Live at the BBC - Beatles (The) (CD 2001)

While it's true that there has been a lot of junk released from various times in the Beatles' career, this is one of those things that's great to have around. For example, I've got a "Silver Beatles" CD around here that's just plain awful, and I've seen some other "off-brand" stuff that's kind of a waste of time.

However, this two-disc collection is a true gem. While some might argue that it's merely another cynical exercise in plundering the vaults for no other reason than to make a fast buck, I enjoy this bit of Beatles history.

Many people don't realize the Beatles recorded a hell of a lot of songs particularly for the BBC and were regulars on that English radio station for about four years. These songs are from those sessions, of course, and capture a laid-back band that was having a good time.

More importantly, this set captures the Beatles doing a lot of cover songs of there favorite acts. Expect plenty of Carl Perkins, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry songs here, as well as some that are a bit obscure. Of course, you've got some hits from the Beatles here, and those are all very good as "alternate takes." You've also got some good live tracks (complete with full crowd noised and the whole bit) such as "Some Other Guy" that are simply amazing and capture the band before it became a huge success.

Particularly revealing, too, is a ton of studio chatter and bits of interviews that reveal the band members' senses of humor and candor. With all of the music and interviews, this is a very good historical document of rock n' roll and is well worth having.

Perhaps the most refreshing aspect of this disc is that the songs are considerably "rougher" than what we're used to from the Beatles. George Martin, after all, was a heck of a producer, and he managed to polish tunes from the band to perfection. So, the majority of Beatles albums and singles feature songs that were as well-produced as anything in the 1960's.

The stuff on this two-disc set, however, was recorded quickly and high-fidelity wasn't a concern. The songs were destined for mono radio broadcasts, after all. That means the songs here were recorded in an "off the cuff" manner and it rather sounds like the band simply wandered into the BBC studios, set up and played some tunes. The result borders on intimate, and the thing is refreshing to hear.

While the majority of songs here are well worth a listen, there are a few that are just amazing. In particular, the version of "Ticket to Ride" here is wonderful, as is the live version of "Some Other Guy." Covers of "Baby It's You," "I Got a Woman," "To Know Her is to Love Her" and "Sure to Fall" are also impressive.

Now for the bad parts about the album. This is not for people who don't care for British invasion rock from the early Beatles. Similarly, people who aren't interested in what kind of music inspired the Beatles probably won't find much value to this disc. It's close to two-hours long, after all, and it's rather hard to get through it all unless you absolutely adore the band.

Indeed, this is for dedicated Beatles fans who love hearing a bit of history from the band and are in search of some alternate takes on hit songs from the band or covers that used to be hard to find.

Now, I've heard some people mention that this set is hard to find. I didn't realize that was the case because I've owned it since it came out in 1994. However, I know this title is still available at Amazon.com, so I assume it's still available at other places.

Oh, and I almost forgot the liner notes. The set comes bundled with a booklet that gives recording details and other bits of information about each track. Also, a lot of photos of the band members in the early days of the group are presented. That booklet is a fantastic detail I'm glad was included.