A mosaic of what-ifs: The 1958 Muddy Waters tour that changed music forever
Music is a timeline of what-ifs. There are a lot of different moments throughout music that, if not for them, would have led to a very different creative landscape today. If certain people didn’t meet, different memories that led to classic songs didn’t exist, falling in love, falling out, and going to specific venues, many songs we like wouldn’t have been written, and bands wouldn’t have been formed.
There was one tour in particular, though, where had it not happened, we would likely have had a very different trajectory regarding the development and progression of rock music. This is because, if not for this tour, some of the most influential bands in rock music wouldn’t have been formed, and rock might not have taken over the world as it did.
The tour was Muddy Waters, which came to the UK in 1958. Muddy Waters, born McKinley Morganfield, was an American blues singer who pioneered the genre and was responsible for bringing R&B to the UK. His style of playing was different to what fans of the blues were used to, and the result was crowds across the country were shocked as they were exposed to a sound they had simultaneously never heard before and also couldn’t get enough of.
Many people were impacted by that Muddy Waters tour, but Alexis Korner and Cyril Davis were two of the major players in attendance. The two of them formed the UK’s first-ever blues band, comprising some recognisable names, including Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Jack Bruce.
After playing in the band for a while and getting a feel for things, it disbanded, but that disbandment was necessary for what would come next. Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts set up The Rolling Stones, while Jack Bruce became a pivotal part of the rock band Cream.
The influence of both of these bands doesn’t need to be explored, given that they are still so heavily infused in music worldwide, but let’s explore them anyway. Rolling Stones set the groundwork for rock music; their sound was upbeat and exciting, and their live show was difficult to turn away from. They were completely infectious and paved the way for other bands to follow in their footsteps (as they still do).
Cream was slightly different, as while The Rolling Stones were also excellent musicians, their proficiency didn’t match Cream, who had a complicated sound that explored the possibilities of guitar music. Albums like Disraeli Gears are used as a benchmark for psychedelic rock as the riffs, lyricism, and overall imagery remain unmatched.
The fact is, though, these bands might not have formed if it hadn’t been for that Muddy Waters tour, and if they hadn’t formed, rock would have indeed found a way, but it might have looked very different to how it looks now—just one more what-if in the tapestry of music.
