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Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Hootchie Koo

I was recently watching CNBC (of all things), when to my astonishment I saw this online trading commercial featuring none other than Rick Derringer belting out Rock and Roll Hootchie Koo in a paid command performance to some guy sitting behind a desk. What is the world coming to! But then again, it’s pretty cool that this guy is still getting recognition. It got me thinking – how can I pass this up – a real RiffZoo classic.

Probably the best track off of 1973’s All American Boy debut solo album by Rick, Hootchie Koo is true rock and roll, guaranteed to make you crack open a Budweiser and raise your fist. “Lawdie mama, light my fuse”! The single-note line in between the vocal lines gives it almost a slide-like delta blues feel. For you air guitarists, it may very well be one of the top five of all time. Even guitarists play air guitar to it. It’s that good of a riff song.

The tune was also covered by Johnny Winter, for a real howling treatment. Be sure to listen to both versions. In reality Rick and Johnny were kind of joined at the hip in the late 60's. What many people forget is that Rick was actually a star at the age of 15 in 1965 as the front man and guitar player with the McCoys and their hit Hang On Sloopy. He then went on to be the second lead player for Johnny Winter And, one of the quintessential bands in rock history. Be sure to look up Johnny Winter And Live in your listening. Keep in mind that Johnny Winter is the real deal. Rick also played with Winter brother Edgar on Shock Treatment in 1974.

He had a pretty successful solo career, highlighted by Hootchie Koo. In the mid 70’s he formed a band called Derringer which was a GREAT band if you had a chance to hear them live in the 70’s (it was my first concert). Although they’re very hard to find now, the albums Derringer and Sweet Evil both feature some really great guitar work, as well as with second lead player Marc Cunningham. Both collections are well worth the effort to find. Wait till you hear Beyond the Universe.

In 1978, Derringer changed lineup with Lawyers, Guns and Money. Guess who he had in this band? Neal Geraldo, Kenny Aaronson on bass and Myron Grombacher on drums. Neal and Myron went on a year later to become Pat Benatar’s band for her breakthrough debut album, and Neal also wrote all of the seminal guitar work featured over Pat’s career.

Rick still tours regularly. Listen to whatever you can get your hands on of his music. Real high energy, boogie playing. A "must listen" guitar player.

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