Untouchable! The Classic 1959-1966 Recordings Johnny "Guitar" Watson

£11.70

Genre:
Rhythm & Blues
Label:
Ace Records
Format:
CD
Catalogue Id:
CDCHD 1180

Veteran photographer Brian Smith has good reason to remember the night of 3 April 1965 that R&B legend Johnny “Guitar”’ Watson played Manchester’s Twisted Wheel club, with sidekick- Larry Williams, “It was the first time I took out my wife [39 years married, last June] - though I still stuck to the job in hand and buggered off to the ‘Wheel All-Nighter’ after I had put her on the bus home. I got a few decent black and whites on at Twisted Wheel, and then a couple at the Princess Club, same week: on stage, and some posed too.”

Some of Brian’s best shots adorn the booklet of this Ace collection of what might be termed JGW’s ‘missing years’ - those between his first flurry of success as a guitar- crushing mid-50s bluesman, and his reivention as a 60s soul hero. For the first half of the 1960s, Johnny bounced from label to label in an effort to recapture the chart success that he had first found with Modern’s RPM subsidiary. He had few hits along the way, but he made a whole lot of great music and “UNTOUCHABLE!” represents the first time that almost all of it has been gathered together.

Watson’s longest residency of these years was with King Records, for whom he cut the sublime Cuttin’ In – which became his biggest hit of the 1960s, in 1961. He also cut the definitive reading of his anthem Gangster Of Love for King, as well as a bunch of highly-potent sides that have since become cherished items among those who collect New Breed R&B in all its forms. Prior to King, he also made great one-off singles for Class and Arvee that successfully approximated the sound of his peers the Hollywood Flames (who backed him on his Class 45) and the Olympics (who probably did the same on our title track). The original version of his classic, Looking Back, is here, as are a clutch of post King sides that nowadays sell for between £200 (Ain’t Gonna Move) and £400 (Big Bad Wolf) among today’s Northern Soul hardcore. All in all, “Untouchable!” paints a fascinating picture of a man who had the will, and found the way, to bridge two eras of black music, prior to his greatest success.

With another must-have item for blues and soul collectors, young, cool and in his prime, here is the late, great Johnny “Guitar” Watson.

By Tony Rounce

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Track listing

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Side 1

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We offer free P&P to UK addresses. For all other territories packaging is free and postage is charged on a weight basis.

We use Royal Mail First Class for UK deliveries and standard Air Mail for all other territories, very large orders will usually be sent via parcelforce. You may cancel your order at any time prior to your order being dispatched by emailing us at orders@acerecords.com ensuring that you quote your name, address and order reference number or by telephoning +44 (0) 208 453 1311 between 9am and 5pm GMT/BST, Monday to Friday. Please note: As music downloads are dispatched immediately after purchase, there is no possibility of cancelling these orders.

In the event that any products supplied to you by us are damaged or defective, we agree to replace or repair the damaged or defective products or refund the amount you paid for such goods (including postage & packaging) providing you notify us (either via post at or e-mail: orders@acerecords.com ) and return the goods within 28 days of purchase. Physical goods should be sent back to us in the same condition you received them to: “Returns” Ace Records, Such Close, Letchworth Garden City SG6 1JF, United Kingdom. Music downloads should be returned to us via the e-mail address above including a copy of your notification.

You have the right to cancel your order within seven days of purchase, or seven days of receipt of the goods (whichever is the longer). If you choose to cancel your order, full payment will be returned to you. Returned items should be sent to: “Returns” c/o Ace Records, Such Close, Letchworth Garden City SG6 1JF, United Kingdom. Music downloads should be returned to us via the email address: orders@acerecords.com including a copy of your notice of cancellation and order number.

Press quotes

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A must have for Watson followers. ★★★★

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