Jimmy Ridding & the Blue Shoes

I was sorting out my record collection today and came across this platter by Jimmy Ridding and the Blue Shoes. This has been in my collection since the year dot, when I first started on my rock 'n' roll musical path towards my eventual finding, and settling on, rockabilly. I don't remember where I picked this up, it could not have been at a record fair because I doubt if most collectors would even give it a second glance. But wherever I found it (thinking back it may have been Junk City in Tooting, London), I bought it, played it once and placed it at the back of the collection, hoping that my rockin' buddies would not find it and rip me to pieces by calling me a plastic weekend Ted (oh, those were the days indeed). The album consists of rock 'n' roll standards. There is no information on the L.P. sleeve as to who Jimmy Ridding is, and there are no session or musician details either. It makes me think this may be a one-man operation. Recorded between 1969 and 1971, and released in France, we get a sound similar to (but not as good as) 'The Wild Angels'. 

There are two Ray Charles covers on the album, 'I Got A Woman' and 'What'd I Say', but I have never been into Jimmy's versions of these songs (even on a re-listen over thirty years later). I do not like the organ on the former and I hate the guitar on the latter. But I have always liked his version of 'Blue Moon of Kentucky' I think mainly because I like the way he sings 'Kentucky' in his accent, and for some reason I like his version of Ronnie Hawkins 'Oh Babe', even with the crazy drumming. The rest of the album tracks are bog standard rock 'n' roll covers. An odd duck of a post, but interesting none the less!

BLUE MOON OF KENTUCKY

A SIDE

TUTTI FRUTTI

I GOT A WOMAN

WHAT'D I SAY

READY TEDDY

RIP IT UP

ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK

B SIDE

SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL

OH BABE

JENNY JENNY

BABY I DON'T CARE

BLUE MOON OF KENTUCKY

LUCILLE

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