Kaikki parhaat rokit. Mahtavaa meno kamaa Californiasta.

by Chris Woodford (Now Dig This)

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Larry Williams was the bad boy of rock’n’roll. He was a rebel among rebels. Rock’n’roll was the respectable front. The main business was pushing drugs and running prostitutes. Larry Williams made some of the greatest rock’n’roll records of all time – but no amount of creative accounting of the royalties could have finanaced his Hollywood mansion, and his fleet of Rolls Royce, Porsche and Cadillac cars. Not a bad lifestyle for someone who began his professional career as a roadie to Fats Domino and as valet to Lloyd Price.

Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Little Richard have all been acclaimed as major influences on the Beatles and British rock’n’roll. But scratching the surface soon allows the shadowy image of Larry Williams to emerge. No self respecting 60s group was without Larry’s big hits – Bony Moronie, Short Fat Fannie, Bad Boy, Slow Down, Dizzy Miss Lizzy and She Said Yeah in its repertoire. John Lennon was one of Larry’s biggest fans. Both had a darker side to their lives. Both were abandoned as children and brought up by an aunt, both had scant regard for convention and both died at the hands of a gunman.

Larry Williams had a spectacular career with the Specialty label and at one time was even outselling the not too dissimiliar Little Richard, the label’s other major asset. Although their careers frequently intertwined, relations soured when Larry threatened to shoot Richard over non-payment of his drugs bill. Larry Williams – BAD BOY OF ROCK’N’ROLL brings together the best of his Specialty recordings. All the big hits are included, as well as recordings which though unissued at the time have since gained acceptance as rock’n’roll classics. This CD is bound to become the definitive Larry Williams collection.