The Complete 1970 LA Forum Tapes
9-4-70, sources 1-5
Final Statements (Antrabata), Live On Blueberry Hill (Cobra, Cobra Premium Series, Last Stand Disc-4cd, Mud Dogs, Sanctuary, Tarantura 1993 & 1997, Wendy Records, & Tarantura2000's TCD-30/31/32/33/34), & Return To Blueberry Hill (Immigrant & the no label blue sleeve)
Foreword
A total of five different sources have surfaced from this very amazing, legendary performance.
Almost all cd titles that have ever released this show with the tracks properly sequenced are represented in this text. The old European and American vinyl titles and cd titles normally/usually copied from vinyl (ceasing by 1994~), resequenced or not, have been excluded.
Two assumptions about vinyl releases are as follows... The TMQ/TMOQ label first released this show, in monotone. The Rubber Dubber label was the second release of the show, using a different tape, in stereo. The true chronological release of these two vinyl titles isn't important for the following analysis. Importance is placed on the identification of unique bootleg tape sources for this concert.
All sources have been highly compared, studied, reviewed, and then compared again with each new release of this show. Properly identifying the separate sources, without error, has been extremely important. It is absolutely key in understanding these many sources. They have some very similar and identical background noises, such as whistling, talking/muttering, replies of "Good Evening," laughing, etc.
Source 1 = Immigrant / (TMQ vinyl)
Source 2 = Tarantura2000 TCD-30 / (Rubber Dubber vinyl)
Source 3 = Mud Dogs
Source 4 = Tarantura2000 TCD-33
Source 5 = Tarantura's 1997 blue sleeve release
Please refer to this TABLE to view sources used on cd titles.
Immigrant and the first two discs of the LSD four disc release use the first tape source, presumably the tape used for the famous TMQ vinyl. (Immigrant's title does not have an introduction. LSD's has a faked introduction by taking a dozen seconds of tape from after Heartbreaker. This section of time is not repeated heard again on this title, or on Immigrant's title. It is evidently from the same source as the rest of the title since it is not found on any other title.)
Tarantura2000's TCD-30 introduces the second source to cd for the first time, also known as the Rubber Dubber tape.
Mud Dogs and Tarantura2000's TCD-32 are strictly source three. Mud Dogs' is missing the opening one second, misses several seconds before Since I've Been Loving you and Moby Dick, misses 2:13 of Moby Dick, misses several seconds after Whole Lotta Love, and misses a few seconds after the show. It's left channel is much weaker than it's right. Tarantura2000's isn't missing the tape sections noted above and it's channels are both as strong as Mud Dog's right channel.
Source four was finally was released in it's entirety for the first time on Tarantura2000's TCD-33, although the title is not strictly from this source alone. Pieces of this source have been used regularly on many older titles. TCD-33 doesn't have an introduction but does have the most tape available after the show. One or more of the other tapes of this show have been used for several seconds of Immigrant Song and then for one or two split second occasions after Moby Dick. Unfortunately, edits have been made at several places where dropouts would be found in the tape. The fashion of edit used creates a semi-microscopic cut/repeat at each dropout. The split second of blank tape (dropout) is removed, throwing off the timing of the song, then a split second of tape before the drop is repeated. It's a highly annoying result.
The fifth source was originally issued on Tarantura's 1997 release. Tarantura2000's TCD-34 releases a poorly edited version of it. (Edits were made in the same manner as TCD-33.) TCD-34 runs a tiny amount faster than the other title. Sound quality is similar between the two releases.
Mixes:
Tarantura's 1993 release uses sources 1 & 3 but still doesn't complete Moby Dick. The last two discs of the LSD title is a three source mix. It relies mainly on the third tape source and borrows from the first and fourth tapes to complete. Source four is used for Moby Dick, but it is missing 82 seconds. The Cobra and Cobra Premium Series releases contain the exact same mixture of sources 1, 3, and 4. However, the CPS is not simply a copy of the Cobra. There are trivial differences. Antrabata relies heavily on source three, but uses three other sources for songs too. After using these four sources, Antrabata is the least complete mix available. The no label (possibly Scorpio) title in the blue gatefold sleeve is a copy of Antrabata. Sanctuary uses the fifth source's introduction. It relies heavily on the first source but also uses three and four for songs too. They've made every effort to present full songs and talk between songs. Wendy is just another title joining the long line of mixes. Their constant source changing becomes annoying. Tarantura2000's TCD-31 relies mainly on source 3 and uses source 4 to avoid some of the source 3 problems.
Between all of these titles, speed and sound quality differ slightly. Some titles have louder music than others, but they also have louder background noise that comes along with amplifying.