Is it a Bootleg?

[cloudbusting.heights]

I recently (about 2-3 months ago) purchased Hayley Westenra's "Crystal" album--I think it was released in UK. I am from the US so I had to order it-i ordered it on Ebay. There are quite a few typos on the actual CD itself and the CD booklet is not of best quality. The pictures-actually the whole thing-is grainy.

I'm wondering if this is a bootleg or a copy someone made and advertised it as "the real thing," so to speak.
Any feedback and suggestions are greatly welcome!

Thanks,
Paige

[martindn]

Hi Paige,

Er. no, Crystal was never released in the UK, it is a Japanese album.

As to whether your copy is genuine or not, I couldn't say but if the quality is poor as you say, it sounds like an illegal copy.

Marin D

[cloudbusting.heights]

Sorry about the mix up with the release (not good with remembering where everything was/is released!). Thanks though, it's really disappointing that it might be an illegal copy. The audio quality is fine though-it's just everything else!

Paige

[grant]

Hi Paige

I agree with Martin that it looks as though you have a pirate copy I have just looked at my own copy and the booklet artwork is flawless as you would expect from Japan.

For guidance, the authentic release has a barcode; the Universal logo and several catalogue references on the 'playing' side of the CD. There is also a white glossy fold out sheet with the song lyrics in Japanese and English.

For future reference it is worth being careful when buying off Ebay from sellers in China and Hong Kong where piracy is commonplace.

Best wishes
Grant

[cloudbusting.heights]

Because it's illegal, does it mean it can't be a legit part of my 18 CD collection? I think I already know the answer, but I can always hope!

Thanks Much,

Paige

[roger]

Hi Paige,

It depends what you mean by ligit! By rights, that item shouldn't exist but it was the seller who knowingly broke the law, not you. You bought it in good faith. Whilst I applaud anyone who refuses to knowingly purchase an illegal item, you had no way of knowing. You paid your money so, if I were you, I wouldn't worry about it too much and just enjoy it.

Roger

[martindn]

You can make up your own rules as to what you allow Paige! As far as I am concerned, I inlude all the home made ones from concert videos and so on, but I don't think I own any bootlegs.

But I think you may find that the sound is no different to a genuine copy, so anyone listening to it would never know where it came from.

Martin D

[cloudbusting.heights]

Thanks guys! Now I feel better about the whole "illegal" ordeal. Coz I just remeber, right after I received it in the mail, looking at the cd itself and noticing many grammatical errors (as an Literature and grammar buff all the errors nearly gave me an aneurysm).

Much Thanks all Around,
Paige