A community supported site
for Led Zeppelin fans!

Bootleg audio/video trading FAQ for new traders

By Rufus Leaking - noted trading authority & GTC charter member

Note: Officially, the Zeppin' Hood neither approves nor condones the practice of trading. This FAQ is provided for informational purposes only.

1. Overview

This FAQ will cover the various do's and don'ts of trading bootleg audio and videos for the new trader. This FAQ will not cover buying or selling of bootlegs. I personally have no qualms about this, but it isn't germane to the FAQ at hand. We will also not be discussing the legal ramifications of bootleg trading.

2. What are Bootleg recordings?

A bootleg recording, also called a "ROIO" (recording of independent origin) is generally held to be a surreptitious or non-authorized recording of a bands live show. We also consider for this FAQ outtake recordings which are unauthorized copies of a band's studio material that was not commercially released, including finished songs not released and partial takes of songs that have been released commercially.
A bootleg is not a copy of a commercially released work by an artist or band, when done semi-professionally including artwork, etc, this is referred to as a pirate recording and we will not be discussing pirated works in this FAQ.

3. How do I find bootlegs to trade?

The explosion of the www and usenet newsgroups for almost every band out there has really been a boon to the boot trader. A message asking for boot trades will usually result in many e-mail replies offering trade opportunities. Be aware however that the usenet newsgroups are rife with trolls and flamers so be sure to don your fireproof underwear and make sure your skin is set to maximum thickness before posting wants, as the Trolls and Flamers will have a field day with you if you let them. Best advice is to ignore the trolls/flames regardless of the egregious nature of their replies.
Another good source are mailing lists, which are e-mail based fan lists, usually moderated, that cater to fans of a specific band or artist. A lot of these lists do "trees" for trades, which we will cover later. Also "clubs" on Yahoo or other similar sites can be an excellent source for the new trader. Most mailing lists and clubs are word of mouth type things so if you're looking to join one a post on a newsgroup is a good way to get the info needed to join up

4. I've found someone willing to trade, now what?

You've made your request and have received e-mail offers to do a trade with you. Usually the person you're dealing with will send you his/her "List". This consists of a text or other type of file (I for one use excel files when I can) with the person's list of what they have that they're willing to trade. As a new trader, you won't have anything to trade with them one on one, and so you'll most likely be setting up a B & P deal.

5. B & P, What the hell is that???

A B & P deal is a deal for (B)lanks and (P)ostage. In this type of trade, you request the item you're interested in and ask if the trader will do a B & P deal. Normally they will, as there is a great spirit in the trading world (for the most part) to help out the newbie. When you set up your B & P deal you will need to send the trader Blank media (CDR, VHS Tape, MD or audio Cassettes) and return Postage. It doesn't hurt to send an SASE mailer as well, but some people don't require this. It's common practice to do either a 2/1 or 1/1 on the Blanks. This means you send 2 Blanks for each one you expect back, which helps the trader defray costs and time, or you send 1 blank for each one you expect back. As far as postage goes, I prefer to send/receive boots using Priority Mail. It's faster in most cases and also, in a large trade, cheaper than First Class.

6. I've set up a trade, now what?

You've found someone who has what you're looking for, now you put the trade wheels in motion. Send your blanks in a padded mailer to the trader. Be sure to send a note confirming what you've sent, and what it is you're asking for. It's a preference item as to whether or not you send cases but some sort of protective covering for the media is preferred. Don't forget to enclose a padded SASE for return mail if you've set this up as part of the trade. Then you wait. These things take time and the active trader may have more than one trade pending so don't expect overnight service. Be patient, good things come to those who wait.

7. My stuff came and it's all okay, what then?

It's good trade practice to send a nice thank you note, via e-mail usually, to the person you traded with. It's not good practice to sing the persons praises to the newsgroup, club or mailing list you got the referral from. A simple "I got the <name of boot here> yesterday and I love it, thanks a bunch" will suffice.

8. My stuff came but it's not what I ordered or it's not right. What do I do?

You got your stuff back and it's either the wrong item, or there's some problem with the recording. Step one is to contact your trade partner and explain the problem. Most reputable traders will do what's necessary to make the trade right. If it's the wrong show or artist and there are no other problems, they may ask you to send it back or may offer to have you keep it. They should in any event make a copy of what it is you did order and mail it to you postpaid. If there is a problem with the recording, they may tell you to throw out the bad discs (or you could use them in the den, they make nice coasters!) or in the case of video tape, if the media is okay, they may ask you to send it back to them. In any event the good trader will try to resolve the problem as best they can. Further down in this discussion, this topic is covered in more detail under the "Do's n Don'ts section".

9. I sent blanks & postage, now the trader has disappeared. What do I do?

First off, try a few e-mails, or if the trader responded from a newsgroup, post a message asking the person to contact you. Don't add any trade content to the message, just a simple "I'm trying to contact you and haven't been able to reach you" will suffice. Then you wait and see if anything comes back to you. Sometimes people are called away for reasons beyond their control. Sometimes a busy trader simply has to queue things and delays are inevitable. After some time has passed with no contact, it's quite alright to then post a "Bad Trader" message on the newsgroup or mailing list, sometimes this will jar a memory and the trade will go in motion. Sometimes not, occasionally you'll experience a bad trade and there's not a lot you can do about it.

10. Now I've got a few boots, what's next?

You're on your way in the trading game. Now make up a list of what you have available to trade. If someone posts looking for a boot you have, offer a trade and send them your short list - after a while your list will grow.

11. What's this "Tree" thing you mentioned?

A "Tree" is an organized trade of a bootleg. It generally works in this fashion: The Source of the tree will announce the tree and ask for signups. Signups usually are called for for Main Branches, Sub Branches and Leafs. The Main Branch sends blanks or trades for the source material, copies it and sends it to the Sub Branches in similar fashion, who then do the same for their leafs. It's a good idea for the new trader to stay clear of tress until you've made a few trades and have a grasp on the trading world. It's imperative to not sign up for Main or Sub Branch standing on a Tree unless you've got high quality dubbing gear, especially as concerns video trees. Another down side of the Tree method is that it lengthens the time of the trade somewhat, especially a popular or new source boot.

Trading Do's and Don't

DO

Make sure you are clear on what you want.

Send the number of blanks requested by the trader.

Send the correct amount of return postage - as mentioned above I prefer Priority Mail.

Make sure your mailing address is complete.

If requested, be sure to enclose mailing supplies (mailer, bubblewrap, etc).

Use quality media, especially on video trades. I recommend and use.

Maxell "Purple" or TDK EHG tapes (T-120) and Sony (T-160).

Be sure the blanks you send are the proper length for the boots you want.

Thank the person you're trading with once you receive your stuff, but don't
do it publically unless you're told it's okay to do so.

Share the music, remember we were all Newbie's at one time ourselves!!!

DON'T

Misstate what you have to trade as far as content or quality.

Drag your feet, try to complete the trade as soon as you can.

Send cash for postage. Most traders prefer SASE or stamps over "greenstamps".

For overseas trades, I recommend sending International Reply Coupons (IRC's).

Forget to fill out the Customs form CN-22 if mailing overseas. I generally describe the
item as "recorded audio CD" or  similar.

Join a "Tree" unless you understand how it works and what's expected of you.

Forget to inform the recipient of your trade should any delay or other problem  arise.

Ask for more blanks if you screw something up. If you make a "coaster" during a burn,
be cool about it and replace it with one of your own blanks.

Bad mouth the trader publicly should something go wrong - at least not until you've
made a few attempts to contact them.

Label the media unless asked to do so. Sometimes in international trades the recipient
may not want his stuff labeled so as to facilitate customs and postal regulations.

Forget to send artwork if you can, or point the recipient to sites (Project Ballentine, e.g.)
where they can find artwork should they desire it.

Bootleg trading is not rocket science, it should be a labor of love and not a chore. Keep in mind the points above and you should have a small (and growing) collection in no time.

Suggestions and corrections may be sent to:
djmangin@aol.com
Rufus Leaking

Zeppin' Hood homepage

	The Led Zeppelin USA SiteRing

SiteRing by Bravenet.com

webmaster: Contact the Webmaster

W3C Approved