"Fastest thing they've ever seen"

Front cover Back cover

  • Above: Teenage, Russian Bootleg, unknown year, front & back cover.
    Click to enlarge.

Cat. No: 789
Label:
N/A
Recorded:
1979
Released:
Unknown

A-Side: Teenage

Run-out groove: N/A

B-Side: N/A Single sided record

Run-out groove: N/A

 

Line Up

Vocals: Charlie Harper
Guitar:
Nicky Garratt
Bass:
Paul Slack
Drums:
Pete Davies


Probably the one of the most unusual and rarest UK Subs releases, Teenage is the first of 3 Russian bootlegs (that we know about!)

Copied (badly) from an original release, official Subs recordings wouldn't have been readily available in Russia in the 1980's hence these poor quality bootlegs.

The covers are simple thin paper with very limited information (Artist, track title and catalogue number), the first thing I was taken by was the size. The covers and flexis are about 6 inches square, the flexi is square with the corners cut off (Presumably to make them easier to get in and out of the sleeves).

Geoff Cooper originally drew these to our attention and sent us the following info at the time;

"I guess I have had these 6-8 years, and I think I paid £20-30. I seem to remember at the time that a few weeks before the purchase, at least one or two appeared on e-bay and sold for similar amounts. Apart from that the only info I have are that they are stamped on the reverse with "33RPM U.K.SUBS and then either NEW YORK STATE POLICE / TEENAGE / EMOTIONAL BLACKMAIL". Each copy is numbered both on the back cover and on each of the actual discs.
On each front cover is typed "COBETCKHE TPAMNNACTHHKH"*, although some of the letters I don't recognise. Possibly means Bootleg?

  • New York State Police is on a green cover with drawings of young males and females on the front and a gramaphone on the reverse plus stamp. Contains a green flexi (numbered 790).
  • Teenage is on a white cover with a drawing of 2 russian dolls on the front and just the stamp on the reverse. Contains a clear flexi (numbered 789).
  • Emotional Blackmail is on a brown cover identical to that of Teenage. Flexi also brown (numbered 791).

I seem to remember that the previous ones sold were possibly on different colour flexis to the ones I purchased. Is it a coincidence that my 3 flexis have consecutive numbers?"

Przemek Kwadrat provided us with this update on the Russian wording on the sleeves; "Грампластинка" means vinyl record in Russian.

 

Time & Matter were pleased to acquire all three flexis for the site when Geoff decided to auction them on Ebay (See screen shot below);

 

Click on images to enlarge

Click to enlarge

 

 


Flexi disc

  • Above: Flexi disc

 

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