Customer Reviews

Anthology 1

5 star:		(61)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

It's interesting reading other reviews of this album. I get the impression that some people expected more of it than they got. This album is in fact an archeological dig into the Beatles' other unreleased recorded works and a retracing of their early history. It's not a "Hits" compilation..Go to "1", "1962-66" & "1967-70" if you want that. Instead, what we find here are early demos, live recordings, a failed Audition with Decca (who have probably kicked themselves up the butt every day since January 1 '62), alternate takes, works in progress, unreleased finished recordings and television & radio performances. For a huge fan like myself, this is a treasure trove especially listening to the development of the lads as musicians and performers through the years 1958-1964 which is the period covered in this volume. Yeah the early, scratchily recorded stuff may sound like crap in parts but, putting things in perspective, these guys were 16-18 year olds cutting their teeth on Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins etc. How many of these types of bands sounded great at their first rehearsals especially recorded on such primitive equipment? I think any fan disppointment can be waived here! Besides they are a pointer to what was to follow, particularly with the inclusion and first release of "In Spite Of All The Danger", the first original Beatles song to be recorded.
The alternate versions really are worth a listen. The acapella intro to "Eight Days A Week" I think is possibly better than the released verison. "Leave My Kitten Alone" could have been a "Beatles For Sale" track. "One After 909" is really interesting in comparison to the released '69 version. The development of songs is the important thing here. There is also the dispelling of myths that the Beatles weren't that good playing live in concert... the Swedish TV performances are quite energetic especially when they could hear themselves play in the early days of Beatlemania. The TV segment with England's briiliant and much loved comedy duo, Morecambe And Wise, is a joy to listen to and even better if you watch it on the DVD. The Beatles hold their own here comedically with 2 very seasoned veterans and the results are really quite funny.
Here was a hungry young band of 4 working class guys clawing their way to the top, doing what they loved doing. The screaming girls alone only serve as a reminder of what those times and their music meant to a lot of us growing up with the Beatles.
The release of "Free As A Bird" was much anticipated and it represents the first time that George is given equal lead vocal time on a Beatle track with John And Paul. The track is I think quite strong though it did take a couple of listens to get used to the sound quality. But it's typical Beatles fare that picks up where "Abbey Road" left off. I get chills every time I hear George's slide guitar kick in and it's beautifully tied in with very "Beatlish" 3-part harmonies.
Overall this is not the place to start if you're a young person just getting into the Beatles. The album is really quite enjoyable when you take it for what it's meant to be...a great insight into the Beatles at work.

The ANTHOLOGY series is definitely not for the casual fan. But for any true Beatles fan who grew up in the Sixties awaiting each new release, this first volume in the series presents a treasure trove of musical memorabilia from the Fab Four's genesis as the Quarry Men through 1964, when they spearheaded the British Invasion and forever changed popular music.

Disc 1 begins with the much ballyhooed "new" recording "Free As a Bird." It is a stunning track performed by Paul, George and Ringo recorded in 1994 using a 1977 John Lennon demo. Since the remaining tracks date from 1958 to 1964, this track seems out of place on ANTHOLOGY 1, but the advance hype of this song didn't allow for its delayed inclusion on ANTHOLOGY 3.

What makes this first volume special is the historical importance of many of these tracks. While the sound quality is marginal on some of these recordings, where else will you find anything by the pre-Beatles group the Quarry Men or any Beatles tracks with Stu Sutcliffe on bass or Pete Best on drums?

Most of the rarities are on Disc-1. Here are the previously unreleased highlights:

"That'll Be the Day" / "In Spite of All the Danger": A 1958 recording by the Quarry Men. [Note: The latter track was written by McCartney-Harrison.]

"Hallelujah, I Love Her So" / "You'll Be Mine" / "Cayenne": Home tapes featuring the only known recordings with Stu Sutcliffe on bass.

"Searchin'" / "Three Cool Cats" / "The Shiek of Araby" / "Like Dreamers Do" / Hello Little Girl": Five songs from their 1962 Decca audition. Pete Best is on drums. The latter two tracks were Lennon-McCartney originals that they never recorded after securing a contract with EMI.

"Besame Mucho" / "Love Me Do": From their initial 1962 EMI session produced by George Martin. Both tracks feature Pete Best on drums.

"How Do You Do It": Brought to the group by George Martin to be used for their first single. The session features Ringo on drums. The song was eventually scrapped in favor of "Love Me Do." [Note: But labelmates Gerry & The Pacemakers would have a hit with it.]

"One After 909": A 1963 attempt at a song that would not resurface until 1970's LET IT BE.

"Lend Me Your Comb": A 1963 BBC recording that was not included on 1994's LIVE AT THE BBC.

Disc-2 contains fewer unreleased rarities:

"Moonlight Bay": a comedic number performed in 1963 on "The Morecambe and Wise Show." The boys ham it up with the show's comedy duo.

"All My Loving": The live performance from the Beatles' historic first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1964.

"Shout": A 1964 live performance of the Isley Brothers' song that never made onto another Beatles' recording.

"You Know What To Do": A demo of a George Harrison original from 1964. The song was never completed.

"Leave My Kitten Alone": Recorded for inclusion on BEATLES FOR SALE, Lennon provides the vocal on this cover of a Little Willie John number.

Technically, all of the tracks on this collection are previously unreleased; but the above tracks represent mostly songs that were never released in any form until the release of ANTHOLOGY 1. The rest of the tracks are either live recordings or alternate takes. None of these songs are presented in their original released studio versions. So if you're looking for the recordings you remember, you'll be disappointed. But if you're looking for a glimpse at the formation of the most popular band in pop music history, this is a must-have release. ESSENTIAL

"Free as a Bird" is a pleasant reunion between John and the 3 surviving Beatles (I agree with one of the reviewers below who said we're lucky to have that). The song was allegedly written about the freedom Lennon felt after his deportation threats and "Lost Weekend".

On with the rest of the album. It features interviews with John, Paul, and Brian Epstein. We have possibly the 1st Quarreymen recording: a 1958 scratchy recording of "That'll Be The Day" and an original "In Spite of All the Danger". There are more demos of this sort-"You'll Be Mine" and the instrumental "Cayenne". We have Tony Sheridan's fair sounding vocals on "My Bonnie" before the Beatles take over (with Pete Best, the original drummer) on "Ain't She Sweet" and "Cry for a Shadow". George sings lead on "3 Cool Cats" and Paul sings lead on "Besame Mucho". Also included is a flat-tempoed Pete Best on "Love Me Do" before Ringo replaces Best on "How Do You Do It" (I prefer theirs better than Gerry and the Pacemakers'). An early (and superior) version of "One After 909" finds its way. There's a more raucous demo of "Can't Buy Me Love" and the Beatles experimenting with harmonies on "8 Days..", with an electric 12-string on "And I Love Her", and with tempos on "I'll Be Back". Great songs you never heard from the Beatles (until now) include "You Know What to Do" (George's 2nd song) and "Leave My Kitten Alone". And the Beatles really did sound well live, as witnessed by the 1963 recordings (most humorous is "Moonlight Bay" with Morecambre and Wise!)

Also recommended is the CD single which includes demos of "This Boy", "I Saw Her Standing There", and the 1967 "Christmas Time (Is Here Again)".

This is the most historical of the 3 Anthologies!

There is one thing to be said about the Anthology series - if you haven't bought The Beatles before, DO NOT BUY THESE CDs. Not yet, anyway. This series is complementary to an existing collection of Beatles albums. The main reason for buying these CDs is to compare these outtakes and alternate versions with the ones that appeared on their original albums. This particular volume is probably the best as it contains the original Quarrymen single (In Spite Of All the Danger) and a killer version of Love Me Do (the master tape of which went missing for more than 30 years). I'm not too impressed by Free As A Bird and Real Love which could only be a poor attempt to recapture past glories - you can't have The Beatles without Lennon alive. To sum up, these albums are a must for any Beatles collection.

The Beatlemania phase of the anthology also contains "Free As A Bird," which, if nothing else, proved that the Beatles (or at least the production crew at the modern-day Apple) can add videos to the laundry list of things they do better than anybody else.

Already included on the list: Singles, albums, drum solos, close harmonies, Pop song writing, Popstar movies, personal fashion, grotty nude photography, and kazoo solos.

Beatle collecters already have a lot of these recordings on their shelves in bootlegs, but I'm glad to have clean, sanctioned CD versions of "Sheik Of Araby" and "Cry For A Shadow," among others, available here.

What is most interesting to note is the sudden shift in energy (not tempo, which so many young bands mistake for energy) between the first 23 tracks and everything that comes after that. Beginning with "Please Please Me" the Beatles turn some corner, and everything is different from there on out.

And for Americans like me who realize that we got 95% of the Beatles greatness but still hunger for the 5% that was only available to UK audiences prior to Ed Sullivan, check out tracks 30-34. Anybody who wants to downplay the Beatles early stuff as bubblegum will have to admit that this was a band that cooked, just cooked.

Lennon said "What we generated was fantastic when we played straight rock, and there was nobody to touch us in Britain." I can't think of anybody in the States who was playing like this in '62 or '63 either.

...and have it work beautifully. Anthology 1 is unquestionably the most historically minded of the three releases. I suspect that the initial backlash to this mindset resulted in the more music-oriented second and third CD sets. Still, it is not all that bad. Maybe not the thing for someone entirely new to the Beatles, but potentially a fascinating and fun release for die-hard and casual fans alike.

While there is a lot of "talking" on these two discs, there is a big payoff. There are a lot more unreleased songs on these two discs than the next four in the Anthology series. This is a real treat for diehard fans, but a lot of it is hit and miss. Some are great just to listen to, but others have mostly only interest in their historical novelty. I mean, it is a blast to listen to these very early recordings and very early songs, but they are still poor recordings and inexperienced performances. Still, just knowing that these Quarry Men would one day become the Beatles instills them with a strong purpose which is very valuable for the listener. The McCartney instrumental "Cayenne" is a real gem of the batch. Beyond those amateur recordings, we also get some of their first professional recordings, prior to being signed. Again, an instrumental really sticks out as a top track, in "Cry For a Shadow". The Beatles were so stingy with instrumentals, it is great to see just how good they were in the genre. We are also treated to 5 of the infamous tracks from the Decca try-out. We get to hear two more of the Beatles very early original songs, in "Like Dreamers Do" and "Hello Little Girl". From there, we move into the group's more established career for the rest of the set.

Not that everything from here on out is that familiar. The recovered original version of "Love Me Do" is a treat, as are the attempts at "One After 909", as song which wouldn't be recorded for release until Let It Be. By comparing the two versions, we can really get to see a direct comparison of the Beatles at two *very* different points in their recording career. Another track to look for is "Eight Days a Week" with a vocal intro. I like it better than the released version, but it is certainly a more daring way of starting off the song. A great many early takes on songs give the listener a chance to reintroduce themselves to these Beatles classics. Amazingly, they are almost all worth a listen, featuring different arrangements and performances which can really alter the feel of the song. We also have a LOT of live tracks, both famous (The Ed Sullivan Show) and significant (the group taking party in a comedy sketch). The best live tracks are the cover versions, "Shout" being a real high mark. Actually, some of the best studio takes are also the cover versions. As talented as they were in their own right, the Beatles had a strong appreciation for their roots in R&B and covered some of the best, if not always well-remembered. "Leave My Kitten Alone" is a great example of a innovative and spirited take on an R&B classic.

There is a lot worth listening to on these two discs. If you are a big Beatles fan, you probably already have this. Even if you are a casual fan, though, you can get a lot out of this set if you like the early R&B work of the Beatles. If not, you might want to look at one of the other Anthology releases before coming to Anthology One. This is certainly the least accessible to the average casual fan, which makes it somewhat unfortunate that its being the first release overshadow the subsequent sets.

The Beatles need no introduction when it comes to the elite of Rock/Pop music. When trying to "rank" the greatest artists of the Rock/Pop era, there is no doubt that the quartet from England ranks number one on just about every list. Going even further, the Beatles might be the top act in the history of modern music - among any genre. Some quarter-century after their breakup, the Beatles began to consider their place in history. This impetus played a key role in the release of the three volume, "Beatles Anthology" CD set and corresponding television documentary. One of the main attractions of this project was that it would bring the three surviving Beatles together for the first time since the famous breakup. Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr would collaborate together on two unfinished John Lennon songs: "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love" - creating a "virtual" reunion among the four band members. This three volume set would not be an ordinary greatest hits collection - it would provide a historical retrospective to the band through rare and unreleased material. It is the first volume, "Beatles Anthology 1" that covers the early days of the Beatles from their days as the Quarrymen through their material in late 1964 found on their fourth album, "Beatles For Sale".

As mentioned, this CD serves as a historical retrospective to the band. The material is arranged in chronological order. Some of the material is prefaced with spoken words by Lennon, McCartney, and Brian Epstein. The spoken words help set the stage for the material that is to follow. Included with the collection is a 46 page booklet that describes each of the tracks. As for the tracks themselves, these consist of demo cuts, alternative cuts, live cuts, and bootlegs. One thing that helps is to follow the material in the booklet with the music - using the booklet and music hand-in-hand helps complete the historical experience that this collection provides. This should not be confused with a traditional "Greatest Hits Collection". This is no greatest hits collection: Some of the material consisted of covers and songs that were never heard before. At the same time, the "name" songs are all different versions from what is heard in the mainstream. As a result, this helps enhance the listening experience.

Here are 10 things to look for - in no particular order:

1) "Free as a Bird" is a good song - it isn't a great one. There probably wasn't much to choose from to sustain a "virtual" reunion between the four members of the Beatles. The engineering of the song isn't bad. The song will grow on you as you hear it. It would have been nice if Ringo Starr had gotten a vocal since the other three Beatles got vocals. It is also worth noting that Harrison's "Wilbury" partner Jeff Lynne produced the song. I didn't think this song belonged as the first song, but given the fact that this doesn't fit in with the early material - I'm not sure where this should have been put.

2) George Martin does a masterful job at providing continuity and fusion to the collection. While he didn't actually produce "Free as a Bird", he produced the Anthology series as a whole.

3) The "Pre-Beatles" material is very interesting. This isn't going to have the best recording quality. In fact the 1958 Quarrymen cuts from the Phillips studio are going to have some pretty bad quality. Yet, this is going to add to the whole "historical" listening experience that this collection provides.

4) The Quarrymen and early Beatles material consist of a large number of covers. Some of the more common covers include "That'll Be the Day" (Buddy Holly), "Aint She Sweet" (Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps), and "Shout" (Isley Brothers). But perhaps the best one is the Beatles cover of the song made famous by the Coasters - "Besame Mucho". This cover stands out and shows a Latin side to the band that was rarely seen.

5) I was also surprised about the instrumental pieces that were included. "Cayenne" and "Cry For a Shadow" are two instrumentals that are included on this collection. Both instrumentals stand out.

6) The Tony Sheridan song, "My Bonnie" is included as well. It is on this version that features Sheridan on lead vocals and the Beatles supporting him as his band. Only some shouts by McCartney can be heard on background vocals.

7) There is a very funny comedy skit featuring the Beatles on the British comedy show, "The Morecambe and Wise" show. I can't get enough of when Ringo is referred to as "Bongo". This skit has a segue into a very funny version of "Moonlight Bay". This shows a lighter side of the band.

8) I would have liked to have seen more of the Ed Sullivan material included on this CD collection. I'm disappointed there isn't Ed himself providing the introduction It would have made the historical perspective "complete". The only "Sullivan" song included is "All My Loving".

9) As for the spoken words, I actually would have preferred if more spoken words were included. The spoken parts that are included serve as a great lead-in - but there are parts that don't have the spoken word add-in.

10) I love some of the unfinished demo cuts. I heard a disc-jockey in "New York" so impressed with this collection as he said "...and this is the junk!" It's amazing how stuff that didn't make it through editing could sound so good, but in this case it works.

Overall, this is one terrific collection. I've heard that this collection is not geared toward the novice fan, but I think anyone with an interest in modern music history will appreciate this collection. This collection is best listened to when you listen to it from start to finish. I wish more groups would follow this formula for producing retrospectives. This collection is highly recommended.

It's a shame that the Beatles didn't put more thought into this, the first volume of the Anthology series. Why? Because this is simply the worst of the bunch and it managed to turn a lot of Beatles' fans off to the entire Anthology output.

That being said, this is not a bad investment for a serious fan of the band. The early material presented on the first disc is hardly essential compared to their released output, but you won't find all of these songs in the same place for this price anywhere else. That is, the Beatles pre "Please Please Me" output had previously been available on scattered, expensive bootlegs.

The second disc, however, is redeeming. There are a treasure trove of live versions of early classics such as 'Twist and Shout.' But the real interest of the disc lies in the alternate versions of songs like 'Eight Days a Week' and 'And I Love Her.' The latter is much faster than the version the Beatles chose to release. In any case, this disc contains most of their early standards through late 1964.

Nevertheless if only one Anthology installment is in your budget, pick the second or the third volume instead as they contain more groundbreaking material. If, however, the Beatles are the apple of your eye (sorry)as they are in my case, you will want to make this investment to help round out your collection.

High expectations have always followed any Beatle-related project, and disappointment always seem to follow high expectations. I think people expected the anthology series to somehow be more than what it was, and maybe that particularly applies to Anthology 1. There is a lot of speaking voices on disc 1, and the early recorded music history of the group was not the best in terms of audio fidelity. For this reason, Anthology 1 came under a lot of criticism.

But it is what it is - an early history of the group in sound. I wish there would have been better quality performances of their early years available, but that simply is not the case. It's fortunate that we have what we have - their first ever recording, the Cavern rehearsal tape, the Star Club tape, etc. Yes, the sound is crude, but offers a glimpse of the Beatles' formative years. We can't ask for anything more, because this is all that exists.

The Beatles made many appearances, on stage and on TV (and radio) during early Bealtemania. Again, some of this is somewhat crude sounding, but fascinating all the same. Their performance for Swedish radio in '63 is, I think, some of the most ferocious live playing I've ever heard, and gives us a taste of what it might have been like to catch them live in a club on a good night.

Finally, the studio outtakes from this early period are probably the least interesting outtakes of the groups career, but it is still fascinating to see how some of the songs evolved and changed. And I Love Her, for instance, quickly evolved from a beat ballad to the sublime and beatiful arrangement we hear on A Hard Day's Night. Not all outtakes are that revelatory, but are still a good listen.

Nope, this certainly isn't the polished product that we expected from the Beatles during their heyday. And it is true that George Martin and the group had the instinct to always select the right song and the right take. But, this release is a piece of history, an important piece of history. Considered in that context, it was, is and will remain an important and valid piece of the Beatles' cannon.

What you have here are songs that are outakes or unfinished in one way or another.
Several are historical songs of the Beatles very early on that were recorded on Tape Recorders and do not have the sound quality.
What is interesting is that you get to hear them do songs by their idols, such as Buddy Holly and others.
The songs on the CD are from the early parts of their career.
Most of the songs with minor changes are very much like they appeared on their perspective albums.
Freebird is also on here and along with Real Love is the first new Beatles recording in 26 years. That alone is worth the price of the CD.
Another song of note is the recording of One After 909.
This version in my opinion is actually better than the one that appeared later on Let It Be.
There are some live recordings as well.
If you are into the historical aspects of music this is a must for any Beatles collector. And for Rock and Roll historians this is a must also