Maxfield Multimedia: The Patron Saints: Fohhoh Bohob

The covers of the Austrian (or Norwegian) Fohhoh Bohob bootleg.

A close-up of the bootleg cover, showing the inexplicable trident-carrying Neptune dude.
A close-up of the Fohhoh Bohob bootleg cover, showing the inexplicable trident-carrying Neptune dude.

According to various reliable sources, there are at least three different bootleg versions of Fohhoh Bohob out lurking in the world. While this is flattering (not to mention mind-boggling), no one involved with the original group, songs or pressing has received any remuneration whatsoever from these illicit reissues. That doesn't bother me as much as the lame sonic quality of the final product. The bootleg shown to the left, for example, was lifted from one of the scratchy, poppy original Bohobs...their method of "noise reduction" was to turn up the digital "de-clicker" up to ten, and hope for the best! The final product bears little resemblance to the original. From what I gather, the same is said to be true of the other Bohob bootlegs available.

If you check out the Fohhoh Bohob reissue section, you'll find out why we decided to release an "authorized" version. No one had ever really heard what this album was supposed to sound like!

The ad below is from the March 31, 1995 edition of Goldmine, for a company called Metro Music, out of Silver Springs, Maryland. I'm not sure which bootleg this was for (I assume it was for green one), but the guy got really defensive when I identified myself and asked him about it. Rare garage, indeed!

Bohob bootleg ad from the March 31, 1995 edition of Goldmine

The only bootleg I ever actually got my hands on, according to American Sound Records owner Mike Albertini, was probably produced in Norway, but Hervé Pamingle, who bought a bootleg at a fair in Switzerland, feels that this batch originated in Germany or Austria, with 300 numbered copies pressed. What I love are the bizarre cover modifications that were made; how they came up with the reflected-Neptune motif, I can't possibly imagine. And why green? The enclosed "libretto" was reproduced rather hastily and cheaply...many of the pages are off-center, and the whole mess is held together with one, lone staple. My copy was missing a lyric sheet. Thank God I already knew the words!

Fohhoh Bohob bootleg label.

The other thing that amuses me is the label (at left) on the Austrian bootleg. If you look carefully, you'll notice that it contains the following statement printed around the outer lip:

All rights of the manufacturer and of the owner of this recorded work reserved-- unauthorised public performance, broadcasting and copying of this record prohibited.

Let's just say that the irony of putting that disclaimer on an illegal bootleg of our album is not lost on me. At least they got the label colors fairly close.

If I get any more information about bootlegs, I'll obviously add it. If any of you know anything, I'd really appreciate knowing. Thanks!

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