(1977)  These albums were part of the acquisition of Beatles albums given to me by Illinois probably in 2002.  On the Pickwick label with original inner sleeves.  The album entire title is The Beatles John, Paul, George, Ringo 1st Live Recordings Hamburg Germany 1962.  According to the liner notes here is the genesis of this pair of albums:

“Liverpool singer, King Size Taylor originally recorded this first tape of John, Paul, George, and Ringo for a lark.  The tape was subsequently lost and not rediscovered until 1972.  The Beatles original manager, Allan Williams, found it in deserted Merseyside office beneath a pile of rubble on the floor.”

VOL.1  SIDE ONE

1. Where Have You Been All My Life  (1:55)
2. A Taste of Honey  (1:40)
3. Your Feets Too Big  (2:20)
4. Mr. Moonlight  (2:05)
5. Besame Mucho  (2:35)
6. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry Over You  (2:40)
7. Be-Bop-A-Lula  (2:28)

VOL.1  SIDE TWO

1. Hallelujah I Love Her So  (2:08)
2. ‘Till There Was You  (1:59)
3. Sweet Little Sixteen  (2:44)
4. Little Queenie  (3:53)
5. Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey  (2:09)
6. Hully Gully  (1:39)

VOL.2  SIDE ONE

1. Nothin’ Shakin'(But The Leaves On The Trees)  (1:14)
2. Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby  (2:23)
3. Matchbox  (2:33)
4. I’m Talkin’ About You  (1:47)
5. Long Tall Sally  (1:45)
6. Roll Over Beethoven  (2:12)
7. Hippy Hippy Shake  (1:40)

VOL.2  SIDE TWO

1. Falling In Love With You  (1:59)
2. Lend Me Your Comb  (1:44)
3. Sheila  (1:55)
4. Red Sails In The Sunset  (2:00)
5. To Know Her Is To Love Her  (3:01)
6. Shimmy Shake  (2:16)
7. I Remember You  (1:55)

These two volumes are bootlegs.  A bootleg recording is one done without permission and is usually a live recording.  I have several bootlegs in my collection.  Some of them are prized by collectors including myself.  Before file sharing, before downloading, there were home tape recorders snuck into performances.  Sound quality runs the gambit from down right shitty to actually pretty damn good.

The first track on side one of volume one is terrible quality.  Distorted, poorly equalized, way too much background noise and hard to hear the vocals.  Tracks gradually improve as the record continues. Volume 2 has the same technical issues.  Roll Over Beethoven vocals are very sketchy. Again the liner notes:

“This album is a collector’s item.  It captures an explosion of energy.  A rollicking Saturday Night Hamburg Germany 1962.  The Star Club”.

Technical issues aside, you can hear the youthful zeal, feel the heat and sweat, smell the cigarette smoke, and imagine how much fun it was to be there.