Bo Diddley Albums (16)
What The Critics Say
Oddly, while effusively acknowledging Bo Diddley's enduring influence on both the R&B and rock scenes, the sleeve notes to this set are less than complimentary when talking about the artist's recording career, at least as far as nearly the last four decades go. But perhaps that's the unstated point -- Diddley may disappoint on disc, but on-stage he'll never let you down. If so, Vamp proves the point, as the album revisits his European tour of September 1984. Backed by a tight band comprised of guitarist Eric Bell, bassist Keith Tillman, drummer Stretch, saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith, and keyboardist Dave "Munch" Moore, the mighty Diddley runs through a devastating set of classics, kicking off (of course) with "Bo Diddley" itself. Diddley and company chug through a down-and-dirty version of "Everleen," chuckle through a rousing "Can't Judge a Book," and steam over "Roadrunner," and by the time the band launches into the simmering "I'm a Man" the crowd is screaming its approval. "Man" was obviously the fulcrum of the set, and Diddley spins it out into a ten-plus-minute epic, giving all power to the riff, then reeling it back in to let Heckstall-Smith take the lead, before the band joins back in to take it out in powerhouse style. After that, "Mona" should, by rights, just fade away in comparison, but Diddley and band offer it up with such exhilaration and obvious delight that one falls in love with this vivacious lady all over again. Diddley was obviously in top form during these shows, the crowds as enthusiastic as he, and the result is a splendid reminder of just why this guitar slinger is not just an American legend, but still a popular live performer to this day. The only caveat is that, with the set clocking in at a mere 48 minutes, you'll be left shouting futilely for more. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Bo's best album in maybe 20 years, a rousing, spirited rock & roll workout on which the man is joined by Keith Richards, the Shirelles, Ron Wood, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Billy Boy Arnold, and Richie Sambora. This record moves like nothing Bo has recorded since his best days at Chess (which lasted a little longer than most people think), and it shows Bo off to good advantage, doing Chicago blues-type numbers in an upbeat mode amid his more conventional numbers built on his shave-and-a-haircut-two-bits beat; the result is a record about as good as anything Muddy Waters cut for Epic with Johnny Winter helping, except that this is Bo, not Muddy, and they're not really comparable; however, Bo has achieved considerable dignity with age, as he runs through lusty numbers like "Can I Walk You Home." This may also be the most fun record that Keith Richards has worked on in years, and it's good to hear the Shirelles again as well. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
'The London Bo Diddley Sessions'
Release Date 1/1/1973
Tracks 9
Label Chess
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What The Critics Say
After Howlin' Wolf made the Billboard album charts in 1970 with his London Howlin' Wolf Sessions release, Chess duly began preparing similarly titled albums by its remaining roster of stars -- Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry followed the Wolf -- and in 1973 this Bo Diddley release came along. Actually, a lot of it was done in Chicago, with the London portion of the sessions added, seemingly to justify the title. And it did sell better than Bo's other original albums of this era. It remains in print on compact disc, one of a only handful of his albums so released. As with Muddy Waters' London Muddy Waters Sessions album, Bo's presence was somewhat overwhelmed by the massive number of session musicians involved (well-meaning though they may have been) and more so, because Bo was still looking for a new sound, whereas Muddy knew what he was about. The songs are pretty fair -- a mix of soul and funk -- with elements of his old sound, and this is probably the best compromise he achieved during this phase of his career, between the old and the new. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
By the end of 1970, most of Bo Diddley's income was derived from his concert work, primarily as an "oldies" act in rock 'n roll revival shows such as the Toronto concert where he shared a stage with the Plastic Ono Band. But he and Chess believed there was still a way for him to try and reach a wider, more contemporary audience. This album was the result, a valiant effort to update Bo Diddley's sound and image, somewhat in the vein of Muddy Waters' Electric Mud only a few years later and very slightly more successful in that quest, in the sense of yielding one lasting addition to Bo's repertory. Relevance was the key word, not only in the song selection, which includes three John Fogerty songs ("Lodi," "Bad Moon Rising," "Down on the Corner") and covers of numbers by the Band and Elton John, but a new song entitled "Pollution" that tries hard to integrate the Bo Diddley beat into a message piece--it's a good try, but nothing on this record (including "Pollution") was going to challenge Marvin Gaye's What's Going On for primacy or effectiveness. The record starts off well enough, with a superb, deeply soulful cover of Al Kooper's "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know," and a decent rendition of "The Shape I'm In." But two of the Fogerty covers ("Lodi" is the only one that sort of works) are embarrassing, with the girlie chorus killing "Bad Moon Rising." And "Bad Side of the Moon" was a waste of studio time. One song from this album has remained part of Bo's concert set for decades, however--"I Said Shutup Woman," which has the most traditional sound of anything on Another Dimension. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
This is the first of two super session albums that Chess produced in the late '60s. Time has been a bit kinder to this one, featuring Muddy, Bo Diddley and Little Walter, than the one cut a year later with Howlin' Wolf standing in for Walter. It's loose and extremely sloppy, the time gets pushed around here and there and Little Walter's obviously in bad shape, his voice rusted to a croak and trying to blow with a collapsed lung. But there are moments where Bo's heavily tremoloed guitar sounds just fine and the band kicks it in a few spots and Muddy seems to be genuinely enjoying himself. Granted, these moments are few and way too far between, but at least nobody's playing a wah-wah pedal on here. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide
'Surfin' with Bo Diddley'
Release Date 1/1/1963
Tracks 12
Label Checker
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What The Critics Say
This is where Bo -- or, more properly, Chess Records -- really took a wrong step, starting with the fact that The Originator himself is actually on only about half of the cuts here, the balance having been recorded by guitarist Billy Lee Riley. The idea wasn't as bad as it sounded, at least on paper -- Bo had been an indirect influence on tons of surf bands, with his signature grunge guitar-sound, but the surf music world wasn't ready for a Bo-style instrumental rendition of the Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II Showboat standard "Ol' Man River," and Bo's own inspiration behind songs like "Surfer's Love Call" was muted, to say the least. Almost as bad -- although more entertaining -- is "Low Tide," Bo's rewrite of Bill Justis' "Raunchy." The best tracks are "Cookie Headed Diddley" and "Surf, Sink or Swim," which come close to matching some of Bo's solid material from earlier albums and singles. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
'Bo Diddley's Beach Party'
Release Date 1/1/1963
Tracks 10
Label Checker
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What The Critics Say
A blistering live album, especially in genuine mono (the re-channeled stereo is barely passable) -- and quite simply the finest live rock & roll album of its era, cut live by Diddley and band at Myrtle Beach, SC, on July 5 and 6, 1963. From the opening track (erroneously listed as "Memphis" and credited to Chuck Berry as composer) to the final note, this is some of the loudest, raunchiest guitar-based rock & roll ever preserved. It also bears an uncanny resemblance to the sound that the Rolling Stones achieved on their own Got Live If You Want It, which only shows how much the Stones learned from Diddley. Highlights include "Gunslinger," "Hey Bo Diddley," "Road Runner," and "I'm All Right." The sound doesn't necessarily translate ideally to compact disc, but that shouldn't dissuade anyone. Currently out of print but well worth the search. ~ Bruce Eder & Cub Koda, All Music Guide
'Bo Diddley Is a Gunslinger'
Release Date 1/1/1963
Tracks 12
Label Checker
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What The Critics Say
Not only does it sport one of the most striking album covers of its era (Diddley decked out in cowboy finery, about to get the drop on some unfortunate varmint with one of his fieriest guitars lying at his feet), this 1961 album contains some fine music. The title track continues the legend of you-know-who, while "Ride on Josephine" and "Cadillac" rock like hell (and Ed Sullivan must have been glad to see that Diddley finally learned "Sixteen Tons"). Two bonus cuts, "Working Man" and "Do What I Say," make this one a must. ~ Bill Dahl, All Music Guide
'Bo Diddley's a Twister'
Release Date 1/1/1962
Tracks 14
Label Checker
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What The Critics Say
A lot of the material on this record was rushed out in half-finished form, in order to get an album out that cashed in on the "twist" craze of early 1962. There may well have been words intended to the opening track, "Detour," which came out of the 1961 session featuring Peggy "Lady Bo" Jones that produced the excellent "Pills" and the rather perfunctory reading of Willie Dixon's "My Babe," and some lackluster earlier instrumental material, "Shank" and "The Twister." This record also included "Here 'Tis," the soulful Bo Diddley original that would serve the Eric Clapton-era Yardbirds in very good stead on stage -- Diddley's version blows theirs completely away -- as well as the classics "Road Runner" and "Who Do You Love." In all, it isn't half-bad for an album that nobody intended as such, though most of the best (except "Here 'Tis") has been included on various hits compilations. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
