My friends and I used to dream of getting our hands on these holy grails. I can remember picking up my monthly copy of Circus Magazine and I usually headed to the back of the magazine first. Why did I do this? No, it wasn’t for the “976” numbers. It was for access to the holy grails of hard rock and metal that would take me over 20 years to finally acquire. Back in the day, long before the Internet, YouTube, Bit Torrent or even MP3s, getting a hold of some killer, long sought after bootleg gems was next to impossible and merely a dream.
Both Hit Parader and Circus had way more than just interviews and stories. The last few pages of these magazines usually had all kids of crazy advertisements that I would also read one by one. Everything from “Submit your poetry and win money” to ordering catalogs for bootleg VHS tapes and cassettes (yes cassettes). Most of these bootleg ads would say “Send an SASE (self addressed stamped envelope for you youngins) to received our huge catalog. My buddy and I would sit at each other’s house on a hot summer day and spend the day writing letters and licking envelopes so that we could get our catalogs.
We would get these catalogs and with pen in hand circle the ones that we knew we just had to get. We would gawk over bootlegs like Metallica’s “No Life Till Leather”, “Ozzy and Randy Live in Cleveland” and “Iron Maiden – Maiden In Japan (the full concert) just to name a few. With prices like $40.00 for each of them, we would just dream of what these awesome things would sound like. I almost wish I could go back in time and tell my younger self that in a little over 20 years I would be able to get every single one I ever wanted and more for free on a computer that I would own. What a mind fuck that would’ve been.
Thanks to the Internet, I now have in my possession, free of charge and let me tell you, they were well worth the wait. Here are a just a few of those coveted holy grails that I sought after for well over 20 years. No need to send me an SASE for a catalog. These are on me. These are gifts to all of those that remember what it was like to only be able to dream of what it would be like to possess these gems as a kid. Almost makes ya wanna go back in time and tell your younger self, “Hang in there buddy. The grail shall be yours!”
Metallica – No Life Till Leather [download]
Metallica’s original cassette demo made it’s rounds in the metal tape trading community sometime in 1982 and spread like wild fire. Listening to this today you can still hear that youthful fire, energy and determination to make their mark on the metal world. It’s too bad Metallica is so far gone from these days but it’s a great testament of just what Metallica was all about at one time. This demo also features ex members Ron McGovney on bass and Dave Mustaine on lead guitar which makes it for quite a listen. I would go back and say, “Keep Mustaine and ditch McGovney.” Then again if they would’ve done that, we never would’ve got the Megadeth classic “Rust In Peace.”
Iron Maiden – Maiden Japan (Full Show – Sun Plaza Hall, Tokyo, Japan, 5/24/81) [download]
When I was a kid and I got Iron Maiden’s “Maiden Japan” EP, I was bummed it was so short but then again, I was cool wit it. After hearing that there was indeed a full version of this show, I went nuts looking for it. I ordered a bootleg catalog out of the back of Hit Parader magazine and to my dismay saw that it would cost me about $50.00. $50.00 to a 12 year old is like a million fucking dollars. This was one of the first bootlegs I ever found online for free download and it STILL floors me to this day. Hearing a full on, in your melting face Paul DiAnno era show from the “Killers” tour still kills and the version of “Remember Tomorrow” alone is worth having.
Motley Crue – Too Fast For Love (Leathur Records) [download]
While I may not be a huge Motley Crue fan, this particular rarity is really something I love to listen to. This independently released debut version is much different than the version that everyone came to know as the Elektra Records version. This Leathur Records version is raw, gritty and unpolished. It also has different performances of the songs with some of them having different lyrics and arrangements in addition to a different track listing. Motley’s early glam influences such as The New York Dolls, Sweet and even at times David Bowie shine through on this album. The older I get, the more I really love this bootleg release and even at times wish that they could’ve moved forward with this kind of sound.
Ozzy Osbourne – Live In Cleveland (May 11, 1981) [download]
In 1987, it was HUGE news when Ozzy Osbourne announced that he was releasing a live album featuring Randy Rhoads called “Tribute.” As a fan, I couldn’t wait to hear just what Randy sounded like live. A few years later, I remember reading somewhere that “Tribute” had actually been doctored up in the studio and that the “original” tapes of this show were much different. This show is actually the same show that the “Tribute” album was taken from only this show is warts and all. Ozzy’s cracking vocals from time to time, the stage banter that was removed omitted from the official release and even the occasional Randy Rhoads mistake. This is an amazing show that really captures the raw energy and excitement of Ozzy and his band as they were on top of the world and playing with everything they have.
Iron Maiden – The Soundhouse Tapes (November 9, 1979) [download]
Another “holy grail” is Iron Maiden’s Soundhouse tapes. A three song 7″ single released in 1979, The Soundhouse Tapes also featured Iron Maiden’s original drummer Doug Sampson and also had the band performing as a four piece with just Dave Murray on rhythm/lead guitar. This release has been bootlegged and faked so much over the years but scoring an original copy of this go for over $2,000.00! Well, fear not folks. You don’t have to spend that when you can just download it here for free! Up the Irons!!!!
Randy Rhoads Guitar Seminar [download]
Music City Guitar Seminar – Greensburg,PA February 2, 1982
On February 2, 1982, Randy Rhoads gave 4 guitar seminars of 40 people in each at Music City Guitar in Greensburg, PA. The seminar took please a mere two weeks before the tragic plane crash that took his life at the age of 25. Luckily, someone had the brains enough to record one of these seminars. The quality is obviously not the greatest as we’re talking about a 30 year old cassette tape but trust me, it is so worth a listen. Randy runs through the intro for Diary of a Madman, he discusses the stage set of the tour, and all kinds of other awesome shit. Guitar World even transcribed it so if you’d like to read along, go to http://www.guitarworld.com/randy-rhoads-guitar-clinic.
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