The Story of Rock 'n Roll: 30 Years of Rock 'n Roll

AMG Review of The Story of Rock 'n Roll: 30 Years of Rock 'n Roll

Tim Sendra
All Music Guide

Laserlight managed to get hold of the Turtles' catalog in the mid-'90s and dispersed it in two ways. They released a three-disc box set with 60 tracks, and also five separate discs, each with 12 tracks. The Story of Rock & Roll: 30 Years of Rock 'n Roll is one of these discs. As a rule, the tracks are randomly chosen, the sound less than great, and the packaging subpar. This edition contains two of the group's biggest hits in the Dylan cover "It Ain't Me Babe" and "You Showed Me," the excellent Harry Nilsson-penned "The Story of Rock & Roll," and nine obscure album and single tracks. The discs seem designed to sucker casual Turtles fans into thinking they are buying some kind of greatest-hits collection. Yet those people will no doubt be disappointed by the selection of tracks and generally cheap presentation. You get what you pay for, though. Anyone who wants a real Turtles collection needs to shell out for 20 Greatest Hits on Rhino or Happy Together: The Best of the Turtles on Shout Factory.