Pete Best Band - Haymans Green
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Free Music Notes for Haymans Green
Free Music Review: With a Little Help From His Friends
Hit: 5 Stars
Who would have expected an eminently listenable theme album from Pete Best 46 years after being turfed out of the Beatles? Of course, the theme is Pete's stint with the band during their formative Hamburg/Cavern Club 1960-'62 phase and its deflating aftermath for Pete.
While I believe that Ringo was by far the better choice as the group's drummer, there also no question that Pete played an ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL role in the group's evolution. Absent Pete's contribution there would have been no initial Hamburg apprenticeship and who knows if there was some other decent drummer who could have taken his place pre-Ringo. The trajectory of the group's rise might have been compromised and deflected in another direction. So Pete Best most definitely deserves fifth-Beatle status in perpetuity.
Of course, it's also ironic that Pete could only make his fortune from the group by being replaced by Ringo. To get beyond Liverpool the Beatles had to be firing on all four cylinders. With Pete they wouldn't have been. They certainly wouldn't have made it big enough to justify releasing the likes of the Beatles Anthology three decades later, and it was the Best-backed tracks on the first set that made Pete a million bucks or more.
Actually, the Beatles Anthology I reveals as nothing else did that there was a proto-Beatles stage 1957-1962 that was essential for the band, but didn't yield any recordings worth repeat listenings. Still, it's a meaningful stage, a phase one if you will, to be followed by stages two, where they're basically recording their live act, and phase three, where they become almost exclusively a recording studio band. I would argue that there was a phase four, where the Beatles can be regarded as having become a conceptual group, obliged by the diverging creativity of its members to pursue their own individual artistic trajectories. That phase four would consist of the best of the solo Beatles over the four decades that followed. (See the Amazon.com book 'Let's Put the Beatles Back Together Again 1970-2010: How to Assemble & Appreciate the 2nd Half of the Beatles' Legacy'.)
In any case, what an unexpected treat to hear Pete Best participating in an album of originals, all thematically related. However, it does seem like he's a secondary drummer here and that perhaps his real contribution to the lyrics was just sitting around talking about the old days with the other band members who actually did the heavy lifting. Nonetheless, the band--with Pete as its nucleus and raison d'etre--pulls it off wonderfully.
Free Music Review: Beatles Fans Original Beatle has a gift for you
Hit: 5 Stars
If you are a Beatles fan and am thinking of getting this CD do yourself a favor and grab it. Pete Best, the original drummer of the Beatles has something to say, and you will love hearing it. After Pete Best slugged through those early years with John, George, and Paul, he was rewarded by being dumped just as they were about to reap the rewards of all that hard work. Now, many years later he and a group of very talented friends have turned the Casbah Coffee Club into a recording studio and have put out a CD that is, well,....as good as any solo work of the FAB Four. I know that may be hard to believe but here it is. Pete Best has others in the band do the vocals, but when you listen it is him speaking through them to you. And these guys can sing! The sound quality is excellent, the lyrics are excellent, the music is excellent. What more do you want? From the opening track "Come with me" which was selected by Little Stevens Underground Garages' radio show as the "coolest song in the world" for that particular week, you are instantly put into the Sgt Pepper era as the lyrics say "sooner or later the show will begin, it's such a pleasure to welcome you in" to the final track Haymans Green(name of the street of the Casbah Club)where they sing of the stars on the ceiling of the Casbah Club (that Lennon painted). In between you get a dose of Beatles sounding music from the entire era. You like the Beatles sound of '65? You'll love the track "Gone". How about an instrumental like they did in the early days? You've got "Beat Street". If you are a fan of the Beatles you've got a huge hole missing from your collection if you don't have this superb work by an original member.Free Music Review: It Grows On You Quickly! Wow!
Hit: 5 Stars
Remember way back when you eagerly opened that new Beatles' album (group or latter day individual Beatles)...and you perked your ears as your breathing was nervously heavy?... As you dropped the needle on the vinyl you'd think..."Ok, here goes... my first listen of..." and then after a few cuts, your brain was puzzled as to; "What were they up to this time"... but no fear, as you listened more and more to the album, one fine day it all fell into place as your senses said "Ah... I get it!" and there was a new Beatles' classic added to your collection and personal memories... Well... I thought I'd never see the day, but it seem that Mr. Best & Co. have pulled off the seemingly impossible and delivered, for our musical pleasure, a 5-Star album... The fact that it is autobiographical makes it even more interesting... Nothing I can say 'cept for you to get a hold of this gem and place it proudly amongst your Beatles' collection... Pete and his band will take you by the hand and walk you down the streets of Liverpool and London with tunes that echo much of Lennon's influence... Harrison's guitar floats mysteriously in and out as it weaves those beautiful bitter sweet notes that only George could delivery... Ringo's drums are all over the album and Paul's magical mystery presence is in the mix too... I'll be spinning this one many times this week and for time to come... Put it up there right next to the Anthology discs... The cover's torn picture needs to complete the picture on Anthology I... (wink)...Free Music Review: Pleasantly Surprised
Hit: 5 Stars
What a pleasant surprise! With all the mediocre music being made today, it takes Pete Best to produce one of the best albums of new music I've heard in years. I saw the Pete Best Band in a club in Houston, Texas, October 11, 2008. I had always wanted to meet Pete, but musically, I wasn't expecting much as I went to this show. I thought I would buy the CD to get it signed and help him out. Little did I know! The Pete Best Band blew me away. What a fun evening. This is probably the closest I'll come to experiencing anything like the Cavern or Casbah and it was fabulous. Very high energy from a band that was clearly enjoying what they do and having a great time doing it, and it transfers onto the recorded versions as well. The band played several songs from the new CD which were definite standouts from the Beatles and early `60s tunes they also played. I took the CD home and listened to it over and over the next day. My wife was soon singing along. Maybe it's because I wasn't expecting much, but I was very pleasantly surprised by what I heard. First class all the way. Excellent and professional songwriting and performance - something I haven't heard from any of the newer bands out there. Much of the music feels right at home in the `60s or the present, or anywhere in between for that matter. Music that just makes you feel good. Thanks Pete and band for a job well done! I highly recommend this album.Free Music Review: We have a winner! Easily deserves 5 stars!
Hit: 5 Stars
Referring to MichaelFla's review above, I do remember what it was like to open a brand new Beatles album. My hands trembled as I ripped the shrinkwrap away from the record. And yes, I got the same feeling when I opened Pete Best's new Haymans Green CD. I have been waiting on this release for a year. Last year, I was lucky enough to visit the Casbah Club. While there, I bought the Best of The Beatles DVD. On the DVD, there are snippets of Pete and his band recording Haymans Green. I intantly fell in love with "Everything I Want" ( track # 7 on the CD )and couldn't wait until I heard the completed, finished version.I wasn't disappointed. It is sweet!!!
The Pete Best Band is made up of great musicians and, of course, the drumming is first rate. All I can tell ya is, if you add this CD to your collection, it isn't one of those CD's where, in a few months, you'll ask yourself why you bought it. It won't end up being a dust collector. You will play this over and over for years to come. It's a winner!
Kudos to Roag Best for his production of this excellent CD. He captured the feel of 60's Liverpool while keeping the sound fresh and modern. I recommend this CD to one and all! Buy it. You'll be glad you did.
Also, I highly recommend The Best Of The Beatles DVD. It tells Pete's story. The Beatles Anthology isn't complete without it. That's the truth.