Electric Mud

Editors’ Notes In 1968, eager to appeal to psychedelic rock fans, Chess Records urged Muddy Waters to expand his audience by making a heavy rock record. Backed by members of the Chicago soul-rock band Rotary Connection, Muddy turned out an album full of crunching, distortion-soaked riffs and big, booming beats. Not only did it achieve its aim in boosting Muddy's profile, it proved influential to a new generation of musicians. Most of the tracks are hard-rocking revamps of classics from his existing repertoire ("Mannish Boy," "The Same Thing," etc.) but he also amps up The Rolling Stones' "Let's Spend the Night Together."