If the name Beat Club fails to strike a chord, this is probably because that seven-year music series (which spanned 1965-1972) only aired in West Germany. Something of a German Hullaballoo or Shindig, Beat Club lacked none of the sizzle of its American counterpart series, and none of the glam - featuring, as it did, the most red-hot rock numbers from the US. The show successfully capitalized on the European adoration of American music, and - unlike its sister programs . - placed no time restraints on the individual songs. The forty-three-minute home video release The Best of the Beat Club, Vol. 1 compiles an array of eight of these live performances, many never-before-seen outside of the WDR. In this volume, Deep Purple performs "Highway Star," The James Gang performs "Walk Away," Johnny Winter performs "Mean Town Blues," Santana performs "Black Magic Woman," Procol Harum performs "Simple Sister," Nazareth performs "Morning Dew," Free performs "All Right Now," and Humble Pie performs "For Your Love." ~ Natha