Too little too late but nothing to snort at, Live at the BBC captures the Beatles in the act of defining themselves. The group’s live appearances on British radio between 1962 and 1966 have been on collectors’ short lists of unpublished Beatle wonders since they were first resurrected over ten years ago. Beginning back when manager Brian Epstein began pounding London pavement in search of a recording deal, these tracks stake a claim in rock mythology equal that of Bob Dy1an’s Basement Tapes (recorded in 1967, released in 1975) er Elvis Presley’s comeback television special in 1968 (available as One Night With You on video, or Tiger Man). All these projects tell secrets about these performers that are Central to their greatness — Dylan’s cockeyed take on the early American west; or Presley’s inspired notion of how to rock into middle age… [continued, pdf]
You still want the Great Dane box set, or Purple Chick‘s upgrade. Here’s the official (iTunes) On Air, BBC Volume 2. Drip drip drip.
You also want: Kevin Howlett’s BBC ARCHIVES, just out.
And then there’s this:
Retronaut – Communism, Hypnotism and the Beatles.
