Re: looping great passes away

[Suit & Tie Guy <erwill@suitandtieguy.com>]

On Aug 9, 2004, at 4:59 AM, Stephen Goodman wrote:
> I don't know if I'd call Isaac "bad ass lock-tight groove" though.  
> For the
> definition of that one can turn to other sources, most notably James 
> Brown's
> "start on the One" style.

hmm. I have the JBs' double-disc instrumental comp, a JB live album, 
and a JB compilation. I am familiar with James Brown, and I have a lot 
of love for what he does. however, my personal gravity is in the soul 
music of the Memphis labels (STAX, Hi) and the some of the smaller and 
ghetto jazz labels (Prestige, Groove Merchant, Flying Dutchman, Solid 
State; not too hot on Muse and i'm always on the prowl for even rarer 
stuff). this is where the real grit is, IMHO.

fortunately gravity is inarguable and entirely subjective.

> One could also buy the collection of Charles
> Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, whose "Do Your Thing" 
> predates
> Isaac Hayes' song - you might have heard it during the "80s party" 
> scene in Boogie Nights

i just checked that out. from what you said, i thought that the Hayes 
tune was a cover. it is not, it's a completely different song. and i 
like the lyrics and the groove better in the Memphis tune. it's a 
personal resonating point for me ... "whatever you do, you gotta do 
your thing" is an extremely powerful statement to me ... and a good 
time to get all Blessing Of Tears over top the groove.

side note: there's an amazing track on the Truck Turner soundtrack 
called "Pursuit of the Pimpmobile" which sounds TOTALLY like LTJ Bukem, 
without the huge tuned 808 bass. i wanted to see what that sounded 
like, so i used it as a Numerology demo ( 
http://www.suitandtieguy.com/sounds/stg_pimpmobile_unfinished.mp3 ). i 
still want to finish that sometime.

> Or perhaps additionally the irrefutable George
> Clinton/Funkadelic/Parliament ongoing thang that also undoubtedly 
> inspired
> Mr. Hayes to do his stuff, though he won't most likely these days 
> admit such
> a thing.

I really don't think that GC inspired Isaac from the get-go. i think it 
was the other way round. remember, Isaac was a songwriter for Sam & 
Dave as well as being Booker T Jones' sub when necessary. i do not 
doubt that Isaac listened to and was influenced by GC stuff in some way 
at some point, but that's really like comparing apples to orangutans. 
GC does highly repetitious drug-influenced busy soul music, while Hayes 
concentrated on building moods with arrangement, groove, and lyric 
choice. he did his fair share of covers, but remember he spent his 
early career at STAX writing songs for other people ... i'm sure he 
felt it was appropriate to reverse the situation sometimes.

in other words, there are PLENTY of people who feel that "funk" is 
defined by James Brown & George Clinton (along with their shared 
bassist, Bootsy Collins). I don't have to be one of them.

and i'm perfectly fine with that ...
---
Eric Williamson
www.suitandtieguy.com