Henry and June – Goin’ Back To Memphis (7″, US)

Goin’ Back To Memphis was covered by 20 Miles on the Ragged Backyard Classics triple 7″ set on In The Red Records.

Both tracks from this single were also released on the Goin’ Back To Memphis CD (DMR 0001) issued by Drunk Monkey Records in 2004.

Here’s the description from the ebay listing: “In the mid-90s, Dooley Wilson, Jimmy Danger, Ben Swank, and Johnny Walker were livin’ in Maumee, Ohio and started bangin’ out primitive blues and rawk together. Dooley on vox and slide guitar, Jimmy on rhythm guitar, Johnny on bass and Ben on drums.

They released one vinyl single and actually split up before the vinyl got off the press, then reformed to gig, due to word-of-mouth recognition the single was receiving. This slab of vinyl came from a tiny Detroit label called Human Fly, the same label that released early Detroit Cobras, Rocket 455 and Fireworks.

Henry and June then split up, due to reluctance to tour, and two fine bands rose from the ashes; Toledo-based blues merchants Boogaloosa Prayer, and the much-loved Soledad Brothers. This song has become a classic and rightly so; covered by The White Stripes, Boogaloosa Prayer, Soledad Brothers, Von Bondies, 20 Miles (consisting of part of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion), and others.

Legend has it Johnny Walker taught the young Jackie White how to play slide guitar, and as a sign of appreciation Jack appropriated Going Back To Memphis into his repository of covers during White Stripes gigs, if you’ve seen the live DVD Under Blackpool Lights, or caught the Conan O’Brien clip (where the song was worked into a medley of Let’s Build A Home/Memphis/John The Revelator, you know how much this song means to Jack & Meg.

Soledad Brothers (Ben Swank, Johnny Walker, and Oliver Henry) continued to play it on and off during their sets throughout the years, their Live At The Gold Dollar 6/00 LP has a cracking version of it, and they also reworked the B-side, “Lowdown Streamline”, for their Voice of Treason LP. Eventually, people started asking questions about the song and it came to light that it exists on vinyl by a pre-Soledad Brothers outfit.” – ebay.co.uk/attic-estate/

BARCODE: n/a

RUN-OUT GROOVE ENGRAVING: [unknown]