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Product Description
A film featuring extensively remastered original Robert Johnson recordings as well as specially filmed performance footage from Johnny Shines, David 'Honeyboy' Edwards and John Hammond Jr. 2006 marked the 70th anniversary of Johnson's first recordings. His songs have been covered by major artists including Eric Clapton, Rolling Stones, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Bob Dylan, White Stripes amongst others. For decades little was known about Johnson, legend was rife with accounts of his life and pact with the devil and conflicting stories about his death. Drawing on the research of blues scholars Mack McCormack and Gayle Dean Wardlow this film uses documentary footage, interviews and music to uncover the truth about a man whose life was shrouded in mystery. Narrated by John Hammond Jnr it features interviews with Johnson's wife Willie Mae Powell, Eric Clapton, Johnny Shines and many more.
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uk sleeve
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By m
VINE™ VOICE
Format:DVD
If you are a blues fan then Johnson's name needs no introduction from me. This DVD is the Channel Four documentary that was shown at least ten years ago. John Hammond Jnr goes on a road trip to try to find people who knew him and the places he visited.
Now, the bad news (apart from the lack of special features for a disc whose runtime is just under an hour)is the picture quality, which is not that great, but given it's an old TV documentary perhaps I shouldn't complain.
Where it triumphs massively is a)Hammonds likeability and gentle interviewing manner and b) the chance to hear first hand from people who actually knew and played with Johnson. In case hardend blues-o-philes might worry that in someway the magic and mystery is unwound, forget it: there are at least two explanations put forward of what acutually happened to him, and no less than three possible burial sites!
The lovliest moment for me was Hammond's finding of Betty, an old girlfriend of RJ for whom he wrote 'Love in Vain'. She has never heard the song and Hammond plays her a tape and the camera holds on her face for a couple of moments, and suddenly the voice and guitar that we fans know so well becomes slightly more human, slightly more tangible.
Yes, it could have been longer - but this must be the 'plainest' DVD I own which I have watched the most - you never tire of the atmosphere and the stories which evoke such a fascinating man and his wonderful music.
One star knocked off for no speacial features and for under-par picture quality, but that's no refelction of Mr Johnson. Long may his voice be heard.
Now, the bad news (apart from the lack of special features for a disc whose runtime is just under an hour)is the picture quality, which is not that great, but given it's an old TV documentary perhaps I shouldn't complain.
Where it triumphs massively is a)Hammonds likeability and gentle interviewing manner and b) the chance to hear first hand from people who actually knew and played with Johnson. In case hardend blues-o-philes might worry that in someway the magic and mystery is unwound, forget it: there are at least two explanations put forward of what acutually happened to him, and no less than three possible burial sites!
The lovliest moment for me was Hammond's finding of Betty, an old girlfriend of RJ for whom he wrote 'Love in Vain'. She has never heard the song and Hammond plays her a tape and the camera holds on her face for a couple of moments, and suddenly the voice and guitar that we fans know so well becomes slightly more human, slightly more tangible.
Yes, it could have been longer - but this must be the 'plainest' DVD I own which I have watched the most - you never tire of the atmosphere and the stories which evoke such a fascinating man and his wonderful music.
One star knocked off for no speacial features and for under-par picture quality, but that's no refelction of Mr Johnson. Long may his voice be heard.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By podbod
Format:DVD
Not a bad DVD overall, informative as it can be etc. I wonder if it really is RJ's son! Looks a bit dated. The only prob is the guy who narrates it feels he should try and sing some of RJ's songs - not really sure why that's in the DVD. That aside, well worth the money if you're a Johnson fan.
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