The complete album + 2 bonus tracks - limited edition pressing on 180g vinyl, a Brian Morton 'Number One Essential' recommendation. John Lee Hooker was one of the last links to the blues of the deep South. Presented here is one of Hooker's finest albums, the 1959 Chess Records release House of the Blues. Hooker taped some of these early songs at a special moment in his career when he was allowed more space between recording sessions. Prior to that, R&B labels were milking him for a different recording every month, sometimes under different names. House of the Blues collects 1951-1954 efforts, featuring legendary sidemen on a few tracks, but it is primarily Hooker's solos, charging ahead with nothing but his raw, electric guitar, soul-drenched and world-weary vocal delivery, and his foot to keep rhythm. Hooker's later albums, including The Healer (1989),Mr. Lucky (1991), Chill Out (1995), and Don't Look Back (1997), were album chart successes in both the U.S. and UK.The Healer, which featured Carlos Santana, was awarded a Grammy and expanded Hooker's audience into the world of rock. "His deep voice was inimitable. Historically, John Lee Hooker was one of the great links between the blues and rock & roll." - Rolling Stone Magazine