Originally published at: Let's celebrate Sly Stone (and other music greats) while they're alive | Boing Boing
…
3 Likes
“Everyday People” literally moves me when I hear it. The track, the message, everything. The whole “Stand” album, really.
Sadly, Sly’s personal legacy won’t hold up in today’s world; he used and abused women freely and was not an awesome dude. However, his music is amazing. I’m fairly certain this is the unfortunate truth we’re going to have to wrestle with as the whole crop of famous artists from the sixties fades away.
4 Likes
All true. Even before this article came out I would preach to people that Sly was the more important ‘godfather’ of modern music-- it was experimental for its time, but it was accessible, pop/soul/funk that was simplistic and yet not boring. You can hear Hendrix quoting Sly riffs on the Band of Gypsies recordings.
For whatever reason (“drugs” is usually the answer) Sly has kept a low profile since the late 70’s.
1 Like
Were there any rock, pop, or funk stars from the 60s and 70s who are not known to have freely used and abused women (or men)?
1 Like
Probably, but who knows? This is why wrestling with artists’ legacies will be difficult and necessary for ages to come. Their work may mean something to many people, but their words and actions do too.
1 Like
I’ll note that even I could recognize two general categories of celebrities back then, those who abused others to achieve stardom, and those who became abusive because they were now stars. There were a few who seemed like decent human beings, but eventually stories came out about some of them, too. Not to excuse it, but I think the temptations were more than most could handle, particularly at a young age.
1 Like
6 Likes
Temptations are one thing… but more importantly, there were no accountability structures in place to stop and prevent harmful behavior. There still aren’t, which is why this keeps happening in every community, whether it’s art, film, music, sports, etc…
1 Like
Sly was the man.
Finding Stand in the mid 90s was a revelation to me. I mean, I kinda sorta knew and liked him just from knowing him from his place in the general zeitgeist but damn, the album experience really hits you over the head. TARGO is maybe even more incredible.
the reason he’s not well remembered today is, unlike Prince and Bowie who made albums and performed right up to the end, Sly did a Syd Barrett-esque burn out in the 70s and he doesn’t feel comfortable leaving the house now. There was an attempt to get a performance out of him in the 2000s which ended predictably, he did a couple songs and then he slid into an extended rant that nobody could pull him out of. stay off the hard stuff, kids.
He’s never really left the hearts of anyone who’s halfway hip, though. Jane’s Addiction and Ice-T did a facemelter version of “Don’t Call Me N*****, Whitey” on the first Lollapalooza tour. I was pleasantly surprised to see Christina Agulera do a great tribute to him on an Grammy award show I got roped into watching. (she is not a studio talent, I found out. She can really sing insanely well.) Africa Bambaataa’s first gigs were billed as tributes to the music of “James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, and the Pioneers of Hip Hop”. Game will always recognize game.
here’s a primer for anyone unfamiliar; there’s about a minute and a half of introduction before the medley:
and throw the peace sign in the air, it’ll do you no harm
3 Likes
I love their Live at Filmore album. It’s so raw, right down to the feedback. And that fuzz bass(?) groove at 1:28 of this song? Gahh! Too much!
5 Likes
yo, I gotta check for that. their Woodstock performance is completely off the chain.
2 Likes
OMFG that was amazing.
1 Like
The music speaks for itself, even if the man doesn’t. I absolutely LOVE S&TFS. If James Brown is the Godfather of Soul, (he had his issues as well,) Sly is unquestionably the Godfather of Funk.
I recently said as much in a comment on a different site that was reviewing Qwestlove’s " Summer Of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)" after Sundance.
Particularly “Luv N’ Haight” and “Sing a Simple Song,” which are both amazing, yet haven’t yet been used in commercials, AFAIK.
(Check out 2:10 onwards… what a breakdown, holy sh*t!)
Sly may have been an as_hole, but he came to prominance in an era that made an as_hole out of creative Black heroes no matter what. If you listen to the FBI/CIA, MLK Jr. was an as*hole too.
Does that change what he meant to the black community at large?
Do they deserve to be less lauded? Maybe… Does that denigrate what they did? Maybe.
Their works live on forever, though, and they aren’t any less significant because people of the day tried to denigrate them as Black standard-bearers and touchstones.
I, for one, appreciate Gareth Branwyn’s attempt to bring attention to Sly before he’s gone. Sly’s music taught me a lot about what good music is, and where and when it came from.
I love Charles Mingus’ music too, and he was a SUPREME as*hole too.
2 Likes
@Frederick_Hagemeiste
Color Me True is pure adrenaline for me! Been on high rotation the last month. Turn up the bass and turn up the volume:
3 Likes
Great track, thanks!!!
1 Like
So welcome. Had the album for years and haven’t had access to a turntable… the groove is engraved into my soul!
1 Like
Sly does that to people, lol… Dig into more.
“The Essential Sly and the Family Stone” is a good place to start if it’s still in print…
1 Like
Will do. Thanks!
1 Like
plus infinity.
1 Like
