with the largest number of bootleg recordings. Don't forget the Grateful Dead they probably win the ''race'' by the hundreds.

[irondirigible]

I have never explored Greatful Dead bootlegs, but I can imagine there being many of them.  Even Elvis had bootleg recordings.  

[irondirigible]

I remember a friend of mine had a Rolling Stones bootleg back in the 80s.  It looked so exciting until played.  The sound was just awful, like someone playing your favourite song on an AM radio while taking a shower.

[in_the_evening]

Dylan was bootlegged extensively for much of his career.  The Greatful Dead used to allow concert goers to record their shows, so there should be lots of them.

[Strider]

If we are talking pure numbers, then Led Zeppelin, with less than 400 live tapes available and very little studio output in the vault, would rank below such prodigious and long-running acts as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Grateful Dead, Elvis, Pink Floyd, The Who, Bowie, Prince, U2, Rolling Stones, even the Beatles, whose studio output in a short period of time was gargantuan compared to Led Zeppelin.

But availability of a bootleg does not guarantee the desirability of said bootleg. Sure, you can find every concert Bob Dylan has played in the last 20 years...every county fair, every bake-sale. But who apart from a Dylan completist would really want to buy and listen to such screechings? Just because they exist does not mean they are highly traded or sought out.

Led Zeppelin may rank low in the number of live shows and studio outtakes available but I bet they are in the Top 3 or 5 in sales, fan interest, internet and YouTube activity, etc. Just look at how many books have been published on Led Zeppelin bootlegs and the websites devoted to reviewing every show. Think about how many Zeppelin bootleg titles have passed into the general lexicon...Listen to this, Eddie...For Badgeholders Only, Blueberry Hill, Destroyer...and how many different reissues of the same show have been released.

The Beatles, Dylan (his classic 1962-1975 period) and Bruce Springsteen are definitely very popular in trading circles...and you should probably throw in the Grateful Dead, who practically created the taping community. But everyone else is below Led Zeppelin, judging from what I see at the record shows and online.

[SteveAJones]

I'm in Tokyo's bootleg district often. The most popular artists, from a total number of titles available and a sales standpoint, in no particular order, are The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Eric Clapton.

[Dirty Work]

I thought it was 1. Grateful Dead and 2. Zeppelin  Oh well, I like them all.

[irondirigible]

48 minutes ago, SteveAJones said:

I'm in Tokyo's bootleg district often. The most popular artists, from a total number of titles available and a sales standpoint, in no particular order, are The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Eric Clapton.

Tokyo HAS a 'Bootleg district'??  Cool!

[porgie66]

4 minutes ago, irondirigible said:

Tokyo HAS a 'Bootleg district'??  Cool!

Shinjuku ...lots to find there

[FL6]

7 hours ago, Strider said:

The Beatles, Dylan (his classic 1962-1975 period) and Bruce Springsteen are definitely very popular in trading circles...

Coming from near zero bootleg experience I find it surprising to see Springsteen in this list or near the top.

[irondirigible]

I am a devoted a fan of a number of major bands and individual artist.  But I am only interested in bootlegs of certain ones

[Nutrocker]

Looks like some of you should read Clinton Heylin's book Bootleg! It's a history of the whole bootleg industry. And, yeah, Zeppelin is one of the big three along with The Beatles and, as I recall, Springsteen for most booted artists. 

 

EDIT: Ha! I see Strider just suggested the same book in the other ongoing Zep bootleg discussion  Great minds and all that good shit...

[Strider]

1 hour ago, FL6 said:

Coming from near zero bootleg experience I find it surprising to see Springsteen in this list or near the top.

Why? His recorded output from 1973 to 1982 is some of the best rock and roll ever and his live concerts are legendary. He toured non-stop, playing every dive in every piddly-wink town you could think of, particularly in the Rust Belt and Bible Belt, where many major bands would only play major cities.

He played 3 and 4 hour shows and changed his setlist nightly, often adding special covers of old rock classics. Sometimes a special guest might appear. Every night was different but one thing remained the same...Bruce and the E Street Band's indefatigable energy. 

On top of that, he was open to having many of his concerts broadcast over the radio. There are at least six or seven high quality bootlegs taken from the FM broadcasts out there from the 1978 tour alone...Atlanta, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Passaic, New York, San Francisco, and the Roxy in L.A. Each show spans 3 CDs or 6 vinyl records.

Imagine the goldmine Zeppelin would have if they had agreed to have a few shows from their 1975 and 1977 tours broadcast over FM radio.

[Badgeholder Still]

What you find depends on where you look. Artists who have been around forever and are still touring/creating new product - Dylan, Stones, Springsteen, Neil Young, Deep Purple continue to add to mountains of recorded history they've already produced. Try being a completist for any of these artists. Good luck. Throw in Floyd, Grateful Dead, Iron Maiden...  I have doubts as to whether Zep is in the top 3 anymore. Most fanatics have what's available. I do.  Bootleg! is 23 years old. Any stat related info from there is out of date.

9 hours ago, Strider said:

But availability of a bootleg does not guarantee the desirability of said bootleg. Sure, you can find every concert Bob Dylan has played in the last 20 years...every county fair, every bake-sale. But who apart from a Dylan completist would really want to buy and listen to such screechings? Just because they exist does not mean they are highly traded or sought out.

Dylan's popularity is a reflection of your feelings towards his voice? Are you that delusional? I can assure you Dylan fanatics are out in full force and recordings from throughout  his career are in demand. Let's not forget that it was Dylan screechings which resulted in the first ever vinyl bootleg.

[Strider]

1 minute ago, Badgeholder Still said:

What you find depends on where you look. Artists who have been around forever and are still touring/creating new product - Dylan, Stones, Springsteen, Neil Young, Deep Purple continue to add to mountains of recorded history they've already produced. Try being a completist for any of these artists. Good luck. Throw in Floyd, Grateful Dead, Iron Maiden...  I have doubts as to whether Zep is in the top 3 anymore. Most fanatics have what's available. I do.  Bootleg! is 23 years old. Any stat related info from there is out of date.

Dylan's popularity is a reflection of your feelings towards his voice? Are you that delusional? I can assure you Dylan fanatics are out in full force and recordings from throughout  his career are in demand. Let's not forget that it was Dylan screechings which resulted in the first ever vinyl bootleg.

Have you seen Dylan in concert lately? I have. I liked his voice up until about 2003 or 2005. But every show I have seen since then has been progressively worse until it is almost painful to hear. He stopped playing guitar years ago, too, pretty much plonking a keyboard now and then.

His catalogue is extensive and amazing and his influence is unquestionable. But only the most rabid rose-coloured glasses completist could find pleasure in current Dylan concerts. 

Unlike Neil Young, who can still deliver the goods in concert.

As for the book, just because it's 23 years old does not mean it is not worth reading. I go shopping for boots every week, every month, and I am constantly talking with the vendors and other shoppers who congregate. Believe me, Led Zeppelin is still asked about and sought after...every vendor has a large amount of space reserved for Led Zeppelin boots. Only the Beatles and Dylan have the same or more.

[LedElvis75]

Great reading fellas.

Thanks.

[Dallas Knebs]

8 hours ago, Strider said:

I go shopping for boots every week, every month

we needa go !!! 

I find stuff every now and again when some hoarder needs $$$.  Montreal, Miami and Houston tend to have the best auctions. That's where most of the Over Europe shows up.

have not been to shinjuku in a while, may be time for a road trip.  I bought a Lulu bootleg last time... need a KPOP fix

[chillumpuffer]

It depends on what you mean. Bootleg companies like nothing more than re releasing shows endless times from the same tape to squeeze out that extra nickle on fools. Funny so does Page come to think of it !

Take the famous Millard tape of the LA Forum 21st June show. Just how many labels have released that show from the same tape and added a bit of EQ here and there? Loads. Same with Berkeley 71 and there are more to name.

I don't know exactly how many concerts the band performed in their career and certainly not all were taped. So in the context of shows booted - not as many as you imagine.

I reckon the Dead are at the top of the list.

[FL6]

11 hours ago, Strider said:

Why? His recorded output from 1973 to 1982 is some of the best rock and roll ever and his live concerts are legendary. He toured non-stop, playing every dive in every piddly-wink town you could think of, particularly in the Rust Belt and Bible Belt, where many major bands would only play major cities.

He played 3 and 4 hour shows and changed his setlist nightly, often adding special covers of old rock classics. Sometimes a special guest might appear. Every night was different but one thing remained the same...Bruce and the E Street Band's indefatigable energy. 

On top of that, he was open to having many of his concerts broadcast over the radio. There are at least six or seven high quality bootlegs taken from the FM broadcasts out there from the 1978 tour alone...Atlanta, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Passaic, New York, San Francisco, and the Roxy in L.A. Each show spans 3 CDs or 6 vinyl records.

Imagine the goldmine Zeppelin would have if they had agreed to have a few shows from their 1975 and 1977 tours broadcast over FM radio.

Well there you go, I didn't know all that and now I do, thanks.

[Strider]

16 hours ago, irondirigible said:

Tokyo HAS a 'Bootleg district'??  Cool!

Unless I am mistaken, I think there is even a shop in the Shinjuku district that is devoted solely to Led Zeppelin. I'm sure SAJ can confirm or deny.

4 hours ago, chillumpuffer said:

It depends on what you mean. Bootleg companies like nothing more than re releasing shows endless times from the same tape to squeeze out that extra nickle on fools. Funny so does Page come to think of it !

Take the famous Millard tape of the LA Forum 21st June show. Just how many labels have released that show from the same tape and added a bit of EQ here and there? Loads. Same with Berkeley 71 and there are more to name.

I don't know exactly how many concerts the band performed in their career and certainly not all were taped. So in the context of shows booted - not as many as you imagine.

I reckon the Dead are at the top of the list.

That's my point, CP. Led Zeppelin didn't play as many concerts as the Dead, the Stones, Dylan, et al. But those bootleg companies would not keep reissuing and retweeking the same Zeppelin shows over and over if the demand was not there.

Supply-and-demand rules the bootleg industry just like any other business. At my last visit to the record show this month, the talk wasn't about Eric Clapton or Bob Dylan or the Stones. Seven out of every 10 people asked about the Led Zeppelin soundboard for 3.21.75 Seattle. The other three people wanted to talk about the Beatles and Sgt.Pepper's 50th anniversary release.

[Dallas Knebs]

1 hour ago, Strider said:

Unless I am mistaken, I think there is even a shop in the Shinjuku district that is devoted solely to Led Zeppelin. I'm sure SAJ can confirm or deny.

Crossing my fingers that this is true.  I visited a bar in the district that was almost exclusively LZ... almost... it even had LZ incense.  ho rotta ruv by the red zepperin

 

SAJ shared exclusive photos in the thread below- worth a look for sure

 

[Strider]

^^^Yep. I remember that thread and those photos.

[Badgeholder Still]

On 5/31/2017 at 2:22 AM, Strider said:

Have you seen Dylan in concert lately? I have. I liked his voice up until about 2003 or 2005. But every show I have seen since then has been progressively worse until it is almost painful to hear. He stopped playing guitar years ago, too, pretty much plonking a keyboard now and then.

His catalogue is extensive and amazing and his influence is unquestionable. But only the most rabid rose-coloured glasses completist could find pleasure in current Dylan concerts. 

Unlike Neil Young, who can still deliver the goods in concert.

As for the book, just because it's 23 years old does not mean it is not worth reading. I go shopping for boots every week, every month, and I am constantly talking with the vendors and other shoppers who congregate. Believe me, Led Zeppelin is still asked about and sought after...every vendor has a large amount of space reserved for Led Zeppelin boots. Only the Beatles and Dylan have the same or more.

I've seen Dylan 3 times since 2010 and I think he's great. Some people get him and others don't. I accept his voice for what it is and enjoy it. It's been in a constant state of change since at least 1962. He keeps his arrangements and phrasing fresh. And he always has a great band.

I don't wear rose tinted glasses. Got no time for anything that does not move me.

Never said Bootleg! wasn't a good read. It's a must read. I only pointed out it can't provide accurate analysis regarding current bootleg popularity trends.

There's no doubt about interest in Zeppelin. But so much music has happened since 1980 which competes for peoples dollar and time. Whether Zep is still in the top 3 is a fair question. I'm not sure what happens at the swap meet is truly representative of widespread interest and demand, considering the variety of what's available on the internet.

 

[Bozoso73]

On 5/31/2017 at 2:41 PM, Dallas Knebs said:

Crossing my fingers that this is true.  I visited a bar in the district that was almost exclusively LZ... almost... it even had LZ incense.  ho rotta ruv by the red zepperin

 

SAJ shared exclusive photos in the thread below- worth a look for sure

 

This is MECCA!! Thats why I love this forum. . Thanks for the repost Dallas!! Someday my friend I will have to go there and buy buy buy:):) THX SAJ for the pics:):)