Eddie Bo : Hook & Sling
Perhaps not unsurprisingly, I follow up my previous post with yet another Bo tune. I mentioned before that Lover And A Friend would make it into my top 50; perhaps top 10 (if my mood permitted), this track is one that will always, always, be in my top 10.
Probably the first track I heard that convinced me (after years of attempts from friends) that my deep set passion for Northern Soul could be enhanced by “letting a little funk into my life“. I first heard this on a New Orleans funk CD compilation (that I’d reluctantly purchased to see if my friends were right) and for the life of me I can’t remember what that CD was called, nor can I find it in my collection; but I know that as soon as I heard Eddie Bo I was hooked and I have been a fervent collector of the Bo sounds ever since.
This track has probably the best drum intro I have ever heard, courtesy of some serious drumming from James Black… Whenever I reach for this vinyl, I am always torn as to which side to play, I love part 1 because, … well it’s the intro to part 2!
The soundbyte (and image) seen here is from the Scram issue (117); valued at £50 (seriously underpriced in my humble opinion). As with most Bo tunes, I can find no evidence of this being bootlegged or re-issued on Scram (there are some dodgy re-issues that sound like they were recorded off a mono stereo in a garage, but they are not on Scram, if I recall correctly they are Tuff City/Funky Delicacies/Vamp re-issues); so you should be safe should you uncover a Scram copy whilst digging. I am also sure that I once had a blue label copy as well (but can’t recall where that copy went and have no idea what the difference between green and blue is – apart from the colour).
I’ll leave you to make your own mind up which you prefer… at the time of writing I’m erring towards part 2; but then again…
Eddie Bo – Edwin Joseph Bocage (September 20, 1930 – March 18, 2009).