Johnny "Guitar" Watson

****  In 1976 JGW dropped "Ain't That A Bitch" and Johnny G was back on the charts. The cryptonite-resistant funker "Superman Lover" cracked the R & B Top 20 while the bluesy calypso-swingin' "I Need It" managed a #40 placing. Equally good was the title cut. On this 2005 Shout! Factory remastered version the hilarious "Funkula" and jazz fusion "Follow Me" are added for good measure.

he 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 reinvented 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 mutation 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 Johnnys tells 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.