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We old schoolers should be ashamed.
- Thread starter Woodchuck
- Start date
I really believe that much of the rejection of Disco was as much cultural as racial. In the group of muscians I hung out with we hated disco for two reasons.
1) It drove fusion and general musicianship off the radio, during the mid to late 70's groups like EW & F (pre foster) Steely Dan, Doobie Bros, Jeff Beck, RTF. Weather Report and even Stanley Clarke's solo stuff got regular FM airplay. For those of us who grow up on guitar rock of the early 70's (Hendrix, Clapton Allman Brothers) it was a natural progression. For the most part it was still GUTIAR CENTERED music and for many that is the essence of Rock. In fact it is my opinion that the quality of pop music has gone down significantly since Disco, and music became dance background where the quality of the musicianship didn't matter as much. I still long for the quality of bands that existed in the mid seventies. I turn on MTV now and see guitar centered so-called rock bands where the lead player wouldn't know a solo if it walked up to him in a bikini holding a condemn. I sincerely believe the acceptance of Disco damaged pop music and that along with MTV produced the crap we call the 80's, UGHH!!!
2) It was a different culture then rock. We didn't get dressed up to go to a club in the 70's. With disco you had to wear suits and get on the list. It was an elitist egalitarian scene, the opposite of Humble Pie, and the Allman Brothers which was strap on your guitar and play. I can understand how anyone growing up in that era would feel resentment toward a scene that wouldn't let them in the clubs. The Fillmore was rock and roll, Blue Jeans, and all night jam sessions, Studio 54 was, Neiman Marcus, RECORDED music (live music disappeared from clubs in the late 70's and never really came back) and making an appearance. It was a totally different culture and to many (me included) it betrayed the essence of what rock was.
If any thing disco was a racial dividing factor in music. Before Disco the AOR stations played Stevie Wonder Hendrix, EW & F, and even some Miles, right in there with Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Faces. Since then radio became much more divided by style as many of the pop stations abandoned anything that wasn't top 40 radio friendly. I find it ironic that some here blame the rejection of Disco on a racial component when many of the bands that were popular before were mixed bands while most of the Disco groups were segregated. I played in a couple of mixed groups in the 70's myself. Was their a racial factor? Probably? But the drying up of the club scene and the loss of quality radio contributed too. I have a feeling that the resurgence of Punk as a reaction to Disco had more the do with the corporate nature of the Disco scene which was totally the opposite of the rebellion in the rock scene.
For the record, I basically turned off most pop in the 80's and started listening to Miles, Coltrane, Metheny, Adderly. Burrell, Sonny Stitt, Monk, and Bill Evans. I do find myself going back and checking out some of the Bass lines your referring to, but I still find most of the MUSIC uninteresting, over produced, and lacking any real writing skills.
Just my .02
1) It drove fusion and general musicianship off the radio, during the mid to late 70's groups like EW & F (pre foster) Steely Dan, Doobie Bros, Jeff Beck, RTF. Weather Report and even Stanley Clarke's solo stuff got regular FM airplay. For those of us who grow up on guitar rock of the early 70's (Hendrix, Clapton Allman Brothers) it was a natural progression. For the most part it was still GUTIAR CENTERED music and for many that is the essence of Rock. In fact it is my opinion that the quality of pop music has gone down significantly since Disco, and music became dance background where the quality of the musicianship didn't matter as much. I still long for the quality of bands that existed in the mid seventies. I turn on MTV now and see guitar centered so-called rock bands where the lead player wouldn't know a solo if it walked up to him in a bikini holding a condemn. I sincerely believe the acceptance of Disco damaged pop music and that along with MTV produced the crap we call the 80's, UGHH!!!
2) It was a different culture then rock. We didn't get dressed up to go to a club in the 70's. With disco you had to wear suits and get on the list. It was an elitist egalitarian scene, the opposite of Humble Pie, and the Allman Brothers which was strap on your guitar and play. I can understand how anyone growing up in that era would feel resentment toward a scene that wouldn't let them in the clubs. The Fillmore was rock and roll, Blue Jeans, and all night jam sessions, Studio 54 was, Neiman Marcus, RECORDED music (live music disappeared from clubs in the late 70's and never really came back) and making an appearance. It was a totally different culture and to many (me included) it betrayed the essence of what rock was.
If any thing disco was a racial dividing factor in music. Before Disco the AOR stations played Stevie Wonder Hendrix, EW & F, and even some Miles, right in there with Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Faces. Since then radio became much more divided by style as many of the pop stations abandoned anything that wasn't top 40 radio friendly. I find it ironic that some here blame the rejection of Disco on a racial component when many of the bands that were popular before were mixed bands while most of the Disco groups were segregated. I played in a couple of mixed groups in the 70's myself. Was their a racial factor? Probably? But the drying up of the club scene and the loss of quality radio contributed too. I have a feeling that the resurgence of Punk as a reaction to Disco had more the do with the corporate nature of the Disco scene which was totally the opposite of the rebellion in the rock scene.
For the record, I basically turned off most pop in the 80's and started listening to Miles, Coltrane, Metheny, Adderly. Burrell, Sonny Stitt, Monk, and Bill Evans. I do find myself going back and checking out some of the Bass lines your referring to, but I still find most of the MUSIC uninteresting, over produced, and lacking any real writing skills.
Just my .02
I embraced early disco. The kind that still had live bands playing it. It's when it segued into a computer/sequencer generated product is what killed it for me! I was, and still am, a lover of most all music styles. The only thing I'm really sad about is the lack of 'true' funk support by record labels and radio! How dare they abandon art?? Any type of art?! You have cats sitting at home withering away and dying because they have no outlet anymore. Many of these cats still alive and still able to play music.! Insane!! That's what pisses me off in regards to the current state of radio.
Funny that people perceived disco as a racial form of music. The original pioneers of Disco that brought it to popularity were three skinny white brothers from Australia...
The hardcore rockers always hated disco because it took away from live work back in the day. Drummers loved it - there were some discos that hired live drummers to play to the tapes.
Me? I liked it if it was well done, and hit a nice groove. I always liked Kool & The Gang and The Ohio Players. Time has shown that a lot more disco has held up than some of the rock from that time.
The hardcore rockers always hated disco because it took away from live work back in the day. Drummers loved it - there were some discos that hired live drummers to play to the tapes.
Me? I liked it if it was well done, and hit a nice groove. I always liked Kool & The Gang and The Ohio Players. Time has shown that a lot more disco has held up than some of the rock from that time.
Although not strictly on topic, this thread reminded me of Rubicon in the late seventies. A funky/rock with blowin' horns band out of San Francisco featuring Jack Blades on bass (later Nightranger & Damn Yankees) & driven by Jerry Martini (Sly Stone). Man those dudes could drill it out. I wish I could get a copy of that first album on CD. Anyone else remember them?
- Jan 12, 2011
- 4,578
- 2,460
- Disclosures
- Artist, Trickfish Amplification Bartolini Emerging Artist, MTD Kingston Emerging Artist. Artist, Tsunami Cables
Mike Bennet (I believe) from Cameo. Aaron Mills gets a lot of his credit but it was actually Mike who played on those recorded funk gems like Single Life etc. Also Timmy Allen from Change. Buddy Hankerson. Stevie Washington layed down that the unforgetable Bass Line to Aurra's Are you single. There is a funny story about Mike Bennet on the web too. Within Cameo they called him Calimari Mike.
- Jan 12, 2011
- 4,578
- 2,460
- Disclosures
- Artist, Trickfish Amplification Bartolini Emerging Artist, MTD Kingston Emerging Artist. Artist, Tsunami Cables
+1 6 years ago and still true to this very day. They killed funk but they didn't kill me.
Kleeer is an incredible group, and Norman Durham's bass is tight. Wish I could've visited their 2 tours in the UK, between 1984 and 1986.Am I the only guy who remembers Kleeer?
Tony Bridges (BB & Q Band)
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f28/paris-pee-wee-ford-bass-878330/#post14380131
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMnuAsp5boA
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZS7NiUMzTY
Before Tony, the BB & Q included Paris "Pee Wee" Ford, and he reunited with the group for some shows.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f28/paris-pee-wee-ford-bass-878330/#post14380131
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f28/paris-pee-wee-ford-bass-878330/#post14380131
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMnuAsp5boA
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZS7NiUMzTY
Before Tony, the BB & Q included Paris "Pee Wee" Ford, and he reunited with the group for some shows.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f28/paris-pee-wee-ford-bass-878330/#post14380131
Andre Cymone - Prince, solo
Basil Fearington - Mtume
Byron Byrd - Sun
Byron Miller - George Duke Band
Charles A. Glenn Jr. - Ozone
Cornelius Mims - Tease
David Metcen - Roy Ayers Band
Donnie Sterling - Sterling's Silver Starship, Kiddo
Eddie Reddick - L.A. Boppers
Eric "EQ" Young - Radiance, Con Funk Shun
Freddie "Ready" Washington - Patrice Rushen
Gary Grainger - The Pockets, Graingers
James Alexander - Bar-Kays
Jara Harris - Slapbak
Johnny Flippin - Fatback
Joyce "Fenderella" Irby - Klymaxx
Juice Johnson - Kiddo
Junie Morrison
Kayode Adeyemo - Starpoint
Kenneth Ray Coleman - Ebonee Webb
Kerry Turman - Gene Dunlap Band
Kim "Bass" Davis - Prince Charles & The City Beat Band
Marvin Craig - Lakeside
Mevin Lee Davis - O'Bryan
Michael "Ferocious" Wiley - Dazz Band
Orlando Phillips - Starpoint
Ray Jackson - Aurra, Mtume
Robbie Gordon - Gill Scott-Heron's Amnesia Express
Roger Troutman - Zapp
Sandy Anderson - Unimited Touch
Steve Washington - Aurra
Terry Lewis - The Time
Basil Fearington - Mtume
Byron Byrd - Sun
Byron Miller - George Duke Band
Charles A. Glenn Jr. - Ozone
Cornelius Mims - Tease
David Metcen - Roy Ayers Band
Donnie Sterling - Sterling's Silver Starship, Kiddo
Eddie Reddick - L.A. Boppers
Eric "EQ" Young - Radiance, Con Funk Shun
Freddie "Ready" Washington - Patrice Rushen
Gary Grainger - The Pockets, Graingers
James Alexander - Bar-Kays
Jara Harris - Slapbak
Johnny Flippin - Fatback
Joyce "Fenderella" Irby - Klymaxx
Juice Johnson - Kiddo
Junie Morrison
Kayode Adeyemo - Starpoint
Kenneth Ray Coleman - Ebonee Webb
Kerry Turman - Gene Dunlap Band
Kim "Bass" Davis - Prince Charles & The City Beat Band
Marvin Craig - Lakeside
Mevin Lee Davis - O'Bryan
Michael "Ferocious" Wiley - Dazz Band
Orlando Phillips - Starpoint
Ray Jackson - Aurra, Mtume
Robbie Gordon - Gill Scott-Heron's Amnesia Express
Roger Troutman - Zapp
Sandy Anderson - Unimited Touch
Steve Washington - Aurra
Terry Lewis - The Time
Mike Burnett ( also of La.Connection ) did the Alligator Woman lp.and also you can add
Raymond Jackson ( Mtume, and Aurra ) to this group of players.
Can’t believe the great Anthony Jackson is not mentioned in this thread! He played some killer music back in the 70’s & 80’s including Teena Marie’s “Playboy” and Grover Washingtons “Not Yet”.
Oscar Alston (still performing with Rick James Stone City Band) “Super Freak” and others with Teena and Rick.
Also And still gigging to this day with Richard Elliot and Peter White - in incredible Nate Phillips ( Pleasure - “Glide”). One of my all time favorites though is Gary King who has played on more records than could be imagined! Here he is with Bob James at Montreax along with a very young Kirk Whalum, Harvey Mason, Ralph McDonald and the incredible Dean Brown:
JayT
Oscar Alston (still performing with Rick James Stone City Band) “Super Freak” and others with Teena and Rick.
Also And still gigging to this day with Richard Elliot and Peter White - in incredible Nate Phillips ( Pleasure - “Glide”). One of my all time favorites though is Gary King who has played on more records than could be imagined! Here he is with Bob James at Montreax along with a very young Kirk Whalum, Harvey Mason, Ralph McDonald and the incredible Dean Brown:
JayT
