1970 music
Related: music - 1970 - 1970s music
Deaths: Jimi Hendrix
Funk
[...] the musical output of black America around 1970 had changed towards funk - music which was still by predominantly black artists but generally not 4/4 (on the one and the three - James Brown would famously say. Although Brown is known as the 'Godfather of Soul', his musical style defines the difference between soul and funk - his being funk - in British cultural terminolgy, his music being harder and more guitar based and unlike the swirling string and brass sections of the 1960's upbeat soul) - opekta@hotmail.com in an essay on Northern SoulSome 45s
What Was Underground Music Like in 1970?
"Basically R and B, what they called R and B. Anything that was danceable, it's hard to categorize individually. The crossover music was there. Also there was the influence of stuff like the Stones, Zeppelin, Brian Auger, groups like that, there was a good amount of crossover music, it certainly wasn't looked at as disco. [Then] disco happened. I think part of what happened was the twelve inch came in. Deejays would take a record like Scorpio which has a nice little drum thing in the middle, and take two forty fives and they would keep going back and forth and they would expand the time on the thing. And that became the twelve inch". -- David Mancuso
Soul Rebels (1970) - Bob Marley & the Wailers
Soul Rebels (1970) - Bob Marley & the Wailers [Amazon.com] [FR] [DE] [UK]
In the late summer of 1970, a momentous but short-lived partnership was undertaken between the Wailers and the bizarre, innovative producer/performer Lee Perry. All were alumni of Coxson Dodd's Studio One, having departed to seek their fortunes by controlling their own products. While at Studio One the Wailers had developed a good working relationship with Perry, who had routinely supervised their recording sessions and occasionally used them as harmonists on his own vocal efforts, like his big hit Pussy Galore. As the summer of 1970 wound down, the Wailers were coming off a major disappointment. They had produced an extraordinary collection of songs, arguably the first real concept album in reggae's history, for Chinese-Jamaican producer Leslie Kong. A week after the release of their collaboration called The Best of the Wailers, Kong dropped dead in his home, and the album was, at least for the moment, stillborn. The Wailers had watched with envy as Perry, a tiny sprite whom everyone called "Scratch," had begun to make himself rich, mainly through his link-up with British-based labels. He had recently enjoyed a major British chart smash with his studio band, known as the Upsetters (just as Scratch, and his chief record label, would also be called Upsetter). The song was called "Return of Django," and the Wailers wanted in on similar action. -- Leroy Jodie Pierson & Roger Steffens [...]
Funkadelic (1970) - Funkadelic
Funkadelic (1970) - Funkadelic [Amazon.com] [FR] [DE] [UK]
This is the debut album by the outstanding musical pioneers Funkadelic & my favourite of what I've heard so far. it opens w/ the immortal line "If you will suck my soul, I will lick yr funky emotions" before getting into the groove of their manifesto track Mommy, What's A Funkadelic? combiming humour, stoner-rock, soul, & something else in a magical blend for the ears. I Bet You is a supreme soul stomper type song unlikely to leave yr head too quickly, perfection. Other highlights are What Is Soul? which closes the album & is a sequel to the 1st track & I Got A Thing... which includes the statement "you don't drink what I drink what I drink, you don't smoke what I smoke, you don't think like I think, you don't joke like I joke" which is to bring people together despite superficial differences. The players are Eddie Hazel, Bernie Worrell, Tiki Fulwood, & others & the occasional narration of the man behind the curtain George Clinton. I had written a more indepth review before but for some reason it never got posted, all I mean to say is that this is an excellent, intelligent, essential & overlooked album that will indeed Free Yr Mind if you give it a chance. FunkMeister G for amazon.com [...]
More CDs
Fela Kuti's debut album, recorded in London
The very first R&B group signed to Warner Bros., Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band streaked forward with a solid run of hit records that have all but faded into obscurity. "Express Yourself," their best known hit (included on this disc), peaked at #3 on the R&B and #12 on the Pop charts. In the Jungle and Express Yourself represented two important steps forward from the 60s soul sound and into the raw funk of the 1970s. [...]