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Amongst the last releases on Sun Records were a pair of singles by Randy & the Radiants, one of the most popular teen combos in Memphis in the mid-1960s. The group are a fascinating anomaly within the Sun catalogue, for they represent Sam Phillips' attempt to get back at the British Invasion with a Beatle-styled group of his own.
Our brand-new Radiants anthology "Memphis Beat" showcases a fine band who were far more than your typical British knock-off of the era. In fact, their smooth harmonies and folk/countrified arrangements bring more to mind the Searchers or Hollies. Guitarist Bob Simon was an excellent songwriter whose originals such as 'Nobody Walks Out On Me' and 'Seek & Find' have a class that places the Radiants a cut above the average teenage garage combo. And lead singer Randy Haspel had an innately commercial voice, best showcased on the group's memorable 1966 regional hit 'Truth From My Eyes'.
"Memphis Beat" is drawn from the group's many sessions with Phillips and his son Knox, cut between 1964 and 1966, most of which are unissued. It runs the gamut from raucous garage rock (the highly-rated 'My Way Of Thinking') via jangly pop ('I Won't Ask Why') and fascinating 60s updates of Sun classics such as 'Boppin' The Blues' and 'Blue Suede Shoes'. The booklet comes loaded with memorabilia and the Radiants story as told by Haspel and Simon.
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