Of course you know Chuck Berry -- even the aliens have heard "Johnny B. Goode" by now. But there's a lot more to this legendary guitarist and songwriter than that one song, or even the fistful of chart hits he had in the late 50s and early 60s. A complex, difficult genius, Berry is a character whose personality is as fascinating a story as any of his songs, and those songs, taken as a whole body of work, do a lot more than duckwalk across the stage. These purchases will help you understand.
Originally released by MCA Records in 2000 as "Anthology," this 2-CD greatest hits is now part of UMG's "Gold" series of compilations. It's still the same album, though: the best double-disc introduction to Chuck for people who've heard all the hits but want them put into context. Chronological, of course, and well-balanced, delivering the early Chess classics and devoting just enough time to his '64 comeback and his early-Seventies revival. To get the full measure of the man, start here.
On the other hand, you may not know much about Berry. Or you may just want the hits, and make up your own mind about the rest later. Then this excellent single-disc companion, which has turned generations of neophytes into Chuck fans, is for you. It's been around since 1982, and on compact disc for ages, so the mastering may not be quite as good as you're used to. But for the basic Chuck Berry story -- "Maybellene" through to "No Particular Place To Go," essentially -- this is perfect.
Amazingly, very few people know Chuck's pure-blues output, even though he played for years as a bluesman in St. Louis before he got the bright idea to mix in country honk and make it about school and cars. Nevertheless, his Chess albums and b-sides contain examples of Berry's smooth, jazzy, West Coast style blues, and this CD collects all of them in one place. And originals like "Wee Wee Hours" and the striking instrumental "Deep Feeling" show Chuck writing the language, not just speaking it.
Released in 1986, this disc is only of interest to collectors and major fans who know the originals back and forth and now want to hear the stereo remix of "No Particular Place To Go" or the demo version of "Reelin' and Rockin'." To those so inclined, however, this is fascinating alternate-history stuff, and even the casual fan may smile upon discovering album tracks like "Little Marie (Sequel To Memphis)," "County Line," or previously unreleased oddities like "Betty Jean."
As the oldies revival ramped up, several "blues" musicians went over to London to play with established white rock royalty as backup. This entry in the London Sessions series features an excellent studio side including the should've-been hit "Let's Boogie," an extended jam, and a Little Walter cover. But it's the live side, recorded before what sounds like a million rabid punters, that stands as a document of how Chuck could drive an audience to the brink of riot. Contains "My Ding-A-Ling."
Wait a minute. There's no Chuck Berry on this CD! No, but if you're one of those people who think acknowledged geniuses like Berry pull their music out of thin air, this disc is instructive, as well as a very good listen. It contains 20 cuts, mostly postwar urban blues, that demonstrate the basis for Chuck's lyrical content as well as his musical persona: smooth, jumped-up, obsessed with cars and other examples of the American Good Life. You'll also hear many of Chuck's most famous guitar licks!
This 1987 film by Taylor Hackford is hard to track down -- not even available on DVD yet (although that should be coming soon). A shame, since it shows sides of Berry he'll never let you see again... you may not like the man more after seeing this biography, centered around a star-studded 60th birthday concert, but you'll definitely feel like you've spent a great deal of time with him. Then there's the chance to see rock and blues royalty from three decades jamming with him on his biggest hits.
The definitive biography of an artist who typically hides his true self from the public, this well-researched tome finds out what Chuck was/is like by asking the people who knew him best, then puts that personality back into his classic songs and places them in their appropriate historical context. Author Bruce Pegg varies wildly in his personal estimation of Berry, lionizing him one moment and blasting him the next, but for such a complex figure, that's almost a proper approach.
This is Chuck's life in his own words... he doesn't explain himself so much as give you a little peek inside his life and music. Sometimes you'll see more than you might have wished -- he goes on and on about his sexual escapades in some detail -- but what's most fascinating about the book is the way in which it's written. "The casual squirming and leg-ly laughter lured my lascivious lacking to longing lust..." reads one blurb. In other words, this is Chuck's life as a Chuck Berry song.
Seventeen of Chuck's biggest hits, transcribed note-for-note in tabulature so you can get all his basic licks, riffs, and solos down. Since Chuck basically invented rock and roll guitar, this is also an excellent place for any guitarist to start learning the genre from the bottom up. "Johnny B. Goode," "Maybellene," "Roll Over Beethoven, "Sweet Little Rock and Roller"... they're all here!
