The Beatles & Tony Sheridan
This Is Where It Started (1964, Metro Records)
A1: The Beatles with Tony Sheridan - My Bonnie (My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean) (2:06)
A2: The Beatles - Cry For A Shadow (2:26)
A3: The Titans - Johnson Rag (1:59)
A4: Tony Sheridan & The Beat Brothers - Swanee River (2:56)
A5: The Titans - The Darktown Strutters' Ball (2:04)
B1: The Beatles with Tony Sheridan - The Saints (When The Saints Go Marching In) (3:19)
B2: The Titans - Rye Beat (1:49)
B3: Tony Sheridan & The Beat Brothers - You Are My Sunshine (2:30)
B4: The Titans - Summertime Beat (In The Good Old Summertime) (1:49)
B5: The Beatles with Tony Sheridan - Why (2:59)
Total time: 24:02
Release Date: November 23, 1964
Director of Engineering: Val Valentin
A&R Coordinator: Irv Stimler
Val Valentin (aka Cal Valentin, Val Valentine, Val Valintin and Van Valentin) was the director of engineering for this LP and he also acted as the director of engineering for the Mothers of Inventions' first two albums recorded for MGM Records in 1966 & 1967.
A&R Coordinator Irv Stimler was at MGM Records for many years, working intimately with Connie Francis and Judy Garland. He produced an obscure single in 1968 for Cub Records by The Groovin' Strings and Things, "The Fool On The Hill" (written by Lennon & McCartney) backed with "You". Irv Stimler was the manager of MGM's Metro Group and in 1968 he (along with Mel Price at MGM) was instrumental in bringing the 8 Track Cartridge format to MGM Records in association with the Ampex Recording Media Corporation.*
"This Is Where It Started" is a reissue of the 1964 MGM LP The Beatles With Tony Sheridan And Their Guests" (released in February 1964) and the pressing is significantly lower quality than the original issue. The original issue contained two Non-Beatles tracks which were left off this LP, "Happy New Year Beat" and "Flying Beat" (both by The Titans).
The Titans were the work of Billy Mure. Mure was one of those uncredited session men from the 1950s whose work graced many a rock and roll record. In 1957 he started making albums including his "Supersonic Guitars In Hi-Fi" LP for RCA Victor and in 1963 he left RCA, where he had been on the A&R staff, and formed his own independent production company, BM Productions and then began working with MGM Records, releasing four albums. Billy Mure also arranged and conducted the Beatles cash-in album "The Nutty Squirrels Sing A Hard Day's Night and Other Smashes", better known as Don Elliott and Sascha Burland.
* Billboard Magazine, January 27, 1968
-DUALTRACK OCTOBER 6, 2010