Re: More on bootlegs...

You wrote: 
>
>Yellow,
>Re:I mean, bootlegs are bootlegs, right? 
>
>Wrong.  CD's are a much better medium than tape, which is flimsy, gets
>tangled, wears out, etc.  If a boot CD exists it's generally better to 
have
>it than a tape copy.
>
This is correct but remember EVERY bootleg begins life as a tape.  I 
prefer tape myself for many reasons:

1. Its cheaper-The average bootleg cost $30 US, I can buy about 15 high 
bias tapes for that much.  With rare exception I can get any recording 
for the cost of a tape and postage.

2. Copies-it is easy to copy tapes for others or yourself.  You have to 
have  a lot of equipment, which most people don't have, to make copies 
of CDs.

3. Backups-By doing number 2 (no pun intended!) you create your own 
backup system.  All of your tape collector friends have for the most 
part exact copies of what you have and visa versa.  If my house burned 
down with my tapes in it, I could replace them by contacting a handful 
of friends.  Unless, I could find more copies of the bootlegs I would 
be SOL.  Your chances are pretty slim in getting replacements since the 
average run of bootlegs is around 3000 copies per title.

4. Bootleggers aren't always collectors-People who make bootlegs aren't 
always interested in making the best possible product.  I have many 
tapes of concerts or studio recordings that have been pressed onto CD.  
Yet sometimes songs are missing on the CD that are on the tape EVEN if 
there is enough space to put them on.  Also some CDs are made from 
tapes far removed from the master tape.  I've had tapes that were made 
into Cds years later that don't sound as good as the tape.

5.Time limitations-A CD is now limited to about 77-79m.  Obviously tape 
has a higher capacity.  If a extra CD is used to get a complete concert 
then of course the price is escalated.  With rare exception every Who 
concert from late 1969 on will not fit on one CD. 

6.Whats out there?-As somebody said here before, the amount of Who 
bootlegs are a mere fraction of the total Who recordings floating 
around.  Granted not everyone wants every known note played by the 
band, but there are some incredible tapes out there that will never be 
made into a bootleg. 

7.Its more fun-There is the thrill of the hunt.  it took me 8 years to 
get a tape of my first Who concert.  I was very happy when I finally 
got it (thanks JH).  I would be waiting a very long time before a 
bootlegger pressed the show I was at in 1982 which was one of 40 odd 
shows of the tour.  Its a lot of fun to find tapes that you didn't know 
existed and/or hear songs you've never heard before.  I for one have 
made many friends through this hobby.  I've known some of you for over 
a decade (not decayed!).  From this hobby I have a place to stay when I 
travel on my Who trips, which are many lately. 

So there it is MHO.  Don't bother to flame me.  As we all know opinions 
are like a**holes everybody has one.

Bruce