From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1964
‘U.S. ROCKS AND REELS FROM BEATLES’ INVASION’
NEW YORK — Great Britain hasn’t been as influential in American affairs since 1775. The sensational impact of the Beatles on England’s former colonies has had the explosive effect of sending major and independent firms scrambling here for more and more British product. The bidding has been hard and heavy for hit English product, with the greatest emphasis going on the Liverpool sound trend, of course, but a good many other artists who have been in the upper end of the English charts have also come in for their share of attention.
The Beatles’ success has been significant on two levels, U.S. manufacturers note, with satisfaction, that not only is the current British Beatles hit, “I Want To Hold Your Hand” selling, but earlier material leased to other labels than Capitol, on Vee-Jay and Swan, is selling at a torrid pace as well. The single and album on MGM are a different case because that material was cut in Germany by DGG for its Polydor pop label.
The fact that the Swan and Vee-Jay records are selling now, after having been released with little or no impact on the market some months ago, indicates to many industry observers that Liverpool is ready to break as a full-fledged trend.
For this reason, labels that have been unsuccessful originally with Liverpool material are ready to go again with newer material, hoping that the public is ready to accept that sound. They are also hoping that the same retroactive Beatles effect sets in, and that records that originally bombed by these artists will become hits once the artists are established here.
A quick check of the British charts show that a large percentage of hit British material has been picked up and issued here. Besides the Beatles on Capitol, Gerry and the Pacemakers have been issued on the Laurie label, the Dave Clark Five has appeared on Epic and the Searchers’ hit, “Needles And Pins” came out this past week on Kapp. The Fourmost’s new one, “I’m In Love,” also came out last week on the Atco label. The Shadows have appeared on the Atlantic label, and Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas have popped up on the Liberty label. Liberty is also preparing to release another big British hit,“Hippy Hippy Shake,” by the Swinging Blue Jeans. Other hit British artists like Cliff Richard (Epic), Kathy Kirby (London), Dusty Springfield (Philips), The Caravelles (Philips), Frank Ifield (Capitol and Vee-Jay) and many more has been issued in this country. Freddie and the Dreamers have been issued in this country on Capitol.
But the accent is on Liverpool sound, and there are some new British climbers that have not yet been issued here. Some of these are the Hollies (who record for EMI’s Parlophone), the Rolling Stones (who record for British’s Decca), and the Merseybeats (who records for the Philips subsidiary Fontana label). END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; February 15, 1964)
“NEEDLES AND PINS” * The Searchers * KAPP Records (January 7, 1964)
