Bo Diddley - Say Man: The Singles & More 1955-1962 (Can) [LP]

They called him the Originator for a very good reason. Bo Diddley was the foremost bridge between blues and rock 'n' roll, facilitated in no small part by his "Bomp ba-bomp bomp, bomp bomp" sound, the famous "Bo Diddley beat". He was a master of invention too, inventing his name, his persona and style, and his own guitar. Put simply, he was one of those artists whose importance and influence as a pioneer of popular music far outweighed the commercial and chart success he enjoyed during his career. With just nine U.S. R&B and two Pop chart successes across a career spanning five decades, Diddley was not exactly a hit-making machine. But his legacy is such that echoes of his music pervade rock, pop and hip-hop to this day. This LP revels in Diddley's guitar genius and features 16 of his greatest and most iconic tracks including "I'm A Man", "Diddley Daddy", "Pretty Thing", "Mona", "Say Man" and "Road Runner". Once he had scored his first No.1 with "Bo Diddley" the shape of popular music changed forever. His influence is clear to see, through some of the work of artists, - and Diddley devotees - like Buddy Holly, the Rolling Stones, Johnny Otis, Cliff Richard, The Who, Bruce Springsteen, U2, and George Michael. Every time a song uses the "Bomp ba-bomp bomp, bomp bomp" motif, Diddley's legacy lives on.