Here's a list of the Bootlegs that got released over the years. I've provided proper info too fer each one also, which is hopefully helpful.
Fer the most part, the bootlegs suck (isn't that always the case?...). Aside from some nice artwork, most are sourced from high gen tapes and sound like shit. Also, most of the bootlegs are sourced from the same two shows, the 4/30/86 VPRO-FM session, and the 5/10/86 Paradiso radio broadcast. Both of these full shows can be downloaded via the Internet Archive in MUCH better quality than can be found on the bootlegs...Plus, they are the complete broadcasts, unlike any of the bootlegs..
With that being said...let's begin:
Butthole Servisir (aka: Flaming Lips / Declaration of Love): 7"
both songs recorded live at Lawndale Arts Center, Houston, TX March 9, 1983. Limited to 500 copies
Side A: Sinister Crayon
Side B: The Shah Sleeps in Lee Harvey's Grave
The 'Butthole Servicer' 7" has been quite elusive. A true rarity and probably the first bootleg of the band to surface. The two songs are culled from the infamous 'naked Houston' show found at the end of 'Blind Eye Sees All'. They are the only other songs to surface from this show to date.
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Dick Gas 45 7"
VPRO-FM Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands for "Backline" radio broadcast, 4/30/86
Side A: Interview
Side B: Moving to Florida, Sweat Loaf
The first of many bootlegs of the VPRO-FM broadcast. The sound on this is better than "Soiled", but it's still no sonic masterpiece. 500 pressed
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MAUNG
(same as 'Dick Gas 45')
Sort of a bootleg of a bootleg, MAUNG is the same as the 'Dick Gas 45', but repackaged and renamed. Again, the sound is lacking. Unknown quantity pressed, but fairly common...
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Ecstacy 12"
Arche Noire, Pinhead Records
(ANR029DSL25)
A live compilation bootleg released in Europe.
Side A:
American Woman (BESA 5" version)
Come Together (The Loft, Berlin, Germany, 10/24/85)
Hurdy Gurdy Man (Cameo Theatre, San Antonio, TX, 9/21/85
I Hate My Job ('Anus Presley' Demo 1982)
Matchstick ('Anus Presley' Demo 1982)
Paranoid>Scream Sequence (RPM, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 12/8/87)
The One I Love (RPM, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 12/8/87)
Creep in the Cellar (The Ritz, Aachen, Germany, 5/11/86)
Side b:
Ricky (Schlachthof, Bremen, Germany, 8/14/87)
Psychedelic Jam (Schlachthof, Bremen, Germany, 8/14/87)
100 Million (Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 5/10/86)
Actually a rather good one, featuring tracks from the killer 12/8/87 Toronto recording, as well as some other stuff which was pretty rare at the time of this LPs release in 1989. 'Ecstacy' was probably the inspiration fer the "Hole Truth" bootleg, but the song selection here makes it better than the 'Hole Truth' fer the more die hard fans among us. While most of the "Hole Truth was comprised of material that was fairly easy to find, this includs some rarer material. The "I Hate My Job" runs WAY too fast, but the "Paranoid>Scream Sequence" (called "Wheels of Fire" on the LP) is an interesting inclusion. The import, bootleg status makes this one a relatively difficult score.
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Texas Chainsaw Massacre 7"
no label
Side A: Come Together (The Loft, Berlin, Germany 10/24/85)
Side B: Cherub (Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 5/10/86)
By far the the most common bootleg of the bunch. When the band caught wind of this one, they pressed up a bunch of copies themselves...which almost makes it an official release, no?...since there are seemingly no differences between the repress or the bootleg, who can tell? An acceptable sounding bootleg, more popular fer its inclusion of "Come Together" more than than fer any other reason.
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'Acid House' 12"
Side A
Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 5/10/86):
Mark Says Alright
Moving to Florida
The Shah Sleeps in Lee Harvey's Grave
Sweat Loaf
Johnny Smoke
Cherub
Side B
(VPRO Radio Session, Hilversum, Netherlands 4/30/86):
Mark Says Alright
Johnny Smoke
Graveyard
Sweat Loaf
100 Million
Probably the reason bootlegs have a bad name. The sound is godawful (despite being from FM broadcasts), the info is filled with inaccuracies (both in spelling and on the track listings), and, since its release, master recordings have come to light in amazing quality. The artwork is pretty decent, however, and the LP even includes a poster insert.
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'River of No Return' compilation cassette
rel: 1988
1) Graveyard (The Ritz, Aachen Germany, May 11, 1986)
Good luck finding this one. A limited (numbered) edition of 150, along with the fact it was only released in Germany, makes this one damn near impossible to get. Thankfully, the show "Graveyard" is culled from is not so difficult to score. It's really a very good compilation...some sound quality fluctuations between the recordings, but overall very good...and great list of artists who didn't give permission fer their songs to appear on it...
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'Soiled' 7"
(Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands, May 10, 1986)
Side A: Johnny Smoke
Side B: Moving to Florida, The Shah Sleeps in Lee Harvey's Grave
Yet ANOTHER bootleg from this broadcast. Again, the sound is lacking. Not sure why so many bootlegs of this show suck so hard, but alas...This may be another the band pressed up, as it's one of the more common boots to find.
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100-foot Worm Makes Own Food - Stargazers 7"
(Stomach Ache Records - SA-80)
Side A:
1) Leather Nun No Rule! (studio - unknown info)
2) Paul Leary And Mutt Turban With His Sarcaphone 1/2 Bone Sand Suit: Wodan
Chicken Poo Pool Tool
3) Criminal Unicorn Men In Formation
Side B:
4) White, Dumb, Ugly & Poor (live - unknown info)
5) 100 Foot Worm Makes Own Food: Bacteriophage Windup Grease
6) Flup Harvey Arse Ward
By far the most obscure bootleg of the bunch. The info on this one has completely eluded me. It claims to be a Paul Leary pre-Butthole Surfers recording, but it's not...or at least part of it is not. The "White, Dumb, Ugly and Poor" is a live SBD recording...a version that is from an unknown show that has not surfaced at all, other than here. The rest are strange instrumentals, one (titled here as "Criminal Unicorn Men In Formation") seems to be from the same Thai cassette as "Kuntz". There us also a very odd studio version of "No Rule" which probably dates to 1985, but is difficult to decipher. All of these tracks may come from an old mix tape of Paul's, or perhaps compiled from several different tapes, but that can't be verified. Only a few within the inner circle ever knew that Paul wanted to use this name before settling on Butthole Surfers, something which preplexed Paul. That fact, as well as the material on this one means it may come from a source that is fairly close to the band...or at least in the know...
It's impossible to tell when these recordings are even from. The "No Rule" sounds to be from earlier than when they started playing it live, but that could be due to the poor sound quality. Either way, though, I'd call this the most interesting of the lot. Despite of the mediocre quality, and the odd non-Butthole Surfers material, I really enjoy this one.
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'Peel Session' 7"
(recorded 9/20/88, Maida Vale 4 Studios, London, UK)
rel: 1989
Side A: Nee Nee
Side B: Blindman, Edgar
it's hard go wrong pressing up a bootleg of this incredible session recorded for the 'John Peel' program. The session itself is one of the best things the band ever recorded, and, at the time of the release of the 7", all the songs were previously unreleased. A pre-FM master has turned up within the last couple of years, exponentially surpassing the quality of this 7". Well thought out artwork would be the only reason ya'd need to add this to yer collection.
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'Waco Kid' 7"
(recorded: May 27, 1983, the Beat Exchange, New Orleans, LA)
Tex Ass Showdown Records
(TASR)
Side A: Cowboy Bob
Side B: Holy Man
I believe this one was pressed up ages ago by Shane Zuckero and his Butthole Surfers online fan club. That fanclub webpage pre-dated even the band's own site...Since Shane seemed to know what he was talking about, he may have purposefully made this one look amateurish. As well as listing "Cowboy Bob" as "Dead", the artwork is a travesty. I believe this one was limited to only 1000, but it's a pretty easy score if yer willing to shell out more than what it is really worth (ie: $10-$20). The original tape these tunes were culled from was mislabeled as being from Detroit 1984...After many years, it was established the show was from May of 1983.
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'From the Lips of Death' 7"
no label
(LBV01)
Side A: I Hate My Job ('Cottage Cheese from the Lips of Death' compilation)
Side B: 100 Million (P.E.A.C.E. Compilation)
A pointless bootleg of songs already pretty readily available...even at the time of its release in the mid-90's or so...
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'Caso Raro' LP
Paranoide Discos
(PD05)
Side A:
1) 100 Million People Dead (P.E.A.C.E. compilation)
2) To Parter ('Cream Corn from the Socket of Davis')
3) Tornados ('Cream Corn from the Socket of Davis')
4) American Woman ('Blind Eye Sees All' 5" version)
5) Perry Mason (Rembrandt Pussyhorse demo)
6) Hetero Skeleton (Rembrandt Pussyhorse demo)
7) Strangers Die Everyday (Rembrandt Pussyhorse demo)
8) Things That They Said That I Saw (Rembrandt Pussyhorse demo)
9) Psychedelic Jam (Rembrandt Pussyhorse demo)
Side B:
10) Gary Floyd (Live - Meridian, San Antonio, TX 3/25/84) - now on first two EP's CD
11) Matchstick (Live - Meridian, San Antonio, TX 3/25/84) - now on first two EP's CD
12) Knife In The Back (Live - Meridian, San Antonio, TX, 3/25/84) - 'LIVE PCPPEP'
13) Whirling Hall Of Knives (Live - Woodshock Festival, 7/1/84)
14) The Bassplayer Says Goodbye (Live - Woodshock Festival, 7/1/84)
15) Paranoid ('Double Live' - Rockitz, Richmond, VA, 11/23/88)**
16) Fast ('Double Live' - Rockitz, Richmond, VA, 11/23/88)**
17) I Saw An X-Ray Of A Girl Passing Gas ('Double Live' - Rockitz, Richmond, VA 11/23/88)**
** Useless 'Double Live' sourced bonus tracks on 'American Tornadoes'
Every so often, someone gets it right...Oh Sure, there is some extraneous bullshit on here, but the heart of the recordings, the 'Rembrandt Pussyhorse demos' are truly great. They were seemingly sourced from a relatively low gen cassette, which narrows it down to about a million people who could have released it...from a worker at Alternative Tentacles where RP was being bounced around as a potential release; to a worker at Touch & Go; to one of the many close friends of the band the tapes wound up going to while RP was still in limbo. It obvously came from someone in the know, as the titles of the songs are actually CORRECT(!).
From other RP demo source tapes that have surfaced, it seems "To Parter" and "Tornadoes" were included on tapes made fer their pals, which may explain why the album versions are included. These versions MAY be a slightly different mix than what was actually released on CCftSoD, but they are certainly not different recordings.
The outtakes from the 'Live PCPPEP', as well as the very rare Woodshock '84 recording (made by Steve Fitch, perched in a tree) were true rarities. It wasn't until the CD issue of the first two EPs that made the former more accessible...Steve's complete recording of the Woodhshock fesitvial still remains elusive to most..
'Caso Raro' was later pressed on CD as 'Amercan Tornadoes', but it is vastly inferior in sound quality. A CD pressed directly from the LP would do ya much better as far as the sound, however, 'American Tornadoes' does have great cover art...
American Tornadoes \ Live '93
Mic Records
MIC120
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'1983 Demos' EP
'Spot Demos'? July 1982
no label
(PUNK007)
Side A:
Radical West
White, Dumb, Ugly & Poor
Matchstick
Side B:
BBQ Pope
Something
I Hate My Job
A very recent edition to the bootleg cache, first pressed around 2007 or so. It seems to have gone through 2 different pressings; the first being on blue\green vinyl, the second being on pink vinyl.
The 12" is comprised of an excerpt of the 'Spot Demos', which are actually from 1982, not 1983, but as often is the case, bootleg info is wrong. Surprisingly, however, the quality here is very good, and the "Radical West" version that's on here is often left off of copies that are in circulation, so it's a pretty nice score, actually. Of course, they could have used the Anal Obsession for the info, and a better picture (ie: proper era) for the cover, but oddly, a decent bootleg, as far as bootlegs go...
That's all for now, folks...enjoy!
