The British Invasion Returns DVD 2000 / Directed by Haig Papasian / 31 Brit Hits: The Troggs, Mike Pender's Searchers, Clem Curtis and the Foundations, Billy J. Kramer

UPC 7391970036926  /  A03692

REGION 2 PAL DVD

MADE IN England

AUDIO: Dolby Digital 2.0

SUBTITLES: -

Total Runtime: 105 minutes

English Summary:

Launched by the Beatles' first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, the British Invasion brought an exciting new sound, the latest fashions and mopish hairstyles that made parents cringe. A wave of British bands came stateside and dominated the American pop charts, setting the tone for an entire generation. Now, for the first time, a dynamic collection of top groups from that era have joined together in a rousing celebration of the infectious and uplifting music that continues its popularity today. Recorded as a PBS special, this concert features nine legendary acts performing some of the best rock music ever recorded. Songs include: Love Potion #9 (Mike Pender's Searchers), Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (Eric Burdon and the New Animals), Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying (Gerry and the Pacemakers), Groovy Kind of Love (Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders), Wild Thing (The Troggs), Build Me Up Buttercup (Clem Curtis and the Foundations), I'm Henry the Eighth (Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone), I'm Telling You Now (Freddie and the Dreamers), Bad To Me (Billy J. Kramer), and many more!

The British Invasion of the early and mid-1960s is alive and well in this reunion concert, recorded at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut, and broadcast in 2000 as a PBS special. There's no way to recapture the exuberance of the original invasion that began with the Beatles in 1963, but as nostalgia tours go, this one's ambitiously inclusive, consisting of 31 songs by nearly all of the top performers that found fame on both sides of the Atlantic. They include Herman's Hermits, Mike Pender's Searchers, Billy J. Kramer, Gerry & the Pacemakers, and the Troggs. Each band plays two or more of their hits, and while some of these old-timers have lost their edge, the musicianship is consistently high (even if the voices aren't), and Eric Burdon turns his raspy bellowing into a stylistic asset, staying honest to his bluesy roots and allowing the New Animals ample room for lengthy instrumentals. (Of all these performers, only Burdon seems willing to stray from the familiar; the others repeat their hits with high fidelity.) And while this is more of a museum piece than a great rock show, it's a fine reminder that there was much more to the British Invasion than the Fab Four. Without exception, these are talented bands with a legacy of great songs, and the DVD's informative performer biographies will quickly get the uninitiated up to speed on the timelessness of this good ol' rock & roll. -- Jeff Shannon

* Interviews with Peter Noone and Eric Burdon

Tracklist:

1. I'm Into Something Good: Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone. [3:25]
2. Love Potion No 9: Mike Pender's Searchers. [2:49]
3. Sweets For My Sweets: Mike Pender's Searchers. [2:47]
4. Needles and Pins: Mike Pender's Searchers. [2:19]
5. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood: Eric Burdon and the New Animals. [6:21]
6. Bad To Me: Billy J. Kramer. [2:18]
7. Little Children: Billy J. Kramer. [2:37]
8. I'm Telling You Now: Freddie & the Dreamers. [2:02]
9. Do The Freddie: Freddie & the Dreamers. [2:13]
10. How Do You Do?: Gerry & the Pacemakers. [1:39]
11. Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying: Gerry & the Pacemakers. [3:19]
12. It's My Life: Eric Burdon and the New Animals. [3:40]
13. We Gotta Get Out Of This Place: Eric Burdon and the New Animals. [11:13]
14. Listen People: Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone. [2:49]
15. Groovy Kind of Love: Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders. [2:02]
16. Game of Love: Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders. [2:17]
17. Curious Minds (Um, Um, Um, Um, Um): Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders. [2:33]
18. Love Is All Around: The Troggs. [3:49]
19. With A Girl Like You: The Troggs. [2:53]
20. Wild Thing: The Troggs. [3:13]
21. A Must To Avoid: Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone. [2:36]
22. A Must To Avoid: Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone. [2:02]
23. Baby Now That I Found You: Clem Curtis and the Foundations. [3:04]
24. Build Me Up Buttercup: Clem Curtis and the Foundations. [3:14]
25. Don't Bring Me Down: Eric Burdon and the New Animals. [4:08]
26. House of the Rising Sun: Eric Burdon and the New Animals. [5:56]
27. Ferry 'Cross the Mersey: Gerry & the Pacemakers. [3:08]
28. I Like It: Gerry & the Pacemakers. [2:19]
29. Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter: Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone. [3:02]
30. I'm Henry The Eighth: Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone. [4:04]
31. There's a Kind of Hush: Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone. [4:45]