Book: Here's Little Richard by Jordan Bassett
The book is as small as the great ‘architect of rock n roll’ himself.
That's the first surprise.
It starts with listing great icons such as Bowie, Paul McCartney and Elton John who all say they are only who they are because of Richard Penniman.
Prince - the most obviously influenced - is curiously missing from the long list of debtors.
The Living Flame gave himself many guises (as did Prince) but my favourite has to be the King and Queen of rock 'n roll.
Influenced by Sister Rosetta Thorpe who is a little better known than many others who have been written out of (white) history, including Louis Jordan.
If then Elvis was influenced by Little Richard and the architect was influenced by these that became before. Who invented rock n roll?
We learn that Decca’s recording director, Milt Gabler, brought in Louis Jordan to coach Bill Haley and the Comets—something I had never known. It seems no credit has been given during interviews for the million records he subsequently sold. The book, written by a music journalist obsessed with giving credit, highlights these overlooked contributions.
How many examples are there of a Black artist achieving something then Elvis copying it and then his version becomes the definitive moment? I have never seen the film featuring Little Richard, The Girl Can't Help It - of which The Beatles were said to be huge fans. Jailhouse Rock which came out a year later has been on the TV hundreds of times during my lifetime.
The story is an astonishing account, pulling together interviews from people who knew and worked with the Georgia Peach including Candi Staton.
They all talk about the joy he gave. Even with all the abuse from authorities and the industry. Even when he couldn't stay in a hotel, he would perform with his band in, give joy and then they not be allowed to stay in the town hotel.
Here’s Little Richard details how a black, bisexual, flamboyant man born full of life in 1932 faced all the adversity that entails then and now and still changed the world as we know it. It’s a tiny book with less than 200 pages so a quick read; we could do with more of these slices of cultural history.
On that history-shaking, first album Here’s Little Richard: