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In 1972 Bruce Johnston left The Beach Boys and two new members were added - Blondie Chaplin and Ricky Fataar. Their time in the band was short-lived, enough for these two albums plus the live album released in 1973, but their presence was felt. The "Carl and The Passions" name is simply to make The Beach Boys into a "new" band for this record. Sort of the way The Beatles "became" Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1967 for that landmark album. All it did was confuse an already disinterested public. “Holland” remains one of the gems of the Beach Boys’ post-Capitol Records catalog. Lots of highlights here. The last six tracks on this CD reissue, however, are for die-hard fans only. They are taken from a 33 1/3 E.P. that was included with the album. It was Brian Wilson's contribution to the project. A bizarre fairy tale that simply wasted time and vinyl, it's anyone's guess what drugs he was ingesting to come up with this nonsense. Unfortunately, the inclusion of the E.P. tracks onto this collection forced it to become two CDs instead of two albums on one CD. Thanks Brian.

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"The Beach Boys In Concert" is a double album of excellent performances of old and new Beach Boys songs in front of enthusiastic crowds on the group's 1972 and 1973 tours. With drummer Dennis Wilson sidelined from his drum set with a broken hand he now freely roamed the stage with a microphone. The fragile peace of the Beach Boys all being in one room at the same time was thrown into chaos each night usually by mid-show. Dennis, often drunk or high, spent the majority of the concerts demanding that people sing along -- he would often thrust the microphone into the faces of people in the crowd. As the de facto frontman Mike Love found the unwelcome presence of this loose cannon irritating. Still, whatever drama was playing out on stage every night took a back seat to the one thing the Beach Boys had going for them: their golden song catalog. But that legacy was being tarnished by sloppy singing and playing and infighting amongst the group members on just how many old songs they could stand to play.

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Three of the four musicians who had created the soundtrack for the Rutles 1978 TV movie and album (Neil Innes, John Halsey and Ricky Fataar) reunited in 1996 and recorded a second album, "Archaeology," a send-up of "The Beatles Anthology" albums. The fourth 'real' Rutle, Ollie Halsall, died in Spain of a heroin overdose in 1992. Eric Idle was invited to participate, but declined. Like the "Anthology" project that it lampooned, it featured tracks ostensibly from all periods of the Rutles career, sequenced to reflect the fictional band's chronology. Includes the UK CD single "Shangri-La" with two bonus tracks.

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Despite its title Badfinger’s “Magic Christian Music” is NOT the official soundtrack to the Peter Sellers/Ringo Starr film “The Magic Christian.” The actual soundtrack album for the film, which featured three new songs from Badfinger, had originally been scheduled for release on the Beatles’ record label, Apple Records, but the addition to the running order of the Thunderclap Newman song "Something in the Air" prevented that. Instead, the soundtrack was released on the little-known label Commonwealth United Records in the U.S. and on Pye in the U.K. As a result, it was largely unavailable to American record buyers. To capitalize on this gap, and the fast-selling "Come And Get It" single, Apple Records combined the three Badfinger movie songs (their Top 10 Paul McCartney penned hit "Come And Get It," "Carry On Till Tomorrow," and "Rock Of All Ages") with seven songs found on their debut album as The Iveys ("Maybe Tomorrow") and four previously unreleased songs to create a pseudo-soundtrack.

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"Wonderwall Music" is George Harrison's first solo album and the soundtrack to the film “Wonderwall.” The songs are virtually all instrumental, except for some non-English vocals and a slowed-down spoken word track. The songs were recorded in December 1967 in England, and January 1968 in Bombay, India. Released November 1, 1968 in the UK and a day later in the U.S., “Wonderwall Music” is notable for being the first official solo album by one of the Beatles. It is also the first album released on the Beatles’ record label, Apple Records, predating the release of “The Beatles” (the double album commonly referred to as “The White Album”) by three weeks. Written, arranged and produced by George Harrison. Japanese CD pressing.

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The tragic story of Badfinger is well documented. What lives on is their music. Over the decades EMI/Apple/Capitol and Warner Bros. have issued several “Best Of” compilations covering different periods of Badfinger’s career, but 2000’s “The Very Best Of Badfinger” from EMI/Apple/Capitol is the most appealing. The CD features most of the best Apple tracks with a few songs from their Warner Bros. years, ending with 1974’s “Wish You Were Here,” the last album recorded with Pete Ham. Yes, there are several noticeable omissions -- it's hard to justify the absence of “Flying” and “Apple Of My Eye”, but the hits are all present and accounted for. With complete booklet scans at 600 d.p.i.

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“Electronic Sound” is George Harrison's highly experimental second solo album. Released in May 1969, it features two lengthy pieces, one per side on the original vinyl release, performed on the Moog synthesizer. Composed and produced by George Harrison. This is the EMI Music Canada pressing. This album is now out of print.

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Released in 1994, “Artifacts II” is the sequel to the ground-breaking Beatles rarities compilation issued the previous year by Italian bootleggers. Like its predecessor, “Artifacts II” is a sweeping 5-CD compilation of newly unearthed Beatles rarities presented in chronological order. It features outtakes, live concert tracks, demos, overdub sessions, and rehearsals covering the group's known recordings from 1960 through 1969 -- it's essentially a best-of the rest of the Beatles' unauthorized output, from what were then the best-known sources of every track represented. The "Artifacts" box sets were clearly the prototype for the authorized collection of Beatles outtakes (“The Beatles Anthology”) issued by EMI in 1995. The official Beatles vault releases have made much of what is found on the “Artifacts” boxes obsolete, however, there are some tracks found on the bootleg box sets that don’t appear on “Anthology,” making it a worthwhile addition to any Beatles collection. This is the second 5 CD box set in the series.

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Released in 1993, “Artifacts” is an epic 5-CD compilation of newly unearthed Beatles rarities presented in chronological order. 124 choice outtakes, live concert tracks, demos, overdub sessions, and rehearsals covering the group's known recordings from 1958 through 1970 -- it's essentially a best-of the Beatles' unauthorized output, from what were then the best-known sources of every track represented. The box also comes with a fully illustrated and annotated 24-page booklet providing information (where known) about each song and each performance. It was unlike any bootleg presentation seen before it. "Artifacts" and its sequel (another 5 CDs worth of material released in 1994) were clearly the prototype for the authorized collection of Beatles outtakes (“The Beatles Anthology”) issued by EMI in 1995. The official Beatles vault releases have made much of what is found on the “Artifacts” boxes obsolete, however, there are some tracks found on the bootleg box sets that don’t appear on “Anthology,” making it a worthwhile addition to any Beatles collection. This is the first 5 CD box set in the series with complete booklet and packaging scans at 600 d.p.i.

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One of rock's most enduring and insightful parodies, brilliantly mirroring The Beatles' career, “The Rutles” is the soundtrack to the spoof documentary television film “All You Need Is Cash,” which aired on NBC in the U.S. on March 22, 1978. The brainchild of Neil Innes and former Monty Python member Eric Idle, the film is beloved by Beatles fans worldwide and even features a cameo from George Harrison as a TV reporter. This expanded CD issued in 1990 adds six tracks to the 14-track vinyl version first released by Warner Bros. in 1978.

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The fifth album by The Monkees gets the deluxe treatment with a superb 3-CD reissue containing the original stereo album, the first CD release of the rare mono LP mix, plus 64 rarities, many previously unreleased. Peaking at #3 on the Billboard album charts in 1968, it was the first Monkees album not to reach #1. It was held out of the top spot by a pair of Simon and Garfunkel albums (The soundtrack to “The Graduate” and “Bookends”). Features “Daydream Believer” and “Valleri.” With complete booklet and packaging scans.

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George Harrison’s third studio album following the break-up of The Beatles was recorded in September and October 1974 and rushed to stores in time for a North American concert tour by Harrison and friends (Nov. 2 - Dec. 20, 1974). The album received decidedly mixed reviews but sold well, reaching #4 on the U.S. album charts. It features the hit singles “Dark Horse” and “Ding Dong, Ding Dong,” which reached #15 and #36 respectively. This is the Japanese pressing, TOCP-65543.

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A stunning achievement. This long awaited six CD box set contains all of Buddy Holly’s official studio recordings (his Decca, Brunswick and Coral sessions) as well as pre-fame home recordings made when he was 12 to 15 years old, and home recordings taped a few months prior to his death. There are 6 previously unreleased tracks, including most of an August 1955 session, plus another 11 recordings previously unreleased in the U.S. 203 tracks in all from the influential rock 'n' roll legend. Essential.

The final George Harrison album issued under his contract with Apple Records (EMI), “Extra Texture (Read All About It)” was also the final album of new material by any artist released on Apple Records. Released on September 22, 1975, the album featured the Top 20 hit “You.” “Extra Texture” and its predecessor, 1974’s “Dark Horse,” remain the only two rock albums by Harrison not remastered and expanded. It reached #8 on the U.S. album charts.

George Harrison’s third studio album following the break-up of The Beatles was recorded in September and October 1974 and rushed to stores in time for a North American concert tour by Harrison and friends (Nov. 2 - Dec. 20, 1974). The album received decidedly mixed reviews but sold well, reaching #4 on the U.S. album charts. It features the hit singles “Dark Horse” and “Ding Dong, Ding Dong,” which reached #15 and #36 respectively.