Malcolm G.
This is a truly fantastic piece of work and dedicated research for which the authors and publishers deserve our eternal gratitude.
TMQ discs are fondly remembered by myself and fellow vinyl junkies here in the UK.
I managed to bag two Grateful Dead albums in a Manchester record store in 1973 and I still have them.
A Pig's Tale is a hefty tome and would have benefited from a hard cover bit is still an essential purchase.
William A S.
The content of this book is excellent. Well written and informative about a source of music unknown to the main stream music listener. As a collector of records this book is right up my alley. The discography is extremely helpful to me to fill in the gaps of LP's I'm missing from this label, especially from The Beatles and their solo projects. My one main issue is the actual size of the book. Because of this I find it very awkward to hold while reading. Since the front and back covers are flimsy the long pages flop down and I find myself struggling trying to support them. You cannot hold this size of book like a normal sized one comfortably. I would have preferred to see this book printed in a normal size or at least make the front and back covers stronger and stiffer to support the extra long pages. With that said once I have read the entire book I will be using it as a reference guide to help me locate LP's from this GREAT label, so then the size will not be an issue anymore as it will be setting on my desk next to my computer. Until then, can someone help me hold up these pages?
John D.
The TMQ book is absolutely brilliant in every way - I couldn’t put in down until I read it from cover to cover - thoroughly fantastic photos as well - GET IT.
Nigel S.
Superb book! Highly informative and great postal service from Genius books. Highly recommended.
John T.
Great service and fast delivery to the UK. Many thanks-----John
Paul S.
If you love music, bootlegs in particular and the ephemera that goes with it, this is the book for you. A comprehensively told story of the beginnings of the bootleg industry, starting with Great White Wonder in 1969. It charts the rise of one particular label, TMOQ, who started with edited tapes from collectors and then branched out into recording live concerts themselves. The rise and fall of this label is chronicled here along with beautiful full colour photos of original releases from the TMOQ archive, original master tapes, recording equipment and cover art. A fascinating story beautifully told.
Nigel S.
A superb book in every respect if you are a lover of bootleg records, I advise you to buy it whilst you can. Also the Geniusbookpublishing service is second to none, I ordered the book in the U.K. and six days later I was reading it! Cannot thank you enough guys.
Ilira T.
I got this for my music-aficianado husband for Christmas and he loved it! Thank you for the super-quick delivery!
ELLIOT M.
Genius books did a very fast turnaround. Bought book and within days I had in hand. Enjoying my choice. Highly recommend
Cole M.
Anyone who is interested in the story about bootleg albums from the late 60s thru the 80s should read this.This is a true story of real music fans and their love of the music,we are talking about rare outtakes,concerts and unreleased songs.
Anne T.
Very happy with the item. It was posted out very quickly and arrived in perfect condition.
Would be happy to purchase from this business again.
Richard H.
Book was well written. The author really knew the material. The cover and artwork were excellent. Shipping really fast.
massimo p.
wonderful, i have dozens of the records by Pig!
jean-charles g.
a great book for any collector of the label.. there's some titles missing in which i would appreciate details (procol harum lp and traffic) stamped tmoq in the records.
otherwise, nice work indeed in the quality item.
about you, prompt service in delivery with protection, delay respected, good deal.
best regards,
jean-charles
Robert P.
As a record collector for over fifty years, and an avid bootleg enthusiast, there simply aren't enough words to convey how wonderful and welcome this book is.
Just an unbelievable insight into the TMOQ history along with beautiful pictures and interesting details about their operation and inter-workings.
A huge amount of credit and deep thanks go to Genius Publishing and the authors for all their hard work and time that went into making this fantastic chronicle.
P. H.
Busted uk ‘78! Brilliant book.Cheers.
Alexandra B.
I loved this book , waited years for for someone to tell this story especially since there’s been so much wrong information through the years. I hope the writers will bring us the story of the other bootleg labels too .
Kohji M.
A great book with many inside stories and invaluable photos. A must-read for all the TMOQ lovers!
David F.
Prompt and efficient delivery. Great book ! Beautifully presented with immense detail. It is fascinating to read the back story not only to the whole subject of bootleg albums but specific reviews I bought and have treasured ever since. Highly recommended.
Che O.
“A Pigs Tail” is an absolutely fantastic read, and it’s also superbly illustrated. If you have a vinyl passion, or simply enjoy a story of how a couple of guys created an industry, then you’ll love this. Details of all the original TMOQ releases, with wonderful full colour illustration throughout. When I finished it, my only thought was what a great film the story would make. Go Pigman!
Paul O.
Just started to read but I am very impressed so far. A great addition to any vinyl lover’s library.
Mark K.
The book is real cool. The shipping not so much. It arrived in a soft shipping bag and was dinged up. A book of this nature is a collectible and probably should be shipped in a box.
Ralf W.
What an incredible book. You have to treat yourself.
Thanks so much.
Ralf from Germany
Bent S.
great book, nerdy in the best way possible!
Kevin d.
Loved the product
and delivered on time
Barbara j n.
it was the perfect gift
Gil H.
A great book if your into this world. Fantastic story about one of the labels and a GREAT reference guide. As far as the ordering process. I ordered it and received the book in less than 24 hours, and I didn't have to add anything special. Thanks so much for a great book
Judy & R.
A very interesting read around the TMQ label and those involved. The book is beautifully set out and the pictures and illustrations provide a very detailed history of all their releases. I'd no idea of the impact this label had on the record business till I started reading it. Like all things, the initial reaction from the industry was hostile, yet looking back with the benefit of hindsight it changed minds and attitudes. Would we have Dylan's Bootleg series today or the Stones From the Vaults releases without the revolution this label set in motion. Informative and highly recommended.
Robert H.
Trade Mark of Quality is the most famous maker of bootleg records. The first of all bootlegs was Bob Dylan's Great White Wonder. I remember seeing that double lp, with its stark white cover and blank labels, in an Ontario record store in about 1969. "The Underground Story ..." devotes a couple of dozen pages to the creation of this album, including photographs of labelled tape reels, recording grids, etc. They devote as much attention to other Dylan bootlegs they created, plus the Stones, Beatles, Hendrix, The Who, and many more. How did they get the master tapes? How did they record live performances without getting caught? What equipment did they use? How did they adapt to a burgeoning market? All of this is chronicled in meticulous detail in this book, including photos, news clippings, track listings, and more. At 320+ pages of a large format volume (8.5"X12"), it is a well-written and exciting read.
Tales of the actual bootleg excursions are so thorough, you might think that one of the authors is the notoriously anonymous Pigman himself!
Very highly recommended!
Colin H.
What a beautifully designed and entertaining book...on all accounts! I'm old enough to remember seeing these records and buying them from the shops back in the day. It's about time that someone immortalized TOQ in such fine fashion. Great customer service at Genius Books as well. I couldn't be happier with my purchase, and with the overall experience! Buy this book now!!!
Aaron B.
Excellent Customer Service throughout the ordering, shipping a receiving. Would highly recommend for future purchases.
Russ G.
It is nice to finally get the behind-the-scenes story of these albums. They offered Dylan, Stones, Beatles, Zeppelin, and anyone else they could get. There is a live Janis Joplin Hawaii concert that exists nowhere else, so ... there is something to be said that they were also capturing history of an era too soon gone. And for my money, they changed things in the process in two ways: They put a crowbar in the tightwads and forced many of these out on the market, like Dylan's Basement Tapes, and since then hundreds of live performances; and second, they changed the artists, too. The Who's 'Live At Leeds' album mimicked the TMQ style, and was a huge hit. The Beatles released 'the White Album' again, matching the expectations of a bootleg - no cover art, raw takes of unfinished pieces of 'real live' performances, mixed in with traditional great works like 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps.'
Back to the book: The jangling juxtaposition of the writing styles in this book keeps it as real as the live performances they covered. The now-forgotten 'Damn the Man!' attitudes are wonderful, and the combination quickly takes you back to the times if you lived through it yourself. The REAL times, rather than the prettified, cleaned-up TV and movie versions of it. THAT alone would make this book worth the read. But having the detailed notes of EACH bootleg's original recording info is the real goldmine. Enjoy every minute of this! IT is as close as we can get to these great times - that, and dropping the needle on one of these multicolored wonders! THANK YOU!!!!
Sal D.
Great background on the PigMan!
Bill P.
A Pig's Tale is the book I didn't know I needed so badly! As a longtime buyer of boots in NYC's Village it was fascinating to learn the who's and how's behind one of the most famous labels. Thanks for putting out the B-side to the official story!
john t.
i bought my first TMOQ bootleg in the early 80's at a record show... the book is a fascinating dive into the history of the boot and the people who made it happen.
James Z.
I had more fun reading "A Pig's Tale" than anything else music-related in the past year. It brought back a lot of happy memories...of hearing a classmate's older sibling's copy of Great White Wonder in '69...of listening to and collecting Bob Dylan and Beatles Trade Mark of Quality LPs in the early-to-mid '70s...of pouring over the TMQ pamphlet/catalogue deciding what to buy next. The story behind GWW and TMQ is fascinating, and the book tells it in a refreshingly straightforward way. I never imagined I'd get to read such a vivid, detailed account of all this. The album covers and other photos and illustrations are an essential part of the book's magic. This is an important reference work that I'm sure I'll be returning to again and again.
Ingo K.
Grest book. Love it. Thanks!
Rune S.
as a collector of TMOQ - TAKRL - Highway Hi Fi - SODD and all the other sub-labels since 1970, this is a book I have been waiting many years to get into my collection.
Its a valuable tool to check details & variations of all the releases I have in my collection and to find out if there are still some missing I have to look for. Which I am sure there are...
Very well researched and fantastic information & photos.. I know I will enjoy this book for a long time...
well done Genius Books...!
howard g.
Great book.
Shipping not so great. Book was thrown in a box with crumpled paper on top.
Cover came with big crease/fold. Not expected for a $50 book
Christopher C.
fabulous book
Michael S.
Great read, visuals, like a fable.
Rick D.
Loaded with great info & pictures. I never knew the history of my bootleg collection. Very cool!
Donald L.
I have purchased TMQ products since the 70's and have enjoyed every one of them. Now that I have the book it goes perfect with my bootlegs. Great book, fine job.
Paul W.
For serious music lovers who already owned at least 5 versions of every album release from their favourite bands, bootleg recordings were the holy grail that enabled the music fan to delve deeply into the history of their idols and to time travel back to places they had never been able to be present at in history. One of those bootleg labels was Trade Mark of Quality and it was hugely important in the history of underground unofficial recordings. The vinyl albums that they released are now highly treasured artefacts and can command big money when they change hands. They were also innovative. They were releasing beautiful coloured and multi coloured highly limited releases way before the major official record labels cottoned onto it.
This book captures that history in incredible and beautiful detail. It is an ABSOLUTE MUST for serious music lovers and collectors and is an invaluable reference to that unbelievably exiting period in the late 60s and 70s when it meant everything to track down these elusive records.
Kris G.
This great book takes me back to my teenage years, hunting down and collecting rare bootleg vinyls, lots would have crap sound of course, but now & then you’d be thrilled when you bought one with very good/excellent audio ;-)!, this book is very cool & an important record (so to speak) of vinyl history!…
Rick K.
Great book. I buried my nose in it as soon as it arrived. I love knowing the story behind the albums that I've listened to for years. Excellent photos that wish you had the precious discs in your hand. Time to start tracking down the ones that I missed.
Joachim H.
It's a great book. Well reseached and very detailed with many illustrations. Highly recommended for serious record collectors!
Gary V.
Both the book and the company or excellent to work with.
Joseph R.
I was a collector of bootleg records in the 1980s. it was interesting to learn how bootlegs were bootlegged over and over by different people. a very interesting read on the background of how the first boots were produced good book get one...
VINCENT R.
Engaging read, couldn't put it down once I started. Nice job.
RAYMOND M.
If your a certain age, and came through the seventies listening to Rock music and going to concerts. you'll have probably searched out these under the counter goodies known as ' Bootlegs ' if you were a fan of a certain band, getting hold of a live recording especially if there wasn't an official live album available. This book lets you in on how the Bootleg market came about in the early seventies, and mainly the label that started it all off (TMOQ) Trade Mark Of Quality. I personally found it very interesting, and I still own some of their releases that came out in the early/mid seventies.
Matjaz K.
for longtime TMOQ collectro, this book is really a treat, enjoying reading it, taking out my boots and comparing versions i have with the loads of data and photos in the book. Congratulations to the authors for this essential publication
Kim P.
Excellent information, however there's quite a bit of repetition in the text. It reads like the chapters were written with many months in-between, so that when writing resumed, there was no recall of having already included various details, so they pop back up again as though being shared for the first time.
Other than that - fantastic! The downloads link at the end was also a nice bonus.
Bobby B.
great book,all that I expected!
John W.
Book was great. Filled with lots of info on the history of TMOQ. Didn't see the need to change the names since the real names of a couple of people are on the production sheets. Wasn't too hard to figure out who the Greek, the Chicken Killer and Chicken Killer's managers are since they pretty much give their identity away by the clues they give.
Peter D.
As an avid collector of these records going back to the late 60's this book is a great wander down memory lane. Also a nice catch-up to see what I may have missed out listening to over the years. Thanks all at Genius!!
Thomas M.
Great book and fast shipping!
R. M.
An entertaining saga, relayed with great discographical information and helpful photos...but somewhat held back buy the very amateurish prose, sloppy editing, and odd sidebars that add little to the story. The handful of period photos of PM and his gang at work are so intriguing that one wishes the authors excised a few sidebars in favor of more of these images. A mixed blessing.
Colin A.
I managed to secure a hardback copy [29/300] which took a long time to arrive what with Covid and printing problems but the wait was worth it. In Australia TMQ boots weren't the easiest releases to find but I had a few and my fellow music lovers also had bought there choices so we had the catalog pretty well covered. but after reading the book I am finding out that not all was what we thought. Some low bastard had bootlegged the bootlegs.HA.HA.
I have since bought another copy for my son who like me loves all things rockin'. This book is a must for anyone with an interest in music history. The story are so real [ you couldn't make this stuff up ] and the photos and tech info is fantastic. I will probably buy another copy to lend out because nobody's getting their hand on my hardback. The photo is a CD release of The Who '' Closer To The Queen Mary '' on the Killing Floor label. You guessed it...It's a BOOT.
Forever Rockin' Colin
Mark P.
I've been buying records for a long time and "A Pig's Tale" fills in a lot of gaps in the history and has a lot of fun stories.
Lots of pictures and background stories of the boots! A good read that I can go chapter by chapter..
John A.
I absolutely love this book. It tells a fascinating true-life story about the people and events behind the shadow world of early rock music bootleg records. I was riveted throughout. As well, the book is lavishly illustrated with color photos of every TMQ release, along with original tape reels, inserts, and other memorabilia. My only small quibble is that the book’s physical dimensions are a bit ungainly and difficult to hold while reading. But this is a small matter, considering the immense historical and entertainment value of this volume.
Stephen T.
Too expensive for a paper back, by a lot! But otherwise, a really fun, informative and compelling book. I've collected boots since the mid 70's, and have owned many of these titles. So it is super cool to know the whole back story. TMOQ has been a big influence in my life, so reading about how it was done is incredibly interesting to me.
Alan W.
Fabulous book if you are a collector or just a fanatic for these classic bootlegs from the early days of the rock bootleg era!!
Bill K.
Looks like a great book, altho I haven't had time to sit down with it yet. The subject matter needed to be written about, I look forward to reading it as soon as I can.
Arthur A.
Very well written book with entertaining stories that made it hard to put down. Detailed accounts of how it all went down and what it took to record and reproduce those live shows onto wax to distribute as part of the TMOQ catalog. Took me back to those days as I was in the same building when some of those classic concerts with the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who and Jethro Tull were captured to tape. It always felt like finding buried treasure when you happened upon a bootleg record in those independent record stores back in the day and TMOQ always lived up to the name....plus William Stout's classic covers and inserts put the icing on the cake. I even managed to attend a lecture he was doing on illustrations in Pasadena and he was kind enough to autograph some of the Stout covers of LP's and CD's I had that he had done. One of the truly good reads I've had in a long time on the subject of the music I grew up with and collecting the records the 'suits' didn't want you to know about let alone own. Thank you!!!
Matthew F.
Super fast delivery! This book is amazing, I highly recommend it to anyone who has ever collected bootlegs. It is incredibly well researched, the stories are great, and the nots on the records and released exhaustive. I will be going back and reading through this book for a long time.
Akira S.
I am Beatles fan / collector.
This is great book. Tell us lot of secret of the TMOQ.
Telling the story by Bob and Big Bob.
Smoking Pig was founded by Ken.
Wanda W.
Brilliant book. Prompt delivery, and the book is in excellent condition.
Alice W.
Great experience. Easy order, easy pay delivery quick. Painless transaction. Would order from them again.
Federico T.
Libro pieno di belle foto a colori dei boots più preziosi
Eric E.
Great book, shipped promptly.
Benjamin R.
Fantastic book! Worth every penny!
Steve S.
This book is great! If you are interested in this book, you know the label, and may have some of their records in your collection. Now here's the story. I got the hardback, and it's beautifully done. The hardback was always a limited edition, so let's be thankful that there is an open edition. Worth every penny. Lots of photos, including the complete TMOQ discography. You can't go wrong with this book if you have any interest in rock and roll records!
Peter W.
An incredible resource and trip down memory lane! If you collected boots back when you'll love this, you'll find yourself pulling out the old boots you haven't listened to in years.
Riccardo D.
here is my review:
http://www.hotwacks.com/database/publish/VARIOUS_ARTISTS_100_A_PIG_S_TALE_THE_UNDERGROUND_STORY_OF_THE_LEGENDARY_BOOTLEG_RECORD_LABEL.php
Richard B.
A very nice and informative book about those lovely vinyl boot days. I would have prefered a hardback but it's no big deal.
Andrew B.
The format of the book being a landscape large paperback was somewhat disconcerting but the contents and the quality of the publication was excellent. I found it a little hard to read because of the format but overall had no other issues.
Gregory W.
As a college student very interested in the music evolving in the late sixties, it was great having several record stores in the University district to peruse on a regular basis. It must have been late sixties when I started noticing these interesting records with a pig stamped on the cover, with the caption of "Trademark of Quality" on them. A number of artists I was interested in began appearing on these records, with live performances or songs previously unavailable. The quality of some were fantastic, with others not so good. I ended up with mostly a bunch of Bob Dylan records on TMQ releases that were incredible. Of course this was way before the big labels started putting out the "Bootleg Series" just trying to catch up. Of course there was no internet or cell phones at this time. You felt very lucky when you ran across one of these Trade Mark of Quality releases and wondered where they came from and would there be more in the future? This book answers all those questions and more and is highly recommended, both as a resource and a slide show of color pictures of those mysterious LPs that many people, like me, treasure highly.
Marc R.
Fantastic book! If you bought bootlegs in the seventies you would be aware of the pioneering Trade Mark Of Quality label. The sound would normally be very good and the vinyl would be housed in a sleeve with stunning artwork by William Stout.
Now you can relive those halcyon days with this gorgeous book detailing all of the releases and the glorious artwork. You also get photos of the reels and stories accompanying the individual bootlegs.
Even if you did not get bootlegs, you still need this book if you have any love for the classic bands from the sixties and seventies.
I am really pleased to have bought it, and I even get a thank you in the introduction! Fabulous!
steven l.
Well done ! Great stories from folks that were there I can’t put it down
Gerald B.
Wow! What a great story and resource. Someone has to make a movie about Trademark of Quality story. A lot of work went into this and a fascinating story it is. Great photos. I can't give it enough praise. Highly recommended!!!!
Martyn H.
The detail in the story of the label is magnificent.
Kevin R.
Really enjoyed this romp through the wonderful (and sometimes dangerous) world of TMQ bootleg records. Great stuff, glad to have it in my collection.
Terry S.
I was not aware of the quantity of bootlegs there were - being from the east coast it is possible that most did not make it out here - I am very impressed with the information supplied and look forward to reading and sharing this book - my compliments to Ralphh and Harold for an outstanding work
Jennifer C.
I actually bought the book as a gift and I'm not sure if he's read it yet. However, he requested the book and he was looking forward to receiving it.
Kim L.
The book was a joy from start to finish. Detalied information about the individual Trade Mark of Quality releases as well as the fascinating story of this classic bootleg company. I started purchasing bootlegs in 1978 and the book sent me back to the joy of my first collecting years. I initially reacted to the price for a paperback book but when I saw the book this reservation evaporated instantly. The quality of the printing and the high-end paper makes this a value for money purchase. Highly recommended.
Kim Larsen, Norway.
Bobby A.
Great and personal service. Highly recommended!
Martin B.
excellent quality pressing book, all conversations and informations are well. Hope for faster delivery by my next purchase.
Carlo W.
Fascinating read!Also beautiful pix from a killer archive,but almost to a fault as that is ALL we get.We only get the absolute 1st presses all the way down to the color of the ink on the cover stamp,sounds petty huh?As a TMQ freak of 45 years I had never seen the mcv's in the book!!Although I was well aware of the black/white speckled vinyl issues which seemed to have been pressed in micro-quantities {For friends & family only ??? }And as far as the 9 or 10 lp's missing from the books archives, they were all originally on the Mammary or the 5D labels for a very short time & we are told the rest in the book. Anyway, someone finally wrote THE BOOK on the most beloved underground music label in history!Thanks guys!! "seedub"
Mark S.
The book arrived worse for wear. The edges were scuffed and there was a crease on the spine. It arrived in a simple DHL plastic bag with no other protection. You can't pack a book like this for international shipping especially given the high cost of the book and expensive shipping. Think of the treatment it's going to receive on its journey across the world. It needs bubble wrap at least and something to keep it flat. You need to improve this part of your service.
Robert B.
The topic was fascinating. The artwork and layout was great. The book needed a better proof read for missed and repeated words, typos, etc but more importantly a slightly better edit would have removed some redundant passages that appear in different parts of the book.
Despite those minor criticisms, it was a fascinating read and I am so glad that you published it.
BILL C.
Great tome to a much missed bygone time. The detailed info. on the creation of The Pig & company is more than expected. Great photos & discography too. Congrats!
Richard H.
What a well researched and detailed book. It is an amazing view into the history of the bootleg record industry. While I wish it were a hardcover, this book it a wealth of information on a subject that is purposely secretive and undocumented.
ron B.
So far, loving it. Good engaging storytelling, nice paper, excellent good quality photos and details. Good job! May need another for a friend who was a dealer in the 70s. Not sure if he knows about it yet.
wallace k.
love the book.I always wondered about the bootleg business and where it came from.large book but it moves fast.
Louann S.
This book is so very detailed and brings back so many memories for me as relates to my past history of collecting Beatles music and literature. Will be enjoying it for a long time to come. I give it an A+++++. Greg Sandel
Phillip F.
This is an extremely great product for someone who grew up collecting some of these recorded masterpieces. Expertly researched, I sit and wonder why I sold these collector items. I just remember going to the back of the record stores in Maryland with my brothers and flipping through of some these LPs.
Genius kept me informed throughout the process and very happy with the transaction.
