Good Lord. Bo Diddley came out with all guns blazing on his floor-rattling romp from 1960, Have Guitar Will Travel. The LP would become a blueprint for SO much great rock ’n’ roll that followed: the Stones covered “Mona” in 1965, the Masters Apprentices walloped “Dancing Girl,” the Downliners Sect blasted through “Nursery Rhyme,” and “Cops and Robbers” even named one of the baddest mid-’60s UK R&B combos ever! Really… Who in the hell wouldn’t be inspired by hearing this opus that followed on the heels of Bo’s devastating first two albums??? Have Guitar Will Travel was packed with the same badass guitar, bolder-than-bold vocals, and trademark Diddley beat that had already made Bo a stone legend and man-among-men. Kicking off with the gospel-shouter “She’s Alright,” (with the background singers answering Bo’s every word), we stomp through the trash-talking “Say Man, Back Again,” Bo’s run-through-the-jungle “Run Diddley Daddy,” the amorous “I Love You So,” we hear hot, distorted licks traded with Lady Bo on the monstrous “Mumblin’ Guitar,” and SO MUCH MORE…. The album also dipped into the vaults for the killer Diddley beater “Dancing Girl,” the exotic instro “Spanish Guitar,” and the mind-blowing “Mona” (titled “I Need You Baby” for this LP).

This killer 180-gram edition – from the magnificent original Chess mono master reels – finally puts this album back in print on vinyl, properly. Accept no damn imitations.