First released: 1994, December 6

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For post-Beatle releases, this collection was a treasure for the insatiable Beatlologists in the 90\\\'s and nearly as essential as their original catalogue and the penultimate \\\'Anthology\\\' video series that followed: the progression of video technology, decades of film and newsreel restorations, archival searches and cataloguing of tens of thousands of hours of recorded media had to catch up to the incredible history of the Beatles. An even greater miracle was the joint approval of, and participation from, the surviving three Beatles and John Lennon\\\'s widow/estate-holder for that monumental project; and, considering that not even this historical agreement had yet occurred when these incredible BBC Sessions were first released in 1994, it might have been assumed that these radio programs would be the last great \\\'revelatory\\\' document of their legendary career. If that was to be the case (and it wasn\\\'t), the Beatles\\\' \\\'Live At the BBC\\\' compilation would have been just as satisfying a conclusion to their legacy for irrefutable proof that, first and foremost, the Beatles were a fully-functional and extraordinarily talented musical group, each of who contributed to the dedicated musicianship and unique sound that is so firmly recognized amidst the human and musical landscape that it now is simply referred to as \\\'Beatlesque\\\'. This is more comment than review, but these BBC Radio sessions put the Beatles right in front of you, unfiltered by screaming fans, recording studio enhancements, and just as \\\"live\\\" and instantly-recorded as any musical group could be at the time of available audio technology. Apart from the treat of over 50 Beatles\\\' performances that were unheard for over 30 years, you\\\'ll hear some of their early hits (\\\'A Hard Day\\\'s Night\\\', \\\'Ticket To Ride\\\') and realize that this massive sound and energy wasn\\\'t fabricated in a recording studio or spliced together on an LP- this was the Beatles at their most polished and self-confident best, and the performances contained in this collection are the closest any person will ever get to an intimate and authentic musical presentation from John, Paul, George and Ringo, barely 20 years old and already furiously creating, beat by (back)beat, the sound that will eventually come to define the popular music standard of the 20th Century. As a 21st-Century middle-age person in what is presently 2011, Paul and Ringo are alive and well, as are the memories of George and John. And of course, the music of the Beatles is eternal.

For post-Beatle releases, this collection was a treasure for the insatiable Beatlologists in the 90\\\'s and nearly as essential as their original catalogue and the penultimate \\\'Anthology\\\' video series that followed: the progression of video technology, decades of film and newsreel restorations, archival searches and cataloguing of tens of thousands of hours of recorded media had to catch up to the incredible history of the Beatles. An even greater miracle was the joint approval of, and participation from, the surviving three Beatles and John Lennon\\\'s widow/estate-holder for that monumental project; and, considering that not even this historical agreement had yet occurred when these incredible BBC Sessions were first released in 1994, it might have been assumed that these radio programs would be the last great \\\'revelatory\\\' document of their legendary career. If that was to be the case (and it wasn\\\'t), the Beatles\\\' \\\'Live At the BBC\\\' compilation would have been just as satisfying a conclusion to their legacy for irrefutable proof that, first and foremost, the Beatles were a fully-functional and extraordinarily talented musical group, each of who contributed to the dedicated musicianship and unique sound that is so firmly recognized amidst the human and musical landscape that it now is simply referred to as \\\'Beatlesque\\\'. This is more comment than review, but these BBC Radio sessions put the Beatles right in front of you, unfiltered by screaming fans, recording studio enhancements, and just as \\\"live\\\" and instantly-recorded as any musical group could be at the time of available audio technology. Apart from the treat of over 50 Beatles\\\' performances that were unheard for over 30 years, you\\\'ll hear some of their early hits (\\\'A Hard Day\\\'s Night\\\', \\\'Ticket To Ride\\\') and realize that this massive sound and energy wasn\\\'t fabricated in a recording studio or spliced together on an LP- this was the Beatles at their most polished and self-confident best, and the performances contained in this collection are the closest any person will ever get to an intimate and authentic musical presentation from John, Paul, George and Ringo, barely 20 years old and already furiously creating, beat by (back)beat, the sound that will eventually come to define the popular music standard of the 20th Century. As a 21st-Century middle-age person in what is presently 2011, Paul and Ringo are alive and well, as are the memories of George and John. And of course, the music of the Beatles is eternal.

There are a lot reasons this is a “must have” for any Beatle fan. 1]. There are stellar versions of the songs we all know & love performed “live” in the studio. No screaming fans to interrupt what are great performances. 2]. Their repertoire. It gives a glimpse into the of songs they did back in Germany & “the Cavern” days. My personal fav’s: “Some Other Guy” (which sounds like it was recorded in one of their club shows with strong Lennon/McCartney vocal leads), I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You) (probably the fastest drumming on any Beatle record), “Youngblood”, & “I Got A Woman”. 3]. The inclusion of “I’ll Be On My Way”. A very “Beatlesque” sounding song from their early period, which up until this release, was unheard. (maybe on bootlegs, I don’t know). For Beatle fans, it's a brand new song. 4]. The humorous “in-between” chats with the DJ(s)introducing to England what George Martin saw when took on the Beatles. If you are a collector of Beatles material, this should rank up there with any of their originals releases & the Anthologies. It is worth it.