Howlin' Wolf at 6'4" was an imposing figure with a voice to match his physique and a harmonica style drenched in the sounds of the streets of Chicago.
His debut collection of singles "Moanin' At The Moon" was released in 1959 and included the Chess classic "Smokestack Lightnin'" with it's now legendary guitar riff from Hubert Sumlin, the song was a constant live favourite from the Yardbirds both with Clapton and Beck on guitar.
The Wolf was the most influential bluesman in his own state of Mississippi, even today local singers still imitate his growling vocals.
It was his second collection of singles "Howlin' Wolf" (known as the Rocking Chair Album due to the cover) which when released in 1962 that had the biggest impact on the growing British blues scene. By this time The Wolf had teamed up with Willie Dixon and tracks such as "Spoonful", "The Red Rooster", "Going Down Slow", "Tell Me" and "Back Door Man" would be covered and aired in all the blues clubs of the time.
Next to Robert Johnson The Wolf is probably Clapton's next biggest influence and "Spoonful" was duly covered in the Cream debut album "Fresh Cream", the Stones of course added "Little" to "The Red Rooster" and I don't mean just in the title!
These albums and artist continued to influence beyond the original blues boom with late seventies band "Dr Feelgood" and eighties legends "Nine Below Zero" both heavily basing their sound on The Wolf's vibe.
Beyond these two albums we must not forget perhaps one of my all time favourite songs "Killing Floor" which appeared on the 1966 album "Real Folk Blues" or the legendary London Sessions of the early seventies when The Wolf was backed in the studio by many of his pupils!
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1 comments:
Wolf was great. I reckon his best work was the London Sessions recorded with good musicians and production. The version of Little Red Rooster was great. Similarly John Lee Hooker's best work was with Canned Heat and the albums The Healer and Mr. Lucky because of who he was working with.
I know you'll probably disagree H.D. but consider this:
Q: How many blues devotees does it take to change a lightbulb?
A. Twelve. One to change the lihghtbulb and the other eleven to stand around discussing how they preferred the old lightbulb!!
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