Reelin' & Rockin'

I'm watching the MTV Video Music Awards while I write this. Maybe I'm getting too old for this, but I just don't get it. Most of the music sucks. For me, the high points so far have been the Jacks: both White and Black. And who'd have thought Lou Reed would bust out "White Light, White Heat"? I'm sure the preteens screaming for Justin Timberlake who puzzled as to who the old guy was.

Anyway, I thought I'd take it back a few years and post some Chuck Berry. “The London Chuck Berry Sessions” was released in 1972 on Chess Records. Side A is studio cuts Chuck recorded with Derek Griffiths, Ian McLagen, and Kenny Jones. Side two contains excerpts from a live performance at the Lanchester Arts Festival. All three songs were also released as (heavily edited) 45-rpm singles, with "My Ding-A-Ling" becoming Chuck’s only Number One song.

In addition to the live tracks, and one of the studio tracks from the London Sessions, I also pulled "Little Marie" from Chuck's 1964 album "St. Louis to Liverpool." Don't mind the pops and clicks - these albums are 30-40 years old.

Let’s Boogie.mp3
Reelin’ and Rockin’.mp3
My Ding-A-Ling.mp3
Johnny B. Goode.mp3
Little Marie.mp3

Be sure, too, to check out Chuck Berry’s web site for pretty much everything you could ever need to know about one of rock's living legends.

posted by aikin @ 9:32 PM