Post by The Curmudgeon on May 3, 2010 18:38:49 GMT 2
Two more weeks to go in this series, and we go from an alternative UK rock band that no-one's heard of to.. a 60s/70s US soul band that, despite influencing pretty much everyone, barely a record buyer I know has ever heard of.
I've mentioned them on here before, but Sly and the Family Stone remain one of my all-time favourite acts, despite disbanding before I was even born. It was through a book written on Prince that I discovered he listened to and was influenced this band, and so I headed out on Boxing Day with some Christmas money and bought the Greatest Hits of Sly and the Family Stone. Looking at the ancient looking photos I wasn't expecting much, some musty vocals and ho-hum songs.
By Christ I was wrong.
Pounding, funky dance beats, great lyrics, fun, inventiveness, wit, originality, great vocals and most importantly, great songs. I've snapped up pretty much everything the band ever did, including discs of rare and unreleased songs that I just love too.
Before the song of choice, here's an amusing anecdote (and one of the reasons the man himself became a recluse). They needed artwork for their new album "Fresh", and it was supposed to be Sly in a photo-studio posing for something. Except he was so out of his mind on cocaine, they eventually placed him on a glass table and posed him like a doll. The result?
Anyway, here's my favourite ever Sly song that captures everything I love about the band. Lyrics about "midgets standing tall" notwithstanding, try not feeling that "Staaaaaaaaaaaand!" chorus, and the closing outro is so downright funky it's frightening.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=32V2zun5HlA&feature=related
I've mentioned them on here before, but Sly and the Family Stone remain one of my all-time favourite acts, despite disbanding before I was even born. It was through a book written on Prince that I discovered he listened to and was influenced this band, and so I headed out on Boxing Day with some Christmas money and bought the Greatest Hits of Sly and the Family Stone. Looking at the ancient looking photos I wasn't expecting much, some musty vocals and ho-hum songs.
By Christ I was wrong.
Pounding, funky dance beats, great lyrics, fun, inventiveness, wit, originality, great vocals and most importantly, great songs. I've snapped up pretty much everything the band ever did, including discs of rare and unreleased songs that I just love too.
Before the song of choice, here's an amusing anecdote (and one of the reasons the man himself became a recluse). They needed artwork for their new album "Fresh", and it was supposed to be Sly in a photo-studio posing for something. Except he was so out of his mind on cocaine, they eventually placed him on a glass table and posed him like a doll. The result?
Anyway, here's my favourite ever Sly song that captures everything I love about the band. Lyrics about "midgets standing tall" notwithstanding, try not feeling that "Staaaaaaaaaaaand!" chorus, and the closing outro is so downright funky it's frightening.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=32V2zun5HlA&feature=related
