You Were Expecting Maybe Rock Hudson?

James Brown.
1965
Ski Party.
'Nuff said.

(This well traveled bit of cinematic surrealism posted if only because no one else has done it yet.)

James Brown Month: The Freakin' T.A.M.I. Show

It's the stuff of legend - in California in 1964, a grand gathering of rock 'n' roll & rhythm and blues stars for the first and just about only film of its kind, the T.A.M.I. Show, is capped by a battle of the apex of both genres - the Rolling Stones vs. James Brown. 

So much has been written about the different reactions each performance camp had to the announcement that the Stones would follow Brown. One thing's for sure - it wasn't the Stones' call. Producers Bill Sargent and director Steve Binder made the running order, and it was much to both acts' displeasure.

"umm . . . you know we didn't ASK to follow you, right Mr. Brown?"

"Nobody follows James Brown!" Brown kept saying. Binder had never seen JB perform, and Brown refused to rehearse for the program, telling Binder "you'll know what to do" when the cameras started to roll. Maybe if he'd given a little up, Binder would have understood. 

The Stones certainly did. According to an interview in MOJO, Jagger apparently came to Sargent and Binder and said "We can't do this." But Binder insisted they could, and Sargent wanted a British band to close up the show, so the die was cast.

"don't matter, son. get ready for the night train."

Apparently Jagger was so nervous watching Brown backstage Marvin Gaye had to tell him, "Just go out and do your best." Keith Richards would later say that going out after him was the biggest mistake of their career. 


Why was everyone making such a big fuss?

THIS IS WHY

In addition to a hot "Out of Sight", in addition to the greatest version of the cape act ever captured on film, there is "Night Train", which is so fast, and so nuts, JB actually loses step a couple of times, and then turns his missteps into genius. Apparently Elvis Presley used to rent a theater and would roll this performance over and over again. Brown himself said it was the fastest he'd ever danced, and the best thing he'd ever done. 

RJ Smith quotes Brown about the T.A.M.I. saying "[IT] was the highest energy thing has ever been. I danced so hard my manager cried. But I really had to. What I was up against was pop artists. I was R&B. I had to show 'em the difference, and believe me, it was hard."

For their part, the Rolling Stones manage to get out with their asses basically intact. They deserve major points for even going on, and they're pretty great. Jagger shows his amazing sponge-like performance instincts by doing a serious number of JB moves that he'd just seen fifteen minutes before. Apparently they revamped their setlist entirely following the JB performance to give it more of an edge and freshness - "Off the Hook", which totally rocks here, was not even released yet! Brown apparently even shook their hands afterward and congratulated them, and invited them onstage a week later at the Apollo to have them take a bow. 

He won. He could afford to be generous. 

"Have another few thousand drinks and you'll get over it, pal."

Seeking Intern

WFMU's Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban is seeking a curator for the Fool's Paradise Twin during our summer season.  Must have low-brow sensibilities and vast knowledge of the golden age of B Movie Exploitation.

Inquire within.

Build the Fink•Mobile!

Mr. Gasser & the Weirdos - Hey Rat Fink

James Brown Month: GODFATHER in the GARAGE - Papa's Got a Brand New Trash Bag

While "Out of Sight" is probably the number one garage/frat/show band JB cover, and there's no shortages of "Try Me", today we're featuring a trio of versions of "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag."

  

First up is this lo-fi live version from Mike St. Shaw & the Prophets, found on the Audio Fidelity (of all things) release Where It's At: Cheetah, in 1966. Cheetah was a dance club in New York, on the sight of the old Riviera Ballroom at Broadway and 53rd. It's a weird Audio Fidelity release, in that there is little fidelity to the audio, and not all the material is ace, but Tucson, AZ based St. Shaw and the Prophets perform a ripping medley of Good Lovin/Papa, the papa portion presented here.  

papa's got a brand new hump!

The Invictas version is pure snotty teenage thrust, which is appropriate from this band of Rochester, NY humpers. 

The slickest, floor-fillingest version of the lot comes from future Redbone stars Pat and Lolly Vegas, from their At the Haunted House LP. The Haunted House was located in Hollywood, and while I doubt the album was recorded live, it's an excellent California rock 'n' roll party record with a  great guitar/bass sound. 

Special thanks to Greg Cartwright for the loan of the Invictas and Pat & Lolly records.  More from the Cart-chives in the next couple of weeks.

Who's Got The Good Foot?

Al Sharpton and James Brown, 1998.

James Brown Month

Unsung with Tammi Terrell

JAMES BROWN'S future shock Pt. 3

James Brown had a television show in the '70s called Future Shock.  Here is another episode featuring special guests singer Arthur Prysock, porn star Marilyn Chambers, a history lesson and Body Heat!! Don't miss part 1 and 2!!

Editor's note:  Ichiban pal, Fred is looking for an episode of Future Shock from 1976 featuring his band "Sounder".  If anyone has any leads, please get in touch!

Stax/Volt Tour Norway 1967

James Brown Month: THINK

Of all the songs James Brown covered, he returned to none as many times in so many different ways as he did the "5" Royales 1957 classic "Think", written by the great Lowman Pauling.  Tracing versions of the songs gives us a window into the ever evolving Brown sound.

It's not hard to hear why this was such a fine tune for JB - the performance is mesmerizing, Pauling's guitar is great, the lyrics are fantastic both rhythmically and thematically - so many wonderful lines that shoulder and deflect responsibility for a broken relationship in such a smart way. And deflecting blame in a smart way was a JB specialty! "Think of all the bad things I tried not to do!" is just one of those lines that says it all.

Brown's initial single version, recorded in 1960, removes much of the melody and the finger-snapping stop-and-start rhythms from the tune and adds a great horn chart/riff, turns up the drums, and speeds it way up. The result is to my ears his first step towards creating funk - complete with Maceoesque sax solo.

The next version appears on Live at the Apollo, and is as wilder than the single version as the single version is from the "5" Royales, even as it interestingly reincorporates some of the elements from the Royales version JB's initial version jettisoned. Guitar returns to the mix to scratch out the rhythm (Les Buie really chanks it up), and the Flames clap along for dear life, since the speed of the thing is almost ridiculous. 

Next up came a single version in 1967, this time recorded in a duet with Vicki Anderson - slowed down and funked up, with a bit of "Money Won't Change You" in the horn part and drum beat.

Although Vicki Anderson was out of there by the time it came to record Live at the Apollo V. 2, Marva Whitney came in and took on the duet role to keep the arrangement "current". The tempo is back up to "live appopriate" velocity. Think Link

Can't stop thinkin'!

The song came out again in 1973. This time the arrangement is full on mid-tempo funk, with the 5 Royales background "thinks" being brought into a JB version. In fact, this version in some ways, with its relaxed drive and reflective mood, is maybe closest to the original of all the versions JB cut.

And although it's technically not the same tune, there are definite lyrical similarities between the JB penned/produced Lynn Collins almost-a-hit "Think (About It)" and the mighty "Think", particularly in the outro vamp.

James Brown Month: Hank Ballard Hangover - need a cup of Coffee

From the "really random covers" department, here's a Ft. Lauderdale lounge trio from the late 60s doing "Butter Your Popcorn".

How Low Can James Go?!

Doin' The Limbo (1962)