Screamin'

There's something in the raw energy of Screamin' that grabs you from the very first moment. The way the band unleashes itself, building a tension that seems on the verge of exploding, is what makes you want to understand how they achieved that sound. It's not just a track, it's a statement of intent recorded in 1965, marking the beginning of The Paul Butterfield Blues Band.

The story behind this debut album, released by Elektra Records, has a touch of fate. In late 1964, someone mentioned to Paul Rothchild, producer at Elektra, that the most incredible band of the moment was playing in a blues bar in Chicago. Intrigued, Rothchild traveled there to hear Butterfield's quartet. That same night, following another recommendation, he also saw guitarist Mike Bloomfield performing with another group. This chance encounter, driven by the vision of Joe Boyd, was key in shaping what would become an album that, years later in 2012, Rolling Stone would rank among the 500 greatest albums of all time. The album reached position 123 on the Billboard charts.