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JOHNNY WINTER The Progressive Blues Experiment

From page 100 of Classic Rock Magazine April 2005

Cover of April 2005 issue.

EMI

Great American blues guitarist goes on... and on.

This is Johnny Winter’s unintentional debut album; his major-

label launch by Columbia was sabotaged by Imperial, who knocked this out in 1969.

It’s hardly what we’d call ‘progressive’ these days, although there’s no denying the immense power of Winter’s Texan blues rock trio, the hoarse brutality of his vocals and, especially, his electrifying guitar playing.

Songs such as Tribute To Muddy and Bad Luck And Trouble adhere to 12-bar traditions, while I Got Love If You Want It takes a funkier trail. Trouble is, every track turns into a vehicle for Winter’s extensive soloing, which, despite its excellence, eventually becomes tedious.

■■■■■ ■■■■■ Carol Clerk

GREG RIDLEY Anthology: All I Ever Needed Angel Air

Sensitively rendered compilation from late Humble Pie man.

This package was overseen by Patti Ridley, the widow of ex- Spooky Tooth/Humble Pie bass player Greg who died in November 2003.

Humble Pie provide the highlights here; singer Steve Marriott and Ridley were more than drinking partners, they were soulmates. Greg powered the Pie in much the same way as Andy Fraser drove Free, using his bass to all intents and purposes like a lead instrument.

Here, the raw but elegiac Greg’s Song pays homage to Ridley’s key role within HP.

This 18-tracker also includes a selection of Greg’s solo material, and the more broody and bluesy the better. But an absence of early Spooky Tooth stuff prevents the collection from being truly definitive.

■■■■■■■ ■■■ Geoff Barton