James Brown Month: Godfather in the Garage - The Sonics

While what they really do is make me pine for a full-on Etiquette-fi version of a James Brown number, Norton's meltdown of early Sonics tapes, The Savage Young Sonics, features takes on JB's versions of "Night Train", "Hold It" and "Think".

James Brown Month: You Got to Have a Mother for Me

Happy Mother's Day!

JAMES BROWN'S future shock Pt. 2

James Brown had a television show in the '70s called Future Shock.  Here is episode 14 taken from the original master tapes from the video library at WTBS in Atlanta, Georgia.  Includes a history lesson, dance contests and special guest Lee "The Burner" Austin singing his heart out!

Part 1

Dark Shadows

The First Theremin Era - The Barnabas Theme from "Dark Shadows" (1969)

Posters via WRONG SIDE OF THE ART

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GARY OWENS

James Brown says it LOUD part 2: More KING ragers

This is the second post in our series spotlighting the the most manic, crazy James Brown sides out there, the ones that sacrifice either traditional rhythm and blues structures OR the repetitive patterns that became funk for sheer rhythmic excitement and agitation. We're calling them James Brown's Rock and Roll for now, but I can't shake the feeling that's not quite right.

First up is another Roy Brown cut - "Love Don't Love Nobody", the b-side to "I Don't Mind" (which, let's just take a moment to note, is further proof that James Brown 45s are the best 45s of all the 45s). On the Messin' with the Blues double CD there's a fascinating false start where you can actually hear King owner Syd Nathan crabbing to the engineer about JB's performance. "Needs more melody" he grumps, and "Don't sing so HARD", he mutters. Aside from being a hilarious example of Brown and Nathan's contentious relationship, it's interesting that the things Brown was going for in this and later recordings (de-emphasized melody, the hardest of all singing) are exactly the things Nathan discourages here.

sorry about the ridiculous graphics on this youtube

The hard singing, lack of melody, and tendency towards rhythmic chaos is also present on 1960's "And I Do Just Want I Want".  Like "Love Don't Love", the primary instrument up top is a wandering guitar riff, but this time Les Buie plays it on the lower strings, giving it a bassier drive. It's an even more spare arrangement, too - a single sax wails a weird atonal figure around a shuffling drumbeat while Brown parties it up philosophic like.  

MOTHER

In 1962, JB released "I've Got Money (Now I Need Love)". He'd produced a more traditional version of this song for Baby Lloyd in 1960, but his own version is much farther out there, with what's been called the first funk drum beat and a manic horn chart that gives him the chance to sing as hard as he could possibly want. 

Tell the truth, Snaggle Tooth!

With their virtual abandonment of melody and a typical song structure, this stuff is as wild and raw as music gets.  In fact, I think the only one term we can use to commodify these tracks:  let's call it Free James Brown.  

Roger Miller Month Hangover Special!

Attention all "Whovians!" Check out this contestant on Britain's Got Talent and his... er... different approach to "King of the Road!" All I can say is that these limeys are amateurs! Jaye P. Morgan and Jamie Farr would know how to deal with this sort of thing.

James Brown Month: James Brown, Bobby Byrd and the JB's

Live on Italian TV, ca. 1971 - same tour as the Love, Power, Peace live album.

JB Shills Pepsi

James Brown Pepsi Ad from 1973

The James Brown

James Brown Month: Your Cheatin' Heart (Hillbilly Avenue)

From the otherwise lightweight Soul on Top LP, here's a unique country/funk/swing hybrid take on "Your Cheatin' Heart."

Star Time 1991

Jim Stacy 1991

In 1988, the Godfather became incensed that someone had been using his private bathroom.  This led to a crazy, two-state car chase thru South Carolina and Georgia, resulting in the two front tires of his pick-up truck being blown out.  He was charged with traffic, weapons and assault charges as well as drunken driving.  He served three years of a six year sentence.  His first post-prison concert was held on July 20, 1991 at the Atlanta Fulton County Stadium.  It was a night to remember.

Thanks Jim Stacy!