MUDDY WATERS After the Rain '69 FUZZ FUNK PSYCH LP HEAR

$

47

WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS…

MUDDY WATERS "After the Rain"

Original 1969 LP on the FRENCH CHESS label, STEREO CH 50017

Cover:  VG++

Vinyl:  Some light marks, plays solid VG++

Blues purists routinely diss Muddy Waters’ 1968 psychedelic album “Electric Mud” as his “sell-out” to the rock industry, but few, including Muddy, remember that he recorded the album WILLINGLY, as an attempt to reach out to the younger audience.  Even fewer people realize that, even when supposedly “selling out”, “Electric Mud” STILL influenced a TON of talented musicians, among them Jimi Hendrix (who often listened to the album before taking stage), John Bonham (who cited the album as a direct influence for the guitar riff on “Black Dog”) and Chuck D (who claims to have listened to it “thousands of times” and called it “a brilliant record”).  And besides, if it were such a big mistake at the time, why would Muddy and the same crew get back in the studio one year later and record yet ANOTHER psychedelic blues album – this one, 1969’s “After the Rain.” 

Muddy’s second (and last) rock album is largely forgotten in the shadow of “Electric Mud” – consequently, it’s never been reissued and is infinitely harder to find today.  Which is a shame, because here Muddy brings back some of his old Chicago blues band members – Otis Spann on piano and Paul Oscher on harmonica – to give “After the Rain” a more authentic mix of psychedelic rock and Chicago blues than its predecessor.  And unlike “Electric Mud”, where Muddy contributed only his deep growling vocals, here he finally gets to unholster HIS guitar and show the kids how it’s done. 

And does he ever!  It’s nice to see a genuine blues legend crush overhyped scrawny English white boys on a monster blues workout like “Ramblin Mind” – Muddy’s fuzzed-out guitar shrieks and moans like a demon possessed, while the elephantine rhythm section churn out a city-levelling mega-stomp of blues funk power.  This is genuinely evil blues, a big growling Balrog of fuzzed-out destruction that shows you what Cream might’ve sounded like with balls.  Clapton is God?  Then I guess the Lord has a father.  Likewise, the classic Chicago blues “Hurtin’ Soul” slithers from your speakers like a venomous copperhead.  The Doors would record “Crawling King Snake” one year later, and Muddy would shrug and say “Aww, that’s kinda cute.” 

Biggest surprise here, Muddy goes funk – the chooglin’ “Bottom of the Sea” has a swampy CCR sound to it – and pits Muddy’s monster slide guitar against an innovative bowed bassline to give off a deep funk sound that sired the folks over at Parliament Funkadelic.  Sure, Muddy’s blues purists hated this new direction, but if we’d all heeded our faithful followers, Dylan would still be acoustic.  Sadly, Muddy listened, and went back to standard blues the following year.  And somewhere, Clapton, Clinton, Page, Plant and Morrison, along with countless other would-be blues and funk musicians, let out a hushed, but collective, “thank you.” 

 HEAR IT!

The less exciting stuff

Media mail shipping with delivery confirmation starts at $4.00 in the US, with each additional record only $1 additional shipping.  ALL DOMESTIC ORDERS REQUIRE DELIVERY CONFIRMATION, WHICH IS AN EXTRA 75 CENTS.  Air mail shipping to Canada starts at $10 US, each additional record $2 shipping.  Air mail shipping everywhere else in the world starts at $16 US, with each additional record only $3 shipping.  ALL FOREIGN ORDERS REQUIRE CERTIFICATE OF SHIPMENT, WHICH IS AN EXTRA $1.10.  I accept payments through Paypal. 

I try to grade as best as I can, and I list as many blemishes/imperfections I can find (writing, ringwear, scuff marks, etc.) – Also, please note that I DO listen to these albums – I may not listen to every track, but my grades are based on LISTENING, not just looking at it, since chances are you’ll be listening to the record you buy, not just looking at it.  Most of the albums I sell are the ones I’ve enjoyed for years – and I treat my records with kid gloves.  But sounds speak louder than words, so check out the sound clips below – they’re from the actual record you’re bidding on. 

SHIPPING AND PACKAGING

Listen, I buy a bunch of records too (when I’m not getting outbid at the last second, which is more often than not) – and I know what it’s like to get a rare, one-of-a-kind album packaged dangerously in a flimsy bubblewrap package.  I hate that too.  So rest assured, I ALWAYS package albums with stiff cardboard reinforcements, same for 45s.  And yes, the records are removed from the sleeves (for albums).  I ship out once a week, every Friday, because I have a regular day job.  But I’d be willing to give that up if you’d all be so kind as to bid my items up to stupidly high amounts. 

And finally, I include delivery confirmation on all shipments inside the US.  This is my proof of shipment, and also helps us to track your package if it doesn’t arrive when it should.  I will email you within 2 days of shipment and give you the confirmation number at that time.  Insurance is always optional, but for larger orders, it’s highly recommended.   I DO NOW REQUIRE THAT ALL FOREIGN BUYERS PAY AN ADDITIONAL $1.10 FOR PROOF OF SHIPMENT.  IT'S A NOMINAL FEE AND THE CHEAPEST WAY FOR ME TO PROVE THAT I ACTUALLY SHIPPED YOUR PACKAGE AND DIDN'T JUST POCKET YOUR MONEY AND SKIP TOWN.  For more security and international tracking, you may request GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL - but bear in mind the cost of this service is upwards of $30.  For expensive items, however, it may be well worth it.  Unfortunately, there isn’t a cost-effective way of tracking parcels to foreign countries yet, and shipping times vary depending on your country’s postal system.   Italy in particular seems to be really bad at delivering packages quickly, or delivering packages at all, now that you mention it.  I will always email you when your package ships, but once it’s on its way, please don’t ask me when it will arrive because I don’t know.  If the world’s postal systems can ever agree on a universal tracking system that’s affordable, I’ll be the first to use it.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

I will always leave positive feedback for successful transactions, and would appreciate the same in return.  All I ask of you is the following – please pay for your items within 14 days of the close of auction.  Compared to other sellers, that’s a generous amount of time, so if you don’t pay within 2 weeks, then I have to assume something’s wrong.  You’ll get an Ebay payment reminder at that point, and possibly a decapitated horse head in your bed.  If, after 30 days, you still haven’t forked up the cash, I’ll relist the item and yell at you if I ever see you in town.