QUEEN sheetkeeckers recorded live in concert TAKRL1957

Today’s entry dives into the fascinating world of unauthorized vinyl history with one of the most legendary Queen bootlegs of the 1970s. We are looking at “Sheetkeeckers,” released in the US around 1975 by The Amazing Kornyfone Record Label (TAKRL) with the catalog number TAKRL 1957.

A Snapshot of the Queen II Tour
This LP is a historical document capturing Queen in their heavy, progressive early days. The audio was recorded live at The Rainbow Theatre in London on March 31, 1974, during the tour for their second album, Queen II. For decades, before the official release of the Live at the Rainbow ’74 archive sets, bootlegs like this were the only way for fans to hear the raw power of the band’s early stage shows.

Classic TAKRL Aesthetics
Typical of The Amazing Kornyfone Record Label—one of the most prolific and famous bootleg outfits of the era—this release features the signature “xeroxed” paper insert cover, which appeared in various colors throughout 1975.

The Setlist and the Mystery Track
The album features blistering early performances of complex tracks like “Father To Son,” “Ogre Battle” (listed as “Orge Battle” on some copies), and “Liar.” It showcases the band’s heavy metal roots before they embraced the operatic pop of A Night at the Opera.

However, the most famous quirk of “Sheetkeeckers” is the unlisted track at the end of Side B (B5). It is not a Queen song at all, but the studio version of The Sweet’s “Ballroom Blitz.” In true bootleg fashion, the liner notes famously state that this track “was added for a very important reason which we’ve forgotten.”

TAKRL 1957 is a quintessential artifact of 70s rock culture. It captures a young, hungry Queen on the verge of superstardom, packaged with the eccentric humor and lo-fi aesthetic that defined the golden age of vinyl bootlegs.