Search - Bo Diddley :: Story of Bo Diddley: Very Best of

The Brits Remember Bo...

J P Ryan | Waltham, Massachusetts United States | 10/31/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Here in the U.S., the most innovative figure to emerge from rock 'n' roll's first generation passed his 75th birthday without notice, followed by yet another yawn upon the 50th anniversary of his first classic recordings, which are probably as influential as Armstrong's Hot Fives and Sevens were on jazz. I don't expect to see the constant flow of product we've seen by Elvis (from classy, well researched box sets covering every period of his career to the shabbiest grabs for a quick buck), but even Chuck Berry was feted (deservedly so) on his 60th birthday with a big screen tribute from director Taylor Hackford and Rolling Stone Keith Richards - who would certainly agree that Bo Diddley had as much impact on the Stones' evolution as Berry. But the neglect of the Bo Diddley legacy indeed lementable. Of the twenty or so albums Mr Diddley released on Chess between 1955 and 1974, only one (!) has been remastered for CD in the U.S. these past fifteen years, "Bo Diddley Is A Gunslinger" (1960) released in a classy, expanded edition in 2004 along with a pair of Chuck Berry classics. What we have instead are the 1989 "Chess Box", a 2-CD set that has many fascinating rarities as well as key tracks covering 1955 - 69. But 1989 was very early in the CD era, and the sound quality on that set is as thin and cold as most early compact discs. Its most essential feature is the revelatory essay by the late critic Robert Palmer, which I strongly recommend to fans and those poor souls who consider Bo a limited artist best remembered for the shave-and-a-haircut rhythm first heard on his debut single. Palmer, author of "Deep Blues" gives a deep and satisfying analysis of Bo's artistry and inportance. More recently we have seen "The Definitive Collection" (1997, reissued in 2007), a decent 20 song sampler that has been superbly remastered but, at under an hour, can hardly be described as a comprehensive or generous collection. This UK 2-CD collection goes far deeper into Bo's catalog, and is a godsend to those looking for decent transfers of long out of print favorites, yet remains less than entirely satisfying. Compiled from a British perspective, we get tracks that were embraced by that country's most important rock 'n' rollers, such as 'Here 'Tis' (covered by the Yardbirds), and 'Craw-dad' (one of many Bo compositions covered by the early Stones). The mastering is decent, as are

the liner notes, which nevertheless lack the depth and breadth of Palmer's (admittedly a high standard). Furthermore, many of the tracks included on the set, which are programmed somewhat randomly, go undiscussed in the booklet, which also provides no annotation. A track from 1956 may be followed by one from 1965, then back to 1955 and forward to 1970. Yet with no serious reissue campaign planned in his home country, "The Story Of Bo Diddley" is essential at this point in time, for there are scores of rarely heard gems that prove - if there was ever any question - just how prolific Bo Diddley was in his prime. Imagine the Stones without Bo (and check out Gus Coral's great book "Black & White Blues", with photographs documenting the Stones' first UK tour out of the clubs, in 1963, playing on a bill with Bo, who has remained a lifelong friend, as well as Little Richard and the Everly Brothers). Then recall the Yardbirds, Pretty Things, Doors, Who, or Buddy Holly. The White Stripes are one obvious contemporary band who are clearly indebted to his work. Bo Diddley is part of the DNA of rock 'n' roll, and his work is here to stay: grunge godfather, rhythm king long before James Brown, a man who proudly called what he created "Jungle Music." And let's tell Unaversal in the U.S. that his work demands the same respect - and availability - accorded Sinatra, Elvis, or Muddy Waters.

In what I hope is a portent of things to come, Hip-O has just issued "I'm A Man", a 2-CD boxed set that collects all of his studio recordings from early 1955 thgrough through January 1958, and it is conceptually utterly different from the the import under discussion. Finally, thanks to producer Andy McKaie, we are treated to some astonishing treats from the vaults, such as two terrific alternate takes of "Bo Diddley" itself that are remarkable for both their quality as well as how different they are from the third, issued take. It's a limited edition, and highly recommended."