KIDDING—I’m paid by the letttter.
Last Christmas, EMI re-released the Beatles’ original UK albums on vinyl. The group’s “core” catalog has remained 217 songs spread over 15 CDs/LPs.
But what happens when you want more? Solo Beatle albums are obviously a good choice, and most of those from the 1970s/80s have their moments. But today I discuss another option… rare albums, hard-to-find songs, or just flat-out illegal (but easy to find) bootlegs. Enjoy! And be sure to visit me in prison!
1961: The Beatles (John, Paul, George and Pete Best) were playing another residency in Hamburg, Germany when they were drafted by Polydor Records to back up fellow British expatriate Tony Sheridan. Producer Bert Kaempfert set up the quintet in a local school auditorium and recorded several songs, one of which (“My Bonnie”) became a sizable German hit. With Sheridan singing, the Fab Four were credited as “The Beat Brothers” at the time. But in the course of the session, they managed to cut an uptempo version of the Tin Pan Alley standard “Ain’t She Sweet” (with John on lead vocal) and “Cry For a Shadow” (a Lennon-Harrison instrumental, intended to mimic the style of British mega-stars, The Shadows). The latter two songs wouldn’t come out until the height of Beatlemania, with “Ain’t She Sweet” even hitting the Top 40. Both tunes are on “Anthology 1,” but a stereo version of “Ain’t She Sweet” is on the 1974 compilation “The History Of British Rock, Volume II” (Sire SASH-3705/2); that album also includes several Lennon-McCartney songs given away to fellow Merseybeat artists.
1962: Six months after the Tony Sheridan session, on New Year’s Day, a very hungover Fab Four entered Decca Studios in London for an audition. They played 12 covers and 3 originals (“Love of the Loved,” “Hello Little Girl,” “Like Dreamers Do”). The latter 2 originals, plus 3 covers (“Searchin’,” “Three Cool Cats” and “The Sheik of Araby”) are on “Anthology 1.” The rest… well, they’re easily findable on YouTube, sync’d up to images of the band (just search for “Beatles Decca audition”). If you want them on vinyl, you could buy a nice pair of early 1980s albums titled “The Silver Beatles” on Phoenix Records. OR, check out the “Deccagone” label. In 1976, some enterprising (and GENIUS) record presser made seven colored-vinyl 45s, compiling all the Decca audition tunes (except “Take Good Care of My Baby”). They’re all packaged in sleeves reminiscent of the mid-1960s Capitol picture sleeves. Awesome. This “label” also put out an EP of 4 songs from the group’s 1963 Royal Command Performance. And Decca Records made out OK, too…. George Harrison tipped them to a hot R&B group playing in London, The Rolling Stones. And except for all those friends and bandmembers dying, the Stones have done OK.
1964: It’s the height of Beatlemania. You’re a big, shiny executive in a bad suit at Capitol Records. There isn’t enough Beatles product coming through the pipeline. What do you do? What DO you DO?! First, get a better suit. Second, start hanging out with the Beach Boys and hope to meet some local groupies. Third, you order a recording of the Beatles' performance at prestigious Carnegie Hall. BUT, the Musician’s Union says “fat chance!” To which you should respond, “that means the same thing as ‘slim chance’." Then you record the group at the Hollywood Bowl, just to mess with those New York eggheads. That’s what Capitol did that summer. And, after being unhappy with the tapes, again the following summer (twice!). No one was happy with the quality of the 1965 shows, either. Fast-forward to 1977, and Capitol enlisted Beatles producer George Martin to distill an LP from the shows. It’s never been reissued on CD, but vinyl copies are easy to find. A nice bootleg double-CD containing all three concerts is also floating around the ‘net.
Next time... more words.
Love love love. :)
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