Swamp Dogg 本名 Jerry Williams,1954 年才 12 歲的他就以 Little Jerry Williams 名字開始演出並錄製專輯,到了 60 年代他那令人驚豔的 Blues 才華造就了不少成功的單曲,同時也幫不少靈魂歌手創作與製作了熱門金曲,其中包含了費城知名福音靈魂歌手 Patti LaBelle 當時的合唱組合 The BlueBelles。
70 年代 Jerry Williams 最自我的創作天份被釋放,另一個身份 Swamp Dogg 就此誕生,大膽、不修邊幅、一針見血的幽默、敏銳的政治觀察與更真實的他在這個名字上得到解壓,1970 年發行的首張專輯《Total Destruction to Your Mind》巧妙的將金曲式的音樂混入了當時盛起的迷幻元素,讓原有的樂迷跑走,同時又因 R&B 的基礎也讓嬉皮們沒那麼想聽,成功的(?)在邪典 (cult) 圈圈造成不小的轟動,成為了經典的邪典作品。
經過幾十年,這位已經 78 歲的邪典 R&B (?) 大師發行了無數張作品,也在前幾年加入可能大家比較熟悉的獨立廠牌 Joyful Noise Recordings 發行了兩張作品;今年大師回歸,進入了 DIY 龐克廠牌 Don Giovanni Records ,發行了最新專輯《I Need A Job...So I Can Buy More Auto-Tune》 不愧是大師級的專輯名稱,也依然保持著特有的尖銳幽默,能金曲,能粗俗。今年缺一張 R&B 專輯嗎?選 Swamp Dogg 不可能有錯。(#威廉)
In 1954, 12 year old Jerry Williams, then performing under the name Little Jerry Williams, made his first recording for Mechanic Records, a blues stomp with a shockingly mature vocal performance. Through the 60s Williams career developed with a number of successful singles, including “Im the Lover Man” and “Baby Youre My Everything”, as well as writing and producing hits for Dee Dee Warwick, Doris Duke, and Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles. It was in 1970, however, that the full extent of Williams eccentric creative genius was unleashed on the world for the first time, with the birth of his musical alter-ego, Swamp Dogg. Created to “occupy the body while the search party was out looking for Jerry Williams, who was mentally missing in action due to certain pressures, mal-treatments and failure to get paid royalties on over fifty single records,” the Swamp Dogg alias, still in use today, allowed Williams to create music that was bolder, raunchier, and more honest to his creative instincts. The Dogg cult classic debut “Total Destruction to Your Mind” struck a powerful blend of Williams classic soulful sensibilities and the blooming psychedelia of the time. Infused in the swirling brew is Swamp blink-and-youll-miss-it humor, a number of acid odes, and a heavy dose of sharp political insight. Though the psychedelic strangeness alienated R&B fans of the time, and the authentic R&B infrastructure prevented it from clicking with hippie audiences, it has retroactively received legendary status in cult music circles.