The version of ‘Johnny B. Goode’ by Molland, Solem and Miller honours one of the defining songs of rock & roll and has special importance since it is one of Joey Molland’s last recordings. The single was released before what would have been Berry’s 100th birthday and gathers together three musicians who all respect his work; instead of presenting an unknown piece, they return to a well-known rock & roll classic as a tribute to the artist whose guitar playing and songwriting helped to shape the genre.
Joey Molland provides the lead vocals, with his voice forming the focal point of this energetic recording. The fact that he has taken part makes the release especially significant since the performance was completed just three months prior to his death. Together with Phil Solem and Jeff Miller, Molland has been involved in a project that originated from their common interest in Berry’s catalogue. The version of the song they have produced shows off their long-standing affinity for classic rock & roll, and it is the opening single from a tribute album that has been developed over about 15 years.
‘Johnny B. Goode’ also shows the direction that the group will take with their forthcoming 12-song album, featuring interpretations of Berry’s compositions. Other songs that are planned for the album are ‘Roll Over Beethoven’, ‘Nadine’, ‘Carol’, ‘You Never Can Tell’, ‘Memphis’, ‘Little Queenie’ and ‘Around and Around’. This larger project involves placing the single within a continuous tribute to Berry’s songwriting and his influence, Molland, Solem and Miller drawing on the mutual appreciation they have for the music which inspired their own careers.
As a tribute it does, this recording also safeguards a significant aspect of Molland’s musical legacy. The fact that he worked with Badfinger represents an important phase in his career, and ‘Johnny B. Goode’ provides yet another example through which listeners can hear his contribution together with his long-time collaborators. Since the single was released just before Berry’s centenary, it links two generations in the history of rock music, paying respect to the original song while at the same time serving as one of the last recorded performances by a musician whose career played a part in bringing classic rock into the later decades.
