For once, one of these "roots-of" collections that so many labels issue to make a quick buck proves to be something close to the real thing. Roots of the Beatles is a collection of early rock & roll, rockabilly, and rhythm & blues tunes that certainly did inspire the Fab Four. For instance, Larry Williams' smokin' "Dizzy Miss Lizzy" was actually covered by the group. Elsewhere, names like
Carl Perkins,
Gene Vincent,
Buddy Holly, and
Little Richard will certainly be familiar to fans of
the Beatles. This collection is great on a number of levels in that it assembles both well-known and semi-obscure hits by great artists of the era (all original recordings were used by Snapper). The price is right and the mix is solid -- there's not a weak link in the chain. ~ Thom Jurek