HOLLYWOOD FATS BAND WAS SHEER DYNAMITE
It is Hollywood Fats Band, and the name of the album is called `Rock This House`. The album was released in the late 70`s, and the star of the show was Michael Mann, who earnt the nickname Hollywood Fats years before thanks to black American blues guitarist Albert King, who allegedly stifled Hollywood Fat`s career out of sheer jealousy for the superior guitar playing abilities that Fats had but he didn`t.
Both of them are no longer alive, so I am not in a position to get both their sides of the story as far as that accusation goes.
What I can tell you is that Hollywood Fats only released one album in his lifetime under his own name, which is the one I have got in my hand, but he did play on other artists albums, namely with good mate James Harmen, a very talented harmonica player who has released a string of Sonny Boy Williamson No. 2 harmonica powered albums over many years.
The Hollywood Fats band consisted of Mann himself on guitar, probably rhythm i take it, Larry Taylor on guitar and acoustic guitar, Taylor was a member of the mainstream blues rock band Canned Heat I believe, Al Blake on vocals and harmonica, Fred Kaplan on piano and Richard Innes on drums.
`Rock This House` is an absolute blues masterpiece, it is the bible of the blues in my opinion.
The album sound is a classic mixture of Chicago blues and the juke joint stomp straight out of Arnolds on Happy Days.
It has a decidedly 1950`s rock and roll underbelly to it, but with a ferocity that no 50`s rock`n`roller ever achieved in the recording studio.
Some songs on Rock This House are originals, some are covers, but they are all good from start to finish.
Hollywood Fats blazes his guitar to incredible heights with the instrumental `Okie Dokie Stomp`, it's the blues equivalent of Van Halen`s `Eruption`.
The opening track, which is the title track as well, is the most rock`n`roll inspired number on the album, piano man Fred Kaplan puts in a Disneyland performance on the song which is totally breathtaking.
The second song `She`s Dynamite` is exact-
ly that, dynamite. The best song by a whisker on the album, blues never got better than this.
ly that, dynamite. The best song by a whisker on the album, blues never got better than this.
Look, the whole album is superb, I believe you can still import the album from overseas, just get it okay. It is brilliant awesome stuff and a must have for any serious blues fan who likes some rock`n`roll and boogie woogie added to the mix.
The souped up driving guitar riff that propels the song `Too Many Drivers` makes most heavy metal guitar riffs sound as tinny as Cliff Richard.
Make sure if you import the CD in from overseas that you get the extended edition with 2 CD`s instead of one, it contains a few extra tracks which weren`t released with the original album as well as a couple of alternative takes on songs that did make it onto Rock This House. Get rockin` okay!
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