Search - Roulettes :: Stakes & Chips

A fine album

B62 | Seattle, WA, USA | 06/25/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This cd comprises all the tracks recorded by The Roulettes. It's a must for those who wants to get more acquainted to what was happening in Liverpool by the time The Beatles started to change the world. The Roulettes were releasing thir own stuff by mid/late-63, later on part of the band became the Unit 4+2. Roulettes together with othr bands such as The Mojos, Undertakers, Big Three, Merseybeats, Gerry and Pacemakers, Searchers, Rory Storms were the foundadion of British Invasion which culminated by 4 guys captivating through a tv show the attention of a whole nation sometime in February '64....The Beatles. It's essential to understand story of the boiling pot Liverpool was in order to try to understand the Beatles phenomenum, and the Roulettes is part of this story."

How Could such a Great Band be Ignored?

Morten Vindberg | Denmark | 06/09/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you like British 1960`s music when it`s at its best, you`re bound to like the Roulettes. Though not really a Liverpool band, the sound on their early singles is very close to the sound of early Beatles. On their later singles their sound has developed in a direction similar to that of the Zombies.The Roulettes were undoubtedly one of the best-playing British bands of the early 1960`s. They had the potential of making it very big. This unfortunately never happened. They only released one album in their own name + a dozen of fine singles.They had released one single on Pye Records in 1962, and after having left Parlophone in 1967 they released two more singles for Fontana. These recordings are not included here; I`m not sure they have ever been released on CD, but apart from those 6 songs this CD contains all what they released in their own name ( their Parlophone material ). In 1964-65 the music-press predicted them a big break through, and they nearly did make it with their second single "Bad Time", which was a minor hit and which is now considered a beat-classic of the 60`s.They were actually the backing band of singer Adam Faith, and they only recorded in their own name more or less just for fun. They were all very competent musicians and though they were young they had already years of musical experience. Best known are Bob Henrit and Russ Ballard, who would later join Chris White and Rod Argent in the latter days Zombies, which would eventually turn into "Argent"The Roulettes also played a very big role in the recordings of another 1960`s act "Unit 4+2". They played on many of their recordings, and when the Roulettes disbanded in 1967 Argent and Henrit joined Unit 4+2 for a short period. Unit 4+2 recorded two albums, but these records have not aged nearly as well, as the terrific recordings of the Roulettes.It`s hard to understand how this exceptionally talented band could be ignored by the majority of the record-buying public. "The Tracks of My Tears" is simply outstanding; "The Long Cigarette" and "Bad Time" are great. In fact, there are no weak tracks at all.Give this CD a chance - I`m sure you`ll never regret it."

A must have for British Beat Boom fans

Ryan P Henry | Greeley, CO United States | 11/26/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Plain and simple, if you love the British Invasion and the Mersey Beat sound you must listen to the Roulettes. Why they are not a bigger name in music history I will never know. They are definately one of the more eclectic groups that came out of Liverpool in the 60's. Do not hesitate to pick up this album."