Subtitled "From The Birth Of Merseybeat to Psychedelia 1957-1968", "Unearthed Merseybeat" is truly a case of the grail discovered for anyone with even a passing interest in the Merseybeat boom, before and after The Beatles.
The excellent Viper label have previously presented us with two volumes of "Liverpool Cult Classics" from more recent times, but this one goes right back to connect with the source, showcasing tracks like JOHNNY GUITAR and PAUL MURPHY'S Little Richard cover "She's Got It", the very first Merseybeat recording from 1957 and the equally fascinating and primitive "Good Golly, Miss Molly" (1958) from KINGSIZE TAYLOR & THE DOMINOES - the man who allegedly recorded The Beatles at Hamburg's Star Club. Bizarrely, your reviewer can claim a link here, having managed a band in Southport featuring Kingsize's son Mark circa 1990. Life's weird, innit?
Naturally, the sound quality is primitive and sketchy, with a number of the early tracks here such as THE REMO FOUR's two surf instrumentals and GERRY & THE PACEMAKERS' terrific take of Ray Charles' "What'd I Say" taken directly from ancient acetates, but who cares: the results are electrifying, with the spirit and raw passion all too tangible forty years on. Indeed, this track from Gerry Marsden and co could well be their best ever recording, far grittier than the slushy pop the Pacemakers would become synonymous with.
Aside from The Pacemakers, probably only THE MERSEYBEATS (with a tough version of "Sorrow", minus horns, but with a killer bass line from none other than John Paul Jones) and THE SWINGING BLUE JEANS (represented here with the sophisticated, harmony-laden psych-pop of "Keep Me Warm ('Til The Sun Shines)" would be familiar to anyone other than the most devoted Merseybeat disciple, but virtually everything else here is ripe for discovery.
Thus, I'd rapidly point you towards DENNY SEYTON & THE SABRES' two cuts: the tight, exotic beat number "House Of Bamboo" and the Stonesified drubbing of Buddy Holly's "I'm Gonna Love You Too"; THE KIRKBYS - who featured the scene's great lost songwriter, Jimmy Campbell - with their great, Byrdsy anthem "Don't You Want Me No More" and the tender, Beatles-ish "Dreaming"; WIMPLE WINCH'S genius "Rumble On Mersey Square South" from 1967, which shows that amphetamined Who energy and Scallydelia were indeed a viable alternative that should have been explored in full and THE FOUR JUST MEN'S "Instrumental" - an, er, instrumental with more than the occasional nod to The Coral's current zeitgeist-probing sound.
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Wonderfully, there's also room for a couple of unknown quantity wild cards. Nobody seems to have any info about THE BO-WEEVILS, but their proto Dr.Feelgood attack on their Bo Diddley cover, "I'm A Lover, Not A Fighter" from 1965 is totally memorable, while the equally obscure NEWTOWNS' "Tomorrow" from '66 suggests Liverpool could also produce big, overwrought organ-led pop a la The Herd or Amen Corner if it set its' mind to it.
Indeed, even the more formulaic tracks contain both intrigue and charm. THE EYES' "She" is hopelessly devoted to the fab four, but you're dead keen to play it again when you discover the band featured erstwhile Stu Sutcliffe stand-in Klaus Voorman on bass and that one of the singer/guitarists was none other than Lewis 'Bodie' Collins of "Professionals" fame. Would Cowley have broken out the double malt scotch on hearing this, though? Meanwhile, THE DENNISONS' perfunctory cruise through Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti" gains ground when you realise the guy slamming away behind the kit is none other than Clive Hornby, AKA Jack Sugden from "Emmerdale." By 'eck, la'.
Liverpool's current resurgence remains vital and exciting, but also gives us the chance to re-evaluate past genius like the recent Wild Swans "Incandescent" compilation and now "Unearthed Merseybeat", which is as close to an all-star Merseyside "Nuggets" as you could ever wish for. Immediate excavation is recommended.
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