THE IMPRESSIONS – Check Out Your Mind!
Consider this one a hangover from the last post. Now that Spring has finally sprung, and everybody’s hormones are scattering around aimlessly like rats in a slum fire, what could be more appropriate than thee smoooth harmonies of Messrs. Mayfield, Cash and Gooden? Everything from sweet ‘n’ sexy traditional [...]
This Stuff’ll Getcha Laid
LEON THOMAS – The Leon Thomas Album
When I mentioned Leon Thomas as a huge influence on “Starsailor”-era Tim Buckley, the ever-dimming light bulb flickered in my head: why hadn’t I ever featured the man here? Well… I still don’t have an answer for that, but I can rectify the situation. Anyway here’s what I said [...]
Mommy, What’s an Eddie Hazel?
EDDIE HAZEL – Games, Dames & Guitar Thangs
“Play like your Mama just died,” is how George Clinton told a then barely 21-year old Eddie Hazel to attack the soloing to “Maggot Brain.” You should know the rest of the story– the end product became not only Eddie’s signature piece, but Funkadelic’s as well: ten minutes [...]
The Subtle Art of Sleazery
VARIOUS – Risqué Rhythm: Nasty 50’s R&B
Now I’m no Pollyanna, but the canny use of the double entendré in R&R is all but lost. Unless you count the thousands of macho creeps who’ve followed Da Nuge’s lead with hackneyed, sub-literate Yank Me, Crank Me-isms (Sorry Nuge, ya know I love ya ‘n’ all, but between [...]
ANDRE WILLIAMS – The Black Godfather
Here’s the Original Gangsta himself, Andre Williams. After putting Detroit’s Fortune label on the map in the 50’s, working for Berry Gordy/Motown in the 60’s and working as Edwin Starr’s road manager in the 70’s, the King Pimp found himself hooked on the pipe, down-n-out on the streets of New York City in the 80’s/90’s [...]
