Muddy Waters was long one of the Rolling Stones' idols, and they got to perform with him 1981 in Chicago. "Muddy Waters and the Rolling Stones: Live at the Checkerboard Lounge 1981" shows those two sharing the stage with Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, and a bunch of other blues singers. It's an experience like you can't imagine. Part of the significance of the 1960s British Invasion was that the Beatles, Stones, etc introduced the US to all these great singers who were right under our noses but we'd ignored for years. Now that we can appreciate both the classic blues singers and those whom they inspired, we should take a lot of pleasure in the music. The blues will never die!

It starts off with the great Muddy Waters and Little Walter doing their standard repertoire when the Rolling Stones come into the club from a drunken night out. Muddy sees them enter (it is a small compact club) and as they get their drinks in, Muddy calls them to the stage one at a time, orders underlings to fetch some guitars for a jam. I never appreciated the skills of Richards and Wood until I saw this film, they blended in perfectly with some very credible guitar playing. Mick who was blitzed seemed to be ill at ease and uncertain of what to do next, this could not be said of Richards and Wood. The party really takes off on the 50 minute line, when the omnipotence of Buddy Guy joins the onstage party, there follows some amazing guitar work until someone up till now I had never heard of called Lefty Dizz playing a right handed Stratocaster upside down so the high E-String is uppermost, and then displayed some wonderful musical showmanship and guitar playing. This is a delight for all music purists, with some jaw dropping guitar solo's, a guitarists dream show and sadly proving that shows like this will never be repeated in the future. Bliss, worth repeated watching and obviously totally recommended!