Van Morrison Bootlegs ^new^ Jun 2026

Many bootlegs are sought after specifically for tracks that stayed in the "vault" for decades or only appeared on obscure b-sides: "Caledonia Soul Music"

Seek them out. Listen with headphones. And be prepared to be perplexed, bored, dazzled, and ultimately, moved.

Several bootlegs are considered essential listening by fans. 1. Live at Pacific High Studios (1971) van morrison bootlegs

: This is arguably the most famous Van Morrison bootleg. It is a massive multi-disc collection of unreleased studio outtakes and demos spanning from 1964 to 1975. It features early versions of classics and legendary "lost" tracks like "Caledonia Soul Music". Mechanical Bliss

For decades, trading Van Morrison bootlegs was a labor-of-love underground economy. Fans met through classified ads in music magazines, exchanging physical cassette tapes and later, CD-Rs via the postal service. Meticulous discographies, such as the famous Wavelength fanzine, helped collectors navigate the complex world of matrix numbers, venue identification, and audio quality grading. Many bootlegs are sought after specifically for tracks

If you want to explore this "interesting feature" of his live evolution, these are the benchmarks:

Bootlegs provide the only way to hear tracks that were recorded but never made it onto an album, including numerous, unique original songs, blues covers, and jams from the 1970s and 80s. Several bootlegs are considered essential listening by fans

A final, noteworthy entry is the collection of unedited poems and songs known as The Lost Paris Tapes . Although often mistaken as relating to the Doors' Jim Morrison, these recordings are considered bootlegs because they were never officially released in their unedited form by Morrison or his heirs.

Widely regarded as one of the most legendary Van Morrison bootlegs, this recording of a 1987 concert features an astonishing setlist. It includes "Summertime in England," "In the Garden," and "And the Healing Has Begun," often deemed superior to his studio counterparts.