Awesome anthology! - No one could ve put together an better compilation on this legendary funk bluesman. I remember hearing a Real mutha for Ya in 76 when it came out and i was hooked on this brotha from there on/ It was off an 8 track at that when i heard the title album. This is definitely a no brainer purchase for any real fan of blues or soul. And the funny thing is, is that you do not hear his name mentioned that often, if hardly ever.
Funky - A man ahead of his time. No wonder he was one of Frank Zappa s Idols.
The Best - This is a very good compilation of JGWs funk work. It is ideal for anyone who wants the best of his various funk albums. There is a lot of humour in his lyrics, underpinned by some very tight and funky grooves, laced with lots of blues and jazz guitar licks. Excellent liner notes on an extensive inside folder with colour photographs. This is an all time favourite for me. I highly recommend it.
You Can Smell This FUNK All The Way Down the Street! - and i mean that in a good way!.this set is BLAZIN!.music gumbo is what i like to call it..i got this set too...WOW!....i definitely recommend all Funkateers to pick this up.truly amazing.
No-Brainer Purchase - Finally somebody got it right- to release the best, spaced-out funky-ass rhythm & blues jams from this wildcat often called a genius by his peers. The red carpet was rolled out for this lush 2 CD 31 song set (6 previously unreleased!) digitally remastered with a 28 page booklet and a plethora of photos spanning the years 1976-1994. The music matters most but the packaging must be praised. The foldout digi-pack even contains pics of both the front and back of each of the albums covered here. Before becoming a pimpin funkster Watson was a manic, Texas blues stringer known for his rapid-fire guitar fingers and the classic Gangster Of Love (way before Steve Miller copped the phrase). He reinveted himself in the 70s and this set focuses on this fruitful period. All the big hits and key album tracks are here: Superman Lover (R & B #19), Aint That A Bitch, the unstoppable A Real Mother For Ya (#5 R & B #41 Pop), Tarzan, Funk Beyond The Call Of Duty, It s About The Dollar Bill, the updated Gangster Of Love (#32 R & B), Booty Ooty, Lone Ranger, Love Jones (#28 R & B), his comeback hit Bow Wow & more. Most interesting perhaps are the new cuts. When asked by biographer David Ritz about stuff in the vault Watson was quoted as saying: There s gold in them there hills!. He may be right. Baby s In Love With The Radio is a loose funk jam with Watson s laidback vocal delivery- recorded in 1976. On ET Johnny says his baby is just like that alien freak! I doubt he means in looks cuz she s a supernatural chick. Feel The Spirit Of My Guitar is Johnny s muatation of the Peter Frampton track. My favorite is Don t Be What UC, which has a groove similar to George Clinton s Atomic Dog (and especially Snoop Dogg s What s My Name?). Here Johnny s tell y all to stop trying to emulate folks and be yourself. There s also a track unreleased from the Love Jones sessions (Before I Let You Go) and one recorded but unissued from 1994 (Ain t Nodbody s Business). But it s just icing on an already triple chocolate cake. The cover sticker says You don t know *@#& until you ve heard this funk!. Damn straight.