(2) LIVE AT THE CAVERN (1964, Decca LK 4597) Only four Liverpool bands were featured on this LP - the Big Three, Lee Curtis and the All Stars, the Dennisons and Beryl Marsden. The other acts were Dave Berry, Bern Elliott, the Fortunes, Heinz and the Marauders. The CD reissue (See For Miles SEECD 385) is especially good as it adds the great EP, "The Big Three At The Cavern". Worth hearing for compere Bob Wooler alone - he describes the Big Three as "the boys with the Benzedrine beat", which is pretty daring for 1964. The best live album from the club, "Alexis Korner At The Cavern" (Oriole PS 40054), has never been reissued, yet it is far better than the acclaimed "R&B At The Marquee". Quite possibly, the tapes no longer exist: the original tapes of Oriole's "This Is Mersey Beat" were wiped clean and re-used, so the reissues have been taken from vinyl records.

(3) MERSEY BEAT, 1962-1964 (1974, United Artists USD 305/6) Andrew Lauder compiled this groundbreaking double-album for United Artists. It was a comprehensive selection of Merseybeat material given that EMI tracks (Beatles, Gerry, Cilla, Billy) and the Searchers' hits were not available. The 34-track album only contains one Top 10 record (the Mojo's "Everything's Alright") but it's a well-chosen compilation with standout tracks from Kingsize Taylor ("Stupidity"), the Big Three ("Some Other Guy"), Beryl Marsden ("I Know") and the Undertakers ("Mashed Potatoes"). If you see this on offer, make sure it also contains Bill Harry's special edition of "Mersey Beat". The caramel-coloured outer sleeve is ideal for autographs so if you happen to be at a Merseybeat function, take one with you. I should know as I've over 100 signatures on mine. Several Liverpool bands are also featured on the companion double-album, "The Beat Merchants" (1976, United Artists UDM 101/2).

(4) MERSEY SURVIVORS (1978, Raw RWLP 104) Some Merseybeat compilations feature spoken introductions from Bob Wooler or Bill Harry, and I love Bob Wooler's introduction here. He refers to musicians being ripped off in the 60s, presumably thinking that Raw Records is about to do the same. The 15 tracks by seven acts include Merseybeat stalwarts Faron's Flamingos, the Dimensions and Karl Terry and the Cruisers. The songs are 60s beat favourites - "I Can Tell", "Some Other Guy", "Hippy Hippy Shake". This album was not marketed outside Merseyside and I hope the performers got their money.

(5) MERSEY SOUNDS (1980, Decca DPA 3081/2) Decca may have turned down the Beatles but they had a fine roster of Merseybeat performers including Pete Best, Lee Curtis, Beryl Marsden, the Big Three, the Dennisons and the Mojos. This 36-track double-album from Decca's archives looks promising, but several tracks are by outsiders (Brian Poole and the Tremeloes, the Checkmates) and you wonder who put it together. Certainly not sleeve writer Bill Harry who distances himself from the intruders. The album includes some previously unissued material by Kingsize Taylor and the Dominoes ("I'm Late", "I've Been Watching You"). Also included are some tracks produced by Joe Meek for the Cryin' Shames and Freddie Starr and the Midnighters. Freddie Starr's "Who Told You" is the worst-ever Merseybeat record and Freddie would agree: "I sound like a choirboy being sick," he says.

(6) LIVERPOOL 1963-1968 (1983, See For Miles CM 118) A very good 20-track compilation of lesser-known EMI tracks - for example, Cilla Black is represented by "Abyssinian Secret" and the Swinging Blue Jeans by "Sandy". There are plenty of gems in this collection including the only track to be produced by Brian Epstein ("America" by Rory Storm) and Beryl Marsden's "Break-a-way". Several acts were featured in the film, "Ferry Cross The Mersey" and there is also John Lennon's peculiar single as Musketeer Gripweed and the Third Troop, "How I Won The War". The rights for the John Lennon track were no longer available in 1994 when the album was transferred to CD (SEECD 370) and it was replaced by the Swinging Blue Jeans' "You've Got Love", which had not previously been released in the UK.

(7) MERSEY BEAT (1983, Parlophone PCSP 1783293) This double-album is the most definitive Merseybeat album to date, but only 37 of compiler Bill Harry's original list of 40 tracks were used and, in particular, Kingsize Taylor is missing. This was the first compilation album to feature the Beatles ("She Loves You", "I Want To Hold Your Hand") and among the lesser-known gems are "Tears On My Pillow" (Dimensions), "Magic Potion" (Kubas) and "Honey Don't"(R&B Inc). The dreaded "Who Told You" makes another appearance. The album was only licensed for UK release and has not appeared on CD.

(8) BEAT IM STAR-CLUB (1983, Star-Club Records, Germany 6685018) Several Liverpool beat groups recorded for Star-Club Records while they were in Germany but there is no compilation solely of the Merseyside acts. This 24-track double-album does, however, include the Searchers, Howie Casey, Tony Sheridan with the Beatles, Lee Curtis, the Remo Four and Ian and the Zodiacs. Great version of "Slow Down" by Kingsize Taylor and the Dominoes and good to hear Mike Hart leading the Roadrunners through Ray Charles' "Mary Ann". The Liver Birds only ever recorded for Star-Club Records.

(9) LIVERPOOL 1963-1964 (1983, See For Miles CM 125) The success of "Liverpool 1963-1968" prompted a second volume, this time from the Decca archives. Kingsize Taylor is again missing but the Mojos, Lee Curtis, the Dennisons, Beryl Marsden and Pete Best are here. The album mixes live tracks with studio recordings and some obscure Decca tracks have been chosen: what other compilation includes three tracks from Chick Graham and the Coasters? This has not been reissued on CD but the humorous cover featuring four actual covers was used for the CD release of the first volume.

(10) ON THE SCENE AT THE CAVERN (1984, EMI Special Products) This 16-track EMI album was compiled for the re-opening of the Cavern and was only available from the club. It was the second compilation album to feature the Beatles - they perform all eight tracks on Side 2, so they keep their distance from the other acts. Side 1 featured hits from Billy J.Kramer, the Fourmost, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Cilla Black and the Swinging Blue Jeans. Sleeve notes are from Tony Barrow, who put together a new version of his souvenir publication, also called "On The Scene At The Cavern", to accompany the release. As part of its 40th anniversary celebrations, the Cavern is currently preparing a three-CD set of bands who played at the club.

(11) SOME OTHER GUYS - 32 MERSEYBEAT NUGGETS (1990, Sequel NED LP 102 (2LP), (NEX CD 102 (CD)) Pye is known for the Searchers but the label also had Johnny Sandon, Tommy Quickly and several other acts. It wasn't difficult to come up with 32 key tracks for this compilation, although the Wackers, who weren't from Liverpool, were included for sheer nerve. Among the gems are the Chants' "I Could Write A Book", the Remo Four's "Peter Gunn" (which was praised by Duane Eddy) and the 'Takers, actually the Undertakers, with "If You Don't Come Back". Solo singles recorded by Chris Curtis and Tony Jackson after they left the Searchers are included, as well as two tracks by Paddy, Klaus and Gibson - Messrs Chambers, Voorman and Kemp, respectively.

(12) WHAT ABOUT US? - MORE MERSEYBEAT NUGGETS (1992, Sequel NEX CD 204) 24 tracks from the Pye vaults and effectively, the ones left off the first volume. The title track is a fine cover of a Coasters' song from the Undertakers. With "Donna Means Heartbreak" and "On The Horizon", Johnny Sandon shows that he was an excellent beat-ballad singer and the Chester band, Jeannie and the Big Guys, were underrated.

(13) THIS IS MERSEYBEAT (1996, Hallmark 304422) Well, no it isn't. This budget CD compilation features one El Cheapo remake after another, none of which improve upon the originals with Billy J.Kramer faring particularly badly and Gerry Marsden on autopilot. Geoff Nugent's Undertakers perform "Barefootin'" and "Ferry Cross The Mersey", but otherwise all the performers have recorded the material before. The album also includes three songs from the Tony Sheridan/Beatles session including "Sweet Georgia Brown". "Sweet Georgia Brown" may mean little to you but, in 1987, Sheridan's version was subject to an 18-page analysis in the academic publication, "Popular Music", with Peter Doggett's comment on the bass playing coming under close scrutiny!

(14) MERSEYBEAT (2006, Sanctuary CMEDD 1204, 2-CD) 50 track compilation, mostly from the Pye archives. There are a few EMI tracks "How Do You Do It", "Hippy Hippy Shake"), but the Beatles are represented by "Ain't She Sweet" and there is nothing from Decca. I'm also dubious about the credentials of the Wackers and Greta Ann. Good to have around and a couple of surprises are "It's A Crime" (Kirkbys) and "It's Almost Good" (Eddie Cave and Fyx).

Whilst the CDs above concentrate on previously issued material, I would strongly recommend UNEARTHED MERSEYBEAT, Volumes 1, 2 and 3 on Viper (CD016, CD027 and CD032). Each album contains 20 unissued or extremely rare Merseybeat tracks and there is some superb material here.