We’re seem to have gone all Howlin Wolf!
After a century of only listening mainly to RL Burnside we seem to have a new obsession. Or rather, an old obsession has returned.
Howling Wolf is really extraordinary. There is often no discernible note in what he’s singing. Just a man gargling rusty nails. And the phrasing is crackers, making it all but impossible to work out that it’s just another song about a train. But he invests a handful of words with enough meaning to fill a library. And each song has a signature harp riff.
We’re not so interested in his various 12 bar workouts. You may not have notices, but Slim Jim Blues are a bit unusual as a blues band as we pretty much avoid the 12 bar format.
So here’s some of the stuff that we’ve been listening to.
Of course they all have alternate titles. In fact, when you pair up the titles, you find HW’s output is only half what you think it is. Who’s been talking is the same as Cause of it all. Wreck my life is the same as No Place To Go
You could probably reduce it even further. Several of the Chicago recordings are very similar to the earlier Memphis recordings, for example ‘Smokestack’ is very similar to ‘Crying at Daybreak’ (also known as ‘Crying at Daylight’).
It don’t matter. The songs are as immense as the man himself. They grind along relentlessly like some out of control Killdozer.
Look out for more Howling Wolf in the Slimjim set!
Slim Jim Blues 