Topic: New Buddy Guy Album, "Skin Deep"

[doctorpep]

Well, I waited three years to hear the album that was supposedly going to let Buddy just be Buddy, and play his heart out. Unfortunately, this album is much like his last one, meaning there are three or four excellent electric Blues songs, and a bunch of Blues-Rock and pop music that features duets with someone. Personally, I don't like anything Eric Clapton has recorded since 1992 or 1994, and I really didn't want to hear him on this album. The stand-out tracks on this brand new disc are "Lyin' Like A Dog", which is one of the best songs Buddy has ever recorded (!), "Out In The Woods" with Robert Randolph, and the closer, "I Found Happiness". It's such a shame that Buddy's record company won't let him just be himself. He promised three years ago, after the release of "Bring 'Em In", that his next album would be pure Buddy Guy. Let's face it, fellow Weenies, the man is over seventy years old, and while he seems to be in great health, none of us know if we'll make it to seventy-five. I really hope that, on his next album, he's allowed just to be himself, with his regular band. "Stone Crazy" is one of the most manic, frantic, excellent, wild, electric Blues guitar albums in history, and it was done on a shoe string budget and has crappy liner notes, but so what? It's a fantastic album! I suppose Buddy has few options in terms of record companies, as most Blues today has been Fat Possum-ized, and I don't mean that most Blues today sounds like the Callicott, McDowell, and Furry Lewis Fat Possum releases! I wish to God that's what I meant, though. My wish is for Buddy Guy to produce an album of all original material that showcases his greatness. This album just offers us a glimpse of greatness. Dick Waterman says in "Between Midnight And Day" that Buddy is the greatest electric Blues guitar player in history, and he desperately regrets suggesting to Buddy to play a little Cream and Hendrix at his shows, in order to show people that he's capable of playing that type of music. Will somebody please give us the real Buddy Guy?

[Bunker Hill]

Maybe today this is 'the real Buddy Guy'.

Anyone who has read his 1994 "as told to Donald E Wilcock" autobiography, Damn Right I've Got The Blues, will realise that rubbing shoulders with the great and good of the rock glitterati is what Guy is all about. To quote one reviewer: "The one abiding impression that remains is of an artist who?s generally fed-up with being constantly in the shadow of his imitators but not beyond milking their fame when it suits his (or perhaps, in fairness, his manager?s) purpose. Guy can?t be blamed for wanting to promote himself via this so called oral history because, human nature being what it is, perhaps at the age of 59 he probably saw this book as his last chance for a slice of Clapton-type stardom."

[doctorpep]

Maybe you are right, but I guess I just like to think that the Buddy Guy of old is still alive somewhere, as "Lyin' Like A Dog" is one hell of a track. I think that when he works with his regular band in the studio, he's great. When he has guests on his albums, or when he performs Clapton, Cream and Hendrix live, he's not doing the best he can.

[dj]

I ... like to think that the Buddy Guy of old is still alive somewhere...

He is.  Check out "The Complete Chess Studio Recordings", all stuff from the 1960s.  There are teen-aged dance tunes ("Slop Around", "Gully Hully"), soul instrumentals ("Night Flight"), pop tunes ("American Bandstand"), all sorts of stuff.  Buddy always liked to cover a lot of musical ground.   

[doctorpep]

Yes, I have those recordings, and that's some very enjoyable stuff. If you want, I can send you guys "Lyin' Like A Dog" in mp3 format, provided that's a legal thing to do, and you can see what I mean. He is really amazing on that particular track, and I wish the rest of the new album sounded like that particular song!

[uncle bud]

No mp3 trading through the site, please. Occasionally we post an mp3 of prewar music or hard-to-find material that is relevant to the actual genre of music discussed on this site and to a particular discussion.

[dave stott]

While he is primarily known for his electric guitar work, my personal favorite Buddy Guy CD's are:

Alone and Acoustic..... with Jr Wells
&
Blues Singer


Dave

[Bunker Hill]

In 1971 Blue Thumb (Harvest in UK) released a Buddy Guy acoustic album entilted Buddy & The Juniors. It had been recorded in 1969 by Michael Cuscuna and featured Buddy accompanied by Jr Wells and Junior Mance. It received short shrift from most reviewers with the exception of Tony Russell and one other, both of whom encouraged the enterprise. There was a notable ten minute blues called Talkin' About Women Obviously which, from memory, was an improvisation on Lightnin' Hopkins's Short Haired Women. The LP completely sank without trace in no time at all...

[doctorpep]

About "Blues Singer", I'm perplexed as to how/why the Johnny Shines' song, "Moanin' & Groaning", which appears on the album is totally different, lyrically and musically, from any of the versions of that song which Shines recorded. Does anyone have any idea? I think the record company or Buddy made a major error on this one. Maybe Guy got his version from a song Johnny performed for him personally? Quite perplexing!

[doctorpep]

Any ideas from anybody? I guess it's a lot of work to go through all of Johnny's versions of the song, and then Buddy Guy's version. I've done it many times, and can't find a single similarity! haha

[unezrider]

hey doc,
i'm not familiar with either version, & i'm not sure who got the song writer credits on guy's version, but it is very likely that guy wasn't even thinking of the shines' song by the same title. let alone, if he is even aware that a johnny shines song by that title even exists. just a thought.

[RobBob]

Buddy's new CD is much more blues than the last.  Yeah they stick the guest on there, and no it is not as pure as his 60's and 70's into early 80's work, but it is Buddy Guy.  He is complex and now what you want him to be.  He is who he is and to a degree what his record label let's him be.  They is surely  a compormise there.  Do you think all of those blues guys in the '78 era wanted to record the same thing over and over again?

Now the new Pinetop Perkins take on Barefootin' with that sliding resophonic guitar is a blast!
 
RobBob