John Lee Hooker

Two things: I’m not sure why this has been reissued – nothing appears to have changed from when the DVD was first issued in 2004. And secondly it seems a bold claim to call this the definitive DVD – but maybe it is. There’s nothing, I’m aware of, to compete with it – clearly, given it has been reissued. And it’s hard to complain with the range of clips here.

Thankfully we get whole performances of songs, and some interview snippets – rather than the other way around. And though the final collaboration albums served up lazy supporting-gig roles from the likes of Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana (one right in the middle of a large phoning it in phase, the other about to embark on one that doesn’t appear to ever want to end) there are still some live clips to treasure. Van Morrison and the Hook certainly sounded good together and there are no complaints about seeing Hooker working with John Hammond and Bonnie Raitt and, erm, Foghat.

So, here it is – for what it’s worth. Either you passed this over in 2004 – or didn’t know about it. If you still have it from then you don’t need it again, unless you’re switching to Blu-Ray.

Two hours of clips, some great old concert footage and the video and audio transfer is (for the most part) impressive.