Hooker, John Lee with The Groundhogs - Hooker & The Hogs


Year of Release: 2003
Label: Sanctuary Records Group
Catalog Number: 81253
Format: CD
Total Time: 52:17:00

When John Lee Hooker met with The Groundhogs it was blues magic. When he traveled to England, he enjoyed playing live with the Hogs as his back up band. Originally, the father of the British blues John Mayall had the job sewn up, until Eric Clapton quit his band and then plans changed. Much to the delight of guitarist Tony McPhee, the Hogs were in.

Hooker was so pleased with the Hogs and their efforts that he decided to go into the studio in 1965 to cut an album with them. This is a paring comparable to the Hooker and Canned Heat sessions that took place many years later. This CD is part of the Sanctuary Blues Masters and it brings to light those original sessions. I stress the word "original" as other unauthorized versions have surfaced with horns added that were not part of the original mix. It was the intention of Hooker and the Hogs to have only these genuine versions found on this CD released. Four bonus tracks from the John Lee vaults are part of this collection as well to make this an even more enticing purchase for blues enthusiasts. The tracks cover the gamut of the hurtin' kind of blues one can have, from "Wandering Blues" to "Goin' Mad Blues."

This is archetypal John Lee with one of the great white boy blues-rock bands from England. Nobody makes blues music like this anymore and I guarantee it is just as good as you would expect from a great band backing a blues legend. You know it had to the best if Mr.Hooker was running the show.


Tracklisting:
Mai Lee (3:29) / I'm Losing You (3:53) / Little Girl Go Back To School (3:52) / Little Dreamer (4:19) / Don't Be Messin' With My Bread (3:20) / Bad Luck And Trouble (4:02) / Waterfront (4:13) / No One Pleases Me But You (2:24) / It's Rainin' Here (3:22) / It's A Crazy Mixed Up World (4:16) / Seven Days And Seven Nights (3:39) / John Lee Hooker Bonus Tracks: Wandering Blues (2:59) / Goin' Mad Blues (3:47) / Black Man Blues (3:31) / Helpless Blues (3:41)

Tracks 1-11 In Mono with The Groundhogs, Tracks 12-15 Hooker with guests

Musicians:
John Lee Hooker - guitar, vocals
Dave Boorman - drums
Tony McPhee - guitar
Pete Cruikshank - bass
Tom Parker - organ

Discography:
extensive discography

Genre: Other

Origin VA

Added: March 9th 2003
Reviewer: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck
Score:
Artist website: www.rosebudus.com/hooker
Hits: 2268
Language: english

  

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