CBID - Some new tributes to Chuck Berry

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: three additions to chapter 14 in Volume 2 which covers tributes to Chuck Berry.

ÅGE ALEXANDERSEN (Norway)
See Volume 3, page 1036 for biographical info, and also Volume 4, page 1763.

Gå Gå Gå (3:52) (Chuck Berry-ge Alexandersen) 2018

CD: So far this is only available on line. He performed it live during his 70 years birthday party (where he spoke highly of Berry) which was filmed for TV.

This is Åge’s tribute to one of his mentors, Chuck Berry. He says he once did get some Berry singles with Johnny B. Goode and Sweet Little Sixteen and he knew what he was going to do. He says that there wouldn’t be any rock’n’roll as we know it without Chuck Berry. He uses a great deal of the text from Sweet Little Sixteen and then writes his own lyrics to fit in. It’s actually a rock song but it’s not rockin’, if you get my drift. Anyway, it’s a good tribute.

LA MANZANA PLASTICA (Mexico)
1960s rock/beat band who is still out there playing “pure rock of the ‘60s” as they call it.

Berry Rides Again (as “El Gran Chuck Berry”) (2:20) 1970

45: CBS 6644 • Mexico, 1970

Sung in Spanish. Taken from The Steppenwolf’s tribute to Berry from 1968 (see Steppenwolf on pages 761 and 1895).

GUNN-TRUSCINSKI DUO (USA)
Steve Gunn (guitars), John Truscinski (synths, drums). According to something I’ve read they play a mixture of folk, rock and experimental music. And if you listen to the tribute below it sounds something like that.

Seagull For Chuck Berry (5:02) (Gunn-Truscinski) 2017 (instr)

LP: Bay Head [Three Lobed LPTLR-124] • USA, 2017

Recorded at Echo Canyon West (?) in March 2017. Not so much Berry pickin’ on this slow and unusual instrumental. You can hear traces from “Deep Feeling”, but Gunn explains that we sometimes took direct inspiration from the late rock’n’roll godfather. However, you will have to listen closely. Anyway, because of the title it’s a tribute all right. The album above was their third as a duo.