"…Wang Dang Doodle…"
Like many avid collectors
I've felt that Universal's 2CD 'Deluxe Edition' series has had some dubious
expansions of popular albums across the reissue decades - forever chasing our
battered debit cards with yet another sonic temptation. But sometimes - just
sometimes - you get the perfect blend. You get a forgotten album that shouldn't
be - extras actually worthy of the moniker 'bonus tracks' - classy and
sympathetic presentation and a Remaster Engineer capable of bringing genuine
new life back into old recordings. Ladies and Gentlemen (and those of you who
aren't sure) - welcome to one of those 'DE' beauties. Here are the little red
roosters and the wang dang doodles...
Released March 2003 - "The
London Howlin' Wolf Sessions: Deluxe Edition" by HOWLIN' WOLF on
MCA/Chess 088 112 985-2 (Barcode 008811298524) is a 2CD set of Remasters and
breaks down as follows (see below re Single Disc ‘Rarities’ Edition):
Disc 1 (56:52 minutes):
1. Rockin' Daddy (Side 1)
2. A Ain't Superstitious
3. Sittin' On The Top Of The
World
4. Worried About My Baby
5. What A Woman!
6. Poor Boy
7. Build For Comfort (Side
2)
8. Who's Been Talking?
9. The Red Rooster (False
Start And Dialogue)
10. The Red Rooster
11. Do The Do
12. Highway 49
13. Wang Dang Doodle
Tracks 1 to 13 are the album
"The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions" - released August 1971 in the UK
on Rolling Stones Records COC 47101 and Chess CH-60008 in the USA
14. Goin' Down Slow
15. Killing Floor
16. I Want A Word With You
Tracks 14 to 16 are Bonus
Tracks - they originally appeared on the American Muddy Waters & Howlin'
Wolf LP "London Revisited" from 1974 on Chess CH 60026. They're Newly
Remixed From The Session Multi-Tracks for this reissue
Disc 2 (52:50 minutes):
1. Worried About My Baby
(Rehearsal Take)
2. The Red Rooster
(Alternate Mix With Alternate Piano)
3. What A Woman (A/K/A/
Commit A Crime) (Alternate Take)
4. Who's Been Talking (Alternate
Take With False Start & Dialog)
5. Worried About My Baby
(Alternate Take)
6. I Ain't Superstitious
(Alternate Take)
7. Highway 49 (Alternate
Take)
8. Do The Do (Extended
Alternate Take)
9. Poor Boy (Alternate
Lyrics Mix)
10. I Ain't Superstitious
(Alternate Mix)
11. What A Woman (A/K/A
Commit A Crime) (Alternate Mix With Organ Overdub)
12. Rockin' Daddy (Alternate
Mix)
(All tracks on Disc 2
PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED; Tracks 1 to 8 are newly remixed - Tracks 9 to 12 are the
original 1970 mixdown sessions)
It was reissued in the UK on MCA/Chess 0600753278505 (Barcode 600753278505) in a 2CD jewel case - dropping the 'DE' packaging of a gatefold digipak in a wrap.
The first thing that hits
you is the awesome sound - remastered by ERICK LABSON. I've sung this man's
praises before on many occasions - he's one of Universal's principal sound
engineers and has been involved in excess of 1,100 reissues including the vast
majority of the huge Chess catalogue. This guy knows his way around tapes like
this - and his work here is fabulous - ballsy, clear and full of power. Once of
the outer DELUXE EDITION plastic slipcase - the gatefold card digipak offers up
a wide and long booklet that is classily put together. You get a revealing
interview with NORMAN DAYRON the original engineer, pictures from the period
and sessions and a recording credits roll call of ace British and American
musicians lining up to play with their hero - ERIC CLAPTON (Guitars), STEVE
WINWOOD (Keyboards), BILL WYMAN and CHARLIE WATTS of THE ROLLING STONES (Bass
and Drums), HUBERT SUMLIN (Guitar), JEFFREY M. CARP (Harmonica), PHIL UPCHURCH
(Bass) and IAN STEWART with LAFAYETTE LEAKE (Piano) to name but some.
Like "Fathers &
Sons" with Muddy Waters and The Paul Butterfield Band blowing up a storm
in 1969 - I've always felt this "London Session" was one of the most
successful of those Blues-Rock collaboration albums precisely because of who
was involved (Clapton in particular was in blinding form). Chester Burnett
wasn't in the best of health (he would be lost to us in early 1976) - and at
times his voice does seem ever so-slightly uncomfortable with the arrangements
and the UK surroundings - but Clapton and his adoring boys broke the ice and
brought in a formidable project in the end.
Side 1 opens with the Wolf's
own "Rockin' Daddy" followed by Willie Dixon's "I Ain't
Superstitious" and the joint is jumping right away. We get mean and gritty
with a harmonica and piano-driven "Sittin' On Top Of The World" and
the horns of Dennis Lansing, Joe Miller and Jordan Sandke back up the band for
"Built For Comfort". Clapton tears into "Red Rooster" -
really enjoying himself after giving the master the respect he needed by asking
the Wolf to lead on guitar. But if was to single out two killers - it's the
rocking "What A Woman!" and the unbelievably good Blues Boogie of
"Highway 49" (a Joe Williams cover). I've put them on countless Shop
Play CDs in Reckless - and it never failed - kids rushing to the counter
wanting to know who `the real deal' is...
The 3 extras on Disc 1 are
unbelievable - "Goin' Down Slow" featuring blistering slow bluesy
harmonica playing from Jeffrey Carp - then his own "Killing Floor" in
boogie style with the band sounding in your face and loving it. As if that's
not enough - Disc 1 finishes with another storming version of one of the
album's highlights "What A Woman!" Wow!
It's arguable that Disc 2 is
actually a better album - meaner and grittier - with versions that are complete
but rougher around their frayed edges. The slashing slide guitar on "Red
Rooster" and the boogie of "What A Woman!" are fantastic stuff.
Love the harmonica and shambolic feel to "Worried About My Baby" -
razor sharp bass and vocals too in the remaster. And the piano is far more to
the fore for "Highway 49" - his presence exuding out of the speakers
("stop by the whiskey store...and get me a jug of wine...").
Hospitalised in late 1975
with liver failure after an automobile accident - he passed away 10 January
1976 - one of the true greats - a Blues force of nature that wouldn't be tamed.
Hit the Blues Highway 49
children and start your journey to the dark side here...
PS: There is a subsequent
American-only 2010 single-disc reissue called "The London Howlin' Wolf
Sessions (Rarities Edition) - Essential Collector's Tracks" on MCA/Chess
B0013720-02 (Barcode 602527256207). It's 15-tracks gather up Tracks 14, 15 and
16 on Disc 1 and Tracks 1 to 12 on Disc of the DELUXE EDITION and clumps them
all onto 1CD. I mention this because unfortunately if you use the Barcode for
that one-disc version (602527256207) - Amazon will bring to what looks like the
2CD DE version when it's not. If you want the 2CD-DE Version - you must use the
Barcode provided above in my review (Barcode 600753278505)...
