Bo Diddley was a f*ckin' bad ass. That's the only way to say it. Who else writes a song about himself, names it after himself, and makes it so good and so recognizable that it's singularly associated with him? Bo Diddley, that's who.
One of the great musical regrets of my life was not seeing Bo a few years back when he came to town. He was playing a local arts theatre and I really wanted to go. I remember thinking, "This guy's a LEGEND!" I couldn't get anyone to go with me though, so I ended up missing the show. Very shortly thereafter, Bo Diddley died. I was so disappointed in myself. The lesson is this: If you want to do something, do it. Don't wait for anyone else. Don't care what they might want to do. Pursue your interests when they arise, or one day you might no longer have the opportunity.
Bo Diddley was part of that amazing stable of performers rounded up by Leonard Chess for his ground-breaking Chess Records production company. If you want to get some really good music, grab any of the Chess compilations from back in the 50's and 60's. You can rock out all night to the likes of Diddley, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry, and so many more. My young sons love our Chess cd's. They're great old time fun. And yeah... a lot of Bo Diddley's selections kind of sound the same, but that beat is raucous and undeniable.
For something really cool, check out this youtube clip of Bo "in his prime." The first 90 seconds of it are just fantastic. The guy is nuts! And check out the footwork too. And for a really good laugh, check out all the dorky-looking white folks in the audience. Musicians like Berry and Bo did as much to break down the color barrier as Jackie Robinson did through baseball, and maybe even as much as Martin Luther King!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHs6f0mlkaM
"Bo Diddley" can be found on the compilation "The Definitive Collection." To hear the song, click on the icon in the widget jukebox along the side of the blog.
One of the great musical regrets of my life was not seeing Bo a few years back when he came to town. He was playing a local arts theatre and I really wanted to go. I remember thinking, "This guy's a LEGEND!" I couldn't get anyone to go with me though, so I ended up missing the show. Very shortly thereafter, Bo Diddley died. I was so disappointed in myself. The lesson is this: If you want to do something, do it. Don't wait for anyone else. Don't care what they might want to do. Pursue your interests when they arise, or one day you might no longer have the opportunity.
Bo Diddley was part of that amazing stable of performers rounded up by Leonard Chess for his ground-breaking Chess Records production company. If you want to get some really good music, grab any of the Chess compilations from back in the 50's and 60's. You can rock out all night to the likes of Diddley, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry, and so many more. My young sons love our Chess cd's. They're great old time fun. And yeah... a lot of Bo Diddley's selections kind of sound the same, but that beat is raucous and undeniable.
For something really cool, check out this youtube clip of Bo "in his prime." The first 90 seconds of it are just fantastic. The guy is nuts! And check out the footwork too. And for a really good laugh, check out all the dorky-looking white folks in the audience. Musicians like Berry and Bo did as much to break down the color barrier as Jackie Robinson did through baseball, and maybe even as much as Martin Luther King!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHs6f0mlkaM
"Bo Diddley" can be found on the compilation "The Definitive Collection." To hear the song, click on the icon in the widget jukebox along the side of the blog.
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