Six Never-Before-Heard Tracks Included In New Double Disc Set; Anthology Marks First In A Series Of Reissues And More Unreleased Music



LOS ANGELES, CA -- Shout! Factory announces the release of What The Hell Was That? – The Funk Anthology, a stunning new double-disc anthology from the multi-talented musician, Johnny “Guitar” Waston. As a collection of some of the most important recordings from Watson’s dynamic and influential career, The Funk Anthologywill be marked by the addition of six never-before-heard tracks.

Shout! Factory plans a comprehensive campaign to reissue the guitar legend’s classic ‘70s recordings, incorporating choice previously unreleased songs just recently been discovered by Watson’s family, nearly 10 years after his death. The first release in the series, What The Hell Was That? – The Funk Anthology will be available September 6th.

Musical prodigy and obsessively prolific, Johnny “Guitar” Watson set the blues world afire early in his career with his blistering, searing guitar, but caught fans off guard when he took time out to dabble in jazz, and then outright stunned them when he turned to raw funk. His career played like a soundtrack to the evolution of American soul music, brilliant and more exciting with every turn it took. When he died in the midst of a worldwide comeback tour in 1996, Watson left behind nearly 40 years of considerable work, and a legacy that has endured to this day. Several years ago, daughter Virginia Watson took to the formidable task of identifying and restoring the literal ton of tapes she had inherited. She then partnered with Shout! Factory to reissue many of Watson’s albums, along with a cache of previously unreleased tracks. Beginning with the six on What The Hell Was That? – The Funk Anthology, at least two “new” songs will be added to each record in the Shout! Factory campaign.

With The Funk Anthology, Watson’s career finally gets its due. From his earliest radio hits including the blues drenched “Cuttin’ In,” all the way through his first funk hits “I Need It” and “Superman Lover,” this collection captures the development of the guitarist’s personal style and never-ending curiosity with contemporary music. Watson had a penchant for taking songs he recorded in his early blues phase and revisiting after his R&B evolution, resulting in equally phenomenal yet incredibly different versions of “Gangster Of Love,” “I Want To Ta Ta You Baby” and “A Real Mother For Ya.” It was actually Watson’s foray into funk that brought him his greatest commercial success, with a string of releases and two gold albums which placed Watson on the R&B charts throughout the late 1970s and well into the ‘80s. His work is often cited as the predecessor to the ‘gangsta’ rap style that first emerged in the late 1980s, and is even more popular today. The Funk Anthology is also marked by the six previously unreleased tracks, a surprising discovery that will thrill both Watson fans and his large base of fans.

Shout! Factory is a broad-based audio and home video entertainment company whose cofounders — Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos — share a passion for pop culture of the 20th century and beyond. Video and DVD projects include television programming spanning 75 years, live music concerts, animation and sports collections and special interest documentaries. Audio products from Shout! Factory consist of GRAMMY®-nominated box sets, anthologies and “best of” collections, as well as new music, soundtrack releases, deluxe album reissues and quirky compilations. Shout! Factory’s catalog features vintage and legendary performances from some of the greatest — and most eccentric — artists of our time. Shout! Factory products are distributed by Sony BMG Music Entertainment Inc.www.shoutfactory.com


JOHNNY “GUITAR” WATSON: WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT? – THE FUNK ANTHOLOGY
Catalog Number: D2K 31771
Price: $24.98 SRP
Release Date: September 6, 2005



DISC ONE

Ain't That A Bitch
Superman Lover
I Need It
A Real Mother For Ya
I Want To Ta-Ta You Baby
Baby's In Love With The Radio*
Tarzan
Funk Beyond The Call Of Duty
It's About The Dollar Bill
Love That Will Not Die
I'm Gonna Get You Baby
ET*
Miss Frisco (Queen Of The Disco)
You Can Stay But The Noise Must Go
Feel The Spirit Of My Guitar*
Gangster Of Love

DISC TWO

Don't Be What UC*
What The Hell Is This?
I Don't Want To Be President
Strung Out
Cop & Blow
Booty Ooty
Lone Ranger
Telephone Bill
Love Jones
Before I Let You Go*
Voodoo What You Do
Come And Dance With Me
Ain't Nobody's Business*
Bow Wow
Johnny G. Is Back
* previously unreleased track


# # #


source
Magan Camacho
The Brookes Company
magan@brookescompany.com

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Can't wait

Duly noted!

It's about time the Superman Lover had something like this.

Thank you.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

oooooh, i can't wait for this one.

sweet. aw shit sept 6

Oh Snap!, this was the man!

Cool .Never had anythimg by Johnny,so this seems like a good start.

Great thread!! I have a few of Johnny's albums from since I was a kid. I WILL be getting this!

13inchshoe said:

plus you get ET's

About time. Johnny 'Guitar' is something of a 'forgotten legend'. I love his early pioneering '50s work and also his wonderful '70s blues/funk/jazz stuff. One of the great blues guitarists IMO. Also an excellent keyboard player and singer. He had a unique laid back style, and vocally he reminds me of a 'straighter' (ie not so 'high') Sly Stone. As a guitarist, he's one of the blues greats. Nobody can play those licks like he does - it's all in the 'feel'. This man deserves a lot more respect than he gets.

I need it!

Thanx for posting this. Johnny was my man back in the day. He influenced everyone from Jimi to Zappa. Can't wait for this!!

blackguitaristz said:

I ditto that BG Baby. This man is a bad mutha.

SPYZFAN1 said:

Yes.

oh hell yeah!

i got "a real mutha for ya" on c.d...cool album.

i might be picking this one up too.

check out that kick- ass intro on the song "my love is your love"

I got Ain't That A Bitch already, which this anthology starts off with.