Crazy with the Blues

         

01 Crazy With The Blues
02 Hip-Shakin'
03 Used To Do
04 Pretty Thing
05 Blues All Day Long
06 Tipitina
07 Jam Up
08 Rat Trap
09 Trouble In Mind
10 Sitting On Top Of The World
11 Let's Go To Town
12 Ain't Beggin' Nobody
13 Broke and Hungry
14 Now I Got A Woman
15 One Mind

Mick writes:

"Crazy With The Blues" is basically an album which has been released in instalments.. a series of singles and EPs released throughout 2020, compiled together now as an album, with two brand new tracks added - "Trouble In Mind" and "Broke and Hungry". A few tracks have also been tweaked where necessary.

I think it works. At least it's kept me busy and entertained for the last few months, and at the same time giving my online followers something new to listen to.

So here it is.. fifteen tracks in one package. This is really the "Blues'n'Boogie Collection", and it is mainly based around bluesy shuffles and covers of blues standards. I've really enjoyed recording the music and then watching it get released and listened to around the world. I hope you enjoy the results.

The photo, by the way, is from a SALT gig in Banbury - thanks to Stuart McDonald for the screen shot. It's about eight years old, so I was 62 at the time. I could still look like that now if I lost a few stone..(Smile)... Gnasher the SG however remains eternally youthful. Here are the tracks..

01 Crazy With The Blues
Peetie Wheatstraw is kind of a forgotten figure these days, but he was actually a contemporary of Robert Johnson, and probably about as popular at the time. He was an excellent guitarist and piano player, and sang in a distinctive drawl. Here's one of his songs with an unusual lyric which appealed to me. Guitar is my Matsumoko factory Satellite solid body.. it was meant to be just a guide guitar but it's so funky it had to stay! Crazy with the blues.

02 Hip-Shakin'
JB Hutto is a favourite slide player.. a different approach to Elmore.. more raw and gutbucket. So here's a version of his "Hip-Shakin'". His recording is actually very short.. it sort of peters out. So I've padded it up a bit and tidied up the lyric. I think it rocks.

03 Used To Do
A straight ahead boogie with the Strat wailing, in pretty much one take as I remember.

04 Pretty Thing
One of the first songs I ever tried to play back in 1963, and recorded here on the same guitar, now fitted with an Elmore James type De Armond pickup. All good.

05 Blues All Day Long
Another great Jimmy Rodgers song, a solid shuffle with the Epiphone Sheraton in charge.

06 Tipitina
Professor Longhair's "Tipitina". I don't really know what it's about but it seems that there's a "Loberta" in the middle of it all. Based on "Junker Blues" by Champion Jack Dupree, who I used to see doing opening spots for Fleetwood Mac and others at the Nags Head blues club in Battersea. I've recently realised that we really didn't appreciate Champion Jack at the time.. he was just the old guy who played the piano and could be entertaining at times. In fact a New Orleans blues legend.. oh well, that's youth for you.

07 Jam Up
When I was four years old with a head full of daisies and butterflies, Tommy Ridgley and his band were knocking out a wild instrumental called Jam Up, replete with honking sax and some great rock'n'rock guitar. Now that I'm seventy, with a head full of daisies and butterflies, here's a guitar instrumental version of same. Great track - rocks along!

08 Rat Trap
The true story of one man's battle with a rat infestation. Dangerous Dave Newman came down to Rockfold to add some acoustic harp - thanks Dave.

09 Trouble In Mind
Thelma La Vizzo first recorded this song. What a wonderful name. It's been covered a zillion times but I thought I'd give it a go, and I think it rocks along pretty good.

10 Sitting On Top Of The World
Years ago my friend Geb (it's short for Gerrard) was the first to tell me about this song. He'd been along to an early Cream gig, and told about this number they did with an interesting chord sequence. Recently he asked me if I'd ever recorded it. I hadn't, so here it is. I like it - I think it has a kind of garagey feel - rough around the edges. Thanks Geb.

11 Let's Go To Town
It's good to get funky sometimes. I love the sound of this - the dry snare drum and slight overall distortion.. bit like it was recorded on a two track tape back in 1972.. (in my head at least).

12 Ain't Beggin' Nobody
Sonny Boy Williamson. I'd never heard the song until recently, but I like the way the lyric fits the song. Guitar on the Strat.

13 Broke and Hungry
From Blind Lemon Jefferson via Sleepy John Estes. An old old song. Well I've been broke and hungry a few times, so I think I qualify. I've probably slept on a porch or two, or something similar. The riff appears on the John Estes version, and I wonder if it was the work of the guitarist/producer, one Michael Bloomfield? That guy got everywhere.

14 Now I Got A Woman
A Freddie King tune. I did put out a version earlier, but I prefer this, with a harder guitar on the Strat, and a better vocal.

15 One Mind
A little acoustic guitar based blues to round off - hope you enjoy the collection.