Listen to This: John Lee Hooker
I'm going to try to commit to recommending one band or artist every Friday. In some cases, I may write a lot and in others, like today, I'll keep it quick. I'll also try to make sure that every recommendation I give is a quality one. I can't think of a better place to start than with John Lee Hooker.
Most people might remember Hooker from the movie, The Blues Brothers, where he plays "Boom Boom" on the streets of Chicago. He looks like an old bluesman. I've seen pictures of him from when he was younger. I think he's always looked like an old bluesman. His music is one of the definitive sounds of the blues between the 50's and 70's.
Right now, I'm playing a 1970 recording of "Burning Hell" over and over again. It's completely, and utterly, badass. Just a steady bass beat; a muted, chugging guitar; an intense electric harp; and Hooker's deep, blues soaked voice. I'm pretty sure the devil was sitting in the recording booth when it was recorded.
Find songs like "Boogie Chillen," "Boom Boom," "Huckle Up Baby," and especially "Burning Hell" to get an idea of what makes Hooker's blues so good. If you get hooked, go buy some of his cds. A good place to start would be "The Very Best of John Lee Hooker," which has a really great selection of his best material. It's good stuff, my friends. Most definitely.
Posted by Mr. Eff on 10/15/2004 || link
