Red Devils on MTV Europe
The Red Devils performing “She’s Dynamite” and “Time to Cry” (this time labeled as such on the lower third graphic) on MTV Europe. These videos have been floating around on VHS and torrent sites for years. It would make sense that they are from 1993, but we don’t have independent confirmation of that. When we get more info, we’ll post it here.
June 3, 2011 at 6:35 pm
My tape of these recordings says “Euro MTV Most Wanted 4-11-93.”
January 13, 2012 at 3:02 pm
Just to create context here, I’ve been lstening to great music for over fifty years including all the big names in blues; most of the time nowadays it is the Chess/Checker roster that I listen to, you know, Little walter, Sonny Boy, Wolf, Muddy, Jimmy Rogers and others.
I discovered the video of She’s Dynamite on YouTube and have watched it several times a day since: it is one of the best things I’ve ever heard and I ain’t lyin’….
January 13, 2012 at 3:48 pm
Keith, those guys could shuffle like nobody’s business, and “She’s Dynamite” is a fine example of it!
January 13, 2012 at 5:11 pm
Thanks for your response automatic32 and you’re so right.
I must emphasise that it is the band, the team, with their incredible commitment to each other and therefore the groove, their tightness, restraint and swing, that has made such an impression upon me.
Add to that the tone of all of the individual elements (including the vocal of course) – and all are superb, even though Lester’s harp amp seems to be emitting a crackle here and there – and you have a damn masterpiece, nothing but!
I wish they’d recorded She’s Dynamite but fortunately we have other examples of their state-of-the-art shuffles on King King.
Take care
January 13, 2012 at 5:51 pm
One of the things I liked so much about this session was that they did this song, which was never recorded in studio for anything else, at least as far as I know. This is such a great version, always makes me think of how different it is from the Hollywood Fats Band recording. Both bands had a solid groove, though – solid, solid, solid. Great rhythm sections!
January 14, 2012 at 11:56 am
IIRC, according to Dan LeRoy’s book, “She’s Dynamite” was one of the tunes recorded at the session for the Devils’ second album. That version has never surfaced, to my knowledge.
The version of “Dynamite” on the 2 Meter Sessies radio show is pretty awesome — but I’m a fan of that entire show.
January 14, 2012 at 11:57 am
Hello again automatic 32
I just listened to the Hollywood Fats recording and as you know, it is their version of the Tampa Red song, which I first heard by B.B.King. I prefer it the way that B.B. plays it – as a boogie.
The Red Devils’ She’s Dynamite is presumably a Lester Butler song as he sings and plays it as if he’s telling his story and loving every second of doing so! I love it just as much but the Hollywood Fats record – as much as I respect him, his memory and legacy – does not make me feel the same way. As the guys in my band, Borderline (we’re based on the Isle of Man right in the middle of the Irish Sea between England and ireland) know, I am very hard to please and equally hard on my own performance.
Take care: I’m going to play Time To Cry and She’s Dynamite one more time then I’m going back to my Little Walter CD session…