90's Hit Parade #87

R.L. Burnside - Snakedrive

OK, couldn't find a video of the version of "Snakedrive" from R.L. Burnside's album A Ass Pocket of Whiskey, on which the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion served as his backup band. Here's an earlier version, the Ass Pocket version is embedded above, and the video above is another prime cut from the album. The combination of Burnside's raw houserockin' blues and JSBX's blues-inspired punk rawk is like wish fulfillment to those of us who hunger for such things. I'm sure there are plenty of blues purists who find Jon 'n them's contributions obnoxious and distracting, but fuck them. Think of this more as an extension of JSBX's noisy raunch-n-roll sound than any kind of "authentic" blues preservation project, and just enjoy that moment at the end where Jon's scream suddenly comes in.