Search - Buddy Holly & The Picks :: '57-'59 The Rarities Collection

A Picks overdub rating 1 because there is no lower

Jacobus T. Boot | Perth, Western Australia | 02/21/2004

(1 out of 5 stars)

"This album is once again an overdubbing of Buddy Holly with backing vocals by John Pickering and the rest of The Picks which drown out Buddy's performance on most tracks. Because of the familiarity of most fans with the original versions this adaptation does not work all that well. However it is a different point of view on Buddy's music and as such could be of value to the new buyer not familiar with the brilliant original versions.I accept that The Picks want recognition for the half a dozen or so early tracks of Buddy's on which Norman Petty used them before replacing them with The Roses but does John Pickering really have to authorise all the different compilations of these tracks under different names so that people step into buying the same stuff over and over again !All some or most of this stuff was also released on
Forever 22 [SMDCD293]
Buddy Holly & The Picks Greatest Hits [GP2047]
Buddy Holly - Peggy Sue (no mention of The Picks but they are there) [ETOCD029]
Buddy Holly 57-59 The Rarities Collection (faint mention of The Picks on front) PLATCO521
The Very Best Of Buddy Holly (no mention of The Picks but they are there) (Metro330)
Buddy Holly & The Picks The Original Voices of The Crickets [CDNF088].Sorry Picks but you were never that important in the first place."

"Crying, waiting, hoping....i hadn't made this foolish mista

Todius | Edinburgh, Scotland | 01/24/2009

(1 out of 5 stars)

"As a long time Holly fan,and someone who has read as well as listened extenviely to almost everything that has been released by Holly i thought this would be an interesting addition to a cd collection light on the great mans works.But i'm proof even the most well informed of fans can fall into unsuspecting traps.I had a few pounds to spare and it was late at night,thats my only excuse for such folly.The price was a bargain at £1.39 but alarm bells didn't ring because you often finds gems at low prices on Amazon,especially in the marketplace.



What got my attention was the tagline "'57-'59 The Rarities Collection".It sounded like a disc full of rare alternate versions or demos so my interest was immediately peaked.However i missed those three little words just under Holly's name on the picture of the cover "...and The Picks".Holly himself actually used the Picks to add backing vocals to some of his recordings,among the most notable being "Oh Boy".But this was done at the time with the man himself in attendance.DO NOT be fooled,anything declaring to be by "Buddy Holly and The Picks" is bound to be inferior overdubbed recordings done by them in the '70's or '80's.On some tracks Jerry Allisons drumming, which should be a feature of such songs,is almost drowned out by the incessant wailing.It's as if their desire to assume a more prominent role on these recordings is the over-riding concern with scant regard to the integrity of the originals.I shudder to think that this could ever be someones first experience of Holly's own work,they'd probably end up convinced that Nick Berry's Heartbeat was the true masterpiece!?!And who could blame them after listening to this.The back cover of the cd says it all,"Recordings made 1957-1959 overdubs by the Picks made subsequently".



If you want to hear these songs you can find them on other compilations but if you're not sure what the picture of the cover says use the "see larger image" button underneath,i wish i had!



On a final note,this cd has since mysteriously become unplayable and now serves as a very useful drinks coaster.Funny that."