Big Beat is proud to announce that we have recently accessed
one of the most worthy vaults known to UK 1960s rock history:
the archives of producer Shel Talmy, the man behind 'You
Really Got Me,' 'My Generation' and dozens of other signature
records of Swinging Britain's mid-60s glory days.
Arriving on these shores in the summer of 1962, thanks to both
undoubted ability and sheer bravado, Talmy quickly made a
name for himself in the UK record business with hits from the
Bachelors and others. But it was with the concurrent beat
music boom that he really shone, bringing an authentic
American edge to the studio scene and injecting some much-
needed muscle into any record he supervised.
Talmy was also an entrepreneur, swiftly establishing an
independent production operation with which to sign acts and
lease them to major labels. Eventually he formed his own
imprint, Planet Records, which issued two-dozen highly
collectable releases before imploding due to distribution
problems in late 1966.
"Planet Beat" gathers two-dozen nuggets from the unlocked
Talmy vault to present an unprecedented overview of his
achievement in the beat group category. There are alternative
versions of classics like the Breadcrumbs' 'Everybody Knows'
and the First Gear's 'Leave My Kitten Alone,' with a young
Jimmy Page tearing it up on the fuzz. Rare items from the
Rising Sons and Untamed join choice gems from the Planet
discography along with unreleased excitement from the likes
of the Liberators, Johnny B Great and Imp-Acts.
Everything on "Planet Beat" is drawn from the first generation
master tapes and comes with copious illustrations and notes
by compiler Alec Palao. A feast for anyone interested in the
golden era of British beat.
