Genre: Blues
Rate: 256 kbps CBR / 44100
Time: 00:34:16
Size: 62,13 MB
Review by Keith Pettipas
Originally released on LP format in 1971 with a cloth burlap cover, Gooduns is the second album by Richard "King Biscuit Boy" Newell. After the success Official Music the year before, Gooduns was more of the same style with a few left over songs from the previous albums' sessions with Crowbar (although by this time they had officially parted company) and backing from some new musicians that included members of Janis Joplin's Full Tilt Boogie Band, Seatrain and Canada's Dr. Music. For this album, Newell recorded on a couple of cover songs written by Dr. John, Little Walter and Willie Dixon but the album contained mainly original compositions by Newell.
With a harder blues guitar sound and tighter band edge than the debut, "Gooduns" was supported by a successful tour of England in 1971 where King Biscuit Boy and The Real Gooduns Band were backed up by the British band The Idle Race. Despite the success of the album and tour, the Daffodil Records label fell on hard times financially and folded with no single or album promotion, leaving King Biscuit Boy to move to the Epic label for the next release. This budget priced reissue by Unidisc does not contain any bonus tracks but faithfully reproduces the original album graphics and liner notes.
Album Notes:
First, let me make this clear. I love the King Biscuit Boy. Yes, love. I love to listen to all his albums, all the time. And it follows that I love Richard Newell, who is the King Biscuit Boy.
Now, stay with me on this. The story has been told many times - but here we go again:
Ronnie Hawkins is from Fayettesville, Arkansas. He and Levon Helm crossed the border into Canada, and were handed the Canadian music culture as a housewarming gift. Their consensual validation meant legendary status, instantly.
Ronnie would start in on one of his stories, then I would tell them "Boys, I've told you a million times, ..."don't exaggerate."
But the Hawk's Midas touch didn't come without serious alchemy. He didn't invent the term 'woodshedding' (as in: How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practise, practise, practise!) but he did apply it. Ronnie didn't care how long you practised, as long as it was most of your waking hours. He'd muse out loud: "Boys, I saw this player last night and he's got your job written all over him."
The Hawk shared space and attitude with this fight promoter, Heavy Andrews. Heavy was a treat. He'd lean into the rehearsal space and softly drawl, "Ronnie says if you boys miss that turnaround one more time, y'er all history!"
Ronnie used to call us the ugliest band in rock and roll, but then we used to call him the Old Hawk Sucker.
Of all us players Ronnie deified, time has proven he was right about the King Biscuit Boy.
In 1938, Sonnie Boy Williamson - a.k.a Aleck Ford Rice Miller and not Sonny Boy Williamson #1 a.k.a John Lee Williamson - began to broadcast over station KFFA in Helena, Arkansas. The show was called King Biscuit Time, and it was sponsored by Sonny Boy Cornmeal and King Biscuit Flour.
(Are You confused yet? I told you - stay with me!)
Sonny Boy was accompanied by Robert Jr. Lockwood and, later, his own King Biscuit Entertainers. They included Willie Love and Peck Curtis.
The popular radio show continues today. The show brought Sonny Boy great prestige and he became a regional media celebrity. He was easily recognized because his picture was on each flour sack.
After Sonny Boy's 1963 tour with the likes of Brian Auger, The Animals and the Yardbirds (complete with Eric Clapton and Jimmie Page), he was quoted as saying: 'Those "English boys want to play the blues real bad... they do play the Blues real bad." (Blues News, Vol 2, Issue 11, Hamilton, August. 1986).
Ronnie Hawkins attended many of those early broadcasts, and he saw Sonny Boy play on the back of a flatbed delivery truck. So when he hooked Richard Newell with the moniker the King Biscuit Boy, he made Richard a righteous member of a controversial royal Blues family.
Ronnie Hawkins, for years, has earned the role of beloved godfather of rock. And time has shown that he is a king-maker.
(Still with me?)
I love the King Biscuit Boy because it fits. Imagine this blond, fuzzy Canadian guy taking the bus to Buffalo every Saturday during the '50s to Herb Ross' Rhythmland - "Buy five, get one free." Or imagine him listening to George "The Hound" Lorenze on WKBW Buffalo's Rocking Right On Record Tonight . Or here's my personal favorite, from the Catholic Teens "N" Twenties dances: Guys ties. Gals no capris, please."
Each King Biscuit Boy album - Official Musk and Gooduns and the many that followed - were personally stamped, the Jimmy Reed guitar tortures filtering through King Biscuit Boy's unique vibes. (By the way, don't call him Biscuit. Just don't.) Yes, I love Richard Newell because he's my pal. He makes me laugh so hard that it endangers my health. He likes my piano playing too.
Let's just say this about our bond - some people like Roy Rogers, Some like Dale Evans, or Trigger. But me and Rich, we like Gabby Hayes.
Like Rich's biggest fans, Liz and Dick (His mom and dad) and brother Randy, I'm happiest with a frosty mug in front of me, listening to Rich being the King Biscuit Boy, singing and playing the classics faithfully.
During rehearsals, Rich would say, "That's not in there. There's nothing new about the Blues."
Listen to Dr. John's Lord Pity Us All, or to Rick Bell's (Dr. Leslie Bell's son) 60-second intro to that old 12 Bar Blues standard, I Can't Hold Out Much Longer. Or how about the old timey Georgia Rag? Then there's that kids' skipping verse, Ranky Tanky.
Just do yourself a big favor and slip this baby into your music machine - and hang on!
From Son Richard and The Chessman in 1962 in Hamilton's Downstairs Club (Rich Newell, Doug "Magna" Carter, Earl Johnson and Babe Myles) to King Biscuit Boy and Crowbar - and all us musicians in between - we all say this: Anyhow, anyway, anytime, let's do it again. Boogie! (Kelly Jay, Calgary, September 1995)
Tracklist:
01 - You Done Tore Your Playhouse Down Again 05:46
02 - Boom Boom (Out Go The Lights) 02:48
03 - Georgia Rag 01:37
04 - Barefoot Rock 03:34
05 - The Boogie Walk 04:03
06 - Ranky Tanky 03:59
07 - Twenty Nine Ways 02:41
08 - Bald-Headed Rhumba Boogie 04:10
09 - Lord Pity Us All 05:38
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