Saturday, October 4, 2008

Stylish People.- Screamin' Jay Hawkins


I'd like to start a series of stylish people through the history of fashion... and not only! because sometimes, many, is people who is "not" in fashion the ones who are more stylish because they couldn't care less of what's in and out... they're beyond.
Ladies & Gentlemen, let's start with the über stylish and creeeeepy Mr Screamin' Jay Hawkins.





Jalacy Hawkins was born in Cleveland, Ohio.

"I came in this world black, naked and ugly. And no matter how much I accumulate here, it's a short journey" (source)

He began his career as a conventional blues singer, there was nothing special on him... till the day he recorded his famous song "I Put A Spell On You".

Intended to be a blues ballad, the song ended up being one of the most "cannibalistic" songs ever made, the mother of what will be known as "shock rock".

The reason why this song ended up being the way it is and not the way it was intended to be was the everyone's surfeit during the recording in 1957: Screamin' Jay and the musicians got drunk and wild, they started to play and sing and this is what they brought... a song ahead of their time.
And what a great man.

1 comment:

ALANNAH said...

he used to scare the shit out of me when i was little. I always thought that those horns were real. But hes actually a very talented man