A Pig’s Tale – The Underground Story of the Legendary Bootleg Record Label is the true story of the celebrated bootleg record album company Trademark of Quality Records (TMQ). The softcover book’s 322 pages covers every aspect of that company. I licensed all 34 of my TMQ covers (plus some other related material) for use in the book (I will eventually be coming out with a separate book on all of my music-related art. It will include all of my record covers, both bootleg and legit. A Pig’s Tale should satisfy those who can’t wait for that book of mine).
For those out there who don’t know what bootleg record albums are, here’s an explanation:
Bootleg records were fan-produced LPs whose content came from live audience concert tapes — occasionally soundboard tapes, unreleased studio recordings or other rarities, like radio and TV performances, obscure single B-sides, etc. Bootlegs should be differentiated from pirate records — counterfeit productions of legitimate studio releases. A lot of pirating was financed by the Mafia and then distributed and sold through large department store chains. I’ve used the past tense in this paragraph because bootleg LPs are no longer produced; these days everything is on CD.
Why get one here instead of on Amazon? Easy: I personally sign each book and Amazon’s charging the same price ($50).
What else?
My old pal Denis Kitchen has just published two trading card sets of mine: Legends of the Blues (with Muddy Waters on the cover) and More Legends of the Blues (with Ma Rainey on the cover).
Each deck has 50 cards (50 color portraits plus 50 back-of-the-card bios). Most of these images come from my book, Legends of the Blues. I included a few blues musicians that aren’t in the book and deleted two musicians that are in the Robert Crumb Heroes of the Blues card set (also published by Kitchen). So, none of Robert’s musicians are depicted in my two card sets and none of my players are in Crumb’s card set. No overlap! Just $13 per box.
Wow this looks absolutely amazing, do you know when the legends of british blues will be available? I’d like to purchase them together as I live in the UK.
If you get the chance check out my group The Heavy North, inspired by Peter Green, Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones & all the good stuff!
Legends of British Blues is finished; I’m just looking for the right publisher. For reasons I can’t begin to fathom, the publisher of my first blues volume (Legends of the Blues) turned me down, even though that book went into a third printing. I’ll check out your band. I am crazy insatiable when it comes to anything Peter Green.
Wow! You guys (Heavy North) are terrific! Good songs, BIG sound, unique vocals, fine, tough playing!
I wish you all the best!
Thanks so much for checking us out really appreciate it, good luck with your book it looks absolutely amazing hopefully I’ll be able to get one in the not too distant future, will you be getting the cards made?