Beats!!!!

We laughed when we heard the Ruttles and Spinal Tap singing fake Beatle songs, but this is for real. Beatlemania was so big back in the 60's that it spun off dozens of cheap imitations like this one. With an album jacket screaming "Beats!!! The Merseyside Sound! The New Beat from Britain!" and four guys trying to look like the Beatles, the only thing this album is missing is actual Beatle music.

Were Beatle fans so stupid that they didn't realize they were being taken? Or were records like this aimed at their parents, who weren't paying enough attention to know the difference? I don't know, but one thing is for sure: the music on "Beats!!!" is just plain awful. Pick up a copy at a thrift store or eBay auction near you and listen for yourself. You'll be thankful that Lennon and McCartney had some actual talent to back up the phenomenon they started.

the family cat (alicespiral@yahoo.co.uk) says:
The mastermind behind the Billy Pepper & the Pepperpots album was a Pye MD called Bill Shepherd and he had a hit single in the States via the actor John Fraser with WHY DON'T THEY UNDERSTAND covered by George Hamilton IV.
Mainly he recorded Easy Listening LPs but like many he tried to cash in on Beatlemania by producing a budget line album credited to Billy Pepper & the Pepperpots who were from the Wirral.
Shepherd and John Fraser were the writers of a number of songs deliberately styled on the Beatles of 1963 with a few Lennon/McCartney songs thrown in as well.
In the States the album was credited to the Beats.
The songs are in many cases similar to those the Beatles gave away or just demoed like One & One is Two.
Now on CD under the title of MERSEYMANIA:20 Fab Sounds of the 60s there's no mention of Billy Pepper & the Pepperpots who unwittingly ended up thrown into the Paul Is Dead rumour as one of the members was called William Campbell-supposeldy Paul's replacement.
Even Bill Shepherd was rumoured as his name is close to Billy SHEARS (Shepherd=sheep=shears)
Whatever it works on its own terms-like the Pete Best 4 who recorded in the States with ex Remo Four members.
Can't see anything wrong with this album-it does what it set out to do and has ended up as a collectable anyway (09-01-2009)

Anthony Giannotti says:
I actually like this album. I'm very confused by the anger so many of you give this band. For one, they are two Beatles songs on this album, I want to Hold Your Hand, and I saw Her Standing there, as well as other songs. What is really confusing is that the album I have has a pressing date of 1961, several years before the Beatles released anything in the US. The songwriters are not listed on any of the songs, and to be honest the version of 'I saw Her standing there' revivals the Beatles' version, while I want to Hold your Hand is absolutely pathetic. Someone please give insight as to the 1961 pressing year, otherwise, the 'evidence' points to the fact that maybe this band actual wrote those. I am not the anti-christ, just looking for answers on this strange group. (08-04-2009)

eric rockefeller (erickrocket@yahoo.com) says:
I got my copy in CD, MERSEYBEAT with Ferry Boat and screaming girls! yeah! yeah! I love This CD. (03-13-2009)

Ed Kaz says:
God, this has to be the oldest Internet site in the world! I see posts I did last century! (12-09-2008)

Robert Schotland (Dirojan@comcast.net) says:
This poorman's fab four deserves, an "A" for effort. More than I can say for some of the other low-budget beatle clones. They ought to make a cd collection of the Beats and thier contempories. So what if they're not as good as the Beatles. If they were, do you think they'd be waisting thier time on this crap? (04-08-2008)

Nigel Knucklehead (the.allstonians@verizon.net) says:
I want to go back in time and stop this stuff from being recorded. Awful stuff, this. Bad vocals, lyrics and production. We aren't celebrating this are we? (01-07-2008)

Bud Eagle says:
Beats!? BILLY PEPPER & THE PEPPERPOTS release more albums we tought.
Beats -Merseyside Sound.(label:Pickwick)
Merseymania(Billy name in the back cover)Label:Hurrah Records-England.(same as Beats!)
More Merseymania(Label: Allegro)
Beat-A-Mania(Live in Britain) Label:Allegro.
So,The Peppers recorded 3 albums total. (11-13-2007)

BUD EAGLE says:
Okay they are BILLY PEPPER & THE PEPPERPOTS from Liverpool- England yes! MERSEYMANIA was the original name, after that they release MORE MERSEYMANIA(both in 1964, nt 62) available on CD (in England)I have 3 songs on the Pickwick album: DISCOTEQUE 60's. (10-12-2007)

BUD EAGLE (erickrocket@yahoo.com) says:
I love this album THE BEATS or B E A T S? Anyway, i like the songs: Go to Get Another Girl, Maybe i Will, Your kind of love and TELL ME I'M THE ONE, they did great job. be young, be foolish, be happy, why not? (09-24-2007)

haywood jablomy says:
Among the other Beatle ripoff bands were The Liverpools ("Four LIVERuppers who POOLed their talents") and the Beatle Buddies (an all girl group).
When I was a kid, a friend of mine had the Liverpools album, and by god it was horrid. (07-17-2007)

odd says:
The recordsleeve states that it was released in 62, thats before beatles released "I want to hold your hand" and "I saw her standing there", is this relaiable information, or does the year mean something else? (04-19-2007)

huff (sepcat@hotmail.co.uk) says:
you might know this already- but Oriole( remember the sputniks?) actualy put out a 2 volume lp of a lot of the second division liverpool bands- stuff like the clayton squares , the undertakers etc etc volume 2 is very rare. cant remember who else was on ( its nearly 40 odd years ago) all I know is I could never afford them -- I couldnt even afford any of the beatles albums when they were coming out - singles were six shillings ans six pence. a lot of money when you had five shillngs aweek pocket money!!!weren't oriole also responsible for putting out the first couple of tamla singles in england ?? anyone??the first beatles album in this country was please please me. (03-19-2007)

vince says:
Back in '63 when I was five years old, I wanted the Beatles first album, Meet the Beatles. Instead, my parents bought me this shameful piece of tripe. As soon as I looked at the cover, I knew it wasn't the Beatles. I remember them saying "yes, it's the Beatles," spelling out B-E-A-T-L-E-S, trying to pass off the exclamation marks on the cover as the additional letters to make up the word Beatles. I was a pretty good speller at five years old. I listened to the album once and it was like being stabbed in the ears. Yet, I wish I still had it, just for the novelty. I wonder what happened to those guys. Maybe they became bakers as did Pete Best when he was replaced by Ringo!!!!? (11-24-2006)

Juan Carlos (www.beatlefans.tk) says:
Hola mis estimados amigos, que gusto poder ver a grupos de la decada del 60', esa epoca que nacieron Los Beatles.

Un gran saludo para todos desde Argentina...!! yeah yeah yeah (07-16-2006)

Benlu 66 (neezerl@yahoo.com) says:
Best beat number, most well done and really pertaining to the beat scene '64, is "Joshua Fit The Battle" on side two.
Do you have the Beatle rip-off cheapo featuring Lou Reed?? (07-02-2006)

Jimmy Moop (dannylectro@yahoo.com) says:
I have actually seen a copy of this album at a used vinyl store in Columbus, Ohio...Lost Weekend Records. Aside from collectors of kitsch, I can't imagine anyone would actually want to listen to these crappy Beatles rip-off albums! (06-29-2006)

Joseph (notquite@hotmail.com) says:
Renee:

"The Butcher Album" was actually the first cover of the U.S. release "'Yesterday' And Today", which came out in 1966 (it featured the song "Yesterday", released as a single the previous year, and several new tracks).

Only a small number of copies were distributed before the albums were recalled to be replaced with a more sedate cover. In some cases, Capitol Records simply pasted on the new front cover over the old one. (03-17-2006)

Sheri Williams says:
Can anyone confirm the rumor that Julian Lennon has formed a new band? I have a cousin who works as a studio drummer in New York. He is saying, that Zak Starky (Ringo Starr's son) and Julian Lennon have been jamming together for a while. But here recently they have been seen with James Paul McCartney, and it is being rumored that they are forming a new band which will be the Beatles 2nd Generation.

The rumor is coming to my cousin from a very reliable source.. However, I am not at liberty to name any names. I hope it is true! Wouldn't it be great!

There are so many Beatle fans that I bet they would make more money than any band has ever made.. and personally I don't care if they are doing it for the money.. I just love the Beatles.. lol

Sheri (01-28-2006)

Renee (Femininegal2002@aol.com) says:
I was just wondering if anyone has heard of "The Butcher Album? The Beatles made
It is a rare album and was covered because the
album cover had The Beatles in butcher jackets
with meat cut up on them.
If anyone has any information on this album
please e-mail me with any web sites, etc.

Thanks alot (10-22-2005)

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