Album review : V/A Let’s Stomp (Merseybeat 1962-1969) 3 CD set

Cherry Red [Release date: 26.05.23]

Heavily influenced by US Blues and Rock, Merseybeat was a sixties pop music phenomenon, originating in Liverpool, that swept all before it. First the UK, then Europe, ultimately invading the USA and the ROTW.

Across 3 CDs, Lets Stomp… has compiled almost 100 of the brightest and best single releases from that place and time, many of them no.1 hits in the UK (and the USA), many simply top twenty entries. And a handful that complied with the new conventions but couldn’t quite tune into the rhythmic pulse of Merseybeat.

The collection comprises mostly of tracks culled from Record Company archives, but many come from personal collections owned by trailblazing manager/ producers of the sixties like Shel Talmy and Joe Meek.

Although they are absent, the Beatles loom large. Four Lennon McCartney compositions made it into the Charts.

Billy J Kramer’s ‘Bad To Me’ held the Beatles’ ‘She Loves You’ off the No.1 spot for 3 weeks in August 1963.

The Top Ten song that became the theme to Cilla Black’s popular Saturday night TV show, ‘Step Inside Love’ (1967) is featured here as well as her minor hit ‘The Love Of The Love’, written by McCartney and a staple of the band’s live stage show in the early years.

Lesser known Liverpool band, The Fourmost had a no.17 hit with Lennon McCartney’s ‘I’m In Love’. They would never chart again.

It was not common in the sixties for bands to write their own material. Popular hit makers on both sides of the Atlantic, the Searchers, compressed a bunch of Top 5 entries into the years 1963 and 1964. Two of their biggest hits,‘Sweets For My Sweet’ (a No.1), and ‘When You Walk Into The Room’ (a no.3), were written, respectively, by prolific hit writers, Pomus and Shuman, and Jackie DeShannon.

All the names you associate with the era and the location are here, many of whom had their moment in the sun – The Merseybeats, The Swinging Blue Jeans, The Mojos, Gerry and The Pacemakers – and others who got stuck on the cusp of success without making a permanent breakthrough, like The Big Three, The Cryin’ Shames, The Koobas, Tommy Quickly, The Kinsleys, Rory Storm, King Size Taylor and more. All of whom were instrumental in cementing the genre’s place in popular history.

The liner notes are crammed with information, each song’s character is examined and explained by Sixties expert, Jon Harrington. It’s the perfect accompaniment. ****

Review by Brian McGowan

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THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)

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09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)