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Though it certainly fit his larger-than-life personality, the stage name Howlin' Wolf was always something of a misnomer, given that Chester Burnett's scorched-gravel voice was better suited to gutteral growling than upper-register whoops. This live recording of "Howling For My Darling" (which probably dates from the early '60s) is a good case in point; despite lively backing that includes drums, string bass and two guitars -- although, unlike the original studio version, there's no saxophone -- Wolf's big, bruising voice thoroughly dominates the proceedings. Still, Rolling Stones fans would do well to pay close attention to the guitar players, one of whom is the great Hubert Sumlin; the interlocking approach to rhythm and lead is virtually identical to the six-string division of labor that Keith Richards and Brian Jones would deploy throughout the length of their partnership. Written in 1959, "Howling For My Darling" was the first of many collaborations between Wolf and Willie Dixon. While "The (Little) Red Rooster," "Spoonful" and "Back Door Man" (recorded by the Stones, Cream and The Doors, respectively) are all far better known to rock fans, they were really just the tip of the iceberg. If you ain't already hip to the Wolf, it's high time you sampled his "Hidden Charms"! |
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Dan Epstein |
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Dan Epstein is a Los Angeles-based journalist and pop-culture historian whose work has appeared in L.A. Weekly, BAM, Raygun, Guitar World and the Los Angeles Times, among other publications. His first book, Twentieth Century Pop Culture, was published in 1999 by Carlton Books.
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