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Drawing by Gary Tennant |
'The Complete Recordings 1951-1969' is a 7CD set, which was released by Charly Records in 1993, as part of their "RED BOX" series. Due to legal disputes that occurred in 1994 between Charly Records and MCA Records, the production of this set and others in the series ceased, rendering it a rare and difficult-to-find item.
You can read about the lawsuit here: MCA Records, Inc. v. Charly Records, Ltd
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While this set is entitled “Complete”, it does not have 'The Super, Super Plus Band' album from 1967 and the 1968 Cadet album a.k.a. “Howlin' Wolf Didn't Like This Album”, which is no great loss, as both albums are not very good (your mileage may vary).
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What is in this box are the Chess and Sun recordings, most of which have Hubert Sumlin on guitar. Plus tracks that have never been released elsewhere and probably never will. This Wolf's very best stuff, the real essential recordings without one bad track.
This box also has a 28-page booklet that has a brief bio of Wolf, followed by a complete sessionography of his work.
For the freeload, what are some of your favorite recordings by Wolf?
For the freeload, what are some of your favorite recordings by Wolf?
The complete "Howlin' Wolf Album" 1969, Cadet Records. Have a nice weekend and kindly regards, Mike
ReplyDeleteThe album was basically a Marshall Chess "money grab" aimed at the Caucasian "Hippie market" after the semi-success of 'Electric Mud'.
DeleteGuitarist Pete Cosey speaking of the sessions, remembers Wolf telling him: "Why don't you take them wah-wahs and all that other shit and go throw it off in the lake – on your way to the barber shop?"
The barber shop jab not withstanding, I couldn't agree more.
Oh yeah, now we are talkin'! Saw him, sadly, just once at the NO Jazz Fest, but what a memorable figure. Favorites by him vary, but usually include-
ReplyDeleteKillin Floor
I Asked for Water
How Many More Years
Forty four
Once you post this dl, it will undoubtedly be dominating my listening time.
Thanks again. Babs.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on the legal action, pmac.
DeleteFrom a pure legal perspective, it is a rather unique use of collateral estoppel (basically you can't relitigate issues that most of the same parties have already had resolved in other litigation), since its normally used as a defense to a plaintiff's suit, and not as a claim by a plaintiff, but it (painfully, since I loathe MCA) did get properly upheld by the court here.
DeleteFrom a somewhat ultra-legal perspective, its just another example of how anyone that ever had any business relationship with Marshal Sehorn got royally fucked. In the 80s in NO, there was a time when the patron saint of NO music, Allen Toussaint, was considered a pariah by the music community. Why? Well, he went into a partnership with Sehorn and basically let Sehorn manage all of Toussaint's musical business. That led to bitter fall outs with many of the then noted NO musicians, including all of the Neville family (and their various bands - The Meters and The Neville Brothers specifically), Ernie K-Doe and a host of others. It took more than a decade after Toussaint split from Sehorn for him to undo the damage to his reputation that Sehorn inflicted. Sehorn was the master of double dealing and double books for accounting purposes. How he wasn't found dead in a backalley is one of life's enduring mysteries.
Interesting, pmac. Thank you.
DeleteDe nada, amiga. There's more tea I could spill on Sehorn, but he's dead now, so it serves no purpose. Thanks for the Wolf d/l.
DeleteEnjoy, pmac!
DeleteAh....Well, the obvious "Smokestack Lightning," which has a fabulous guitar lick, everything Pmac listed, plus "Hidden Charms," which I discovered through Elvis Costello's cover, "The Red Rooster," and "Down In The Bottom."
ReplyDeleteBear Family released 2 volumes of "Memphis Days", the real shit even though there is little or no Hubert present.
ReplyDeleteAnd included on 'The Complete Recordings 1951-1969'
DeleteWouldn't be "complete" without 'em!
DeleteI have a minor issue with "complete" box sets: way back I had a P-Vine "complete Muddy Waters" 11 LP box, but I always found it difficult to remember which LP had "She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain" on it.
DeleteI Asked For Water (She Gave Me Gasoline)
ReplyDeleteI Ain’t Superstitious
Red Rooster
Goin Down Slow
Backdoor Man
How Many Years
Moanin’ at Midnight
Decoration Day
Evil is Goin’ On
Wolf is at Your Door
Forty-Four
Howlin’ for My Baby
How Many More Years
Gotta be Killing Floor. Plus all of the above.
ReplyDeleteSpoonful, Little Red rooster and Back door man as these songs covered by others allowed me to reverse discover the Wolf himself.
ReplyDeleteMy "Baker's dozen"
ReplyDelete“Evil (Is Going On)”
“Forty Four (I’m Mad)”
“Smokestack Lightning.”
“The Natchez Burning”
“Spoonful”
“The Red Rooster”
"Who's Been Talkin'"
"You'll Be Mine"
"Crying at Daybreak"
"Killing Floor"
"Highway 49"
"Mr. Highway Man (Cadillac Daddy)"
"Baby Ride With Me"
Most of these were listed already: “Evil (Is Going On)”
ReplyDelete“Forty Four (I’m Mad)”
“Smokestack Lightning.”
“Back Door Man”
“Spoonful”
“The Red Rooster”
"Who's Been Talkin'"
For JOKONKY Blog I made a single disc overview of the later years: https://jonderblog.blogspot.com/2024/04/call-me-wolf-howlin-wolf-1969-1973.html
So many classics
ReplyDeleteWang Dang Doodle
Worried bout my baby
Moanin at midnight
Saddle my Pony
44
Three hundred pound heavenly joy
Built for comfort
You'll be mine
Down in the bottom
Moanin for my baby
Good morning, Babs, a long time ago i read that Mr. Wolf don't like his '69 album. I don't know why? In my opinion it's just an similary good album as The Electric Mud from Mr. Morganfield or other electric Blues Albums. That doesn't mean that the acoustics stuff are worse. It's a matter of taste. I hope i was able to express myself well? I did write this with a help of a translator. Have a nice sunday and again, many thanks for your effort, time and work. kindly regards, Mike
ReplyDelete"Three Hundred Pounds of Joy" always stuck out to me as a favorite on the Willie Dixon Chess Box where I first heard it
ReplyDeleteLink 1
ReplyDeletehttps://workupload.com/file/mRT9TyF72NX
Link 2
https://workupload.com/file/j72XRB6qcsR
In case that's not enough Wolf, here are his RPM sides. (leavened with the Chess singles)
ReplyDeletehttps://workupload.com/file/jcjeAhw8vHw