Unearthed Merseybeat Vol. 1: From The Birth Of Merseybeat To Psychedelia 1957-1968

Along with a really obscure but entirely legitimate bunch of CDs on Merseyside Records, the three disc series of releases from Viper is the best there is for those who want to explore the, at the time, burgeoning musical genre that came to be known as Merseybeat. Fledgeling groups that either went on to greater things or stayed forever lost in the annals of time only to be remembered as a possible footnote in the biggest musical impact the county has ever seen. Scratchy, self financed one take demos mix with professional recordings to bring a cornucopia of excitement.In an order possibly known to only the compilers, it all starts off with a fine alternate take of 'Sorrow' that is much heavier than the version we all know. Vying for the place as Merseybeat's first recording is 'She's Got It' from 1957 by Johnny Guitar and Paul Murphy. Strangely, as it dates from 1968 so is well past Merseybeat, Jason Eddie's 'Mr Busdriver' is included probably because he was around during the early 60s (and is Billy Fury's brother).The Kirkbys was led by a man called Jimmy Campbell who was a fine writer but never got the recognition he deserved. Prolific on this CD, his 'Dreaming' and 'Don't You Want Me No More' is from them, and the Swinging Blue Jeans recorded 'Keep Me Warm' in 1966. Though they were unaware, The Dennisons venture into early ska on 'Tutti Frutti' and their drummer, Clive Hornby, went on to star in Emmerdale as Jack Sugden.When the singer wanted a breather, a staple diet of the hundreds of groups plying their passion around Liverpool was the instrumental. Two from The Remo Four ('Trambone' and 'Walk Don't Run') and an unidentified number courtesy of the Four Just Men, called 'Instrumental', are here for your delectation. If you're a connoisseur of the form, bar possibly The Eyes, Bo-Weevils and The Newtowns, whilst you'll no doubt be familiar with the names, you won't have heard any of these tracks except maybe Wimple Winch's 'Rumble On Mersey Square South', a single in 1966, but even that's doubtful.The blindingly obvious is present for all to hear. Save for some honourable exceptions, most of the vocals are pretty limp wristed. There's nothing wrong with the playing; it's the singing that lets the songs down. Apart from writing their own material, you realise that Lennon and McCartney were among the best vocalists in the city and it was a detriment to all the others doing the rounds that they were both in the same group. Why was none of this released at the time? The acetate demos couldn't be and the rest was deemed either substandard or surplus to requirements after record companies lost their shirts in their attempt to breath the air around The Beatles.For all its foibles, together with the other two CDs, this is still an essential purchase.

A Merseybeat Must!

Als Rock'n' Roller war die Scheibe ne Prima Mischung aus Rock and Roll und Beatmucke!