Buddy Holly
Album: The Buddy Holly Story Volumes I & II
Label: BGO
Tracks: 24
Website: http://www.bgo-records.com

Following the tragic and untimely death, his record label rushed out a greatest hits, tribute album, "The Buddy Holly Story" featuring some of the best of Buddy Holly's material, recorded both solo and with The Crickets, though often that really was one and the same thing.

Until his death Holly hadn't really had the impact in his own country that he was getting in the UK and other parts of Europe, something mainly down to the shameful way that he was treated by Coral his record label, however following his death, Coral were quick to cash in on his status. They had always know he was a star, they were just trying to hold him to a smaller piece of the action.

The success of "The Buddy Holly Story" made them realise the dearth of completed recordings they actually had so like vultures they descended on a number of incomplete recordings, often only Buddy's vocal and a guide guitar track, before using musicians from another band, The Fireballs, to complete. Part of me wants to condemn them for that sickening exploitation, but I can't bring myself to do it, because it's well know what songs, "Peggy Sue Got Married", for example would have have been lost.

BGO have brought both compilations together on one CD and whilst there is nothing new here, it does tell more of the story having each chapter(song) brought together back to back. It also emphasises why the second volume wasn't as successful., because there are some tracks there that Holly hadn't finished the creative processes on and consequently do miss that certain pizzazz.

That said this is an album with so many highlights that you can ignore the odd valley. If you need to introduce family and friends to an artist that in his short career influenced so many UK and US artists, including the likes of the Beatles or simply need a reminder yourself, this is a really good place to start.

Neil King