Albert King vs. BB King vs. Freddie King

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Who is the all-time reigning emperor of the blues?

― IPSISSIMUS (Uri Frendimein), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 14:21 (seventeen years ago) link

Jonathan King.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 14:25 (seventeen years ago) link

You must be one of the three kings to qualify.

― IPSISSIMUS (Uri Frendimein), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 14:29 (seventeen years ago) link

No one gives a fuck - is that a more direct way of putting it?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 14:37 (seventeen years ago) link

Oh, as if you don't already know it is.

― IPSISSIMUS (Uri Frendimein), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 14:40 (seventeen years ago) link

Does rhetoric in itself qualify as an anthem?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 14:41 (seventeen years ago) link

I don't know. Marcello reminds me of a mime. I always imagine you with a mime face at your little imaginary computer in the middle of a park.

― IPSISSIMUS (Uri Frendimein), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 14:44 (seventeen years ago) link

The actual answer is Otis Rush but anyway.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 14:46 (seventeen years ago) link

I prefer Freddie King.

― IPSISSIMUS (Uri Frendimein), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 14:47 (seventeen years ago) link

Is he as good as Freddie Garrity?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 14:49 (seventeen years ago) link

I haven't had sex with either of them.

Next up: Guitar Slim or Guitar Shorty?

― IPSISSIMUS (Uri Frendimein), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 14:50 (seventeen years ago) link

bernard king, now and forever

http://www.nba.com/media/history/bernard_king_200.jpg

― timmy tannin (pompous), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 15:03 (seventeen years ago) link

Is he anything like my uncle Bernard?

― IPSISSIMUS (Uri Frendimein), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 15:09 (seventeen years ago) link

bb king ranks high in my pantheon of national treasures that i never ever want to listen to. right alongside ray charles and ella fitzgerald. so, albert king. i like him fine. i'd probably rather listen to albert collins though.

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 15:10 (seventeen years ago) link

You no like Freddie?

― IPSISSIMUS (Uri Frendimein), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 15:12 (seventeen years ago) link

i never listen to freddie king. but that's not his fault, i just don't have any freddie king albums. i like his early singles. albert was pretty rad though. that live album with him and little milton and chico hamilton is a really good time. live at montreaux. i love little milton's live album from then too. both on stax. probably.

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 15:18 (seventeen years ago) link

I don't think you can pick one, really. They are all so vastly different from each other. All three of them very good at what they do. Sometimes you want the sting of Albert, the creamy burr of BB, or the spunky cluster of Freddie.

Tangentially, it is important to note all three of them project immediately identifiable personalities from their instruments. Tone, style, phrasing, etc. Blues guitarists just don't have that anymore. Such a fucking shame.

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 15:45 (seventeen years ago) link

Guitar Shorty definitely has that! He didn't get semi-famous until 1991. Guy does somersaults while soloing and he's an old man!

― IPSISSIMUS (Uri Frendimein), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 16:19 (seventeen years ago) link

three years pass...

Revive!

Tough choice for me as I like all 3. If I had to choose it would be probably be Albert King, followed by Freedie and then BB.

― Jim, Thursday, 19 August 2010 20:53 (thirteen years ago) link

six years pass...

After doing some enjoyable research on this important question I concur with you for the 1-2, Jim. Only I disqualify BB for being a bit boring/overrated and also for recording a completely dire song with the unutterable purebred arsehole Irish scum that shall not be named.

Born Under a Bad Sign has been my no.1 fave so far, followed by Hard Bargain.

― calzino, Thursday, 19 January 2017 15:22 (seven years ago) link

two years pass...

'Funky London' by Albert King is worth searching out. There is some really filthy funky back beat drumming on that one with a BB King type horn group. Groovy music.

― earlnash, Sunday, 21 July 2019 01:18 (four years ago) link

two weeks pass...

At the bar last night they were playing the Freddie king gem “going down”
https://open.spotify.com/track/2wnjZXcAT3rCjjqxLeHjv7

― calstars, Saturday, 10 August 2019 16:42 (four years ago) link

Can't hear that song now without thinking of the Eastbound and Down cold opens.

― frustration and wonky passion (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 10 August 2019 17:20 (four years ago) link

one year passes...

If you listen to BB's live at cook county jail and dont find it impossible to resist idk what to say.

― candyman, Tuesday, 9 February 2021 00:32 (three years ago) link

nobody loves me but my mother
and she could be jivin me too

― brimstead, Tuesday, 9 February 2021 01:58 (three years ago) link

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.