The Wailers - often billed as The Fabulous Wailers - were famously described as “One of the very first, if not the first, of America’s Garage Bands.” Hailing from Tacoma, Washington, they were immensely popular in the Pacific Northwest during the late 1950s and early '60s, gunning out raucous, sax-driven Rhythm & Blues and Chuck Berry-inspired Rock 'n' Roll. Perhaps the ultimate cult band, their calling card was ‘Tall Cool One’, first released in 1959 and a hit all over again when reissued in 1964, in the very teeth of the British Invasion. This collection presents the very best of The Wailers’ recordings between 1959 and 1962, for the Golden Crest and Etiquette labels, and includes their hits alongside other 45rpm releases and album tracks. It also features sides on which they appeared as an unbilled backing band, behind a couple of their occasional lead vocalists.
