Ready, Steady, Go! was the pre-eminent British music television show of the 1960s, and for many, it remains the most influential pop culture vehicle of any era. If that seems a bold claim to assert, it’s worth considering virtually all music television that has followed owes a debt to RSG!’s pioneering spirit. As well as presenting the top artists of the day, and giving vital early exposure to future stars, perhaps its most important feature was its club-like atmosphere, which removed the barrier separating artist and performer, giving RSG! an atmosphere of vibrance and immediacy other pop programmes lacked. In addition, the unprecedented move of handing the key role of a young, fashion-conscious Mod (Cathy MacGowan), who uncannily mirrored her audience, inadvertently gave birth to what later became known as “yoof TV”.

This collection of 10 vinyl singles – plus book with essay by Andy Neill – represents a selection of 20 songs by ten artists who performed on RSG! between 1963 & 1966, including The Kinks, The Searchers, Cilla Black and Marvin Gaye. The diversity of the artists featured perfectly illustrates the panoply of styles the show covered, why it was so pioneering and why it is still so fondly regarded by musicians and fans alike.