A Pig's Tale
The Underground Story of the Legendary Bootleg Record Label, Trade Mark of Quality
In the hot summer of '69, two longhaired music enthusiasts created an underground LP of unreleased tracks by their music idol, distributing it on the streets of Los Angeles. This audacious act thrilled fans but angered the official record label. Were they pirates or heroes? After the initial success, they pressed even more records of forbidden music. By 1970, one of the creators introduced The Pig logo with "Trade Mark of Quality," giving rise to TMQ and Pigman. This narrative follows the outrageous characters behind TMQ, the first bootleg record label, which inspired many imitators. From the late '60s to the mid-'70s, TMQ and Pigman catered to music addicts worldwide, alongside a colorful cast including Carl, The Greek, Merlin, and others. The story intertwines with the era's significant events, including the Vietnam War and the moon landing. Included are reproductions of all rubber-stamped and illustrated album jackets from TMQ's releases, spanning from '69 to 1976. This volume offers a complete discography of artists and track listings, sources of recordings, catalogue numbers, colored vinyl pressings, and more, gathering everything you ever wanted to know about the real TMQ label in one place.