Search - Rick Derringer :: Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo: Best of

They're Playing My Song!

Dell | Connecticut, USA | 09/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo" has been my official theme song for years now. Derringer is a guitar god, sadly unrecognized by most. When I hear this music, I feel like I'm being crazy at a wild college party. I see kegs of beer and pure madness, and I love it! The other songs on the collection are all great too."

RICK & ROLL HOOCHIE KOO

Jukebox Dave | RECORD TOWN, USA | 12/23/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"RICK DERRINGER-ROCK & ROLL HOOCHIE KOO/THE BEST OF RICK DERRINGER: Guitar slinger Rick Derringer has just about done it all---he was a teen star in the 60's group THE MCCOYS of HANG ON SLOOPY reknown, supported both Johnny and Edgar Winter in their best bands, produced for acts from Cyndi Lauper to Meat Loaf to Weird Al Yankovic, ghosted for Ace Frehley's on some Kiss records, created music for the WWF, and most recently, he's released blues albums. In spite of his musical diversity and undeniable talent, he's still only really remembered for a pair of classics---the previously mentioned 1965 McCoys bubble-rock chart killer (and possibly its follow-up, a SLOOPY soundalike retread of PEGGY LEE's FEVER) and ROCK & ROLL HOOCHIE KOO, which Johnny Winter also covered. Unfortunately, a wimpy 70's update of SLOOPY no fan should EVER have to endure appears on this career retrospective, although one of Derringer's few other semi-hits, a respectable cover of Warren Zevon's LAWYERS, GUNS AND MONEY is MIA. That leaves the Johnny Winter-associated (though Derringer penned) STILL ALIVE AND WELL and a dozen or so decently executed, but not overly essential other tracks of guitar antics, several from his 1974 breakthrough album ALL AMERICAN BOY. Make no mistake---the little dude can play---but at 16 selections, BEST OF could be too much unfamiliar material to digest at one sitting. RATING: THREE BULLETS

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