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Latest Recordings (since 1986)

Following Chuck Berry's 60th birthday celebration there have been many records and CDs published. Some of them even contained previously unknown material, though recorded many years before. For these recordings check out the chapter on Chess recordings.

Since 1986 Chuck went to a recording studio only once (even though he keeps telling about a new record to be released real soon now). In 1994 he accompanied Shabba Ranks performing one song on his A Mi Shabba album for Epic/Sony. There have been additional Chuck Berry records since 1986, but those recordings were made during one of his many live shows. These live recordings differ a lot in quality and contents. The two listed here come from more or less doubtful sources. In addition, since everyone is able to burn their own CDs now, you also see more and more private recordings showing up as CDs. I did not include these private recordings here. This chapter presents you with Chuck Berry's recordings since 1986.

From 1987 there is a live show held in Nyon, Switzerland released on a bootleg CD called Sweet, Sweet Rock and Roll, Live 87 (Discourious DIS 124 CD). On this CD you hear Roll Over Beethoven, School Day, Sweet Little Sixteen, Wee Wee Hours, Let it Rock, Nadine, Dust My Broom, Rock and Roll Music, Memphis, Caravan, Johnny B. Goode, and Reelin' and Rockin'. It is interesting to note that during this show Chuck was accompanied by a professional and good band including his long-time piano player Johnnie Johnson.

Another bootleg CD contains segments from a Chuck Berry concert held in Yokohama, Japan on August 12th, 1989. The 4-CD set New Gigs '89 (Private Master PM047/48/49/50) documents an all-star concert from Jeff Beck's "Guitar Shop" album promotion tour. Among Bad English, Richard Marx, the Steve Lukather Band and the Jeff Beck Group featuring Terry Bozzio and Tony Hymas you can listen to 25 minutes of Chuck Berry music. Here he performs rather bad versions of Roll over Beethoven, Let It Rock, Johnny B. Goode and an aptly named Blues Jam based on Oh Baby (You don't have to go).

This Chuck Berry recording is probably also the most obscure one up to now. On the CD Shabba Ranks - A Mi Shabba (Epic/Sony 477482-2, June 1995 ) you'll find the song Go Shabba Go, which is a duet of Shabba Ranks with our truely Chuck Berry. This recording is everything but Chuck Berry-like, and to be honest, I find it's terrible, but as a collector don't forget to get yourself a copy :-) Note that this is a bonus track to the CD and as such only included in the European versions. Watch for the corresponding sticker!

On September 2nd, 1995 the Cleveland Municipal Stadium housed the Concert for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. During more than seven hours top artists of the 1990s performed along with rock and roll legends. The whole show was broadcast live on TV. Chuck Berry performed two songs: He started the show with Johnny B. Goode backed by Bruce Springsteen and his reformed E-Street Band. And he closed the show with a special version of Rock and Roll Music. This version was special in three different ways: It was special because Chuck sang new lyrics fitting to a Rock and Roll Museum. It was special because he was backed by an All-Star Band with Bruce Springsteen, Nils Lofgren, Melissa Etheridge, Booker T & the MGs and others. And this performance was special because it was probably the worst recording of this song ever.

During a concert break in addition a short Backstage Interview with Chuck was recorded and broadcast. In 1996 SONY published a 2 CD set called Concert for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This CD contains highlights from the show and therefore does not contain the Berry parts.

However, other segments from the show can be found on various bootleg CDs. A complete recording of the show was released as The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Moonraker 014-19, 1995). This 6 CD set includes both performances and the backstage interview. Due to Springsteen performing with Chuck, the two songs can also be found on several Springsteen/Dylan bootlegs like Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Synergy HOF 001) or Forever Young (Goblin BSGR 1CD).

In 1999 Bob Costas of St. Louis local radio station KMOX 1120 presented a series of Evening Specials. One of these specials was dedicated to Rock&Roll and during this special Chuck Berry gave one of his rare interviews. This interview has now been released on a CD called KMOX Classics Volume 2 - Classical Conversations of obscure origin, probably created by the radio station for sale. Along with the Berry interview there are various other classical conversations as the KMOX staff talks to Bill Clinton, to Cassius Clay, and many more. Chuck Berry talks about his dislikes of interviews (blaming Rolling Stone Magazine), about his life and early performances in St. Louis, about his influences (Old Blue Eyes), about him first hearing Maybellene on the radio, and about writing Roll Over Beethoven (his sister playing Bach, but that didn't rhyme). This five minute interview is very well hidden on this CD which has no track listing, no year of release, not even a company label or copyright.

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