Johnny “Guitar” Watson
In Concert (Ohne Filter)
Picture: C+
Sound: B- Extras: B- Concert: B-
Johnny
“Guitar” Watson did not get his middle name from the great Nicholas Ray Western
with Sterling Hayden and Joan Crawford, but simply because his playing was so
aggressive and unique. That is despite
making his breakthrough in the 1950s, the time of the film, in Huston,
Texas. Gone by 1996 unexpectedly, this
July 2, 1990 concert from the German television concert series Ohne Filter,
which offers the usual nearly hour-long program is solid. On top of that, there is an extended version
of a performance from an earlier appearance on the show form 1987, which is a
first for this series.
Since
there was room for both shows on this DVD, it is odd they are both not here,
but maybe Inakustik will issue the other show later. In the meantime, the songs here are:
1)
Strike
On Computers
2)
Superman
Lover
3)
I
Wonna Ta Ta You Baby
4)
Nothing
Left To Be Desired
5)
Ain’t
Life A Bitch
6)
A
Real Mother For Ya
7)
Three
Hours Past Midnight
8)
Gangster
Of Love
9)
A
Real Mother For Ya
10)
1987 BONUS TRACK: Gangster Of Love –
Extended Version
Being a
1995 release and having issued a few dozen titles already in the series, MVD
and Inakustik have released one of the best titles yet. More bonus tracks would be nice, though I
wonder when the show will go 16 X 9/1.78 X 1.
With that said, Watson was good, even in his final years, maybe just
playing so hard that he became the musician’s equivalent of a workaholic. There is some repetition in this particular
performance, bonus track notwithstanding.
This may be seen as an extended jam kind of thing, but for someone who
enjoys that kind of thing, it did get dragged out. Otherwise, this is a good concert for its brief running time,
with his blues guitar and vocals in good shape.
The full
frame PAL color video is about what would expect for a taping of the time,
having the usual limits in its otherwise good color and limited
definition. The sound is available in the usual PCM CD-type 2.0
16bit/48kHz Stereo, as well as a slightly better Dolby Digital 5.1 AC-3, which
both sound decent. The PCM is not bad, nor is the Dolby, but neither are
spectacular. The 1987 clip plays about
as well. We have heard better and worse
versus this release in the Ohne Filter series. Besides repeating the same stereo cords ad placement, other DVDs
in the series, and Ohne Filter producer interview, it has a biography of
Watson, the brief history of the band and other interesting items about the
reach of Watson’s work until his death. Obviously, this is one of his
last captured concerts, so that gives it an added cache. Fans will be happy enough.
- Nicholas Sheffo
