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C O U R S E L E C T U R E Sly Stone and His Influence on Black Pop, Funk, and Psychedelic Soul Notes taken on April 16, 2015 by Edward Tanguay |
two names that helped shape black pop throughout the 1970s
Sly and the Family Stone
comes out of the primarily white rock scene in San Francisco at the end of the 1960s, with:
not really thought of as a San Francisco band
responsible for a genre one can call Psychedelic Soul
emphasis on groove, setting up a kind of repeated, rhythmic kind of feel that is laid down between the base and the drums
not so much like melodic instruments but more like every instrument in the band is a percussion instrument
an interlocking of different parts which creates a groove, and all the music sort of rides on top of that
there are catchy lyrics that are hooks that catch the listener's ear
that sound is developed by Sly Stone
1968: Dance to the Music
1969: I Want to Take You Higher
was marketed across ethnic lines
did a lot to form the opinion of white audiences of what black music sounded like even though they may not have been hearing a whole lot of it
group was integrated in term of race and gender
a whole series of groups which took up the format that Sly Stone had started
a funny lyric and vocal and a synthesizer sound that was supposed to be the sound of the worm grooving
a catchy AM novelty record
1975: Love Roller coaster
an important extension of the Sly Stone style
1964 formed as the Jazziacs
1973 ALBUM: Wild and Peaceful
later had big hits in disco later in the 1970s
an extension of what Sly Stone got going
sophisticated and intricate horn arrangements in addition to catchy melodies that rode on top of these grooves
1975: ALBUM: That's the Way of the World
written for the movie of the same name
1978 Got to Get You Into My Life
their version of the Beatles song
highlights all the things that are hippest
recorded for Sgt. Pepper Movie
Steve Martin also in movie
had fantastic horn section
Black, White, and Latino members
1973 ALBUM: Tower of Power
originally "The Nightriders"
had a gig to back Deacon Jones
group continued on without Eric Burdon
had Latin feels with R&B and funk