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elcome to the Digital Meltd0wn Music Blog. The aim of this blog is to introduce the readers to music that is out of print, commercially unavailable, released under a creative commons license, or with approval by the featured artist. The majority of the music posted here would be considered underground. Don't let that fool you into thinking that the music featured here might be any less enjoyable than that of the mainstream artists you hear on the radio, as this couldn't be further from the truth. Please keep in mind that the majority of the artists that appear on this blog, along with their respective record labels, are not wealthy and need your support. If you enjoy the material that you find here, please support the artists/labels by purchasing their material afterwards. If you are an artist/label that would prefer to have your material removed from this blog, simply leave me a comment, and I would be more than happy to promptly remove the offending post. In addition to running this blog, I also work on a few other projects during my spare time. You can find links to those, as well as a few other important links associated with Digital Meltd0wn in the menu bar above.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley


Bo Diddley aka "The Originator", is often cited as a key figure in the transition of blues into rock and roll, by introducing more insistent, driving rhythms and a hard edged guitar sound. He was born Ellas Otha Bates in McComb, Mississippi, and was adopted and raised by his mother's cousin, Gussie McDaniel. He took her surname, becoming Ellas McDaniel. The family moved to Chicago when he was seven. He took violin lessons as a youth, but was given a guitar by his sister and was inspired to become a guitarist by seeing John Lee Hooker.

He worked as a carpenter and mechanic, but also began a musical career playing on street corners with friends, including Jerome Green (c.1934-1973), as a band called the Hipsters (later the Langley Avenue Jive Cats). In 1951 he landed a regular spot at the 708 Club on Chicago's South Side with a repertoire influenced by Louis Jordan, John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters. He adopted the stage name Bo Diddley, which is probably a southern black slang phrase meaning "nothing at all", as in "he ain't bo diddley". Another source says it was his nickname as a teenage Golden Gloves boxer. The nickname is also linked to the diddley bow, a one-stringed instrument used in the south by mainly black musicians in the fields.

In late 1954, he teamed up with harmonica player Billy Boy Arnold, drummer Clifton James and bass player Roosevelt Jackson, and recorded demos of "I'm A Man" and "Bo Diddley". Re-recorded at Chess Studios with a backing ensemble comprising Otis Spann (piano), Lester Davenport (harmonica), Frank Kirkland (drums) and Jerome Green (maracas), and released in March 1955, the a-side, "Bo Diddley", became an R&B # 1 hit. In 1958 his debut album entitled 'Bo Diddley' was released on the Chess label in 1958. It is a compilation of his singles since 1955. It collects several of his most influential and enduring songs. - Wikipedia
(Year of Release: 1958)

Track List:
1. Bo Diddley
2. I'm A Man
3. Bring It To Jerome
4. Before You Accuse Me
5. Hey Bo Diddley
6. Dearest Darling
7. Hush Your Mouth
8. Say Boss Man
9. Diddley Daddy
10. Diddy Wah Diddy
11. Who Do You Love
12. Pretty Thing

Download: Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley (51MB)

2 comments:

Trustar said...

Thanks for the ol' Bo Zero.

Tis a fine one.

Trustar

Anonymous said...

2late 2late but thx for reminding me about Bo's riffs