Various (blacked! 'n' Chucked!)
Blacked! Vol. 8
What can be said about Chuck Berry that hasn't already been said? One of the architects of rock 'n' roll, whose influence extended far beyond his American contemporaries, crossing the ocean in the early '60s and becoming a reference point for the entire British Invasion. Sleepy LaBeef always included Chuck's classic tunes in his repertoire, as early as 1965, as demonstrated by his fabulous version of "YOU CAN'T CATCH ME" on his debut single for Columbia. Sleepy's powerful voice, combined with the country-rocking vibes that permeate the track, make this version a real crowd-pleaser. Keith Dennis was part of the duo Keith & Troy, from which Troy Cory emerged, an artist who had some impact in the '60s and '70s. In contrast, Keith only released a couple of solo singles, but one of them included one of the best versions ever made of Berry's "ALMOST GROWN." Perfectly produced and instrumented, it becomes another standout track. "DEAR DAD" is one of Chuck's last great songs for Chess in his initial stint with the company. New Zealand artist Bobby Davis made a tremendous revision of it shortly after, for Zodiac Records, on a very little-known single, reissued here for the first time. Curley Money has the honor of closing out this EP, and indeed the entire Blacked! collection, with his version of "LITTLE QUEENIE" for his own label, Money Records. Originally released in 1965, the record would be reissued by Curley himself in the mid-'70s, another magnificent example of how Chuck's black rock 'n' roll also influenced country and rockabilly artists, even in terms of form and instrumentation. Curley's version rocks like a demon, it's hard to believe that it came from an artist who was already over forty when he recorded it With this volume, Blacked! concludes its collection. In total, there have been 8 EPs and 32 songs, featuring both well-known names and others that would hardly ring a bell to any rock 'n' roll aficionado. But always with the philosophy of including excellent songs that have been rarely compiled until now. Magnificent examples of how the influence of black rock 'n' roll and rhythm & blues artists set the pace for many white kids when creating their repertoires.