Favorite Funk LP's
- Thread starter mr.brett
- Start date
Why apologize? That IS a good album!
Others:
Ripple (self-titled)
Super Natural, Edwin Birdsong
You're So Beautiful, Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band
What's Up Front That-Counts, Counts
Deliver The Word, War
Black Merda
Mindful, Maxayn
Graham Central Station (self-titled)
Talking To The People, Black Nasty
Black Rock, Bar-Kays
No Time To Burn, Black Heat
sometimes I have a hard time telling when soul stops and funk starts. I mean I know good funk has to got to have soul (just like the Borman 6 girl) but not all good soul is funky.
like, what's the difference between funk and funk-ay?
I have some of the records mentioned above but would probably consider them upbeat soul before I would think of them as funk. I know I can't really stand that wacka wacka sound (unless it's by Montgomery Express). what's the hell? do I need to go back to school?
like, what's the difference between funk and funk-ay?
I have some of the records mentioned above but would probably consider them upbeat soul before I would think of them as funk. I know I can't really stand that wacka wacka sound (unless it's by Montgomery Express). what's the hell? do I need to go back to school?
B
BigSpliff
Guest
See, to me, the "funk" tracks on that LP are pretty paint-by-the-numbers, and I usually skip past them in favor of the really haunting vocal numbers.
As far as funk LPs, I am of the mind that if you've got a dozen or so JB-related LPs, the first three Meters, and the first Kool and the Gang, then you are good. Watts 13rd Street Rhythm Band is cool, too. And I like the Marvin Holmes LP.
I was thinking the same thing. Here I thought I don't really have much funk by definition, but apparently a lot of what I always considered soul of some sort (funkay soul?) can also be considered funk.
What would Eddie Senay "Hot Thang" be considered? I would never have thought Maxayn and Sylvers were funk records. I need some funk education as well.
Nah--if those records were not made by Black groups, I don't think anybody would think twice about calling them "rock".
Nah--if those records were not made by Black groups, I don't think anybody would think twice about calling them "rock".
I disagree about Funkadelic, those are some funky LP's and considering the group even had funk in their name (not to mention it's lead singer took on the alias of Dr. Funkenstein) its hard not to think of them as funk
All I can say is...
(a) Why NOT Maxayn? They're just about similar to most funk bands (with rockish overtones) of that era.
(b) True, those first three Sylvers albums (on the Pride label) have funky backing, and would fit in well in a funk set, but they are soul records through and through, IMO.
No hard & fast rule to this. Lotta grey areas (just like with anything). Can't just assume that every funk record is gonna remind you of the JB's and the Ohio Players, there are a lot of variables to the stuff but when you hear it, hopefully you'll know it.
Lots of reading if you have the time:
http://www.soulstrut.com/reviews/list.php?category=Funk
I say start with the basics which means:
1. James Brown and all the affiliates: JB's, Marva Whitney
2. Dyke & The Blazers
Then all the off shoots:
1. Instrumental groups: Kool & The Gang - first couple, Nite-Liters
2. Others: Funkadelic, Ohio Players, Bar-Kays, etc.
http://www.soulstrut.com/reviews/list.php?category=Funk
I say start with the basics which means:
1. James Brown and all the affiliates: JB's, Marva Whitney
2. Dyke & The Blazers
Then all the off shoots:
1. Instrumental groups: Kool & The Gang - first couple, Nite-Liters
2. Others: Funkadelic, Ohio Players, Bar-Kays, etc.
Nah--if those records were not made by Black groups, I don't think anybody would think twice about calling them "rock".
About half the funk bands out there had distinct rock influences (hell, look at Sly & the Family Stone). The Bar-Kays titled an album Black Rock for a a damn good reason. Two of Jimmy Castor's RCA albums (Phase Two and It's Just Begun, had acid-rock fuzztone for days. At early '70s (white) rock festivals, or on FM rock stations, if there was ONE black band in the mix, it was usually a funk band, because aesthetically they had more in common with rock bands than some singing group in matching tuxedos. There's even an old ish of Hit Parader magazine from '71 which pinpointed "Black Rock" as the next big trend - and the article centered around Black Merda, the Bar-Kays and Funkadelic.
Yeah, I'm all for straight-up JB clones, and the jazz-fusion guys have their place, but the acid-rock influence on funk is usually swept under the rug by these trifling Roy Ayers fans - it's about time this was brought back into the light! Dig on that Chains & Black Exhaust compilation which focuses on this kind of sound.
All I can say is...
(a) Why NOT Maxayn? They're just about similar to most funk bands (with rockish overtones) of that era.
(b) True, those first three Sylvers albums (on the Pride label) have funky backing, and would fit in well in a funk set, but they are soul records through and through, IMO.
No hard & fast rule to this. Lotta grey areas (just like with anything). Can't just assume that every funk record is gonna remind you of the JB's and the Ohio Players, there are a lot of variables to the stuff but when you hear it, hopefully you'll know it.
I wouldn't say the records in question aren't funk, I'm just saying I wouldn't categorize them as funk before soemthing else.
I don't have the Maxayn album that was mentioned, I only have Bail Out For Fun and the self titled one (and this is the one I like more). My first thought when hearing it was "stony soul" with some rock overtones. Those Sylvers albums (1 and 2, I don't have 3 yet) are soul to me as well.
Of course the lines are hazy, I wasn't looking for a tutorial on funk necessarily, I'm just sort of curious as to what people 'round here consider "funk" is all.
Nah--if those records were not made by Black groups, I don't think anybody would think twice about calling them "rock".
I agree. When I was first getting into funk, I picked up Cosmic Slop with high expectations and was very dissapointed. Funkadelic has some great funk songs, but I think they're primarily a rock group.
Nah--if those records were not made by Black groups, I don't think anybody would think twice about calling them "rock".
About half the funk bands out there had distinct rock influences (hell, look at Sly & the Family Stone). The Bar-Kays titled an album Black Rock for a a damn good reason. Two of Jimmy Castor's RCA albums (Phase Two and It's Just Begun, had acid-rock fuzztone for days. At early '70s (white) rock festivals, or on FM rock stations, if there was ONE black band in the mix, it was usually a funk band, because aesthetically they had more in common with rock bands than some singing group in matching tuxedos. There's even an old ish of Hit Parader magazine from '71 which pinpointed "Black Rock" as the next big trend - and the article centered around Black Merda, the Bar-Kays and Funkadelic.
Yeah, I'm all for straight-up JB clones, and the jazz-fusion guys have their place, but the acid-rock influence on funk is usually swept under the rug by these trifling Roy Ayers fans - it's about time this was brought back into the light! Dig on that Chains & Black Exhaust compilation which focuses on this kind of sound.
Well, there's certainly funk with fuzzed-out or rock elements, but I don't think that describes Merda--what is it musically about Merda that would lead you to call it funk?
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