{"product_id":"tough_enough","title":"Tough Enough","description":"\u003cp\u003eBuddy Reed \u0026amp; Th' Rip It Ups’ Tough Enough is a fired‑up West Coast blues record that captures former Canned Heat guitarist Buddy Reed stepping fully into the spotlight as a bandleader in his own right. Originally recorded in the spring of 1985 and reissued in 2025, it pairs gritty, early‑rock‑and‑roll energy with loose, juke‑joint spontaneity: raw guitar tone, live‑sounding performances, and Reed’s feverish, half‑shouted vocals give the album the feel of a sweaty club set rather than a polished studio project. The core trio—Reed on guitar and vocals, Jerry Smith on bass, and Bob Newham on drums—plays like a road‑tested party band, hitting a sweet spot between jump blues, swampy shuffles, and early rock ‘n’ roll rave‑ups.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAcross tracks like “(Buddy’s) Big Legged Woman,” “Rock Me,” “Blues for Mud,” “You’re So Fine,” “Rialto Rock,” “Sugar Bee,” and “I’m a Hog for You (Baby),” Reed leans on classic blues tropes—lust, heartbreak, bravado, and barroom catharsis—and delivers them with what one set of liner notes calls a “bluesy rock jester” energy, more about feel and attitude than prettiness. His guitar work nods to early Johnny “Guitar” Watson and T‑Bone Walker: sharp, reverb‑drenched leads that sound slightly dangerous rather than slick, with solos that cut through the mix like a live wire. Closer “Kiss My Ass,” a kiss‑off to unsupportive clubs, “so‑called friends,” and industry hangers‑on, underlines the album’s defiant streak and reinforces what Tough Enough ultimately documents: a traditionalist blues lifer playing with commitment, humour, and the kind of raw conviction that made this music exciting in the first place.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Record Store","offers":[{"title":"CD \/ Album","offer_id":53193191457082,"sku":"37375","price":29.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/2041\/0682\/files\/Screenshot_2026-03-20_at_3.46.47_PM_202bbab2-d35f-41c8-b794-29667be5437a.jpeg?v=1779320112","url":"https:\/\/recordstore.ca\/products\/tough_enough","provider":"Record Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}