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We old schoolers should be ashamed.

#41
Jim K, this will be my only response because i don't want this post to become "political" but remember most radio stations are white owned in the USA, whether or not they are aimed at a black audience. I'm not sure at all that Blacks shut down Steppenwolf's one r&b hit. I do know that black stations have always played white artists including Yes, Van Halen, Elton John, and David Bowie, when their music was aimed at dance or r&b.

I know it is not always comfortable to acknowledge, but often in America there is a racial angle to a story. That was clearly the case with disco bashing. Race surely doesn't explain every attack, but to ignore racial factors is to ignore a basic truth in this case.
 
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#43
Woodchuck said:
Btw, when's the last time you heard King's X or Sevendust on the radio?
Click to expand...

'Chuck-
You're talking to Spartacus here...5000+ cds at my disposal & I'm going to listen to the radio?!

When the last time you heard John Zorn on any radio station?
;)
 
#45
Jim K, I will have to go back on my word and respond to your last e-mail. In my experience, I have often found that many whites are uncomfortable talking about race if it there is any evidence of white racism in a given situation, and will focus on any other possible explanation, even when race can clearly explain at least some things relevant to a particular case. Now many of these same people are more than happy to point out any example of "black racism" just like you were quick to point out the apparent blackballing of Steppenwolf by Black Radio.

You mention the economics of musicians loosing work, and that makes sense, but given a nation with nearly four hundred years of racial antagonism, it doesn't take a genius to see that in any situation where the two racial groups are generally on different sides of a given issue, that at least some antagonists will focus on race.
 
#46
Woodchuck said:
There's been ALOT of Old School Funk/R&B bassists threads, but there are 4 names that are consistantly absent. Robin Duhe (Maze), Ronald LaPread (Commodres), Abraham "Onion" Miller (LTD), and most importantly, Janice Marie Johnson from A Taste of Honey. Yeah, we all know "Boogie Oogie Oogie", but she's MUCH more than that. Listen to songs like "Do It Good" and "Rescue Me" and you'll understand. She came in at a time where noone would take her serious, because she was a woman in the funk world, but players like Jamerson, Verdine White and Ronald La Pread took her under their wings and gave her support. Say what you will about her, but she wrote what is argubly one of THE most famous bass solos in R&B/soul/funk history. We old schoolers should be ashamed for not giving these guys their full due. :scowl: :bassist:
Click to expand...


There is a running joke at Low Down Sound.
Cats come in there and play every Wooten and Marcus lick, but the real challange is to play and sing Boogie Oogie Oogie!!!!
So far, no winners!!
 
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#47
Regardless of response, that is my last political post on this thread because I do not want it closed.

Since I have mentioned Rickenbackers and funk twice on this thread, I must mention Cordell Mosson (sp) of Parliament/Funkadelic. I saw him on Soul Train and live in concert with his Rickenbacker, and he was another major factor in making Rickenbacker my first pro quality bass. It's funny that I lean much more towards MusicMan and Fender now because I was once a real Ric-o-phile!:bassist:
 
#48
Race blows. I tell my kids " we all look like hamburger when turned inside out ". True.

Y'all will think I'm "out there" but I don't care what people think of me ( even not on an anonymous bb) , here's this..... soemtimes I find myself thinking "black" and it seems to help me lose MYSELF and be a better player....

Another observation, which you can do if you free your mind, is check out "latent racism". Man, that crap is all around us. It all sucks.

It's a cryin' shame that we have eyes, but cannot see. My wish is that we can all see inside each other, right past the outer shells. What we look like often obfuscates the real deal.

Superficial race that we are.......
 
#49
WOW!!
Here I thought this was about some old school players who don't get mentioned enough and someone had to go and throw the race card when it wasn't even nessessary. This was just a discussion about players.

Was/is there issues that need to be resoved??
Yes.
Does it go both ways? (Ooo..did he actually say that?!?!:eek: )
Yes and yes. (let a white guy try and get a R&B gig here in Detroit)
To any degree from either side is it acceptable.
No.
Do two wrongs allow another (opposite) wrong?
No.
Wasn't this thread about players from old school funk?
Yes.
One group views it as "whites" killing disco/funk and another group of "whites" using the disco/funk influence later as stealing it. Hmm, sounds racist to me just because one group is pointed at to have done something, so now ALL of them are to blame.
Freakin sad..............................................:rollno:
If a "white" man would make that type of claim, can you just guess the amout of fallout that would happen!??!
Same way black comics can mock whites and if a white comic does it he a racist.

I could care less about color, race whatever. When I'm in a shop and I here "Waddup Ni&&A!!!", I'm offended. But you know, I throw it out there as a greeting well.
Get offended. Try me. You won't like it.

I'm done...............lable me how ever you want.



Janice Marie Johnson- SWEET!!!!! And good looking too!! And does the dance steps in high heels!!
Louis Johnson- How the hell does he control all that with the hand flying way the heck out there?!?!
Larry Graham- It's all about the thumb with that guy.
 
#50
Although I opened this can of worms, I will point out how disco bias even was felt among Blacks. When I was in college, I often pointed out that Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers may have actually been better musicians than the George and Louis Johnson of the Brothers Johnson. Folks laughed at me or told me I was nuts. Almost thirty years later, it is clear that in terms of lasting impact on music as a whole, not just slap technique that Chic were better musicians. At the time, however, the slick disco sound and the fact that Bernard Edwards was noit a slap fiend at the time when that was basically how r&b bass was measured kept him from getting his due from the public and young musicians.

Another bassist who never really gets his due, and who is associated with disco is the guy with KC and the Sunshine Band, Rick ____ . Stuff like "Get Down Tonight" had some killer groove and feel to it. For what it's worth that dude is white.
 
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#51
Well whether you're Black or White and love the Funk, and want to know and learn some aspects of this thing called music and it's impact on society and Race then the Book(link below)called Funk is a must read.

http://www.soul-patrol.com/funk/rickey.htm

and The Death of rhythm & Blues by Nelson George

http://www.nelsongeorge.com/books/rhythm.html

These are just a couple of the Books that I've read that deals with the issue of Race,Society and Music collectivly
 
#54
Dr. Cheese said:
Jim K, I will have to go back on my word and respond to your last e-mail. In my experience, I have often found that many whites are uncomfortable talking about race if it there is any evidence of white racism in a given situation, and will focus on any other possible explanation, even when race can clearly explain at least some things relevant to a particular case.
Click to expand...

We're talking Disco, right? Disco was huge...it became 'the mainstream' (even here in SE VA); I doubt Disco's popularity would have been as widespread if people were harboring thoughts of Racism, Sexism, _______-ism(s).
Maybe things were different for you guys in the bigger cities...or maybe I'm lucky in that the military presence here in Norfolk gives us a lot of American diversity. Whatever, I don't recall any negativity towards Disco except by those losing work or losing 'their' AOR station.

At the end of the day, Disco ultimately killed Disco...i.e it wasn't done in by Racism. That's my take.

...and now I'm done.
 
#55
Dr. Cheese said:
Flea comes along and adds slap to punk and know Graham, Louis Johnson, etc. get accepted as pioneers by young white musicians.
Click to expand...

That is one way to look at it.

For me, and I'm sure for many others, players like Flea were a doorway into a whole new world of music and bass playing. I was about 11 or 12 years old when I first heard RHCP and Flea. I didn't know about Louis Johnson or Larry Graham back then, but it was the music of bassists like Flea that lead me to LG and LJ.

I find this thread interesting. My current gig is with a 14 piece disco band. We play many tunes by the bands you guys have been discussing. I was born in '78 so I was too young (or not yet born) to get into this music the first time around. For being a "new-schooler" I have much respect for these musicians. Does it matter if Flea's bass playing brought me to this point?
 
#59
What was the name of KC and the Sunshine Band's original bassist? I know his first name was Rick. I finally need to mention another monster bassist who doesn't get his due, George Romani of Change.
He reminds me a bit of Bernard Edwards, but he had his own spin on that style of bass.
 

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