JOHNNY WINTER AND - S/T Self-Titled - 12" Vinyl LP Album

A Fiery Fusion of Blues and Rock, Igniting 1970 with Raw Energy

Rick Derringer: comments on this first album with Johnny Winter: "On Johnny Winter And", I just helped Johnny to get what he wanted; he doesn't have the technical knowledge. Like "Nothing left" he didn't like it and didn't want it on the album, but I said, let me do things to it. So I did a whole bunch of things, and he really liked it in the end.

Johnny Winter recently teamed up with three ex-members of the McCoys for a tour which included the Santa Monica Civic and an album, released on the Columbia label as "Johnny WinterAhd."

It is difficult to put Winter down for his new LP, which for all its faults still proves that Winter is the most explosively brilliant electric guitarist on records-( Eric. who?). The addition of the McCoys, especially some questionable material by Rick Derringer, moves Winter away from blues and into rock. With a better band and better material, he could do very well there. As it is, he makes silk purses out 'of several sow's ears, gets-into some psychedelic guitar work .reminiscent of his brother Edgar's stunning debut album and tosses in enough of his own material to rescue the album.

Johnny Winter is anything but Black. What better antithetical symbol could be found to Blacks than an albino from Texas, which is what Winter is. But the music that has formed Johnny Winters talents is Black music, specifically Black Blues music. Winter talks about himself as being the super,, white freak who became an outcast because of his color and naturally found affinity with Black music. Possible.

WINTER IS the technically brilliant guitarists around, and he's vocally capable of imitations that range from Nina Simone to B.B. King. But in the back of my mind there's always been the awareness or feeling that here was somebody tryingg to be Black via vicariously Black music but never really swings too much beyond technicality simply because he's not black. Black music rises out of traditions and attitudes that are very definitely ethnic. Johnny Winter can play their music, but he could never write a SEIZE THE TIME, out of his experiences as an albino. Johnny Winter And is a rather pleasant, rather forgettable conglomeration put together by Winter and his new band McCoys. In fact, Winter has less to do with me alBum than his band does, more of the material being written by Rick Derringer than Winter. Winter seems to be tending toward a more Rock sound than the prototypical Blues which distinguished

Originally published Sunday 29 November 1970 in the Oakland Tribune.

Johnny Winter is a fine guitarist, completely astounding at times. His newest recording, "Johnny Winter And," unfortunately doesn't show it.

The slim Texan with the shoulder-length white hair is one of the most vital finds of the recent blues revival. In concert he is devastating — with flashing aggressive b l u e s , quick-fingered and bold. Recently he debuted his new band, Johnny Winter And, consisting of himself and three former members of the McCoy's: Rick Zehringer, guitar; Randy Hobbs, bass; and Randy Zehringer, drums. Winter's guitar duels with Rick Zehringer have proved, in concert, to be a breathtaking display of hard rock and blues fireworks. On record, this majesty simply doesn't show itself.

This is perhaps because in concert they play mainly old, familiar songs, ones with proven value. On the new record (Columbia C 30221), they play new songs. Only one of them, "Guess I'll Go Away," is truly outstanding. One song, "Funky Music," has a taste of guitar duos that the group performs so well in concert, but only a taste. The balance of the songs on Ihe album are mediocre, sporting an interesting melody here, a nice guitar riff there, but generally nothing of great significance. The album seems to be mixed differently -from the others. Mixing, you know, is the blending of the various instruments and voices according to prominence and accent. Previously, the guitar was mixed way up front, and the vocals more strident and bluesish. On this LP, the guiars are mixed back, in an echo effect. The album made me want to keep playing with my stereo equipment to make the guitar stop sounding as if it were coming out of another room. And the vocals are more mellow, sung as opposed to moaned as they were in his previous blues style. I prefer the Winter of Rock Blues, as in his versions of "Highway 61" and "Johnny B. Goode," or his renditions of B. B. King songs. This is what he is doing in concert now, and he has never been better. This new record, however, just doesn't match up.

"Johnny Winter And" contained one absolute masterpiece. "Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo, a song tailor made for Winter. It will always epitomise Johnny Winter; and it is one of the finest expositions of why we are all here: "Rock and Roll Hoochie koo, lawdy mama light my fuse, rock and roll hoochie koo, cone on out and spread the news..

Moving toward hard rock with the superb 'Johnny Winter And', Winter formed a versatile (and underrated) band with ex-McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer. The album comfortably ranges from the Southern-fried boogie of "Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo" to the haunting pop-psychedelia of "No Time to Love".

Johnny Winter and: While the production isn't as up with the first two albums, the performance with Johnny and Rick trading their patented licks back and forth, is something to really give a listen to. It's very interesting to hear the real and raw version of "Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo". I personally like Johnny's vocals over Rick's later version of this gem, he does on his own. There's something very unique about Johnny's vocals, that most can't come even close to. It's like he's singing like it's his last recording/perfomance, when he lays it down. "No Time To Live" really stands out, although Johnny isn't doing the vocals on that track, again every song on this album stands out well, and is a classic not to pass up.

Guitar Player Magazine - May 2000 "In addition to being a contender for one of the all-time great rock songs, "Rock and Roll Hootchie Koo" stands as a monument to the 70's most action - guitar due: Johnny Winter and Rick Derringer. In 1970, Derringer and the McCoys became Winter's first rock band-- Johnny Winter And. The band played to sold-out arenas and Winter was propelled to superstardom." The only Johnny Winter album with no blues tunes, it was cut on a single day. The rapport between Derringer and Winter is incredible! I love the funk of "Ain't That A Kindness", and the soulful vocal on "No Time To Live". But my two favorite tracks are probably "Nothing Left" and "Prodigal Son", two Winter originals that show he could write heavy tunes with the best of them. Some real Hendrix influences on several tracks. A fantastic record, but the CD is not as clear as it should be.

"Johnny Winter And" (Columbia C30221) IS the album presenting Johnny W i n t e r- and his new group, and it is by far the most interesting album he has yet released. His new group consists of Rick Derringer on vocals and guitar, Randy Hobbs on vocals and bass and Randy Z on drums (Randy Z has since been replaced). These men used to be known as The McCoys and were responsible for "Hangon Sloopy," but don't hold that against them. They're greet. Before, Johnny's groups consisted of back-up rhythm sections for his extraordinary guitar playing. Now, however, he has a real group with everyone sharing vocals. Derringer, especially, ls a very strong singer, fills a far greater range than Johnny's. Derringer also shares lead guitar with Johnny and it is often difficult to tell which is which That's how good he is The material is less interesting than the performances. This is especially evident because of the presence of the Winwood-Capaldi composition.

"Johnny Winter And" Is the latest aöbum by Johnny Winter on the Columbia CBS label. What comes after "And" is three guys named Rick Derringer. Randy Hobbs and Randy Z. Johnny Winter is still ripping away on his guitar and is doing really nice stuff on this LP. Most of the material for the album was written by guitarist Rick Derringer. but there are exceptions when they do one by Johnny Winter himself, and another by Stevie Winwood called "No Time To Live." Songs are "Rock and Roll. Hoochie Koo," "Prodigal Son," "Guess I'll Go Away," "Funky Music" and "Ain't That A Kind"

Regrettably, the absence of blues tracks within the confines of this particular album has precluded its inclusion within my personal collection, thereby resulting in the absence of any corresponding album cover photographs. Nevertheless, I have diligently curated a compendium of reviews pertaining to said album, which have been promptly disseminated across this digital platform. These reviews, in their entirety, serve as a faithful testament to the reception and appraisal bestowed upon the esteemed artist, Johnny Winter And, throughout the illustrious decade of the 1970s.