Alvin Draper

Just Can't Keep Me Down

   I first heard Alvin Draper playing at Velma's Blues Club in San Francisco. For me it was going to be just another Jam Session with some great San Francisco players but then I heard a style that was different and yet familiar. It sounded like the Freddy King riffs I first learned on guitar when I was 13 years old. It was Alvin Draper. I hadn't heard that style anywhere else. Being the proprietor of Beatrecords.com has it's advantages. I knew that this guy deserved a break and I was determined to get him to record his music for Beatrecords.com. Alvin agreed to sign with us for one or two CDs. I know that if you are a guitarist or blues lover you will love Alvin's style. Get ready for some really enjoyable licks with You Just Can't Keep Me Down by Alvin Draper.
Go to Alvin Draper's myspace page

Mike Shapiro
Beatrecords.com

William Penn And His Pals

William Penn And His Pals

Also known as the William Penn Fyve on many bootlegs. It's been a long time coming, in fact about 35 years. This group was formed in 1965 and extinct by 1968. They were one of the most famous groups in The San Francisco Bay Area at the time and their name was all over Radio KYA, KFRC and KLIV as opening act for the biggest national and international acts as well as headlining their own shows.
The lineup boasted Mickey Hart (for a brief period) of the Grateful Dead and Gregg Rolie of Santana/Journey fame was a full time member for 1 1/2 years before he started a group with a dude name Carlos Santana. Gregg sings lead on all but one of these songs.
Wm. Penn used to go toe to toe in Battle of the Bands with the Grateful Dead and recorded one of the most famous Garage Rock Classics by the name of Swami. Swami appears on at least five bootleg compilations along with the flip side.. Blow my Mind. The group changed it's name briefly to Wm. Penn V for Swami (actually it was William Penn Fyve but Pebbles called them William Penn V since they were/are bootlegging Swami) and there is some confusion as to whether William Penn and His Pals was in fact the same Wm Penn Fyve; they were. Other songs have appeared on "The Scorpio Record Collection" put out by Ace/Fantasy. Finally all the songs of this classic group are available to the public in one professionally manufactured CD with 8 pages of facts and photos. There are even a few gems that nobody except a select few have heard. Here are clips from all of the songs on the CD so you can get a good sample of what you will get. Hearing these songs is almost like being at an show in the 60's at The Longshoremans Hall in San Francisco. Besides the wonderful songs the liner notes include the original copy from San Francisco's I.D. magazine with the run down on Wm Penn and his Pals written by their manager. You must read this to get the full scope of just how popular this group was.

Texas Twister

Red Hot Blues

Allow me to introduce you to Jeri Thompson A.K.A "The Texas Twister". She has been belting out the Blues like no other for a little while now. She gets the name cause she comes from Gavleston Texas. Check out the clips and then get yourself one of these wonderful songs of pure classic blues.

Out Front

OUTFRONT - Pub Rock

This is the new OUTFRONT band doing a more rock song list at one of San Franciscos premier Irish Bars, Maggy McGarrys in NorthBeach. It was recorded on Saint Patricks Day in 2008 and you can hear the crowd screaming throughout this CD. The group features two members of William Penn And His Pals, Mike Shapiro on guitar and vocals and Steve Leidenthal on bass and vocals along with Marlon Green on Drums and Tim Reid on guitar and vocals. Hope you enjoy the OUTFRONT bands take on these famous rock songs! Beatrecords

Mike Shapiro

Deja Vu

First and foremost Mike was the Lead Guitarist with William Penn And His Pals(responsible for cult classic Swami) and wrote most of their songs. It's one thing to have the music you made years ago put on a compilation and sold in "cool retro" packaging to the present generation, but it's quite another to make "cool retro" music presently. Mike Shapiro, a songwriter for over 30 years and co-writer of the Garage Cult Classic "Swami", brings The Beatles, Santana, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, and Elvis together in a unique, old school, newly cool style. Don't miss the poppy "Come On," the swinging "Home Free," the sweet, '60s-sounding title track, and the Beatlesque "It's Up to You." If you're tired of buying oldies CDs with all the same songs, try something fresh with the sound you already love.

Herman

Here's Herman

Herman E. is one of the most talented keyboardist, singer and songwriter that Beatrecords.com has ever had the pleasure of recording. Here are his first two songs that we have gotten up on our site. We are letting you download them for free because we want to make sure you love him like we do. Why do we call him Herman E? Cause nobody can spell/pronounce his name. Beatrecords.com

Mike Shapiro

Laughing And Singing

A new CD fresh from Mike Shapiro's vault of new and old orignals. Mike was the Lead Guitarist for the famed William Penn and his Pals and co-wrote the cult classic SWAMI. This CD is freshly recorded with the help of Marlon Green on drums. Marlon can be heard on many other CDs and is currently on tour with Zikiya Hooker. Check out the rockin' Loving Light, the funky Can You Do it. This is a true cross section of styles and you are guaranteed to love all of these new songs with an Old Twist!

Out Front

Live At Lou's

You don't get much more San Francisco and much more live than this CD by OUT-FRONT. It was recorded live at Lou's Pier 47 down at Fisherman's Wharf in San Franciso. You can almost smell the lobster bubbling in the big aluminum pots and you can hear the "Bush Man" jumping out from his hiding place behind some fake bushes to scare the living daylights out of a tourist who is wondering why everyone is staring at them. They soon find out! As you walk down the 300 block of Jefferson Ave. on this beautiful Saturday you hear fantastic Blues wafting out in the breeze. You look up and your standing in front of Lou's Pier 47 Blues Club. Every famous blues musician from Sacramento to Monterey has played there. You go upstairs and listen. If this day happened to be July 6 2006 between twelve and three this is what you heard. And... this CD is so live that you can hear motorcyles and police sirens in the background during quiet parts as Marlon Green plays one of his famous "anything is a drum" solos. You hear Derek Evans belting out a Ray Charles tune with Russ Whitehead's "200 watt" bass lines. You experience the key- board talent of Roscoe Gallo and the fantastic guitar playing of Mike Shapiro. Join us at Lou's today and listen to the sounds of San Francisco Blues today with OUT-FRONT.

Rachael Ross

Rachael Ross

Rachael Ross is a gifted songwriter and singer. Check out Her newest song Angel(Give Yourself To Me). Also I Just Want To Make Love To You by Willie Dixon.

Mike Shapiro

Rock This Roll

Mike Shapiro has been a very busy man and has been recording lots of new songs done his way, at Beatrecords.com. All of these songs are going to be free as Mike just wants you to enjoy his new music. Come back often as you are likely to find new songs each day over the next month.