Live Bootlegs!
Like them or not, unofficial recordings (a/k/a bootlegs) have always been an interesting phenomena for collectors, and Duran Duran fans are no exception. The live sets highlighted in this Collector's Corner have been around for quite awhile and are worth a second (or third!) look.
For the most part with these early vinyl releases, the source were special radio shows that were eventually released (by the BBC for example), making them a bit more official, though the band weren't part of the release or the promotion. These radio shows were sent out to smaller stations to air as live shows, so copies weren't too hard to come by once the station was finished with it.
There are, of course, bootlegs available of recordings made by an audience member, but the quality isn't the same. It wasn't long ago that recording shows wasn't illegal, so these products came from Europe, USA, Australia and Japan as well.
Duran Duran has a fair amount of bootlegs dedicated to their early shows - and these are the most coveted. There are collectors who have offered a lot of money for the rare 'Khanada' disc, which is a live recording of two 1981 Duran Duran shows in London, one in March at the Sundown Club and one in July at the Hammersmith Odeon. The 2LP 'Decadent Durantics' highlights a 1981 show as well, and is highly collectible. 'Duranoid' featuring a 1984 set from Osaka, Japan is also very rare and hard to come by.
Unfortunately, some vinyl bootlegs were issued in dull sleeves with a photocopy sheet containing the track list, while others came in full colour sleeves.Beside being unofficial, these live sets all seem to have have one thing in common: the many song title or recording date errors printed on the sleeve!
Among all of these live performances there are a few remarkable ones: The Prince's Trust Rock Gala is one, dated from July 1983, taking place months before kicking off the band's massive world tour. 'Annirosijo' (abbreviation for ANdy NIck ROger SImon JOhn) features Duran Duran's performance at Live Aid in Philadelphia in July 1985 [not a favorite of the band!]
Here's a small selection of unofficial vinyl recordings from Duran Duran. How many are in your collection?
Created by Peter Brinkhof / Edited by Katy Krassner / Pictures by Peter Brinkhof.
