Guitar Watson

The disco period in Johnny "Guitar" Watson's catalog was spotty at best. You I first heard Johnny while stationed in Australia, of all places. Luckily, we had a D.J. who was really up on his music - especially Funk and Soul. As soon as I heard Mr. Watson coming from the speakers, I just HAD to know who was making that driving, funky sound. I had to wait for the next supply ship to make it to our "out-in-the-bush-on-the-edge-of-the-world" Naval base (about two months) before I got my own copy of this album, but it was worth the wait. Between Rick James, Parliament, and Johnny "Guitar" Watson, it is a toss-up as to who is the funkiest. But, while the music is great, it is only half of the goods. Johnny's lyrics are the other half, and they are witty, funny, sometimes a social commentary (even then they are still funny and witty).

This installment of Johnny "Guitar" Watson's sojourn into 1970s' style funk incorporates Funkadelic-style chants and sophisticated grooves as well as the blues and R&B master's trademark hoarse vocalizing; but, as always, his prickly, jazzy guitar soloing is the main attraction, displayed to its best advantage on burning funk tracks like "Barn Door" and "It's About the Dollar Bill."

2007 release of compilation of classic recordings by the R&B/Blues legend who had a profound influence on another influential American icon, Frank Zappa. Let The Good Times.

Digital reissue of an old Red Lightnin' bootleg covering Watson's 1950s output that was revered back in the pre-CD era but sounds very rough now.

Johnny "Guitar" Watson - Untouchable! The Classic 1959-1966 Recordings (2007) {Ace Records CDCHD 1180}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 235 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 158 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 24 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1959-66, 2007 Ace Records | CDCHD 1180
Rhythm & Blues / Blues / Electric Blues / Early R&B

Veteran photographer Brian Smith has good reason to remember the night of 3 April 1965 that R&B legend Johnny “Guitar”’ Watson played Manchester’s Twisted Wheel club, with sidekick- Larry Williams, “It was the first time I took out my wife [39 years married, last June] - though I still stuck to the job in hand and buggered off to the ‘Wheel All-Nighter’ after I had put her on the bus home. I got a few decent black and whites on at Twisted Wheel, and then a couple at the Princess Club, same week: on stage, and some posed too.”

Johnny's smokin' R&B sound continued to funkify (and dip into those Chic-like disco jams) on this 1978 LP. His new version of Gangster of Love went R&B Top 40; here's the complete release plus the unissued bonus cuts Base Station One and Do Me Bad So Good !

It all kinda came together on this 1977 LP: the ferocious funk Johnny had gotten into plus the blistering blues chops he'd always had. Includes Johnny's R&B hit Love That Will Not Die.