Spinning Blues into Gold: The Chess Brothers and the Rise of the Blues
That being said, it's a movie, a story plus it reminded me to dig out some great tunes I'd not played for many years. So, what's it like?
The story centres around mainly Muddy Waters (I like the performance played with a mix of world weariness and musical enthusiasm), Little Walter and Leonard Chess with larger parts for Etta James nearer the end and Howlin' Wolf lurking in the background like some malevolent force of authenticity. I have no idea if the Wolf was really like this, but his hard bitten, refusal to be bought attitude provides a neat counterpoint to the flash and swagger of the arrivistas revelling in their (supposed) new found wealth. Early on he says he can't be bought and won't have a "daddy" as he rolls up in his battered pick up truck, contrasted with Waters' most recent cadillac, and turns down an advance on his recordings - "just pay me what you owe me"...
There are flashes of the racial iniquities of the music business throughout the movie without it ever becoming didactic. Howlin' Wolf's aformentioned attitude, Muddy Waters' incomprehension that the caddies are infact payments and real money will be handed out by Chess as some form of benevolence and the alleged payola system with white DJs being paid to play "race" records. However given the very deep seated and overt racism of the period (segregated dance halls, police brutality, bus boycotts) it is also suggested that Chess got black artists into places they wouldn't have been able to access with the money and power being in the hands of white clubs and studios. It's an interesting point to consider where mutual advancement and co-operation stops and exploitation begins. Later Chess is seen being attacked at his studios one night as increasing black consciousness leads to anger amongst some about the perceived disparity of a white owner of black artists in a black neighbourhood. Against this backdrop the refrain "I'm a man" is also "...and don't call me boy"
However the film also shows that the music is also fundamentally a sexual tool(every pun intended). There is one recording scene where Wolf is virtually getting down and dirty when singing "Smokestack Lightning". In this sense I'm a man, I made 21 and I got something in my pocket...well, you know the rest (including various conotations on John The Conquer Root...and rubbing thereof). Whether the same displays of sexual prowess found as much support amongst women artists and their relationship with a predominantly male repertoire is debatable. Of course no one would argue with Bessie Smith, Nina Simone, Billy Holiday or Big Mama Thornton but sexual freedom and expression is perhaps sometimes perceived to be more favourable for men than women. It displays some of the bluesmen with a peacock swagger, violence and attitude toward women and money which may enhance stereotypes and portray them as the precursors of a certain type of rapper. Infact the story is neatly bookended by Willie Dixon starting the tale and finishing with a rap artist using a classic Chess tune as his backdrop...
So, overall an enjoyable film. Maybe not 100% historically accurate, perhaps doesn't always address some "big issues", but sure as hell reminds you of some great tunes.
