What is your opinion of Sly and the Family Stone?
The absolute bees knees. Fresh is dope, very underrated, Que Sera Sera and In Time are some of the best stuff he ever did.
>>65873478
I meant to post In Time in the OP!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mld7eSaydI
Holy shit this song's good, just listen to that rhythm section.
My only complaint with Fresh is that the best song is the opening track
god tier
"In Time" is so damn syncopated, and the play between all the instruments is awesome
Their hits do not do the quality of their stuff justice.
To any lurkers interested in the genre, don't browse a few hits on youtube, listen to the record in the OP
I > Balboa > Creed > III > IV > II >>> V
>>65873704
My favorite songs so far,
Luv n Haight, Family Affair, Frisky,
and especially, In Time
Out of these, only Family Affair was a hit
Honorable mention: Thank You, Loose Booty (the latter of which could have been god tier but was a tad cheesy)
>>65873437
>>65873508
Just out of curiosity, did you happen to come to "In Time" from the James Murphy Redbull thing?
I first started listening to this stuff after I heard Murphy praise the deadness of the heads on the drums in this song.
>>65874264
No, but I will check that out now
I love discussing that song
Can you link me to that video?
absolutely one of my favourite groups ever - musically they led me to James Brown, but I don't think he ever made albums as great as Riot or Fresh. (he did make up the difference by punching well above his weight when it came to world-changing singles though.)
but Sly is out of this world lyrically too. even their Greatest Hits from 1970 is one of the few compilations no one can fault you for having in your collection, and it's one of the strongest rock/funk albums ever - as well as probably one of the best party albums ever.
>>65874445
This whole album is amazing, there is a song on it called Time which just knocks me the fuck out.
>>65874344
Here's the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M92JO2f4rPw
I can't remember where he mentions it though. Something like 40 minutes in maybe.
>>65874487
not him but that opening track is something else
so dark and dirty
>>65874445
I think I might have talked about Fresh with you before, did you make a comment about percussive little stabs?
I totally noticed that in "In Time", it's cool as fuck. I hear something new each time.
>>65874496
thanks, I'll look for it!
>>65874496
I found it, it's at 38 minutes in and some change
>>65874487
it's the little sob he gives off near the end that gets me every time - but the whole thing is so powerful. who sings like Sly did on Riot? from squeals to whispers, to murmurs to belting it out, he's peerless in using his voice as a pallate for a full range of sonic colours
>>65874514
I think that was me! it's like a musical version of pointilism - and it's like he tried to get everyone to vary each measure with a slightly different phrase. music for musicians, for sure.
>>65874739
Does that sequence of notes around 1:40 in In Time make you eargasm too?
"There's a method in the madness of thinking", that verse
But yeah, I'm not even a musician and I appreciate that a lot. I don't think any of the instrumental parts repeat in the song.
Sadly, I don't think they played much of their stuff like that live, they seemed to mostly just play their 60s stuff and some of their 70s stuff that was less complex.
>>65874739
Also, their 73-75 lineup doesn't get enough credit, Rustee Allen is a great bassist, and Andy Newmark's drumming on Fresh is phenomenal (though he left the same year for whatever reason)
Bill Lordan and Sid Page are cool too
Also, it seems like their albums reflect contemporary American society
The Hippie optimism of 67-69, the ennui of the early 70s (Riot), then the upbeat funk/disco era of 73-79 which is like the hippie dream actually lived out (Fresh)
>>65874847
it's the guitar answering some other instrument that kills me - but almost everything that happens in this song is the trade off from one instrument to the next to the next and they all "catch it" - that I love!
one thing that made that stuff hard to reproduce live was its complexity - true. but it was the fact they (Fresh and Riot) were studio creations that allowed repeated tinkering with the recording until he had it just the way he wanted it.
>>65874885
one of my all-time favourite interviews with a musician is Andy Newmark telling how he got interviewed by Sly Stone to see if he was going to replace Greg Errico - it's just hilarious
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvsvKS6pGy8
Sly Stone is a true inspiration and one of the most excellent American musicians of all times
Uncle Larry i feel like is somewhat responsible for Drake so idk
>>65875057
I think another part of it was that by 1971 or so, Sly was drugged out and wouldn't want to put in the effort to play anything live except for the songs he's already done a million times.
As for the guitar though, I don't actually notice any guitar except for that simple but fitting guitar sequence that comes before that eargasm. But yeah, the instruments all play off each other and that's really cool. I wonder if Pat Rizzo and Jerry Martini are both playing on that track, I can't tell how many saxes there are.
And I've seen that interview before, lol
I wish he gave us a sample of "In Time", though!
I wonder why Andy left, his shit was smokin
IF YOU WANT ME TO STAY
Why is Sly's voice the way it is? He seems sharp mentally still but his voice is all fucked up, sadly I don't think he'll ever be able to perform again, at least not with singing.
>>65875129
ha - I was wondering if we were reacting to the same part or not. my favourite part of the song comes closer to the end with the rising fuzzed-out bassline - the climax, musically as well as eargasm for me
>I wonder why Andy left, his shit was smokin
he was gone the next album. whatever it was, he became one of the most in-demand session drummers ever:
https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/andy_newmark/credits/
too bad, 'cause how many more drummers could have played at that level? maybe Small Talk would've been a different, better album if he'd remained?
>>65875358
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mld7eSaydI
1:40 is the part I'm talking about
I think I know what part you're talking about, is it the one with the screaming organ? I also like that part.
Yeah, maybe Small Talk would have been better with him around. Maybe he left because he didn't like Sly's behavior? It's not a terrible album though, Loose Booty is a fun song but nowhere near the masterpiece In Time is.
