What is this Dylan Album? (Joker albums, part 1)
Man of Peace
Bruce Oliver <oli...@MI.NET> wrote:
>I have an album called "a rare batch of little white wonder", Joker Stereo/SM
>3728 (Italy). The date on the label is 1972. I remember seeing a few Joker
>releases around in the seventies, and was never sure if they were boots or
>just plain copyright violations ( if there is a difference!). This has a
>printed colour photo cover. if it is of value to Dylan fans, I would post it
>in the appropriate newsgroup. Any words of wisdom? Thanks...
First of all, I'm a little confused that your copy "with a printed
colour photo cover" has the date "1972".
Here's a little history of the Joker albums in my collection
(additional info partly drawn from the first edition of Dominique
Roques "The Great White Answers"):
1973: "A Rare Batch of Little White Wonder" (red-pinkish cover, with
title and songs printed in black). Sleeve Ref: SM 3605. Black and
silver record labels with song titles; vinyl reference: SM 3605 A/B
14/11/73
Titles as listed on the album (completely wrong at times); sources in
parentheses:
A1: California ("Another Side..." outtake)
A2: Who You Really Are (Banjo Tape, 1963)
A3: Baby Please Don't Go (Minneapolis Hotel Tape, 1961)
A4: Man Of Constant Sorrow (ibid.)
A5: Only A Hobo ("Times..." outtake)
B1: Candy Man (Minneapolis Hotel Tape, 1961)
B2: I Ain't Got No Home (ibid.)
B3: The Death Of Emmett Till (Broadside Show, Mar 1963)
B4: Poor Lazarus (Minneapolis Hotel Tape, 1961)
B5: Farewell Angelina ("Farewell" - Banjo Tape, 1963)
The album was reissued in 1975 as "Bob Dylan" on RIS SUPERBUDGET, with
a colour picture cover (J.P. Leloir photograph of Dylan at the Paris
Olympia, May 24, 1966), sleeve reference: RIS J 3605. Red record
labels with song titles, same vinyl references as original Joker
album.
Probably produced by Joker in Italy, but aimed at the French market.
In 1978, Joker reissued the album (same cover and vinyl references) in
a colour picture cover (Concert for Bangla Desh photograph), with song
titles on a brownish margin and "Volume 1" added on sleeve.
All tracks were "lifted" off three TMQ (Trademark of Quality) albums
("Great White Wonder", "Seems Like A Freeze Out" and "Burn Some
More").
The original Joker album, which was "legitimate" in Italy and most of
Europe (due to gaps in copyright laws) was in turn "bootlegged"/copied
in 1975 as "The Little White Wonder, Vol. 1" on BUHAY RECORDS.
Colour picture sleeve with 1974 photograph (LA, Feb 14, 1974); sleeve
reference: BHL 8001. Black record labels with song titles; vinyl
reference: BHL 8001 28/10/75
Same songs (and mistakes in listing them) as on original Joker album,
sequence of songs changed, quality slightly inferior to original Joker
album.
The RIS SUPERBUDGET edition is the rarest of these editions (as far as
I know); the 1978 Joker reissue the most readily available.
1974: "A Rare Batch of Little White Wonder, Volume 2" (green cover
with small black 1965 picture and song titles printed in black);
sleeve reference: SM 3728. Black (dark grey) and silver record labels
with song titles; vinyl reference: SM 3728 A/B 7/11/74.
Titles as listed on the album (sources in parentheses):
A1: Stealin' (Minneapolis Hotel Tape, 1961)
A2: Hard Times In New York Town (ibid.)
A3: Wade In The Water (ibid.)
A4: That's All Right Mama ("Times..." outtake)
A5: New Orleans Rag ("Times..." outtake)
B1: Let Me Follow You Down (Minneapolis Hotel Tape, 1961)
B2: U.D. Blues ("VD Blues" - ibid.)
B3: The Cough Song ("Suze")
B4: If I Could Dolt All Over ("All Over You" - Banjo Tape, 1963)
B5: Cocaine Blues (Minneapolis Hotel Tape, 1961)
Again copied from TMQ bootlegs ("Stealin'", "Blind Boy Grunt", "Burn
Some More").
Again reissued in 1978 with Bangla Desh picture (blue margin with song
titles; same sleeve and vinyl references).
Again "bootlegged"/copied by BUHAY RECORDS in 1975, with songs in
different sequence (cover reference: BHL 8002; vinyl reference: BHL
8002 A/B 28/10/75) and another "LA 1974" photograph.
The 1978 Joker reissue is probably the one you have. Again this was
the most readily available (at least in continental Europe).
TO BE CONTINUED
- Man of Peace
Bruce Oliver
In article <1996053122...@Arl-Mail-Svc-1.compuserve.com>,
Man of Peace <10151...@COMPUSERVE.COM> wrote:
Bruce Oliver <oli...@MI.NET> wrote:
>I have an album called "a rare batch of little white wonder", Joker Stereo/SM
>3728 (Italy). The date on the label is 1972. I remember seeing a few Joker
>releases around in the seventies, and was never sure if they were boots or
>just plain copyright violations ( if there is a difference!). This has a
>printed colour photo cover. if it is of value to Dylan fans, I would post it
>in the appropriate newsgroup. Any words of wisdom? Thanks...
First of all, I'm a little confused that your copy "with a printed
colour photo cover" has the date "1972".
And you have every right to be confused, as I gave you inaccurate information.
The date is indeed 1974 ( I must be stuck in 1972 for some reason...). Sorry
about that, but thanks for the comprehensive report on Joker releases! I
appreciate the time and effort, and enjoy the information! Cheers,
Bruce