Larry Williams - Unreleased LP
Larry Williams - Unreleased LP
Label: Specialty Records; Year: 1986; Format: Vinyl LP
The beauty of walking into a record store and hearing instantly something played over the stereo that I like is a feeling that I have always cherished, and that will hopefully never die out. So, it was only a week ago when I took a long walk in my neighborhood and stopped at my local record store up the road from the house. Over the stereo was blasting Larry Williams, an artist I had not been familiar with but instantly fell in love with. This week I was also thinking that at some point in the not so distant future I will introduce you to the two record stores here in Buffalo, NY that I mainly use for record shopping these days. I don't buy many records, and as you will have noticed if you read this blog, only old stuff and reissues, but I thought especially for people traveling through Buffalo it might be good knowledge to have hence stay tuned. On to Mr. Williams (nee Lawrence Eugene Williams) then, born 1935 in New Orleans, Louisiana. After having been uprooted by his parents' move to Oakland, California Larry returned to New Orleans in 1954 where he began working for his cousin Lloyd Price as a valet. Larry was eventually introduced to Little Richard and with being a piano player for Lloyd, Williams eventually signed his own record deal with Art Rupe's Specialty Records. This record collects quite a few previously unreleased or alternate version of songs from the label's vast vault. According to the sleeve notes by Joey Mattia the LP was compiled and mastered by Little Walter of Boston, a prominent DJ and expert in the field of 50's and 60's rock'n'roll: "We have compiled this album with some of the most rocking tunes you'll hear. Some of the songs are alternate takes from the sessions where the original hit was recorded. These alternates are every bit as exciting as the ones that were originally released. At the time, Art Rupe, founder of Specialty Records, felt that maybe these sides were not as good as they could have been, but hearing them anew, we all felt they were dynamite!"
While researching for this entry this morning I came across the fascinating history of Specialty Records and the fact that Art Rupe just died recently at the age of 104. It could very well be argued that without artists and independent record label owners such as Rupe the DIY punk rock explosion would have never taken off the way it did as inspiration has to always come from somewhere. It could also be argued that sadly it is often the case that record labels try to cash in on artists that are no longer with us and by 1986 when this record had come out Larry was already dead for several years after having committed suicide in 1980. Williams' later life was plagued by drug abuse and violence, sadly nothing uncommon with a lot of artists from his generation. If you appreciate well crafted and wild' '50s rock'n'roll then you will not be disappointed with this record and should get your greedy hands on a copy of this. Rockin' Pneumonia it is!!!
Larry Williams and fans, photo source unknown.
