BRIAN POOLE & THE TREMELOES/TWIST AND SHOUT LK 4550 (-63) UK MONO

Group formed late fifties as The Tremeloes and with a Buddy Holly inspired sound soon gathered a local fan base. In 1962 they auditioned for Decca at the same time as The Beatles and was chosen by the label (then renamed "Brian Poole & The Tremeloes) while Beatles was rejected. The band's version of "Twist And Shout" reached #4 on the UK list and it was their "Do You Love Me" 45 that knocked "She Loves You" from the number one spot. They were also included in the Decca sampler "Ready Steady Go!", released early 1964, and the rear notes on that was all about them, while The Rolling Stones, who contributed both "Come On" and "I Wanna Be Your Man", wasn't even mentioned (see earlier post). So for a short time they were on the same level as both Beatles and Stones. The setting managed a couple of more top ten singles before Brian Poole left for a solo carrer 1966 and then had seven more high charters without him. This was their second UK album of three. Got my first copy as a present shortly after arrival and liked it a lot. Today I still think it's a good period pop/rock album. Far from Stones contemporary cheekiness or Beatles inventiveness, but pleasant listening nevertheless, close in style to Garry & The Pacemakers or Freddie & The Dreamers. "Twist And Shout" with rough vocals to a "La Bamba" like backing, the rest a mix of slow and up-tempo performed with good humour in a a garage atmosphere. Most of the cuts seem to have been recorded direct live-in-the-studio and I get a lot of that "being there" feeling I like so much. A happy album from back in the days, but maybe you must have been there to appreciate it enough. Orignally also issued on vinyl in Germany, South Africa and Downunder. German 1995 CD on Oxford label (OX-CD LK 4550) came with fourteen bonus tracks. Premiere UK had label as shown here with "Recording First Published 1963" in a laminated flip/back cover...unfortunately some previous owner of the copy has peeled off the lamination, making it too stained to show a good scan of the front pic, so the one on view here I borrowed from the net.