Just pulled down Listen to the Voices: Sly Stone in the Studio 1965-1970, which collects all his production work from that time period -- and frankly, OMG. There's a pretty awesome sampling of all the work he was doing at the time -- one of the Beau Brummels tracks sounds like Sly producing the Byrds.
But the real treasure trove on this is the circa-1970 Stone Flower stuff. The sound of There's a Riot Goin' On is there--all the Maestro King drum machines, wah guitars and clavinets, etc. plugged in direct--but the vibe as a whole is not quite as despairing. It's all great -- highlights including Joe Hicks' "Life and Death in the G&A" and 6IX's "Dynamite" and "I'm Just Like You" (the latter of which has a drum machine part one review I read described as a windshield wiper).
In particular, tho, Little Sister's "You're the One (Parts 1 + 2)" is just about one of the best things Sly ever did -- the amazing ensemble vocals, an incredible groove and an outstanding tune. It's unbelievable that this stuff hasn't been reissued until now.
Here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2Yp2LIAGCk&feature=related
― Naive Teen Idol, Sunday, 6 March 2011 02:52 (thirteen years ago) link
"You're the One" is indeed awesome (I've had the original 7" for awhile) - there was a different, more disco-fied version issued in the late 70s, apparently
― You hurt me deeply. You hurt me deeply in my heart. (Shakey Mo Collier), Sunday, 6 March 2011 03:56 (thirteen years ago) link
i so so so wish little sister had completed an album. stanga and somebody's watching you are astonishing.
― I'd rather climb into the saddle of my Ford Mustang and sink spurs (stevie), Sunday, 6 March 2011 09:45 (thirteen years ago) link
Yeah, if you like Sly and you don't have that comp you are totally missing out. The Joe Hicks version of "Life and Death" is just insane. Oh and finding the "Somebody's Watching You"/"Stanga" 45 for a buck was a recent triumph.
― Aquarian Necromancer Octopus (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Sunday, 6 March 2011 10:58 (thirteen years ago) link
Oh and finding the "Somebody's Watching You"/"Stanga" 45 for a buck was a recent triumph.
this is the sort of story that might inspire me to start trawling dusty record stores again...
― I'd rather climb into the saddle of my Ford Mustang and sink spurs (stevie), Sunday, 6 March 2011 11:14 (thirteen years ago) link
how did i miss that 65-70 compilation?? Imma go get that now. thank you!
― historyyy (prettylikealaindelon), Sunday, 6 March 2011 14:22 (thirteen years ago) link
OMG, 20 seconds into the 65-70 comp and I'm sold. Best purchase this week!
― Stockhausen's Ekranoplan Quartet (Elvis Telecom), Sunday, 6 March 2011 23:05 (thirteen years ago) link
One of my fave comps of the last few years!
― A happenstance discovery of asynchronous lesbians (Capitaine Jay Vee), Sunday, 6 March 2011 23:57 (thirteen years ago) link
How did I miss this? That does look good.
― curmudgeon, Monday, 7 March 2011 17:13 (thirteen years ago) link
I think it's a bit more uneven than people are making it out to be, but there is some real gold on there, stuff that's been unavailable/out of print for ages
― You hurt me deeply. You hurt me deeply in my heart. (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 7 March 2011 17:37 (thirteen years ago) link
Yeah, I'm not saying every track is bee's knees -- the Stone Flower stuff pretty much lords over the rest of it. But most of it is pretty-good-to-great. I also enjoy the vampy version of "You Really Got Me."
― Naive Teen Idol, Monday, 7 March 2011 20:00 (thirteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ki4GUz5Qwg
lol
― winoa ryder sexes creatures of the night (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 23 June 2011 23:31 (twelve years ago) link
so sad:
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/the_rise_and_fall_of_sly_stone_qijyKoYzmAqer1PA0YogSJ
― geeta, Monday, 26 September 2011 08:41 (twelve years ago) link
that is very sad.
― curmudgeon, Monday, 26 September 2011 12:41 (twelve years ago) link
I want to say in that MOJO piece a couple of years ago that he was living in semi-squalor even then. Anyway, the guy's nuts and an addict. But most guys don't carry around a "get out of poverty" card like he does. If he could get his act together, he could play a few shows. But even Gil-Scott was doing better than this ...
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 26 September 2011 12:45 (twelve years ago) link
resonance had an hour or two about sly stone, sometime, um, within the last year that's really worth checking out.
― Crackle Box, Monday, 26 September 2011 12:50 (twelve years ago) link
cocaine is so awesome!
― I saw Mike Love walk by a computer once (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 26 September 2011 15:50 (twelve years ago) link
ugh wtf.
― tylerw, Monday, 26 September 2011 16:26 (twelve years ago) link
I'd like to see the documentary they mention, but it looks like it barely played anywhere. It's only 74 minutes long, has eight IMDB ratings, and debuted on Netherlands television.
― clemenza, Monday, 26 September 2011 16:34 (twelve years ago) link
wow, that's bad. He's basically like the homeless dude on our block, with about the same support network (ie neighbors).
― WARS OF ARMAGEDDON (Karaoke Version) (Sparkle Motion), Monday, 26 September 2011 17:18 (twelve years ago) link
If you're curious about what Sly's camper van era recordings sound like, here's a taste
Apparently there's a new album, mostly reworkings of catalogue material with special guests. Wish I could have been a fly on the wall when he crammed Ann Wilson into the van. Okay maybe not. More good news: it's on Cleopatra Records. Further good news: dubstep mix of Family Affair. That'll get Gaga's attention.
― Mike Love's Jagger (Spectrist), Monday, 26 September 2011 17:20 (twelve years ago) link
oh good autotune
― Air Supply dwarf belts helpless Packers fan (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 26 September 2011 17:34 (twelve years ago) link
...please tell me you're kidding.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 26 September 2011 17:35 (twelve years ago) link
Ned, I'm so sorry, but the universe from which I am transmitting this news is not in some alternate parallel plane.
― Mike Love's Jagger (Spectrist), Monday, 26 September 2011 17:37 (twelve years ago) link
My brain. Do you have a direct link to this info anywhere? People must be warned.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 26 September 2011 17:39 (twelve years ago) link
It's called (wait for it...) "I'm Back: Family and Friends" and here is the amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Back-Family-Friends-Sly-Stone/dp/B0057JWWFU
― Mike Love's Jagger (Spectrist), Monday, 26 September 2011 17:41 (twelve years ago) link
^^it got like, three stars in Rolling Stone.
― The Man With The Flavored Toothpick (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 26 September 2011 17:53 (twelve years ago) link
so, almost as good as the SuperHeavy album then
― Air Supply dwarf belts helpless Packers fan (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 26 September 2011 17:55 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah there was a display for this at Barnes & Noble, I picked it up and gave a firm shake of my head.
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Monday, 26 September 2011 17:55 (twelve years ago) link
Sly is not credited as having played on the remake tracks; aside from the guest cameos the instruments were all played by Jurgen Engler and Chris Lietz. Hadn't heard of them but Wikipedia tells me they're former members of the German industrial rock band Die Krupps.
― fit and working again, Monday, 26 September 2011 18:11 (twelve years ago) link
It's available on spotify if you're a masochist http://open.spotify.com/album/52C9QFWsfF3Kzb8riRPJzj if you thought that 'Dance To The Music' really needed Ray Manzarek to noodle all over it then it might be for you I guess.
― The multi-talented F.R. David (Billy Dods), Monday, 26 September 2011 18:17 (twelve years ago) link
this is awesome?seriously i would buy a record of this, it totally has the kinda slinky shuffly thing i love the most about sly. am really surprised + wanna hear more
― mr. vertical (schlump), Monday, 26 September 2011 19:39 (twelve years ago) link
it is not awesome
― Air Supply dwarf belts helpless Packers fan (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 26 September 2011 19:47 (twelve years ago) link
I hear what you're saying about it containing some of his readily identifiable stylistic tics but still
― Air Supply dwarf belts helpless Packers fan (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 26 September 2011 19:49 (twelve years ago) link
"if i didn't love you, i wouldn't like your ass at all..."
i dig it
― elan, Tuesday, 27 September 2011 00:54 (twelve years ago) link
"Family Stone" are touring here in a month or two* - anyone know who's in this apart from Vet Stone (og backing singer) and Cynthia Robinson (og horn/backing singer)?
*on a festival with Flaming Lips, Mogwai, Portishead, Death In Vegas, Holy Fuck and Mercury Rev
― robocop last year was a 'shop (sic), Tuesday, 27 September 2011 01:17 (twelve years ago) link
― Naive Teen Idol, Tuesday, 27 September 2011 03:21 (twelve years ago) link
I would buy a record of songs like that. It's really not bad.
― Carpet Sharkin' (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Tuesday, 27 September 2011 08:38 (twelve years ago) link
Esp if they were hazy weirdly recorded demos like that.
yeah. i don't know whether there would be an inevitable 'let's get these into a studio & do them justice!' phase, at which the guy from the behind the scenes seinfeld segments who explains the various keyboard motifs used in the show suddenly pops up. but i would buy a record of those demos, word.
Autotune or not, it's more interesting from a stylistic standpoint than I'd expect from a guy who hasn't made a record in 30 years.
yeah it is just- like i would have expected some kind of watered down 'take' on the group's bigger/more out there in your face stuff rather than something that sits comfortably in the parameters of sloochy-solo-weird-keyboard jams
― mr. vertical (schlump), Tuesday, 27 September 2011 12:04 (twelve years ago) link
the winding, kinda bluesy vocal melody & the keyboard part that comes in half way through are both great, i really love this
― mr. vertical (schlump), Tuesday, 27 September 2011 12:07 (twelve years ago) link
& the keyboards/organs sound great, the underlying organ part is like a robert lippok record or something
― mr. vertical (schlump), Tuesday, 27 September 2011 12:08 (twelve years ago) link
jeeeezus this is grim
― unorthodox economic revenge (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 27 September 2011 23:34 (twelve years ago) link
have not watched, but assuming that tmz just zipped over to the guy's trailer to dig some dirt, maybe the documentary guy shouldn't have written a story about how sly lives in a van, included its permanent address & sold it to the post
― mr. vertical (schlump), Tuesday, 27 September 2011 23:43 (twelve years ago) link
I don't think TMZ did the interview, it was originally posted here...?
http://www.5min.com/Video/Exclusive---Homeless-Music-Legend-Sly-Stone-Admits-To-Recent-Drug-Use-517169072
― unorthodox economic revenge (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 27 September 2011 23:47 (twelve years ago) link
that was so sad I had to stop watching. One thing's clear, though--Sly's voice is gone...hell Sly himself seems nearly gone. I'd rather see that dude get healthy than hear any new music.
― WARS OF ARMAGEDDON (Karaoke Version) (Sparkle Motion), Wednesday, 28 September 2011 05:16 (twelve years ago) link
can barely bring myself to contemplate what's happened to the guy, 'riot' is sometimes my favorite album ever and 'stand' ain't far behind. just terrible to think about.
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Wednesday, 28 September 2011 05:59 (twelve years ago) link
This vintage clip is wonderful. Check out the face of the girl at 0:27. As a friend on Twitter pointed out, it reminds you what it was like before everybody became conscious of being on camera. It's pure, unselfconscious joy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWdVClbOYwI&feature=related
― Science, you guys. Science. (DL), Wednesday, 28 September 2011 07:51 (twelve years ago) link
It was also before they invented being jaded. Also, crossing your arms and frowning.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 12:15 (twelve years ago) link