Johnny Guitar Watson

If you look at the dictionary you will find the entry ‘Funk=Johnny Guitar Watson’. Alongside the Parliament/Bootsy axis and the original James Brown, Johnny Guitar Watson was THE master of pimped up Funk.

If he is singing about lack of money – ‘Ain’t That A Bitch’ – or sexual prowess – ‘Superman Lover’ – every track is laden with hard edged funk and a guitar sound that George Benson has been trying for years to get to.

Standout tracks all over the album show his sassy sense of humour and street attitude with peaks on ‘Real Mother For Ya’ which has a wicked rhythm line and great horns.
‘Funk Beyond The Call Of Duty’ is a personal favourite bringing all his different strands together and then there is the awesome ‘Master Funk’ featuring the Watsonian Institute band.

He started out as a Blues player and there are strands of that on tracks like his ‘Gangster Of Love’ but the danceability still shines through.

It should sound dated but music this good doesn’t date – it still makes you want to get up and make an almighty fool of yourself.
Johnny G was the master – this album proves it. Get out there and groooooove.