need help

El Loco Diablo · Post by **El Loco Diablo** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 10:23 pm

Hello all,

A friend of mine (Nightsblood) directed me to this board in the hopes that someone here could help me out with a situation I've found myself in.

Recently I purchased a copy of Iron Maiden's The Soundhouse Tapes 7" from a seller that I've dealt with for several years. I had concerns over the authenticity of the item, but he assured me it was the real deal, so I went with the transaction.

I got the 7" in the mail last week and the first thing I did was check the net to see how I can verify myself the legitimacy of said item. My google search came up with these two sites: this one and this one. That second site also links to another page that details some known counterfeits.

I was dismayed to find out that the copy I received matched the description of the fourth counterfeit listed. Flexible paper, front side of sleeve doesn't fold over the back side, ROK 1A engraving on Side A and ROK-1B on Side B.

I immediately contacted the seller who claims that he bought it back in '81. He also claims that a longtime friend has a same exact copy he got from the Fan Club and says that its 100% legit. He went on to say that it was a second pressing and that its considered rarer than the first.

Of course I've never heard of a second pressing of this 7" ever being made, unless if they're also considered to be part of the limited 5,000 press run.

I'm very confused over all of this and my gut instinct is that its a forgery. Do any members of this board have knowledge of whether the information on the above linked sites is accurate?

Glockose · Post by **Glockose** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 1:10 pm

Who was the seller??

Name, names!!!!

snaps666 · Post by **snaps666** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 1:18 pm

Only one original version of SHT . No re-releases!

Your copy is not original if it doesn't have the correct writings on the run off grooves ...

There were bootlegs of this one already in 81...

A good way to spot (most) fakes, is the opening on the back, it needs to have the correct "cut".

· The Original - ref ROK 1 has a card sleeve that opens at the top, with a cut out on the back. Some copies come complete with paper merchandise insert. The label is orange and black. There is a ridge in the vinyl between the label and the run off groove. ROK 1 A and ROK 1 B are scribed in the run off groove. Plus the following text and numbers:
(side 1)
*EG* (long gap) SA (small gap)LYN7627-IT (medium space) ROK-1-A
(side 2)
ROK-1-B (medium space) LYN 7628-IT (small space) *EG* (long space) SA

snaps666 · Post by **snaps666** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 1:24 pm

See the "cut" here...

Most bootlegs don't have this, and also look at the way it's glued in the sides.

nightsblood · Post by **nightsblood** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 1:27 pm

I know who Loco bought it from; the guy is honest and, if I understand correctly, has already offered a full refund if Loco is not convinced that the copy is legit. Thus, I don't think we need to drag names into this. I've dealt with Loco and the seller for years and both are nice people.

Loco- the info I have found so far agrees with what you've found. TMK there was only one pressing of 5,000 copies of the Soundhouse Tapes that was done in 1979. 'Fan club' pressings are not always legit; the Hellhammer picture disks and Mercyful Fate items 'Curse of the Pharaohs' and 'Live from the Depths of Hell' were 'fan club pressings' and were not legit. 'Maiden was big enough by 1981 that the Soundhouse Tapes *may* have been bootlegged by then (the original pressing of 5k sold out in a matter of weeks).

It's possible (though perhaps a stretch) that the seller is mistakenly thinking of the 'Sanctuary' 7" EP that came out in 1980 and was later repressed legitimately because of a flap involving the cover art (the original shows Eddie taking out Margaret Thatcher, the later pressing apparently has edited cover art). The time of release and the 2 pressings fits the seller's description; of course, there's a big difference between these EPs, so it would be an odd mistake to make.
I'll dig up my other notes on the ST when I get home on Friday. Until then, hopefully someone else here can help fill in more details. (EDIT- snap- posted while I was typing my reply)

snaps666 · Post by **snaps666** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 1:40 pm

There was never a "fan club" pressing of this one either.

By the way, the "Thatcher" cover were never officialy cencored, the black bar was put on by purpose to make it look cooler, and to make more controversy.

The 12" do not excist with the black bar.

El Loco Diablo · Post by **El Loco Diablo** » Thu Oct 16, 2008 2:25 am

Thanks everybody.