The first high caliber and convincing bootleg started circulating around 2006/2007. It is a counterfeit of the European version that was distributed through Virgin records. I purchased one of these in 2007. I spent the next few months verifying it’s authenticity. I, even, contacted the Uden plant to see if they could authenticate it. Well, they contacted IFPI, equivalent to the RIAA in the U.S., who, in turned, contacted me. After inspecting cd, it was determined to be a counterfeit and was entered in the IFPI database. The cd was sent to their forensic lab in London .

The tell-tale signs of this bootleg:

Official version:

Bootleg matrix:

Official matrix:

Then came the bootleg of the US Caroline rec employee-only promo version:

 Official Cd-r

There is another bootleg of this Cd-r. It has the words, “FOR PROMO USE ONLY” underlined and printed above the street date. Also , the “August 7, 1980” date and the phrase, The Master Sound Productions Sessions, is omitted. Plus the title, 12 hits from hell has quotation marks.

Here is a pic of the 2nd bootleg matrix:

 Now, there is a bootleg of the US full artwork promo version. I have yet to see this one show up on eBay but it is being sold through other website retailers. Don’t have photos of this one. It does not have the white stripe thru the barcode, nor any hole punch and the bootleggers condensed 5 of the 6 pages from the original booklet into a 2 page booklet.





Credits:

Photos of Official EU version: Courtesy of the Devilman collection

Photo of counterfeit Cd-R: Courtesy of Chilean Fiend

Thanks to Ashley and Alison @ Asterlwerks, Devilman, Chilean Fiend, Alex Woord and IFPI