Entries by Morten Reff

CBID is the Chuck Berry International Directory, a 2.200 page pile of Chuck Berry records information published in four volumes between 2008 and 2013. For details see the bibliography section of this site.

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: Johnny B. Goode was released as a single in March 1958. In the US it took until late 1959 when the hit finally appeared on Chuck Berry Is On Top. However, this was not the first LP release of this song. Here's the album to know. Also we show yet another version of the CHUCK album as an addition to our blog post of November 2017.

AUSTRALIA
Correction - see Volume 4, page 1989

ONE DOZEN BERRYS
Philips B 94229 L • 1958

Sorry folks but there is a very important difference on this Australian release, compared to the US one. They actually changed the dreadful “Low Feeling” with the classic “Johnny B. Goode”.
I didn’t see this when doing CBID Vol. 4. But what an intelligent thing to do.
Of course Chess should have done exactly the same thing since the song and album came out in the US at the same time, March 1958. The actual album could even have hit the charts. The front cover is the same as the US one but the back is different, just the titles on side 1 and 2 and a survey of other Philips albums (no rock’n’roll though).
This means actually that Johnny B. Goode first appeared on an LP in 1958, in Australia. Unfortunately we don’t know for sure when this album came out in 1958.
Thanks to Thierry Chanu for making me aware of this fact.

POLAND / EU

CHUCK
Decca 00602557682472 (86) • 2017

I just came across another issue of the «Chuck» album, namely from Poland.
It comes in a CD Jewel case (plastic) with booklet and is on Decca 00602557682472 (86). The front cover is a little bit different because of the white line going all around. It’s printed in very small lettering: ZAGRANICZNA PLYTA – POLSKA CENA, repeated over and over again on the white line. This is also printed on the inside of the back cover visible when you look at the CD itself. I have scanned the front, back, inside cover and label. The CD label says made in the EU but the cat.no is different from the UK one although the label look exactly the same except for the number.
The shrink wrap has a red/white/black sticker on it.

CBID is the Chuck Berry International Directory, a 2.200 page pile of Chuck Berry records information published in four volumes between 2008 and 2013. For details see the bibliography section of this site.

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: Some observations and yet another list of cover versions to be added to the chapter on Chuck Berry covers in Volume 3:

There’s lot of versions of Johnny B. Goode on the net but many of them are for download only. I am glad that I am not doing the books now (especially Vol. 3) as there would have been a complete mess finding out if the actual songs are available on any CDs.

I also found a duo calling themselves Johnny B. Goode (yes) and a girl quartet named The Maybellene’s, both seem to be from the US.

Note: “Back In The USA” by Starbyrd we will have to place in the NO Chuck section, it’s not Berry’s!

Also, “Run Rudolph Run” by Chuck is featured in many films, as we know. A more recent movie from 2015 titled “A Christmas Melody” has this played when the family is driving from one place to another. Cast Lacey Nicole Chabert and Brennan Elliott. Directed by Mariah Carey who also has a role in this movie.

DONALD FAGEN (USA)

Donald Jay Fagen from New Jersey, born in 1948, is a singer and keybord player and probably best known for being a co-founder of the 1970s pop-rock/jazz band Steely Dan.

Viva, Viva Rock & Roll (2:42) 2007 (live)

CD: Morph The Cat [Reprise 43325-2] • USA, 2007
5-CD box: Cheap Xmas: Donald Fagen Complete [Rhino/Warner Bros. 812279328 2] • USA, 2017

Interesting to see that he covers an obscure Berry rocker. He does a great job of it, and you can even find a performance on You Tube.

ADAM DOUGLAS (USA/Norway)

Born in the USA (Oklahoma), but now living in Norway (Harestua . Hadeland). Born in 1981. He’s a very versatile artist performing rock’n’roll/soul/blues type of music, and released his debut album in 2015, “I May Never Learn”. He competed in the Norwegian TV-show Stjernekamp (=Starfight) in 2017 and won.

Run Rudolph Run (4:01) 2017

CD: An American Holiday [Reva Records CA-19] • Norway, 2018

Recorded live in Nordstrand Kirke, Oslo, Norway. (Kirke = Church) This was also a TV-programme. This version of the Berry classic doesn’t run so much and the guitar solo is more 60s/70s lacking the most.

JOHNNY FRITZ (Canada)

Country singer/songwriter , born 1961 in a small town just outside of Toronto.

Johnny B. Goode (4:02) 2015

CD: No End In Sight [J Fritz 234639] • Canada, 2015

ERIN HARPE And The DELTA SWINGERS (USA)

Run Rudolph Run (3:33) 2018

CD: Christmas Swing [Vizz Tone CD-VTJJ-003] • USA, 2018

WALLIS LAKE & The Surfin’ Guitars (USA)

Brown Eyed Handsome Man (2:03) 1963
Let It Rock [as ‘Rocking On The Railroad’] ( : ) 1963

45: 4 Sons Records 4106 • USA, 1963

Label out of Paris, Tennessee. Again interesting to see a double sided Berry cover 45. There’s no year printed on the label, but because of the mistitle of “Let It Rock” it’s probably taken from the Berry “On Stage” Chess LP from August ’63. I haven’t heard it but it should be interesting to hear if they by any chance used the new arrangement of “Brown Eyed Handsome Man” which was also included on the “On Stage” album.

RONNIE LANE (UK)

See Volume 3, page 1305 for biographical info.

You Never Can Tell (9:57) 1980 (live)

CD: Live At Rockpalast 1980 [MIG Music 90542 CD] • Germany, 2012

Recorded on 19 March 1980 in Cologne, West Germany. This is okay but nothing more, even though he has Ian Stewart with him on piano. Almost 10 minutes, I still feel it doesn’t swing enough.

SCORPIONS (UK)

See volume 3, page 1492 for biographical info.

Guitar Boogie (instr) (2:20) 1959
Rock At The Philarmonic [as ‘Rockin’ At The Phil’] (instr) (3:52) 1960

CD: The Scorpions: Anthology 1959-1965 [Wooden Hill WHCD-004] • UK, 1996

When Vol.3 was published I didn’t have this particular CD. I was quite certain that it was the same version and nobody told me that “Guitar Boogie” was actually a Berry cover and not Arthur Smith’s. Anyway, it turns out that the numbers here were recorded in November 1959 and December 1960 respectively. AND the version of “Rockin’ At The Phil” is a totally different take, going much slower and stretched out to almost four minutes. However, it doesn’t have the fire and power of the released fast and shorter version. “Guitar Boogie” is not in the same league, it’s messy and in poorer sound quality.
The CD contains 32 tracks, many instrumentals.

SHIVAREE (USA)

Alternative pop/rock band formed in 1997 and consisted of Ambrosia Parsley (vocals), Danny McGough (keyboards), Duke McVinnie (guitar). Probably best known for “Goodnight Moon”, a song used in both Dawson’s Creek and Volume 2 of Kill Bill. The band separated officially the same year the album below came out.

I Want To Be Your Driver [as ‘ I Wanna Be Your Driver’] (2:29) 2007

CD: Tainted Love: Mating Calls And Fight Songs [Zoë Records ZOE 01143-1092-2] • USA, 2007

This is quite okay, but too much noise for me, and the guitarist is no rock’n’roller to say the least.

RON WILLIAMS (USA)

Country singer/songwriter in the traditional style. Son of country singer/songwriter Leona Williams.

Nadine (3:18) 2013

CD: Foolproof [Loveshine CD-4261] • USA, 2013

A solid rendition of this Berry classic, with fiddle, steel and a horn section.

CBID is the Chuck Berry International Directory, a 2.200 page pile of Chuck Berry records information published in four volumes between 2008 and 2013. For details see the bibliography section of this site.

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: Chapter 18 in Volume 2 has a complete discography, full session information and everything else of interest about Johnnie Johnson, Berry's great pianist. Here's an addition to the Johnnie Johnson discography:

SESSION WORK and GUEST APPEARANCES

Kentucky Headhunters With Johnnie Johnson (USA)
MEET ME IN BLUESLAND
CD: Alligator Records ALCD-4965 • USA, 2015

Stumblin’ / Walking With The Wolf / Little Queenie / She’s Got To Have It ◊ / Party In Heaven / Meet Me In Bluesland / King Rooster / Shufflin’ Back To Memphis / Fast Train / Sometime / Superman Blues

11 tracks, recorded 26-28 January 2003 at Barrick Recording Studio, Glasgow, Kentucky. Johnnie plays piano on all tracks and does vocals on one song marked ◊. Two of the songs have typical Berry guitar and beat, “Stumblin’, a very goode one, and “Party In Heaven”. For some strange reason this album was never released when Johnnie was alive. They say that the session was actually a spontaneous one and therefore no immediate plans to release an album. Luckily it became a reality in 2015. Three more songs were later featured on an album by the Kentucky Headhunters in 2019 (see below). See also cover versions for extra comments on “Little Queenie”.
This album should be in every Berry fan’s collection. It has drive and the piano of Johnnie is spot on. Play It Johnnie…!

Kentucky Headhunters (USA)
LIVE AT THE RAMBLIN’ MAN FAIR
CD: Alligator Records ALCD-4988 • USA, 2019

Rock Me Baby / Rock-N-Roller / Hi-Heel Sneakers

Johnnie does not play on other tracks. The three tracks were recorded 26-28 January 2003 (see “Meet Me In Bluesland” above). Johnnie really shines on “Rock-N-Roller”. The other 10 tracks on the album were recorded live in 2016 at the Ramblin’ Man Fair in Maidstone, UK (it was part of an European tour). They even do a couple of Johnnie Johnson co-written songs, “Shufflin’ Back To Memphis” and “Walking With The Wolf”. They also do “Stumblin’ “. However, the band sounds different on stage, much more rock and heavier and therefore I feel they lose a lot of their integrity and individual style.

CBID is the Chuck Berry International Directory, a 2.200 page pile of Chuck Berry records information published in four volumes between 2008 and 2013. For details see the bibliography section of this site.

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: Besides covering Chuck Berry and Johnnie Johnson, CBID also has chapter 19 containing a session discography as well as record releases by the Berry-inspired US artist Eddy Clearwater. Here's another CD containing an Eddy performance:

CDs

BLUES TO BOP LUGANO

CD: Altri Suoni (Casino Lugano) AS-058 • Switzerland, 1999

Don’t Steal My Blues

12 tracks. This was recorded at the annual festival in Lugano, Switzerland called Lugano Blues To Bop, 2-5 September 1999, It’s a very long stretched out slow blues, clocking in at 12:46, written by Eddy himself. The other performers on the CD are Ian Siegel, Mike Stresser & Ed Gents, John Crampton, Captain Luke, Judith Emmeline, John Carter Cash a.o. I have tried to check what happened during the festival and who backed Eddy on the show but with no luck. There’s no such info on the album. However he is augmented by both tenor saxophone and organ in addition to bass and drums.

CBID is the Chuck Berry International Directory, a 2.200 page pile of Chuck Berry records information published in four volumes between 2008 and 2013. For details see the bibliography section of this site.

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: a 2018 vinyl single

Back In The USA / Memphis, Tennessee
Chess TMR-529 (UMG Recordings Inc.) • 2018
[Manufactured by Universal Music]

This was released on Black Friday November 2018. The label is a replica of the Chess silver top, which is kinda silly as the original single came out in 1959 on the blue label with vertical silver Chess logo. It comes in a new designed Chess sleeve, printed in 2017. The sound is very good. Great for old jukeboxes. This is also out in brown vinyl in case you got to have everything (unfortunately I do).

CBID is the Chuck Berry International Directory, a 2.200 page pile of Chuck Berry records information published in four volumes between 2008 and 2013. For details see the bibliography section of this site.

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: Cassette tapes contributed to a large part of worldwide sales of prerecorded music throughout the 1970s to 1990s. The first commercial MCs were produced by Phillips/Mercury in 1966. Most MCs were duplicates of LP albums, which is why collectors typically go for the original. This one here is an exception.

UK

FROM ST. LOUIE TO FRISCO
MC: Mercury CMP-7029 • 1968

Side 1: Louie To Frisco / Ma Dear / Misery / I Love Her, I Love Her / Little Fox
Side 2: Soul Rockin’ / I Can’t Believe / The Love I Lost / My Tambourine / Rock Cradle Rock / Oh Captain / Mum’s The Word

Now here is a rarity. It’ s the first time we write about a certain cassette, since it was only issued like this in the UK. Why they chose to ignore an LP is anyone’s guess. I have collected Berry records since the mid ‘60s and have never seen a copy. I actually wondered if what I heard back then was just a fabrication, since it never showed up anywhere. UNTIL 14 days ago (mid September 2018) it suddenly turned up on eBay in all its glory(?). I should have loved to see my face when I spotted it. I bid so high (bidnapper - £ 171,-) that absolutely no-one would beat me. I ended up paying £ 26,- + postage for a cassette which is really somethin’ else, all things considered.
I have written the sequence of the songs as they are a little bit different than on the LP because of the length of the individual songs. As you can see the MC cover is just an extract from the original album cover. The stereo sound is the usual Mercury without depth.
Anyway, my UK Berry collection is finally complete(?) except for a few promos. Not bad after over 50 years.

CBID is the Chuck Berry International Directory, a 2.200 page pile of Chuck Berry records information published in four volumes between 2008 and 2013. For details see the bibliography section of this site.

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: Chapter 7 in Volume 2 is about "Chuck Berry in the movies". This includes both those movies Berry is shown on screen and those having soundtrack albums featuring one or more Berry recordings. Here's a new one of the latter type:

THE HITMAN’S BODYGUARD
Millennium Media (Colour, 118 min.) • USA, 2017

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson • Directed by Patrick Hughes

An action comedy featuring Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson and Gary Oldman. Other artists on the soundtrack include Lloyd Price, Memphis Slim, Lionel Richie, Bobby Bland, Foreigner, King Harvest, Junior Wells Chicago Blues Band, Atli Örvasson, the latter wrote the music score.

THE HITMAN’S BODYGUARD
Millenium 88235 02533-9 - 4k Ultra HD Blu-ray (2 discs) Colour 118 min.• USA, 2017
Also available as DVD.

Berry’s Little Queenie is heard in the movie and was also included on the soundtrack album (CD and LP). The album has 15 tracks but there are 24 songs featured in the movie.
THE HITMAN’S BODYGUARD
Milan Records N2 36887 • 2017
Little Queenie

CBID is the Chuck Berry International Directory, a 2.200 page pile of Chuck Berry records information published in four volumes between 2008 and 2013. For details see the bibliography section of this site.

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: 31 artists/groups – 44 new cover versions to be added to the chapter on Chuck Berry covers in Volume 3 (+ 1 correction)

BRYAN ADAMS (Canada)

See Volume 3, page 1034 for biographical info.

Rock And Roll Music (2:34) 2014

CD: Tracks Of My Years [Verve (Badman) 96823 7] • USA, 2014

Here Adams has gone back to his roots and recorded songs from the likes of the Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, the Beatles, John Fogerty, Eddie Cochran and more. There are three variants of the album, standard edition (11 tracks), De Luxe edition (16 tracks) and a Japanese edition (17 tracks).

ANIMALS (UK)

See Volume 3, pages 1041-42 for biographical info.

Sweet Little Sixteen ( : ) 1966 (live)

LP: Five Animals Don’t Stop No Show [Rhythm & Blues LPR&B-13] • UK, 2017 (RSD)

Recorded live for a BBC radio session in 1966. RSD means that the record was released in time with the internationally celebrated Record Store Day, here in April 2017.

MARCEL BONTEMPI (Germany)

Real name Marcel Sala-Keikel from Kassel. Has been around since the mid ‘90s and in the 2000s released several singles on various labels. In 2015 a CD was released containing many various recordings and demos.

Havana Moon (3:23) 2018

45: Twi-Lite TL-002 • 2018, Germany

Sounds a bit like Carlos Santana’s version from 1983. Although a little more simple arrangement. Bontempi plays all the instruments himself according to the sleeve.

BRAD & BRIAN (USA)

Duo from Vermont, New England. No more information available.

No Money Down (2:49) 1966

LP: Brad & Brian [Allen TR4M-5080/5081] • USA, 1966

Acoustic rousing bluesy version, according to someone who’s heard it. Recorded at Allen Associates by Glenn Allen. The album proclaims that the music is blues, folk, rock and pop by the duo. I think this must have been a local maybe private pressing.

CADILLAC, The (Hungary)

Rock’n’roll revival group from Budapest. Been around since the early ‘90s.

Sweet Little Sixteen (4:09) 1994 (live)

CD: Live ’94 [Bál-Na Produkció ? ] • Hungary, 1994

Roll Over Beethoven (2:33) 1997

CD: The Cadillac’s Showtime [Cadillac & Maximusic Records CAD 59-01] • Hungary, 1997

CASTAWAYS (Philippines)

Sonny Baecher (vocals),Tony Jalandoni (lead guitar), Charlie Meeleib (rhythm guitar), Bobby Juico (bass), Danny Pangan (drums).

Sweet Little Sixteen (2:10) 1970s

45: Silahis Records SRS-077 • Philippines, 1970s

CHICAGO BLUES ALL STARS (USA)

See page 1265 under CLIFTON JAMES
This should actually have been listed under Chicago Blues All Stars and not Clifton James. Don’t know what the people at Laserlight were thinking as the info on the actual “Chicago Blues Band” CD listed under Clifton James in Vol.3 are full of mistakes and wrong info. The band was really called Chicago Blues All Stars and the personnel on the actual recording were as follows: led by Willie Dixon (bass), Lafayette Leake (piano), Lee Jackson (guitar), Walter Horton (harmonica), Clifton James (drums). So it actually should read something like this:

Wee Wee Hours (5:10) (live) 1970

2-CD: Chicago Blues All Stars 1970 [Klondike KL2CD-5084] • USA, 2017

Vocals by Clifton James. Recorded in Germany on 8 November 1970. CD 1 is by this group performing 10 tracks and the rest they are backing Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
CD 2 has more by Rosetta Tharpe and also gospel groups The Patterson Singers and Stars Of Faith, all backed by the band.

ERIC CLAPTON (UK)

See Volume 3, page 1126 for biographical info.

Little Queenie (6:18) 1974 (live)

2-CD: Eric Clapton: Life In 12 bars [Universal 673212-9] • UK, 2018

Previously unreleased. Recorded live at Long Beach Arena, California in July ’74. 32 tracks. Also released as a 4-LP deluxe set. Music on the 2-CD set is taken from a documentary about the life and times of Clapton. Available as DVD and Blue-Ray.

JESSIE CLARK (USA)

Contemporary country/folk artist from Norfolk, Nebraska. Sounds a bit like Anne Murray.

Johnny B. Goode (3:07) 2015

CD: Beautiful Night [Praire Wind Records 888295211000] • USA, 2015

Again interesting to notice the inclusion of Berry’s classic, as the other 11 tracks are not familiar with me at all.

FOX AND THE RAIDERS (USA)

Garage band.

Roll Over Beethoven (2:30) 1965

45: Disaster Records DR-140 • 1965

Record label out of Inidianois, Mississippi

GIBASDRA (Sweden)

It seems like they are a dance band type of thing, however, they look like a rock band.

You Never Can Tell (“Monsieur Pierre”) ( : ) early 1970s

45: California C-5661 (PS) • Sweden, 1970s

I haven’t heard this but the Swedish title is identical to the one by the Streaplers from 1970.

HERMANOS CARRION (Mexico)

Memphis, Tennessee [“Memphis”] (2:18) 1966

EP: La Llorona [Orfeon EP-613] • Mexico, 1966

Singing in Spanish. Arranged as the Johnny Rivers version.

HOLLIES (UK)

See Volume 3, pages 1252-53 for biographical info.

Reelin’ And Rockin’ (2:28) 1963 (live)
Roll Over Beethoven ( : ) 1963 (live)
Too Much Monkey Business (2:02) 1965 (live)

LP: Shake With The Hollies [Rhythm & Blues LPR&B-14] • UK, 2017 (RSD)

The first two covers were recorded live in concert 1963 (not the best of sound), and the last one was recorded live in 1965 for the Shindig! TV show in the US. RSD = Record Store Day, April 2017.

BRIAN JAMES (UK)

Born Brian Robertson in Hammersmith, London in 1955. Regarded as a punk-rock guitarist and also a founding member of bands like The Damned and The Lords Of The New Church. He’s also been involved in other bands and has released several solo projects.

Around And Around (2:31) 2017

45EP: Too Hot To Pop [Easy Action EARS-134] • UK, 2017

First I thought it was something wrong with the pickup but it wasn’t. A crash site for sound. I don’t know who decided to make it like this but it didn’t work at all. Punk rock. The four track vinyl EP also includes “Route 66” with a Berry beat which is ok but nothing more, “Long Tall Shorty” using a little bit of Berry guitar sound, and finally “Living Doll” which I won’t comment.
Brian wrote the liner notes on the back side: When Mr. Chuck Berry died recently I figured it was time to cover one of his songs as a tribute (also check out the title of this EP). Then I thought why stop there? So I settled on an EP of my childhood faves, hope you dig ‘em, they were fun to play. So now you know.

JOHNNY LABORIEL (Mexico)

Memphis, Tennessee [as “Memphis”] (2:33) 1964

EP: Que Hice You de Malo [Orfeon EP-379] • Mexico, 1964

Singing in Spanish. Arranged as the Johnny Rivers version.

LA CRUZ (Mexico)

Roll Over Beethoven (4:10) 1970s

45: Discos Versalles VER-001 • Mexico, 1970s

This turned up on eBay August 2017 but without any reference to year of release. However, because of the length of the song it’s probably modeled after the ELO 1972 version (?)

JIMMY LaFAVE (USA)

Folk singer/songwriter. Born in Wills Point, Texas 1955 but grew up in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Died in Austin, Texas 2017, 61 years of age. A great fan of Woodie Guthrie and a friend of the family, and have contributed on several Woodie Guthrie Folk Festivals. Actually, LaFave had been given 20 copies of lyrics from Guthrie by his daughter Nora Guthrie, for him to set music to. The album below features three of them. LaFave had released many albums since his first “Down Under” in 1979.

Promised Land ( : ) 2016

2-CD: Peace Town [Music Row Records ] • USA, 2018

A 20 track set containing various recordings made during the last year of his life.

ELISE LeGROW (Canada)

Pop singer, songwriter Elise Madeline LeGrow was born in 1987. She is known both as a solo act and as a member of the band Whale Tooth. In April 2012 she released her first self titled EP and later in the year she released a seven track album. The album below would be her first full solo album. You Never Can Tell was available for listeners on iTunes and Spotify from mid 2017.

You Never Can Tell (3:06) 2017
You Can’t Catch Me (medley) (3:01) 2017 (in medley with “You Can’t Judge A Book By The Cover”)

CD: Playing Chess [Awesome Music BMG 538337362] • USA, 2018

11 Chess classics. You Never Can Tell is a slow soulful rendition. The reason she did it this way, she says, is because most listeners, including myself, usually miss its lyrical depth. Our slower tempo highlights the poetry. You Can’t Catch Me is taken at a slower speed so that it fits with the Diddley number. Interesting combination.

LUIS LÓPEZ (El Salvador)

Johnny B. Goode [Ya Vas Barrabás, Ya Vas] (2:07) 1982

45: Dicesa DI-04 • El Salvador, 1982

Red vinyl.

TRINI LOPEZ (USA)

See Volume 3, page 1330 for biographical info.

You Never Can Tell (2:27) 2008

CD: Ramblin’ Man [Fuel CD-061731] • USA, 2008

Sorry to say but this sounds pretty dull and uninspiring. The album contains 14 various cover versions of songs ranging from “The Wanderer” and “Lay, Lady, Lay” to “Lady Madonna” and “Sugar Sugar” (yes), and of course remakes of “If I Had A Hammer” and “La Bamba”. Recorded at the Ranch Studio in Los Angeles. This was his 63rd studio album!

TONY MAC (USA)

Johnny B. Goode ( : ) 1960s

45: Jewel Records 806J-0928 • USA, 1960s

Record label out of MT Healthy, Ohio.

OFFENBACH (Canada)

Featuring Gerry Boulet.

Reelin’ And Rockin’ [Chu’ Un Rocker] (5:15) 1977

45: A&M AM-444 • Canada, 1977
LP: Offenbach [A&M SP-9027] • Canada, 1977

PACIFICS (Ireland)

Beat quartet from Dublin.

I’m Talking About You (1:38) 2011

45 EP: Play Favourites [Bachelor BR-51] • Ireland, 2011

Authentic ‘60s beat sound to this, in 2011.

RED ‘HOT^N’ BLUE (Norway)

A bluesy rock band from Bergen. Tim Wright (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Jan Gunnar Bortheim (guitar), Ole Brudvik (bass) and Karsten Olsen (drums).

School Day [“Schooldays”] (2:28) 1989

EP 45: Bring It On Home [Asyl Records UNI-109] • 1989, Norway

A pretty heavy blues-rock version with forceful vocals and driving guitar(s). Recorded at Bergen Lydstudio.

ROLLING STONES (UK)

See volume 3, pages 1475-1477 for biographical info.

Come On (2:02) 1963 (live – Saturday Club,26 October)
Roll Over Beethoven (2:19) 1963 (live – Saturday Club, 26 October)
Memphis, Tennessee (2:22) 1963 (live – Saturday Club, 26 October)
Around And Around (2:45) 1964 (live – Top Gear, 23 July)
Carol (2:31) 1964 (live – Saturday Club, 18 April)
Beautiful Delilah (2:10) 1964 (live – Saturday Club, 18 April)

2-CD: On Air [Polydor (BBC) 670 274-0] • UK, 2017

Finally after so many years we get a very good section of the Rolling Stones live from the BBC. Most of them have been frequently featured on various bootlegs throughout the years (no survey from me there).

Bye Bye Johnny (2:08) 1964 (live – Saturday Club, 8 February)
Carol (2:40) 1964 (live – The Joe Loss Pop Show, 17 July)

10” LP: The Rolling Stones Play Chuck Berry [Reel To Reel STONES-01] • UK, 2017

Sorry, this is probably a bootleg, but I just had to include it. The 10” vinyl contains 8 tracks. In addition to the two songs above it includes the following from the above 2-CD set: Come On, Roll Over Beethoven, Memphis Tennessee, Beautiful Delilah, Around And Around. Plus a cover version of Don’t You Lie To Me from Saturday Club, 8 February 1964. The front cover has a picture of Mick Jagger and Chuck Berry’s faces, which also decorates each label, side one and two respectively.
A limited edition of only 1000, mine is # 281.

CHRIS SMITHER (USA)

See Volume 3, page 1514 for biographical info.

Maybellene (2:56) 2017

CD: Call Me Lucky [Signature SIGCD-2093] • USA, 2018

A slower almost acoustic version in the traditionally Smither way.

STARGAZERS (UK)

See Volume 3, page 1530 for biographical info.

Roll Over Beethoven (2:30) 2018 (live)

CD: Rock That Swing [Part Records 3720] • Germany, 2018

Recorded live February 2018 in Munich, Germany during a boogie and swing festival. 11 bands from Germany, UK, Italy, France and Sweden.

STONE SOUP (USA)

Folk group from Upstate NY. John Bagale, Kira Kim-Fredell, Leila Núnez-Fredell, Peter Kim-Fredell. They also released an album in 2000 titled just “Stone Soup”.

Maybellene (3:59) 2018

CD: Big Wheel Turn [Unified Field Prod. 79857651332 0] • USA, 2018

A slow bluesy folk version, really effective.

THOMAS LAVELLE FOUR (UK)

You Never Can Tell (2:49) 2015

45: Rollin Records RR45-049 • UK

The Berry classic done the Jerry Lee Lewis way.

GEORGE THOROGOOD (USA)

See volume 3, page 1558 for biographical info, and a lot of other Berry covers.

It Wasn’t Me (7:32) 1980 (live)
No Particular Place To Go (6:04) 1980 (live)
Reelin’ And Rockin’ (7:25) 1980 (live)

2-CD: Live At Rockpalast – Dortmund 1980 [MIG 90722] • Germany, 2017

Now here we have Mr. Thorogood in full blast! I remember back in the early ‘80s that I watched this show on TV and it was quite different from what I have seen before. Playing guitar like a ringin’ a bell and walking down from the stage and mingle with the audience still playing all the way. What a revelation. On this set he plays four Elmore James classics (among others a fabulous version of “Madison Blues”), a little John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley and more.
Recorded at Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, Germany, 26 November ’80.

WILD ANGELS (UK)

See Volume 3, page 1603 for biographical info.

Promised Land ( : ) 2016
Reelin’ And Rockin’ ( : ) 2016

CD: Leathers, Studs ‘n’ Stripes [Crazy Times CTR-CD 119] • UK, 2017

Billed as The Legendary Wild Angels on the cover. Rob Davies (lead/rhythm guitar, vocals), Freddie Piretta (piano, accordion), Mitch Mitchell (bass, vocals), Bob Burgos (drums, vocals). Rob Davies is singing on the two Berry covers. Goode Rock’n’Roll music.

CBID is the Chuck Berry International Directory, a 2.200 page pile of Chuck Berry records information published in four volumes between 2008 and 2013. For details see the bibliography section of this site.

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: as single proudly claiming that you cannot hear Chuck Berry on it.

USA (?)

SIX WHOLE MINUTES OF GOLDEN SILENCE!
Vacuum Records • 1959

Part I: Golden Silence / Part II: Quiet! (Please?)

Not featuring the following artists: Elvis Presley, Frankie Avalon, Ricky Nelson, Little Anthony, Duane Eddy, Lydia E. Pinkham, Chuck Berry. Spike Jones couldn’t join us either…
As it’s printed on the label: (Any Speed) You don’t even need a record player.
Now this is a very special record indeed. There’s no music at all, just as it says, 3 minutes of silence on each side. And you can actually play it as it has grooves. BUT there’s no sound.
Who came up with this crazy idea is anybody’s guess. The cover is as thick as an EP cover. And you can enjoy(?) reading what’s not on the record, especially on the back (see picture).
I have tried to check it out on the net but there’s nothing to find, and if you search for Vacuum Record you’ll end up with a vinyl record cleaner system.
The EP cover looks like it was made in 1959 but the record itself looks newer, so…

And who’s Lydia E. Pinkham? Well, Lydia Estes Pinkham (1819-1883) was the concocter of a herbal alcoholic “women’s tonic” meant to relieve menstrual and menopausal pains. One could refer to the Scaffold and their “Lilly The Pink” in 1968 but that was long after the record mentioned was out(?) However, the song above was based on an old US American folk song titled “The Ballad Of Lydia Pinkham” known to exist around 1914.

CBID is the Chuck Berry International Directory, a 2.200 page pile of Chuck Berry records information published in four volumes between 2008 and 2013. For details see the bibliography section of this site.

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: Page 1861 in Volume 4 has a brief discography for Billy Peek, a guitarist who played with Berry and recorded several Berry covers and soundalikes. Here's an addition to the Billy Peek discography:

Single

The Hammer / Sweet Home Chicago

Rivertown RT-005 • USA, 1987

On page 1861 there’s a Billy Peek discography which says that this single came out in 1992. Well, it didn’t. The album “The Answer” that the two songs are featured on was released in 1992. However, there’s no year of release printed on the single in question, so I figured that it also came out in ’92. But now when this PS turned up it’s printed 1987 on the back. So the actual album that came out in ’92 featured various songs probably recorded between 1987-1992. It seems like «The Hammer» was the actual plug-side. I had it the other way around in the book. As you can see on the attached labels nothing is mentioned about any A or B-side.

CBID is the Chuck Berry International Directory, a 2.200 page pile of Chuck Berry records information published in four volumes between 2008 and 2013. For details see the bibliography section of this site.

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: The re-issue of the Great 28 album comes in a box with three bonus records.

USA

THE GREAT TWENTY-EIGHT – SUPER DELUXE [4-LP]
Chess Geffen (Universal) B0027213-01 • USA, 2017

THE GREAT TWENTY EIGHT (2-LP)
Chess Geffen B0026758-01

Reissue of the original 1982 album set Chess CH-8201 (see page 86).

MORE GREAT CHUCK BERRY
Chess Geffen B0027213-01 LP01

Wee Wee Hours / No Money Down / Drifting Heart / La Juanda (Espanol) / Blue Feeling (instr) / Vacation Time+ / Joe Joe Gunne / Too Pooped To Pop+ / Our Little rendezvous / You Never Can Tell / Promised Land / Little Marie / Dear Dad / My Ding-A-Ling (live, single edit)

OH YEAH! LIVE IN DETROIT
Chess Geffen LP-1427

Guitar Boogie* (instr) / Let It Rock / Almost Grown / Chuck Berry dialogue 1 / Too Much Monkey Business* / Johnny B. Goode / Introduction – instrumental / Sweet Little Sixteen / Wee Wee Hours / Chuck Berry dialogue 2 / Maybellene / Medley: Goodnite Sweetheart Goodnite +-Johnny B. Goode-Let It Rock-School Day

BERRY CHRISTMAS
Chess Geffen B0027213-01 EP01 (10”) (red vinyl)

Run Rudolph Run / Merry Christmas Baby+ / Spending Christmas / Christmas

Now this came as a surprise to most people. A 4-LP box set with Berry in 2017, however, the first time I saw it turn up on eBay was in February 2018. It contains the original double album from 1982, same fold-out cover and even the label is the same.

More Great Chuck Berry contains B-sides and more hits. Same label as above. The front cover has some resemblance to the original More Chuck Berry Chess LP-1465.

The Live In Detroit album is surely a collectors item, first time on vinyl. It contains the first and second set from Saturday 26 October at the Walled Lake Casino in Detroit, except the two tracks marked * which are from the first set on Friday 25. The thing is that this particular Guitar Boogie is the best version from the shows. The first time these songs came to light, except for Monkey Business that was included on the Bear Family box set, was on the US Universal box “You Never Can Tell” in 2009. So if you wanna get the songs in correct sequence you better stick to the Bear Family box set.

As you can see the LP number is following the “After School Session” LP-1426. The label here is the old black one with vertical silver Chess logo. (1427 was actually a Muddy Waters album. It should have followed the “On Stage” album, however, this is also wrong as LP-1481 was really a Slappy White album. Chess LP-1466 was not issued so that could have been used, but the compilers probably didn’t know.) Finally we also get the names of the musicians who played behind Berry, plus a story on the background for this special event.

The 10” Berry Christmas album comes in red vinyl with a green Chess label that makes it look like a 78rpm except for the colour that is. The credits for Run Rudolph Run reads C. Berry-M. Brodie.

There’s a 36 page booklet in LP size with liner notes by Alan Light, a lot of colour and black & white images, a US discography and recording details. Bear Family, Fred Rothwell and Morten Reff are credited. Thanks.

Addition by Arne Wolfswinkel: The box version sold by uDiscover is a limited edition of 500 copies where the four LPs are made of blue Vinyl.

Addition by Dietmar Rudolph: Since the booklet finally tells the name of the five musicians who backed Berry in Detroit, we have updated the database accordingly. The band consisted of:
Joe Hunter (piano)
Henry "Hank" Cosby (tenor saxophone)
Thomas "Beans" Bowles (baritone saxophone)
James Jamerson (bass)
William "Benny / Papa Zita" Benjamin (drums)

CBID is the Chuck Berry International Directory, a 2.200 page pile of Chuck Berry records information published in four volumes between 2008 and 2013. For details see the bibliography section of this site.

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: Universal Japan re-issued their Mini-LPs, some singles were found or newly released, there's a postcard from Poland, and some bootlegs of unknown origin.

JAPAN

In June 2017 following the death of Chuck Berry, Universal Japan re-issued their 2010 package of 16 original US Chess albums with bonus tracks (page 2007). All had new catalog numbers as follows:

AFTER SCHOOL SESSION - Universal (Chess) UICY-78357 • June 2017

ONE DOZEN BERRYS - Universal (Chess) UICY-78358 • June 2017

BERRY IS ON TOP - Universal (Chess) UICY-78359 • June 2017

ROCKIN’ AT THE HOPS - Universal (Chess) UICY-78360 • June 2017

NEW JUKE BOK HITS - Universal (Chess) UICY-78361 • June 2017

TWIST - Universal (Chess) UICY-78362 • June 2017

CHUCK BERRY ON STAGE - Universal (Chess) UICY-78363 • June 2017

ST. LOUIS TO LIVERPOOL - Universal (Chess) UICY-78364 • June 2017

CHUCK BERRY IN LONDON - Universal (Chess) UICY-78365 • June 2017

FRESH BERRY’S - Universal (Chess) UICY-78366 • June 2017

BACK HOME - Universal (Chess) UICY-78367 • June 2017

SAN FRANCISCO DUES - Universal (Chess) UICY-78368 • June 2017

LONDON SESSIONS - Universal (Chess) UICY-78369 • June 2017

BIO - Universal (Chess) UICY-78370 • June 2017

CHUCK BERRY - Universal (Chess) UICY-78371 • June 2017

HAIL! HAIL! ROCK’N’ROLL - Universal (Chess) UICY-78372 • June 2017

And in July 2017 Universal Japan finally released the 5 Mercury CD albums with the extra tracks that came out in the US in 1989 (pages 102-104). As with the 16 Chess albums each CD is packaged in a replica mini LP sleeve.

GOLDEN HITS - Universal UICY-78376 • July 2017

CHUCK BERRY IN MEMPHIS - Universal UICY-78377 • July 2017

LIVE AT THE FILLMORE AUDITORIUM - Universal UICY-78378 • July 2017

FROM ST. LOUIE TO FRISCO - Universal UICY-78379 • July 2017

CONCERTO IN B GOODE - Universal UICY-78380 • July 2017

CANADA

Rock And Roll Music / Blue Feeling (instr)
Chess Golden Treasures CHGT-317X • 1986

The label says “Deep Feeling” but plays “Blue Feeling”.

Nadine / O’Rangutang (instr)
Chess Golden Treasures [Quality] CHGT-323X • 1986

“Nadine” is in stereo, and “O’Rangutang” is the complete three-minute version. This is astonishing as according to common belief the unabridged version was first released on a British CD in 1998. Further research then revealed that there was an even earlier release in the late 1960s. See the US single below.

Reelin’ And Rockin’ (1957) / My Ding-A-Ling (single edit)
Quality Gold Collection GC-337X • 1986

See pages 273 and 1993 for the other singles in this series regarding especially the year of all three releases, as the labels on the above singles say 1981.

US

Nadine / O’Rangutang (instr)
Chess 1883 (re-issue) • ca. 1967

The original 1964 release exists with three different labels. Page 29 shows these labeled first to third pressing, though it seems that these labels were used concurrently in different pressing plants. All had “Nadine” in mono and “O’Rangutang” faded at 2:18. On this light-blue label re-release “Nadine” is in stereo, and “O’Rangutang” is the complete three-minute take heard here for the first time!

NEW ZEALAND

SAN FRANCISCO DUES
Chess (Polygram) CH-50008 • 1972

Same cover as US album from 1971.

UK

School Day / Sweet Little Sixteen
Demon CLASSIC 45001/3 • 2016

This is record no.3 in a series of 10 7” singles released as a box-set by Demon Records in the UK, titled “Rock ‘n’ Roll Classic 45s” Classic-45001. The two songs are the original classic Chess cuts. The other greats are Bill haley & His Comets, Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, The Everly Brothers, Carl Perkins, Fats Domino and Gene Vincent. Talking about the Golden Era of rock’n’roll from the ‘50s, two are missing, Elvis and Bo Diddley. They should have made 12.

POLAND

Guitar Boogie (instr)
Poozówka Zwiekowa 45 rpm. • year unknown

Polish sound postcard, 15x11 cm, colour picture of flowers in a vase and the grooves pressed onto it. The card says it plays “Things I Used To Do” but it doesn’t.

BOOTLEGS - EUROPE (?)

These are two bootlegs which combine sides from past records including their original labels each.

Havana Moon / El Loco Cha Cha (Rene Touzet)
no label or number • 2017

This is a reissue combining Havana Moon (1956) by Berry on one side and El Loco Cha Cha (1955) by Rene Touzet on the other. It is advertised as being the roots of “Louie Louie”. The song by Rene Touzet has actually nothing to do with Havana Moon but the opening of El Loco Cha-Cha has something to do with Louie Louie. It has the same riff, so to speak.

You Can't Catch Me / The Downbound Train
no label or number • 2012

This is a repro (bootleg) since the two songs were not on the same single back then in '56. Anyway, there's no matrix numbers either, just the title on each side written by hand in the dead wax. I bought it from a seller in the UK so it was released in Europe, probably pressed in Kroatia or something like the Berry/Touzet one.

[Editor's note: You may have wondered why we had not covered all the new Vinyl albums released during recent years. Read Morten's review below and you'll see why. They aren't any more worth collecting than the hundreds of 'new' CD releases.]

Vinyl is back in business and since 2009 there’s been several Berry albums pressed on 180gr high quality vinyl. But as you will notice from some of my comments, it all depends on the source. The session discography printed on the various album covers are not to be trusted though. Better stick to our Chuck Berry Database which always contains the most recent knowledge about Berry recordings.

AFTER SCHOOL SESSION
Doxy DOY-608 ● Italy, 2009
Same as US LP-1426 from 1957, both tracks and cover. Sound quality is not the best.

AFTER SCHOOL SESSION
Doxy DOX-302 ● Italy, 2009
Same as above, however, this time it includes a bonus CD of the same album, so as the they tell us: You can have the analog and the digital for the price of one.

ST. LOUIS TO LIVERPOOL
Speakers Corner Records [Chess] LP-1488 ● USA, 2010
No bonus tracks. Identical album cover both front and back as the original 1964 US album. However, the sound quality on the stereo tracks are pretty goode but the mono ones are destroyed by el.stereo, would you believe.
Come to think about it, why was the mono tracks included in the first place since there were several stereo versions/songs in the files, like “The Little Girl From Central”, “Big Ben”, “Fraulein”, “Lonely All The Timre” (Crazy Arms), “I’m In The Danger Zone”. The Chess folks did a lot of stupid things when compiling Berry LPs back then.

ONE DOZEN BERRYS
Wax Time 771785 ● Spain, 2012
14 tracks incl. bonus: Brown Eyed Handsome Man / You Can’t Catch Me
New liner-notes and session discography. Besides two small pics, it’s rather imprudent to include a print of the front page of a souvenir programme from a 1959 Australian tour, and use two bonus tracks from 1956. BUT, except for “It Don’t Take But A Few Minutes” the sound quality is pretty goode.

ROCKIN’ AT THE HOPS
Wax Time 771890 ● Spain, 2013
16 tracks, incl. bonus: Our Little Rendezvous / Jaguar And The Thunderbird / County Line / Back In The USA
Stupid really to include two bonus tracks that are almost the same in structure and text, “Jaguar And The Thunderbird” and “County Line“. That’s the way it goes when people who are not familiar with the music are compiling an album. Same front cover as the original US album, but the back cover has extra liner notes, session discography and images from various sources, US posters, UK songbook(!) and a couple of single picture sleeves from Holland (would you believe). The sound quality is pretty goode though.

THE CHESS YEARS
Not Now Music NOT2LP-178 ● UK, 2013
LP 1: Johnny B. Goode / Maybellene / Little Queenie / School Day / Carol / Worried Life Blues+ / No Money Down / Too Much Monkey Business / Roll Over Beethoven / Brown Eyed Handsome Man / Come On / Childhood Sweetheart / Thirty Days / Guitar Boogie (instr) / Jaguar And The Thunderbird / You Can’t Catch Me
LP 2: Memphis, Tennessee / Sweet Little Sixteen / Let It Rock / Almost Grown / Go Go Go / Down The Road A Piece+ / Rip It Up+ / Reelin’ And Rockin’ / Back In The USA / Rock And Roll Music / Sweet Little Rock And Roller / I’m Talking About You / Around And Around / Vacation Time / Too Pooped To Pop+ / Bye Bye Johnny
32 tracks from the greatest period of his Chess years (except for “Rip It Up” that is). Fold-out cover with a few pictures of Berry plus recording years. “Sweet Little Sixteen” is the original speed version. The sound quality is ok.
There is also a 3-CD set out titled “The Best Of The Chess Years” with 73 tracks (CBID page 1986), which is even a better buy unless you are a vinyl freak?

SAN FRANCISCO DUES
Geffen [Universal] GET-54058-LP ● USA, 2013
Same as original Chess LP CH-50008 from 1971, except that “Lonely Schooldays” is the slow version not the rockin’ one. And also the sound on this LP is not any better than the original album. As a matter of fact the ’71 album has a little more debt to it.

AFTER SCHOOL SESSION
Geffen [Universal] Friday Music FRM-1426 ● USA, 2013
15 tracks incl. bonus: You Can’t Catch Me / Thirty Days / Maybellene
Same as original US Chess LP-1426 from 1957, except for the three bonus tracks. Fold-out cover with a standard black&white picture of Berry. The three bonus tracks really fit the concept for this album. AND the sound quality here is quite goode. So if you really need an LP on 180gr. vinyl of this classic album, this is the one to buy.

BERRY IS ON TOP
Geffen [Universal] Friday Music FRM-1435 ● USA, 2013
Same as original US Chess LP-1435 from 1959. No bonus tracks. Fold-out cover with two pictures of Berry that we have all seen before. Goode sound quality except for “Carol” and “Roll Over Beethoven”.
And using fold-out covers should actually mean to make the most out of it and to full advantage for the buyers.

NEW JUKE BOX HITS
Wax Time 771921 ● Spain, 2014
14 tracks incl. bonus: Come On / Go Go Go
I have a feeling this album was mastered from the Universal box set “You Never Can Tell”. Anyway, besides new liner notes (plus the original) and session discography there are a few images from the US and UK, posters and labels. Inside is also a card which makes it possible to download the album as a free mp3.
Originally this LP should have been out as a stereo album in the States back in 1961, since most of the songs have later turned up in stereo on other releases.

AFTER SCHOOL SESSION
VipVop VIPVOP-006 ● UK, 2014
Red vinyl. Same tracks as US LP-1426 from 1957. Same front cover but different back cover with liner notes by one Max Décharné. Session discography and image of the original US “After School Session” EP and three US silver-top Chess singles. Also includes a bonus CD of the same album. The sound quality has not been improved onto 180gr vinyl.

ONE DOZEN BERRYS
VipVop VIPVOP-007 ● UK, 2014
Red vinyl. Same tracks as US LP-1432 from 1958. However, both front and back cover are completely different. Liner notes again by Max Décharné, images of the original LP labels and Chess 1671 single labels. Not an exact session disco but only who’s playing on the tracks. Also includes a bonus CD of the same album.
It would have been interesting to know what sources have been used to re-master these albums on the VipVop label. Tracks like “Oh Baby Doll”, “Reelin’ And Rockin’” and “Rock And Roll Music” sounds like they have been taken from old rechanneled stereo versions. Although mono there’s too much echo.

CHUCK BERRY…IS ON TOP
VipVop VIPVOP-008 ● UK, 2014
Red vinyl. Same tracks as US LP-1435 from 1959, but different front and back cover. Liner notes again by Max Décharné, info of who plays on the album plus images of four US Chess labels and two UK London. Also includes a bonus CD of the same album. However, the sound is a variation from bad to good. “Anthony Boy” and “Carol” are the worst ones. The liner notes says that it was re-mastered by Patrick Bird (as have all the VipVop LPs) at PSB Music (London) Ltd. Re-mastered from what?

ROCKIN’ AT THE HOPS
VipVop VIPVOP-009 ● UK, 2014
Red vinyl. Same tracks as US LP-1448 from 1960, but completely different front and back cover. Liner notes once again by Max Décharné, and info of who’s playing on the album. Also includes a bonus CD of the same album.
Strange though is the sound quality as some of the tracks like “Worried Life Blues” and “Driftin’ Blues” are pretty goode with some debt in them, but several of the others have a thinner sound. In case you are copying from a bad source it doesn’t help if you use 180gr vinyl. If you don’t have the original master tapes the final results might not be the best.

CHUCK BERRY SINGS THE BLUES
Not Now Music NOTLP-208 ● UK, 2015
Driftin’ Blues+ / No Money Down / How You’ve Changed / Low Feeling (instr) / Deep Feeling (instr) / Sweet Sixteen+ / Blues For Hawaiians (instr) / Worried Life Blues+ / Run Around / In-Go (instr) / Confessin’ The Blues+ / Down Bound Train / Blue Feeling (instr) / I Got To Find My Baby+ / Wee Wee Hours / Together (We’ll Always Be)
Don’t know what to say exactly? It’s a great front cover with a picture I have never seen before, but that must be it, or? Who the hell selected these tracks? “Low Feeling”, give me a break! “Blues For Hawaiians” when you have “Crying Steel”? “Down Bound Train” and “Together…” on a blues compilation when you have i.e. “I Just Want To Make Love To You” and “I Still Got The Blues”. What a waste. And the sound quality is varying. Again it all depends on the source.

AFTER SCHOOL SESSION
Vinyl Lovers 6785413 ● EU, 2015
16 tracks incl. 4 bonus: Maybellene / Rock And Roll Music / Sweet Little Sixteen / Thirty Days
Except for the bonus tracks, same as original US Chess LP-1426 from 1957 but different cover. “Rock And Roll Music” and “Sweet Little Sixteen” shouldn’t be here. The compilers don’t know a bloody thing. Great front cover though. And the sound quality here is actually quite goode.
Printing EU here is something I don’t like but I have been unable to find the exact country of origin. It seems that Vinyl Lovers has a sister label called Lilith based in Russia.

ONE DOZEN BERRYS
Vinyl Lovers 6785448 ● EU, 2016
14 tracks incl. 2 bonus: Brown Eyed Handsome Man / You Can’t Catch Me
Except for the bonus tracks, same as original US Chess LP-1432 from 1958 but different cover. The two bonus tracks from 1956 are stupid. Sound quality is again quite goode. Contents is the same as the Spanish album from 2012 on Wax Time 771785 (see above).

ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC
Delta Entertainment N 79 022 ● Germany, 2016
Johnny B. Goode / Brown Eyed Handsome Man / Around And Around / Ingo (instr) / Sweet Little Sixteen / Rock And Roll Music / Roll Over Beethoven / Maybellene / Too Much Monkey Business / Wee Wee Hours / Let It Rock / Carol
The most interesting thing about this release is the front cover. Taken from the best photo shoot ever of Berry. The one with the burgundy tuxedo and the original 350T Gibson.
These photos were never used on any original US release, unfortunately. Why is an interesting question. Strange to leave out “School Day” in favour of “Ingo”. And the sound is the same as on most of the other 180gr. vinyl albums above, nothing to brag about.

Now after so many 180 gr. vinyl LPs of the old Chess albums and tracks poppin’ up over and over again with and without bonus tracks I am beginning to be fed up. Except for new (sometimes) clever front covers, the sound is not always the best, bonus tracks often doesn’t fit the concept of the respective albums (the word here is year!), the liner notes are sometimes a little too much and the session discographies are full of mistakes!
Do we need any more of these albums? Maybe enough is enough.

CBID is the Chuck Berry International Directory, a 2.200 page pile of Chuck Berry records information published in four volumes between 2008 and 2013. For details see the bibliography section of this site.

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: Besides covering Chuck Berry and Johnnie Johnson, CBID also has chapter 19 containing a session discography as well as record releases by the Berry-inspired US artist Eddy Clearwater. Here are three CDs and one DVD published after the book:

CDs

SOUL FUNKY

Cleartone 8882951 49358 • USA, 2014

They Call Me The Chief / Hypnotized / Too Old To Get Married / Good Times Are Coming / Came Up The Hard Way – Root To The Fruit / Cool Blues Walk / Please Accept My Love / Find You A Job / Lonesome Town / A Good Leavin’ Alone / Soul Funky / Ending Midnight Groove

If you can’t get a record company interested you release it yourself! That’s the spirit.
Album recorded live 10 January 2014 at SPACE in Evanston, Illinois. Eddy Clearwater (vocals, guitar), Ronnie Baker Brooks (guitar, vocals), Shoji Naito (guitar, harmonica), Thomas Crivellone (guitar and introduction), Johnny Iguana (piano, hammond B3), David Knopf (bass), Stephen Bass (drums). Guest appearance by Billy Branch on “Good Leavin’ Alone”.

SOUL FUNKY – Live At Space

P-Vine PCD-17696 • Japan, 2014

Same as above. This was released in Japan on 12 December 2014.

SESSION WORK and GUEST APPEARANCES

Shoji Naito

NEW COOL OLD SCHOOL

Ogden Records ORCD-380 • USA, 2016

Big Boss Man / I’ll Change My Style / Last Night / Walking By Myself

Eddy is doing the vocals on the above four tracks and playing lead guitar on “Last Night”. The 14 tracks were recorded in Chicago June/July 2015. Shoji was born and raised in Toyota, Japan and moved to Chicago in 1996. Harmonica and guitar player. Co-produced Eddy Clearwater’s “Soul Funky” CD from 2014.

DVDs

JAZZ À JUNAS – Recorded Live In Junas, France

Cleartone 78877 • USA, 2011

Otis’ Groove / They Call Me The Chief / Hypnotized / Find You A Job / Blues For Breakfast / Too Old To Get Married / Nashville Road / A Good Leavin’ Alone / Came Up The Hard Way / I Just Want To Make Love To You / You’re Humbuggin’ Me / Guitar Boogie Jam (instr) / I Wouldn’t Lay My Guitar Down / Midnight Groove / Sen-Sa-Shun (instr)

Recorded live at the Jazz Festival in Junas, France 23 July 2011. It’s an outdoor concert in a small village in the south of France. Interesting release including a 16 page colour photo booklet and liner notes written by Bill Dahl. Featuring Eddy on guitar and vocals, Thomas Crivellone (guitar), Shoji Naito (bass, harmonica), Stephen Bass (drums).
Just one little thing. Bill Dahl writes about the show but without telling the exact date. Why is it so damn difficult to include the recording data? I had to google to find the day he performed at Junas. Very annoying.

CBID is the Chuck Berry International Directory, a 2.200 page pile of Chuck Berry records information published in four volumes between 2008 and 2013. For details see the bibliography section of this site.

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: An addition to chapter 18 in Volume 2. This chapter covers the session work and records by Chuck Berry's main musical partner Johnnie Johnson, recorded in addition to his work with Berry.

SESSION WORK and GUEST APPEARANCES

Kenny Rice

HOUSE PARTY

CD: Jam Jar Records JJ-002 • USA, 2015

Next Time You See Me

Johnson does not play on other tracks.

A fifteen tracks CD containing songs recorded through four Decades. Problem is that nothing tells us which songs were recorded when and where, a real pity and almost unforgivable. At least it was recorded before April 2005 when Johnny passed away.