For that generation born a smidgen too late to experience The Beatles in real time, that hit their teens in the seventies, it was these two brilliantly curated double albums of the Fabs’ finest recordings that hit their collections first. 1962-1966 and 1967-1970, more popularly known as the Red and Blue albums (the first covering the live moptop years, the second the studio-bound era of psychedelia, experimentation and ultimate dissolution) were much-loved staples for prog heads, punk sceptics, powerpop disciples and mod mimics alike. So screw with them at your peril.
Aside from the fact that Giles Martin has transformed the constituent sonics way beyond reasonable expectations (by employing the same AI audio technology developed by Peter Jackson and his team to isolate the Get Back series’ dialogue and effect a full-stereo mix of Revolver), both Red and Blue have been significantly expanded with extra tracks to the extent that they’re both now triple vinyls rather than doubles, with additional tracks chosen to better represent both their Hamburg-forged aptitude as a covers band (Twist And Shout) and George Harrison’s songwriting prowess (Taxman).
