I never knew much Jerry Lee Lewis past Great Balls of Fire, but I’ve been listening to the fantastic Live at the Star Club in Hamburg all weekend. This is the opening track Mean Woman Blues, and it sounds like the backing band isn’t prepared to keep up.

This performance was recorded in 1964 - years after Lewis married his 13-year-old cousin (once removed). That’s the kind of scandal that would still shock today, so you can imagine how it went over 50 years ago. Even though Lewis was essentially banned from American radio and clubs, he apparently didn’t get rusty. Live in Hamburg represents a pre-Beatles sound I almost never listen to, but it’s so fierce and angry it almost feels like punk. Check it out.