The series of Tobe Milo (toe-bee my-low) releases ran from 1976 into the early 1980s, although the label is chiefly remembered for its series of 7 inch "compacts" (or 33 r.p.m. EP's). Taken together, the Tobe Milo releases (both EP and LP) are the most valuable and sought after bootlegs in the world. Acquiring a complete after-the-fact set of Tobe Milos is one of the most difficult tasks facing the collector. The EP's run from $20 to $75 when you can find them, but forget the price guides - the trick is finding them. Many of these releases were limited to 1000 copies (or less) and sold directly to collectors at Beatles conventions or by mail-order, as opposed to other bootlegs of the time which were peddled in small-time record stores, head shops and boardwalk novelty stores. Consequently, the number of Tobe Milos to enter "casual circulation" was comparatively small, and you're unlikely to run into them outside of collector's circles. The Japanese, in particular, have succumbed to Milomania. Don't believe me? here's a translation from the Japanese book Beatles Bootlegs: "As hardly receipted to Japan, records with this label are the most important between The Beatles' collectors in Japan. It is even said that whether a record has the Tobe Milo's label or not is the maniac's trump...". Happily, more casual collectors can console themselves with the knowledge that very few of the Tobe Milo releases are collectible outside of being "objects" - that is, they don't contain performances that aren't readily found on other, more common bootlegs.
Tobe Milo was a partnership between two individuals. Although their names cannot be given here for obvious reasons, it's safe to say that both of them were active in the Beatles fan scene outside of their bootleg activities. Like many other early bootleggers, both individuals were also fans, and most of the records were produced as much for fun as for profit.
--Doug Sulpy, The 910 Magazine, October 1991
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