SHUFFLING DOWN TO LIDO WITH BOZ SCAGGS

One of rock 'n' roll's most enduring myths has grown out of the peculiar courtship ritual between youthful white musicians and the siren-like call of black American rhythms. Most of today's British rock elite—the Stones, Zeppelin, the Who, Clapton and Jeff Beck— were weaned on something borrowed and something blue, namely scratched copies of Muddy Waters or Little Richard records. (Surely you remember the old Animals album sleeves, where Eric Burdon boasted that his favorite singer was Ray Charles and his biggest thrill—invariably—was touring with Sonny Boy Williamson...what'd he do to those skinny little limey runts anyway, feed 'em pigs feet?)

Now many American rock musicians —preferring quiche lorraine to blackeyed peas—have attempted to either disguise or dismiss their ties with this tradition. A promising young singer like Tom Petty, for example, claims to have discovered Slim Harpo and other such blues legends listening to The Rolling Stones Now.