smileyhappyperson said:

Recently I’ve moved to hardly purchasing any bootlegs (although I still do because it drives me nuts when a boot is talked about on here and states it’s available at the usual channels and some of us still can’t find it or convert it etc, I end up giving someone 5-10 bucks to send me something I can stick in my CD/DVD player).

If you can't find something talked about here then you might want to choose a new search engine...

And, also with a good search engine, you can find FREE software to handle any conversion.

Really, it's that easy. Don't pay someone to burn you a copy. Only pay for official releases.

[Edited 9/17/12 7:47am]

Thanks!

djThunderfunk said:

smileyhappyperson said:

Recently I’ve moved to hardly purchasing any bootlegs (although I still do because it drives me nuts when a boot is talked about on here and states it’s available at the usual channels and some of us still can’t find it or convert it etc, I end up giving someone 5-10 bucks to send me something I can stick in my CD/DVD player).

If you can't find something talked about here then you might want to choose a new search engine...

And, also with a good search engine, you can find FREE software to handle any conversion.

Really, it's that easy. Don't pay someone to burn you a copy. Only pay for official releases.

[Edited 9/17/12 7:47am]

djThunderfunk said:

All of this discussion about the Digital Garden website being shut down has got me wondering a couple of things about Prince fans that collect bootlegs, so I'll ask:

1) Do you / have you, listened to or collected unreleased Prince recordings?

2) How did you first become aware of the existence of the vast amount of unreleased Prince recordings in circulation?

3) What effect if any does the Prince bootleg market have on the level of interest you have in Prince's art?

4) Do you have moral issues that cause you to feel guilty if you listen to a bootleg or even prevent you from doing so?

To be fair, I'll answer for myself:

1) I listen to and collect unreleased Prince recordings.

2) I first became aware of the existence of unreleased Prince recordings in circulation by reading about the Black Album's cancellation and bootlegging in my local newspaper and then reading a review of it in Rolling Stone magazine. While searching to buy a copy of the Black Album I discovered there were many Prince bootlegs full of material I had never heard of.

3) Collecting Prince bootlegs has increased my level of interest in Prince's art, my opinion of his skills and my obsession to buy everything he releases and see him live every chance I get.

4) No.

For the record, it's not illegal to have this discussion...

[Edited 9/2/12 9:55am]

I have over 800 of recorded concerts from 1980-2011, unreleased recordings and DVD's! I first became aware of these recordings from a record shop I'd frequent many years ago and the first I bought was "Dirty Mind (outtakes)" then "The Avenue" and then I ventured on2 online sharing (if u will) and went ballistic 2 find more circulating when I discovered thedatabank.org. The affects that it have on me, as my brother and girlfriend said recently, "I need Dr. Drew!" LOL! It's obsessive, very time consuming but it is fun! I love the finding part and the discovery and when I get it, I get very excited becuz I know some of the music is rare, that he plays once but the excitment when he plays "Baby I'm A Star," what will he change? It excites me! It heightens me as a musician! My prized collection r my 36 city Purple Rain Tours!

1) Do you / have you, listened to or collected unreleased Prince recordings?

It wasn't me, I know nothing about it... Well, I might have, just a lil bit.

2) How did you first become aware of the existence of the vast amount of unreleased Prince recordings in circulation?

I literally bumped into a stall full of boots on tape. Camden High Street about '86 or '87? I'd spent everything I had on official vinyl so I had to 'aquire' my first one surreptitiously. Alright, hands up, I nicked it. He was asking £8 or something for the 12-8-86 in Wembley Arena and I was potless. I was meant to have gone to the gig but it all fell through and we didn't go. When I saw the tape of it, well, I had to grab it. I went back to the same fella after a few weeks and bought a few more, after I'd told him about how I'd got the first one and squared him up.

I posted something in the traders section in a couple of magazines too. Can't remember the name of them as they're controversially uptowned. I heard nothing for a while, then got flooded with lists from all over the Planet. Big long lists. Live stuff, studio rehearsals, unreleased tracks, all of it. I was amazed and pretty soon addicted. Cheers Gina J and Donzo forever.

3) What effect if any does the Prince bootleg market have on the level of interest you have in Prince's art?

The boots opened a door to a whole new world of Prince for me. If you told me I had to choose between my official collection and my boots, let's just say I'd be keeping my feet warm. Tough choice though it may be.

If I heard a good boot, I'd be more likely to want the album. Alright, let's be honest, I was a nutcase years ago and wanted it all regardless. I'd want any album whatever it was but if I'd already heard some of the tunes on it, I'd wanna hear what they came out like, officially. If I'd want the album, I'd be wanting the singles too... and the boots to go with em and on and on and so on... Etc. etc. rrrrrahhh... That's what it used to be like anyway.

There used to be a place in a basement shop on Oxford Street. There was a fella in there selling old records... Barefoot in sandals he was, every time I went in there. I asked him if he had any boots, trying not to look at his feet, and he pulled open the drawer of a big filing cabinet. He had Old Friends 4 Sale in there one day. When he played it to me I just stood there stunned. When I went to my first P gig in '88, that fella in his sandals had a tape of it for me within days. Cheers sandals.

I'm far more interested in a boot than something official. Especially after '90 or so. The stuff P was releasing didn't really do it for me and I dropped out of the whole thing, boots and all. I kept an eye on his official stuff but nothing like I had in the '80s. I wasn't hunting down 12"s for b-sides etc. When I found Old Friends years later on The Vault, I happily paid my money. Well done Pixie, I thought. Now you can get your money and I get a decent recording of it. I put it in the car and was gutted to hear he'd forgotten the words, bodged em right up but put some nice strings on it. I might not have bought that if I didn't know Old Friends already.

4) Do you have moral issues that cause you to feel guilty if you listen to a bootleg or even prevent you from doing so?

Yes and No.

Yes, because I will bloody whistle sing and whoop at his gigs and you never know whos mics you might be next to. On some of the aftershows at the O2 I can be heard, loud as you like, whistling like a bleedin kettle. But there ya go... lol. I also feel scared listening to old tapes I have but only cos I'm terrified they'll chew up. That can prevent me from listening. I'll sort them all out one day...

No, because I think he should put some of it out. Especially as he's pissed me about no end in the past. SOTT rain my arse. I'd have paid for decent recordings of gigs, no worries, still would...

How good is it to be able to hear almost every night of a World tour? Something you'd never be able to do, unless you were loaded and probably mental.

How about the millions of people that appreciate his stuff being able to put on some headphones, close their eyes and be listening to an afterparty they otherwise would never have heard. I can't feel guilty for that, not a bit. No 'New Morning'? Fuck that... If he wants some money for it, chuck em out lil man, I'm first on the mailing list. Put me down for some Indigo videos for starters.

Of course, I just made all that up, for legal reasons.

[Edited 9/22/12 13:30pm]

I have just spent two weeks finishing off a collection of boots and boot show DVd's and just discovering all these unreleased songs is amazing. The power of bootlegs can overwhelm you, so badly I can't even remember the last time I listened to a song off an officially released album.

I now have 25 DVD's of bootlegged joy and at least 20 new bootleg albums including the Work and Testament series. Seriously why he never released this stuff is beyond me.

A song like Electric Intercourse does not deserve to sit in a vault!!!!

I read somewhere that after the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan, Prince is the most heavily bootlegged artist of all time.

I still think, you should spend some decent money on official albums, singles, concerts if u can and books before you get some bootlegs. Some of them are an acquired taste. And having official stuff paid for with good money, actual albums, not just some guys burned CD copy. will help ease your guilty burden a bit.

Adorecream said:

I have just spent two weeks finishing off a collection of boots and boot show DVd's and just discovering all these unreleased songs is amazing. The power of bootlegs can overwhelm you, so badly I can't even remember the last time I listened to a song off an officially released album.

I now have 25 DVD's of bootlegged joy and at least 20 new bootleg albums including the Work and Testament series. Seriously why he never released this stuff is beyond me.

A song like Electric Intercourse does not deserve to sit in a vault!!!!

I read somewhere that after the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan, Prince is the most heavily bootlegged artist of all time.

I still think, you should spend some decent money on official albums, singles, concerts if u can and books before you get some bootlegs. Some of them are an acquired taste. And having official stuff paid for with good money, actual albums, not just some guys burned CD copy. will help ease your guilty burden a bit.

Was the the first time you listened to bootlegs?

If so, what prompted you? Was it this and other recent threads?

djThunderfunk said:

All of this discussion about the Digital Garden website being shut down has got me wondering a couple of things about Prince fans that collect bootlegs, so I'll ask:

1) Do you / have you, listened to or collected unreleased Prince recordings?

2) How did you first become aware of the existence of the vast amount of unreleased Prince recordings in circulation?

3) What effect if any does the Prince bootleg market have on the level of interest you have in Prince's art?

4) Do you have moral issues that cause you to feel guilty if you listen to a bootleg or even prevent you from doing so?

To be fair, I'll answer for myself:

1) I listen to and collect unreleased Prince recordings.

2) I first became aware of the existence of unreleased Prince recordings in circulation by reading about the Black Album's cancellation and bootlegging in my local newspaper and then reading a review of it in Rolling Stone magazine. While searching to buy a copy of the Black Album I discovered there were many Prince bootlegs full of material I had never heard of.

3) Collecting Prince bootlegs has increased my level of interest in Prince's art, my opinion of his skills and my obsession to buy everything he releases and see him live every chance I get.

4) No.

For the record, it's not illegal to have this discussion...

[Edited 9/2/12 9:55am]

1. I don't collect per se, I have a few CDs and around 15 vinyl pressings, all purchased before 2000. I never listen to any of them.

2. I became awrae of the vast amount in 1991 when I was given Per Nielsen's book and two dubbed cassette tapse with a Parade show (August 13, 1986) and Royal Jewels. The cassette with the Parade show is the only boot that gets played to this day.

3. I don't buy (or even download) boots anymore. It's nothing interesting about it anymore to me.

4. Feel guilty for what? That lil bastard leaked that stuff out himself.

Who collects Bootlegs?

Prince.

Andy Allo.

Apparently, Andy Allo does!

Dang it, Fonkyman beat me to it.