He had to systematically learn to "dumb down" his genius, in order to reach an audience, and systematically, methodically, did so ...
... and, in so doing, defined an era.-
Also worth checking Questlove's other doc (which features among others Sly), Summer of Soul, if you haven't already
Please listen to "There's a riot goin on"
Stand! For the things you know are right It's the truth that the truth makes them so uptight
Worth mentioning, I think, that the album title is a response to Marvin Gaye's What's Going On which came out earlier that year (1971).
Excellent
Took that feeling and with a new record deal giving him creative control did Superstition, Higher Ground and all those classics.
It's hard to be cynical enough about rock history you see on tv, but it's at least plausible that one genius can inspire another, thinking of a Haydn & Mozart kind of thing.
"If You Want Me to Stay" probably my favourite Sly Stone track.
I never got around to listening to his stuff with Funkadelic, maybe today is that day.
He led the first popular racially integrated rock band and is among the 3 biggest stars in funk.
Also some demo’s by Prince are amazing.
Not sure, but the rawness just breathes life and blows most studio stuff out of the water.
[Edit] bonus end game track: https://youtu.be/dQN3fxoIOpk (thank you Gilles Peterson)
The real thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pA2tXOjDto&list=PLxh03o1BpV...
So I listened to Wonder’s Inner Visions and it was clear why it won. It is a much better album. It is a pity Inner Visions is largely forgotten.
Will never, ever be forgotten due to neglect.
Came right in the middle of arguably the greatest song-writing streak ever heard.
(random google hit about it, bound to be plenty of others others) https://firebirdmagazine.com/lists/steviewonder
I love Dark Side, it's great. Stevie on that form was something else and isn't going to be forgotten for a century or two at the minimum as long as civilisation survives to remember one of its high points. Maybe Sylvester Stewart had an influence in it too.
Side note: Sampling is/was controversial, but I'll always be grateful to hip hop and sampling for introducing me to so much great music (like Sly) that never would've made its way to the suburbs of Missouri where I grew up. The Beastie Boys "Paul's Boutique" and De La Soul's "Three Feet High" albums triggered me to purchase, probably, 2 dozens other albums because of all the samples - from Sly to The Isley Brothers to The Turtles and so on.
That's a questionable take– "There's a Riot Goin On" (1971) and Fresh (1973) are both absolute classics and highly influential
https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidningen_Pops_lista_%C3%B6ver...
https://youtu.be/QrgV35cBHVs?si=cPW106BBBUHYABk0?t=28m52s
It’s pretty fun. Late 60s San Francisco “hippie funk.”
Then it went Wonder Bread and focused on Elton John and David Bowie.
PBS gotta sell tote bags to dad rock fans.
RIP.
Was sly involved in the song superstition?
Sly wasn't just a brilliant performer, singer, and accomplished multi-instrumentalist but a fantastic songwriter and hugely influential producer. He knew his way around music and lost sight of all ways.
It's an interesting time capsule. Peter Marshall using a racial slur on live television, Sly being stoned out of his mind.
It feels refreshing and invigorating to watch people state their sincere opinions on a topic, very plainly, then debate them with those who have plainly stated oppositional viewpoints. It’s also actually engaging, and entertaining, whereas contemporary broadcast discussion of politics makes me want to scoop my eyeballs out with teaspoons from boredom alone, let alone the frustration of watching intelligent people very carefully avoid saying anything of substance which might be interpretable as an opinion.
I don’t think it’s survivorship bias due to preserved clips being particularly engaging, because the general public hasn’t lost this mode of communication. In most places I go, people don’t mince words or obfuscate their positions in the way people in broadcast media choose to. Real people seem disagree quite happily.
So it’s almost uncanny seeing such sincere expression on camera!
I’m not sure what happened - whether it was the branding of ‘speaking out’ as ‘courageous’ which led to public figures fearing sincere communication (as if it is something to fear!) - but I do feel that we’ve lost something.
And of course we have lost one of the great composers and bandleaders of the last century in Sly Stone. It would be very difficult to overstate the influence of his compositions and style on contemporary music. A true genius, and, like Ali, a true innovator within his chosen form.
RIP!
The two things I most remember about the summer of 1969 were watching the Apollo 11 launch from our balcony and the subsequent moon walk, and hearing 'Everyday People' on the radio. The lyrics stuck with me. I was 6 or 7 at the time and thought 'That's what it must be like to be an adult.' I still do.
That song helped me survive an awful childhood.
black_13•8mo ago