Merely A Portmanteau
 

In my recent enthusiasm for tracking down rare bootlegs of the band circa 1971-1974, I recalled that I have a vinyl bootleg entitled "Merely A Portmanteau." (purchased about 16 years ago!)

I've seen this title referenced throughout the years...so I know it is a somewhat "established" bootleg. I recently rediscovered this album and I'm very curious to see if anyone knows about this? More pointedly, where was it recorded? Here is the only information I have (according to the package):

Side One
1968 - Peter, Mick, Jeremy, Danny, John
1. The Green Manalishi/Underway
2. Tiger
Note: This actually has good quality sound and performance.

Side Two
1970 -Chris, Mick, Jeremy, Danny, John
1. Station Man
2. Tell Me All The Things You Do (An excruciating 18 minute mess of a jam!)
Note: Sound quality is "acceptable." But God, the band is a train wreck here. Christine's vocals sound horrid! She drolly introduces a song by saying "We're gonna finish up here before they turn the power off on us or something..."

It's pretty straightforward - the dates given on the bootleg are completely incorrect. Side one is from a the 4/9/70 BBC session - the full session was officially released on the 2-disc Show Biz Blues Vol. 2 set a few years ago. Side two is from the same mid-February '71 show (2/19/71?) that has been circulating as a separate bootleg and has been listed as being from Swing Auditorium in San Bernadino - the band's first show after Jeremy Spencer left, and including emergency replacements Peter Green & Nigel Watson (see this thread from last year: San Bernadino 1971). That would go a long way toward explaining why the band might have been a "train wreck" that show!

Thanks for the info! It may have been pretty straightfoward to you, but obviously I had not a clue!

Glad to help, PenguinHead! Maybe straightforward was not the right word to use - although I guessed pretty quickly that the dates given on the album were incorrect, it did take me quite some time to figure out which performances the two sides were from.

:o Before the "Inland Empire" Ledgies start hollerin'...it is San BernaRdino, sharksfan! ;)

Oooh, I should have known that, chiliD! :o Thanks for pointing it out!

Anybody who have seen pictures of the 1971 line-up with Peter on guitar?

Were Peter bearded or short-haired (B.B King session-style) around this time?

Don't know if there are any pictures of the FM 1971 lineup with Peter?
I recently got two shows from that tour (not Swing auditorium), Fillmore East 26/2/71 and Long Island
27/3/71, think they are quite rare. The quality is rather terrible, but Peter and Danny are really
jamming it up! Great playing, wonder what poor Christine thought about it all... :lol: