The Swingin' Pig Records was a bootleg

label A label (as distinct from signage) is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product. Labels are most often affixed to packaging and containers using an adhesive, or sewing when affix ...

that mostly released LPs and

singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...

, best known for unauthorized recordings of

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1968. The band comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones (musician), John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham. With a he ...

and

the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

. The first publications were made in the early 1980s, when they released three singles and about twenty LPs. The label became one of the first to release bootleg CDs, the first to offer bootleg CDs in high-quality

box set A boxed set or (its US name) box set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box, hence 'boxed', and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists ...

s. A sublabel, Magic Dwarf Records, offered records from the Beatles and Rolling Stones in 1988. By 1985, the label had its headquarters in

Luxembourg Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France on the south. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembour ...

and distributed its recordings from Germany via the small record label Perfect Beat Tonträger, in

Brakel Brakel may refer to: ;Places * Brakel, Belgium, East Flanders, Belgium * Brakel, Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany * Brakel (Gelderland), Gelderland, Netherlands * Brakel (North Brabant), North Brabant, Netherlands ;Other uses * Wilhelmus � ...

. By the 1990s, GEMA fees were paid, artists were unable to collect because in some European countries the rights for the artists had expired after 20 or 25 years. The label disappeared from the market in the mid-1990s, around the time

WIPO The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO; (OMPI)) is one of the 15 specialized agencies of the United Nations (UN). Pursuant to the 1967 Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization, WIPO was created to pr ...

became law. Remaining stocks were processed through Soundhouse Music. The LP / CD Box ''Atlantic City '89'' was the label's most popular release, a digital recording of a live concert by the Rolling Stones over satellite broadcast. The band tried to ban the publication several times; in 1991 there were several court hearings before the regional court in

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...

, with distribution was banned for a short time. On March 22, 1991, the regional court lifted the ban. At over 70,000 copies, it may be the best-selling bootleg in the world. A total of around 250 CDs and 150 LPs were released, as well as three singles and two shape vinyls from the Rolling Stones. A few legitimate authorized promo recordings were released. Most of the LPs were also made on limited-edition colored vinyl. The following list is an overview of known releases, including the first bootlegs and special pressings. The Swingin 'Pig Records discontinued production with TSP 223–2; any records beyond this are

fake Fake or fakes may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * The Fake (1927 film), ''The Fake'' (1927 film), a silent British drama film * The Fake (1953 film), ''The Fake'' (1953 film), a British film * Fake (2003 film), ''Fake'' (20 ...

s, mostly from Thailand, banking on the name recognition. Due to the legal situation at the time, artists from countries that did not sign the Rome Agreement were only granted the rights that German artists had in the respective country (principle of reciprocity). In the early 1990s several court cases ruled the unauthorized releases legal. Today, reselling may not be.''Verkauf alter CDs: Iron Maiden lässt Fans abmahnen''
Spiegel Online

External links

*
The Swingin’ Pig Net – Website for fans and collectors

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swingin' Pig Records Record labels established in the 1980s Bootleg recordings