Where'd you get your Funk from?

[IconBasser]

In 1976 the band I was in got a call from our agents: "Cold Blood is coming to the Aquarius [later Parker's Ballroom in Seattle, 1400 seater] and so-and-so who were supposed to open crapped out-- it's no notice, but do you want the gig?" "Hell yes," we said, and for the next three years whenever they came to town, we got to open for them. My particular dose of funk was delivered hot from the Bay Area by Mr. Domingo Balinton, whom no one seems to remember now, but was one of the Bay Area cats who started doing the slap-and-pop thing (then known locally as the Oakland Snap)-- every bass player in town would be down in front of the stage with their mouths open. It took me about ten weeks to figure out what his hands had been doing, and almost two years to be able to do it myself. I am deeply grateful.

that's an awesome story man! Got any other anecdotes you'd like to share with the newer generations?

 

[SongySan]

I got my funk from drinking Bailey's out of a shoe.

Creamy.

 

[IconBasser]

Dig this also, still reminds me of some Bungle (again, not a bad thing at all...)

they definitely have some cross-over with Bungle, seeing as the they shared similar influences and were active in the same period.

Sleepytime in particular was sort of their experimental culmination of everything they'd created and listened to over a 20 year period. It incorporated everything from 70's funk to bluegrass to folk to death metal. Often all of them in the same song.

The core members initially met in Berkely in the early 80's, where they formed a band called Acid Rain, which was heavily funk based (although they had their signature brand of weirdness right out the gate):



from there they moved on to Idiot Flesh in the early 90's, where they first started gaining recognition and a following. Probably the most Bungle-like of all their projects:



After that, they formed Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, which branched out way more into very esoteric territory. here's one of their more eclectic tracks:



Sleepytime disbanded in 2011, and each member went on to form their own solo projects.
They include:

Rabbit Rabbit Radio -

Faun Fables -


The Lower Animals (their percussionist's) - unfortunately, I've only ever found this for sale at a Sleepytime or Free Salamander Exhibit Gig. Can't find it online


Free Salamander Exhibit (a few of the old Seepytime members) - they're working on their first studio release, but they've played a few shows across California that I've been lucky enough to attend. Here's a live track:


all in all, they're a really cool group to follow, and provide a brand of music that I've never encountered anywhere else. Worthwhile to dig into for sure.

 

[Stranger Danger]

The Meters. And growing up in New Orleans.

I'm from New Orleans, I was born wit da flava!

 

[Brother Goose]

So you hit it one the one?
But then what do you do with it?

you do what YOU do best, make it back to the One, and repeat as needed!

 

[Tom Bomb]

Yeah!

 

[Brother Goose]

On the real, though, this was the first funk-like bassline my first bass instructor taught me when i was a teen.

Ready Freddie Washington! What an awesome cat! I caught him w Steely Dan a few years back and waited ALL NIGHT to see that Smith BT-5 relieve his P-Bass... it never did!

 

[Brother Goose]

Recognize the power of Larry Graham in a leading/supporting role! Betty Davis's albums are funk masterpieces! (I'd like to talk to her vocal coach, however)

 

[Brother Goose]

Creamy.

Is your face still scrunched up? Make it work!

 

[PsyDocHill]

Digging early RHCP & flea, I was politely but firmly directed by a concerned friend to some of the wellsprings of all funkdom, the source. I thus grooved to George Clinton & his Mothership in all its manifestations, Larry Graham, and James Jamerson. The woodshedding during that period was a lot more fun than my earlier, hard rock only phase. I play most songs as if they are funky, no matter what they "actually" are. That syncopation is so alive, you all!

Funk is life. Live to Funk. Funk to Live. No, Dunlop says it a bit differently....

 

[Brother Goose]

The Meters. And growing up in New Orleans.

I'm from New Orleans, I was born wit da flava!

I can only imagine. My mama lives in NOLA half the year and it's like being in some exotic foreign Funkadelala-Land. Kind of how Hawaii feels like Polynesia; NOLA is a direct link to the African Diaspora and the TRUE roots of Le Fonque!

 

[wraub]

Yeah!

This is where I'd normally say something like, "Cocaine is a hell of a drug."
But with these guys... Maybe they all shared a Pepsi?

 

[PsyDocHill]

 

[Brother Goose]

From my Dad...He is a gruff and tough cowboy that loves James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, WAR and everything 60's and 70's funk. He doesn't play an instrument, but I grew up with him listening to funk on the stereo while he was shirtless wearing cutoffs, cowboy boots and a cowboy hat dancing around the house or working on things listening to that music...sorry for the visual, no wonder I may need therapy!

Therapy my foot! It sounds like this next generation needs to hang with your Dad!

 

[Brother Goose]

So a few more come to mind...



Kim Clarke is one of my all-time heroes! Her MM sound is SOO aggressive it makes me want to walk up to the baddest mf in the room and punch them in face! (with loving intentions)

 

[Ewo]

To the threadstarter post:

Me? A working class white kid in a beat up Jersey shore town on the way down, listening to Jamerson on the Detroit Motown sides on AM radio, in the middle '60s. Didn't know his name, back then, but I _felt_ what he was doing.

 

[steamthief]

I got my funk growing up listening to WABC playing through a crappy speaker in the back seat of a '68 Beetle.

 

[Brother Goose]

So I'm pretty sure this song has Skeet on bass... probably the most adroit of all of the P-Funk bassists



(if you suffer from short attention span- skip ahead to 3:00 and prepare to go wherever in the galaxy Cholly directs you)



here is the elastic groove of the Boot combined with Alembic sonority and agility of Stanley Clarke. Skeet is so nasty I think they named a sex act after him?!



Just stop what your doing and perform funk calisthenics to this song! Keep doing it! Funk harder, Live longer, and reap the benefits!



Underwater Alembic courtesy of Mr. Curtis! "There goes Moby Dick chasing Octapussy!"

 

[Matt Dean]

Funny thread.... I'm not sure where I got the funk, but I do got it. Crazy for being a post middle aged white dude that started out playing punk rock and reggae music. But, even before that when I was in high school, the first band I joined was lead by a dude that used to play in Oakland funk bands in the early 70's. He go busted for selling weed, split the state, and moved into the town I lived in. He was one funky fender rhodes and trumpet player and he taught me how to play like Francis Rocco Prestia a little. So, I guess I got some funk from him. Then when hip hop started blowing up in the early 80's I jumped on board with both feet. Over the years i've played with a bunch of funky drummers - that always helps a lot. I don't slappity slap the bass much, but I got the feel.

 

[Blueinred]

Best thread in weeks. Growing up in Cincinnati, funk probably wasn't started here, but it sure settled here for awhile thanks to THE MAN from Augusta, Ga. who came here in the 50's and stayed a long while. King Records was and is a national treasure. Of course, The Isley Bros., too. Bootsey was 17, and his brother Catfish was 19 when they joined JB, both just local cats. Funk is in your blood if you were in Cincy back then.

Like this.....