Misc. Who stuff

[Biggsk@aol.com]

Well I'm not J.Edgar Hoover  - but I can tell you all out there in Whoville
(that was the town in Petticoat Junction wasn't it?  Whotersville as Eva
called it!) why things are getting grim for the bootleg scene - and then I
will cheer you up with some nice news.

Item 1) - The dreaded "Bootleg" problem:  well, it all happened last July
1st, 1995, when the General Agreement on Trade and Tariff (known as GATT to
you Pat Buchanan and Ross Perot fans) went into effect.  Signed by over 30
countries of the industrialized world, not only did it cover international
trade, tariffs and the related, but thanks to intense lobbying by the
following industries  - record & CD, computer software, jewelry, clothing and
film - to name a few, it also contained a provision that called on all
signees to crack down on "Bootleg" and "Pirated" items that trade from
country to country as well as within a country.
So, the USA. being the good law abiding country it is and sucking up to the
money brokers (where's Teddy Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson when we REALLY
need them?!), has labelled the trafficking in the above mentioned illict
items as a FEDERAL FELONY!!!!!!!  That's right bootleg fans - it is now
possible to be busted for selling these things by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI), and, in fact, just days after taking effect, the RIAA
(Recording Industry Association of America) and the FBI launched a major,
sustained, anti-bootleg offensive the likes of which I have NEVER seen in all
my 25 years in the record business!!!
For the next 6 months, they raided record shows, record stores, storage
warehouses and busted lots of boot dealers.   US Customs got into the act
and, according to their figures, have confiscated over 80,000 CD's trying to
come into the US for sale!  They took January, 1996 off, but started again in
February.  In March they busted a five store chain in Baltimore for boots.
  In LA recently they hit a giant warehouse.  These guys are serious and they
now have a Federal law on their side and the funding to clamp down, as the
Clash would say.

One friend - a former boot dealer who recently got out of it because the
heat's too high - told me that the US Customs have gotten SO good at it now
that over 100,000 CD's are stacked up in Italy waiting for some way to get
into the US market to be sold.   Talk about a severe cash flow crunch!!!
  Even Italy, who had previously turned a blind eye to boots, got into the
act (they did sign on to GATT) and last October, raided the giant Milan
record show and busted over 20 boot dealers!  Other CD dealers I know are
getting out because they can't get supplied enough product thanks to Customs.

Where will it end?  Who knows?  I know of other record shows they have been
watching and they have even intimidated some record show promoters about
letting boot dealers in.  This will be interesting to watch what happens.
 The bootleg industry is MUCH larger than you think and there's MUCH more
money involved than you think as well (I know of another former boot
manufacturer who lives VERY well in a big house in Europe).  From one
standpoint, it does rob the artist of his or her property rights.  From
another, there's the fan who has everything and wants even more.  I see both
sides.   Time will tell folks.
But this is why you may be seeing things getting harder to get - and the
prices jumping upwards!

Point 2)  Good news.  I have gotten in copies of the revised "Maximum R & B"
book by Richard Barnes (I even helped with the first edition myself).  It is
larger with new material going up to last year and appears to be much better
bound than the collapseable early versions!  It goes for $27 plus shipping if
you are interested.  Supply will be no problem on this fine work.
Also, I am expecting 10 more copies of the "Who In Sweden" book which sells
for $68 plus shipping.  I blew out the first ten copies I received and it
seems my supplier tells me he can get a few more.   If interested, let me
know.

3) Finally. it's not too late to get our latest Who list either.  If you want
a copy please let me know with your full name and street address so I can
mail it to you.   Lots of cool stuff on it.
Thanks for reading.
Greg Biggs
CVC Collectables
PO BOX 507
Celina, OH 45822
(419)586-6636
586-6763 fax
BiggsCVC@aol.com