VA - Original Album Series: Merseybeat (2014)

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VA - Original Album Series: Merseybeat (2014)

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2014 original album series 5 CD set, in LP replica papersleeves. Collects five classic UK Mersey beat albums: Gerry & the Pacemakers' "How Do You Like It?" (1963) & "Ferry Cross the Mersey" (1965), plus the Swinging Blue Jeans' "Blue Jeans A'Swinging" (1964), Billy J Kramer with the Dakotas' "Listen…" and the Fourmost "The First & the Fourmost (1965)

~ amazon

This boxed set contains five original albums in digipack covers, with original artwork and sleeve notes. The box itself is cardboard and houses the CD’s neatly. Unfortunately, the sleeve notes are so small as to be almost indecipherable without the aid of a magnifying glass, although that might be my age! Still, that is a minor issue (although still a shame) when you consider the great albums included. You get the first two UK Gerry and the Pacemaker albums, “How Do You Like It?” and “Ferry Cross the Mersey,” plus debut albums by three other Merseybeat artists - “Blue Jeans A’Swinging” by The Swinging Blue Jeans, “Listen….” by Billy J. Kramer and “First and Fourmost” by The Fourmost.

How Do You Like It? Gerry and the Pacemakers

If any band looked as though they would challenge the Beatles in the charts in 1963, at the start of the Merseybeat era, it was another Liverpool group from the Brian Epstein stable – Gerry and the Pacemakers. They consisted of lead singer Gerry Marsden, his brother Freddie Marsden, Les Chaswick and Les Maguire. Although also comprising of four members, the Pacemakers differed from most bands around Liverpool at that time, as they used piano, as well as guitars. Their first three singles famously made number one, but despite Gerry Marsden proving himself an excellent songwriter (penning “It’s Gonna Be All Right,” “Ferry Cross the Mersey,” and the beautiful, “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying”) chart success was sadly almost over by the end of 1964. So, a short lived, but remarkable chart career – which included success in the States - and Gerry Marsden is still touring today.

“How Do You Like It?” is an extremely strong debut album, obviously released to capitalise on three number one singles and also produced by George Martin…

Although Gerry Marsden is not yet showing his song writing potential (the Pacemakers famously having a number one hit with the song, “How Do You Do It?” which the Beatles rejected), this is a great album. It is a great blend of cover versions, with Marsden’s vocals sounding strong and the band really tight and together. There are both fast rockers and plenty of slow songs, with stand out numbers being, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” of course, “You’re the Reason,” Where Have You Been?” and “Pretend.” If you want to hear an example of what made Merseybeat so successful, outside of the brilliance of the Beatles, then give this a listen.

Ferry Cross the Mersey – Gerry and the Pacemakers

“Ferry Cross the Mersey,” was released in 1965…

This is the soundtrack for Gerry and the Pacemakers only feature film and, as such, contains songs by other artists from the Epstein stable, including The Fourmost and Cilla Black. Interestingly, Cilla Black’s song in the film was written by her, and future husband Bobby Willis, while all of the Pacemakers songs were written by Gerry Marsden. The rights to the film were owned by Neil Aspinall, who ran Apple for the Beatles, before his death. Sadly, it has never seen a commercial release and now is unlikely to, due to the inclusion of Jimmy Saville in the cast. However, as an album, it is well worth a listen. Marsden’s song writing is very under-rated and he has written some fabulous songs on this album. The Fourmost and Cilla Black also contribute good tracks. Overall, these two albums are both really listenable, with a good range of music and a really big feel good factor.

Blue Jeans A’Swinging – The Swinging Blue Jeans

This was the Swinging Blue Jeans first UK album, released in 1964. Although they were very much part of the Merseybeat scene, the Swinging Blue Jeans were not managed by Brian Epstein and found their recording deal through HMV records. However, they were very much a part of the whole Liverpool scene; playing many times at the Cavern and other clubs and halls along with the Beatles, the Searchers, Gerry and the Pacemakers and other bands of the era, as well as playing in Hamburg. The group was founded by Ray Ennis and Les Braid and, also like the Beatles, were signed to a recording contract in 1962. Although their first single, “It’s Too Late Now,” only just made the top 30, their next record, “Hippy Hippy Shake,” was a huge hit – as were follow up singles, “Good Golly Miss Molly,” and You’re No Good.” Sadly, they just missed having a number one and, like so many other Merseybeat acts, their chart success ended by the mid-Sixties. Still, the band continued to tour, with Ray Ennis only recently retiring from playing live.

Released in November, 1964, “Blue Jeans A Swinging” runs for little less than half an hour …

The album contains a good range of covers, including many rock and roll songs from the fifties. However, “It’s So Right,” was written by band members Braid, Kuhlke, Ellis and Ennis and there are two songs by Bruce Welch and Hank Marvin of Shadows fame – “That’s the Way It Goes,” and “Don’t It Make You Feel Good.” Although the majority of the tracks are fast, there are also some slower songs, such as “Save the Last Dance for Me.” This is a good album and a good insight to the sort of music the Beatles, and their contemporaries, were playing live in the early Sixties. The Swinging Blue Jeans are often overlooked, but they were a good live act and this captures them at their height.

Listen……. Billy J. Kramer

Although Billy J. Kramer was born in Manchester, he was very much part of the Merseybeat invasion of the charts in 1963. Managed by Brian Epstein and benefiting from songs written for him by Lennon and McCartney, which gave him a string of hit singles in the early Sixties, his career had sadly peaked by the middle of the decade. That is not to say that he did not continue to perform and, in fact, he recently recorded a new album, “I Won the Fight,” released in 2013 and well worth a listen. This, though, is his first UK album – released in 1963 and later released in the US with the title, “Little Children,” and a slightly different track listing.

In 1963, Kramer had three top five singles, including one number one, so it was time for an album release…

This album suffers from the lack of hit singles, although Kramer, like the Beatles, followed the idea of not ‘short changing’ the fans, but putting songs they already owned as singles onto their albums. That was laudable, but leaves us with an album largely full of ballads, with a few, rocking cover versions. There is one Lennon/McCartney song, “I Call Your Name,” and also a very interesting – for Beatles fans – song, “I Know,” which is credited to George Martin and Bob Wooler, the DJ at the Cavern. I recall reading the fascinating biography of Bob Wooler, by Spencer Leigh, “The Best of Fellas,” and reading about his song writing aspirations, so I was really interested to listen to this.

The US version of this album, cleverly uses Kramer’s hit singles, to make a much stronger album, featuring:

Little Children
Da Doo Ron Ron
Dance With Me
Pride
I Know
They Remind Me Of You
Do You Want To Know A Secret
Bad To Me
I'll Keep You Satisfied
Great Balls Of Fire
It's Up To You
Tell Me Girl

George Martin often double tracks Kramer’s vocals and later the singer admitted to being intimidated by both the studio and the producer, so possibly his vocals suffered through nerves. Overall, though, this is a good listen - with a nice mix of ballads and rockers and some enjoyable tracks.

First and Fourmost –The Fourmost

The Fourmost were a Merseybeat band who rode the wave of success spearheaded by the Beatles in the early Sixties. Signed to a management contract by Brian Epstein in 1963, they recorded at EMI with George Martin – who undoubtedly could not believe his luck at the talent travelling down from Liverpool, with not only the Beatles but Gerry and the Pacemakers, Cilla Black, Billy J. Kramer and others hitting the charts. With Epstein as their manager and Lennon-McCartney compositions to record, such as “Hello Little Girl,” and “I’m in Love,” it seemed that success was certain – and, at first, it was. Good friends with the Beatles, they played at Paul McCartney’s 21st birthday party and appeared at their 1964 Christmas Show. Also in 1964 they had their biggest hit, reaching number six in the charts with, “A Little Loving.”

Although The Fourmost appeared on Gerry Marsden’s film soundtrack, “ Ferry Cross the Mersey,” they only released one album themselves. “First and Fourmost,” was released in 1965. It consisted of an ill assorted range of covers…

The Fourmost are a band who got lost somewhere in Brian Epstein’s stable of artists. His attention obviously being taken by the Beatles, you feel that some of his other artists lost direction and struggled. Although “The In Crowd,” fits nicely into the mid Sixties, other songs are early rock and roll and country songs that many Merseybeat bands sang in the late Fifties/early Sixties – Sure to Fall, Heebie Jeebies, The Girl Can’t Help It. There are also a lot of comedy songs which range from the fun – Yakety Yak, to downright terrible; Baby Sittin’ Boogie. So many bands were prepared to go into cabaret or pantomime and it was typical in the early Sixties to aim for mainstream entertainment . Stranded and without direction, lacking song writing abilities and unable to make the transition into anything other than what they started as, The Fourmost found themselves struggling for success, touring on the cabaret circuit, but without making the charts (despite Paul McCartney trying to help them record even as late as 1968).

The Fourmost still exist, although the band touring under that name contain none of the original members. Of the four original Fourmost, Billy Hatton (bassist/vocalist) and Dave Lovelady (drummer/vocalist) sometimes play together. The other two members are sadly no longer with us. Mike Millward (rhythm guitarist/vocalist) died very young, of leukaemia in 1966, while Brian O’Hara (lead guitarist/vocalist) tragically took his own life in 1999.

Although ‘First and Fourmost’ was not a chart success and success eluded them in the States, this is still an interesting listen for any fans of early Merseybeat. Some of the song choices are ill considered, but there are many good covers, the band sounding at their most comfortable when singing songs such as – “Some Kind of Wonderful,” “The Girl Can’t Help It,” and “So Fine.” Certainly, singing rock and roll, the band are both tight and work well. It is sad, as I doubt their potential was ever reached on record, but although their time in the spotlight was fleeting, it is nice to hear their only recorded album.

This is a great set – excellent value for money and full of great music.

By S Riaz, amazon

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VA - Original Album Series: Merseybeat (2014)

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VA - Original Album Series: Merseybeat (2014)

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VA - Original Album Series: Merseybeat (2014)

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VA - Original Album Series: Merseybeat (2014)

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VA - Original Album Series: Merseybeat (2014)

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VA - Original Album Series: Merseybeat (2014)

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