28. 'Bo Diddley' - Bo Diddley (1958)

28: ‘Bo Diddley’ - Bo Diddley (1958)

‘Hey, Bo Diddley!’

Bo Diddley’s 1958 debut album could be said to be the defining transition from American Blues into Traditional Rock ‘N’ Roll. With a collection of singles from 1955-1958 and some newly written songs, Bo Diddley broke the rules of rhythm, lyrics, instrumentation and, most importantly, styles.

‘Bo Diddley’ is filled with innovative uses of the guitar, call & response phrases inspired by Gospel and Blues music, single chord vamps in which the instrumentation becomes key - not the chords and, most significantly, the Bo Diddley beat - a significant, distinctive rhythm derived from African dances and Cuban claves.

Laz & Felipe dive into this pioneering album and look at how Bo Diddley mixed and blended a variety of genres to produce one music’s first out and out Rock ‘N’ Roll albums!

WATCH: Drum Lesson: The Bo Diddley Beat

Episode 28 Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4cOBJUydxeYMZ6vSQfjFLa?si=1f5b35824d1b4bc1

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