Little Richard - The Explosive Little Richard… Plus

Ripping it up in a post-rock’n’roll world

The hooting and hollering of Richard’s big hits were a distant memory when this album first appeared in 1966, his last for the famed Okeh label. But while contemporaries Jerry Lee Lewis and Gene Vincent were slogging away on the nostalgia circuit, the Georgia Peach was confidently embracing the coming sounds of Stax and Volt. Indeed, much of this record recalls the thrilling work of Otis Redding or Solomon Burke, not least the deep soul balladeering of Never Gonna Let You Go and Don’t Deceive Me. A couple of the more upbeat tracks, I Don’t Want To Discuss It and Poor Dog (Who Can’t Wag His Own Tail), went on to become mainstays on the UK Northern soul scene of the late 60s and early 70s. The bonus tracks, recorded later the same year at Abbey Road with Beatles engineer Norman ‘Hurricane’ Smith, include a version of Get Down With It, subsequently rocked up and slightly renamed by Slade for their debut hit, while other collectors may well be lured by the presence of a young Jimi Hendrix on two of the songs. But ultimately it’s Richard’s triumph, and quite possibly the best long player he ever made.

Edsel | EDSS 1016

Reviewed by Terry Staunton
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