The Howlin' Wolf Album: Blues + Psychedelic Fused

In the late 60's, when psychedelic rock was at it's peak thanks to the likes of Jimi Hendrix and the counter-culture, Leonard Chess, owner of legendary blues label Chess Records, asked Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf to record an album that fused their blues with the sound of psychedelic rock of the day.

This decision was very controversial, as both artists shunned the albums after their release (both Muddy and the Wold called them "dog shit"), and the blues purists as selling out. However it was viewed, the albums are actually very listenable.

Muddy recorded Electric Mud and After the Rain, and Howlin' Wolf recorded the album a year later, simply called The Howlin' Wolf Album. And yes, the above picture is the actual cover art.

The band used in this album was also the same players on the Electric Mud album. Basically, it's the blues standards of the each bluesman but played with more wah-wah, distortion, and rhythms of the psychedelic sound.

I personally like all these albums, as they bring out a fresh, raw perspective of the blues we all love. All these albums ended up selling very well despite negative reaction.

The tracklist for The Howlin' Wolf Album consists of the major songs for the Wolf:

1. Spoonful
2. Tail Dragger
3. Smokestack Lightning
4. Moanin' at Midnight
5. Built for Comfort
6. The Red Rooster
7. Evil
8. Down in the Bottom
9. Three Hundred Pounds of Joy
10. Back Door Man

Here's "Backdoor Man":