Looking Back: Cameo

September 7th, 2008 by Pete

I know I speak for all middle class suburban white males in their late thirties when I ask: “Where the hell is Larry Blackmon??”

Okay, well maybe not - but I do get nostalgic for the funky old days of Cameo from time to time. They were one of the first live acts I ever saw, back when I was 16 and 17 years old. Most know ‘em only for “Word Up”, and maybe for songs like “Candy”, “Attack Me With Your Love”, or “Single Life”. All great tunes from great albums.

But fact is the boys had been around since the early to mid -70’s, when the Julliard-trained Blackmon formed the New York City Players. In ‘76, they changed their name to Cameo and signed to Casablanca’s Chocolate City label.

Their debut, Cardiac Arrest, was released in ‘77, and gave the world what they never lost: danceable, funky music with a heavy dose of quirkiness.

I’m all about the quirk.

Cameo - Rigor Morti

Cardiac Arrest looks to be wayyy out of print, but you can find “Rigor Mortis” and other classics on the The Best of Cameo…

Hot Video Action

Take a look at this great title track to ’82’s “Alligator Woman”…

Oh and you should really take a look at a live performance of “She’s Strange” and “Single Life”…

Oh, and “Attack Me WIth Your Love” and “Candy”, live…

And of course their crossover smash from 1986…

VIVA EL CAMEO!!!

Posted in Funk, R&B | 1 Comment »

Prince hips me to Janelle Monáe

August 20th, 2008 by Pete

(Photo from Nastassia A. Davis’s Flickr photostream.)

There’s lots of ways to hear about a new artist. Find a cool blog posting. Hear it on the radio. Have a friend tell you about it. Or in this case, have one of your favorite artists wait outside of the Viper Room for the artist’s gig to end so he can talk to her.

Prince drove down the hill to the Sunset Strip last night to meet with Atlanta-based, futuristic R&B singer Janelle Monáe after her gig. E Online found it newsworthy enough to write about it, and I apparently find it newsworthy enough to repeat it here. It’s just that I often wonder what my purple friend is up to. The man still doesn’t have a functional official web site, which is stupefying to me. For all the fuss he makes about people posting his images, songs, and videos on the internet, you’d think that he would have something to offer us. But nope, still zilch on the internet front.

But on to Janelle. The music is unique, fresh, funky, and you can hear influences from Prince to Outkast to smooth singers like Shirley Bassey (she sang some of the James Bond themes). Janelle was recently signed to Diddy’s Bad Boy Records, which is okay as long as he keeps his paws off. I don’t feel like hearing his “yeah”s and “uh”s in her songs.

Janelle’s well on her way to establishing herself as the next best thing on the scene. As usual, I’m a little behind. So thanks Mr. Nelson for swinging by the Viper Room last night. I owe you. No, not actual money. Man, that Prince… always looking for a payday!

Janelle Monáe - Sincerely, Jane (mp3)

Buy her new EP, Metropolis: the Chase Suite:

Sites: Official | MySpace

Posted in Prince, R&B | 7 Comments »

The DIY site is a week old and it’s waiting for YOU

July 28th, 2008 by Pete

At one week old, Ickmusic DIY is off to a great start. We have a Cristina post with some mp3’s, a Grace Jones video that will terrify your kids, links to brand new Pretenders tracks, and a look at Barack Obama’s iPod.

I encourage anyone with a passion for music to sign up and contribute! I’ve already learned a lot already,  just a few posts in. So go on over and check it out.

Go on and do it, do it, do it ’til you’re satisfied - whatever it is…

B.T. Express - Do It Til You’re Satisfied (mp3)

Buy The Best of B.T. Express

Posted in Funk, R&B | No Comments »

Old School Friday

July 11th, 2008 by Pete

My geeky music life just got geekier. You know the new iPhone came out today. Well, those of us with “old” iPhone get the 2.0 upgrade gratis, which includes the App Store - which includes a ton of free apps made exclusively for iPhone. The coolest, in my humble opinion? Remote!

By downloading the free Remote app, I can now control my iTunes from anywhere in the house. I’ve had the Airport Express, which lets me stream my iTunes to any stereo inside or outside my house. So how does Remote enhance the experience? It means when I’m out washing my car in the driveway, and Manilow’s “Mandy” comes blasting through the speakers, I can coyly hit the “Next” button.

Sweet.

But that was now and this was then…

George Clinton - “Do Fries Go With That Shake?”

The System - “Don’t Disturb This Groove”

Beastie Boys - “Hey Ladies

Posted in Old School, R&B | No Comments »

Wattstax

June 1st, 2008 by Pete

I watched Wattstax today for the very first time. Now, I’m burying myself in Stax music, and totally in a 70’s funk / soul / R&B frame of mind. What a film!

Wattstax was a music festival that took place at the L.A. Coliseum in August of 1972. Organized by the Memphis-based Stax record label to commemorate the 7th anniversary of the Watts riots, it featured Stax artists like Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, the Bar-Kays, the Staples Singers, Luther Ingram, and a lot of others.

The film features music footage interspersed with interviews of Watts residents, a pre-’Love Boat’ Ted Lange (Issac!), and Richard Prior, who all talk frankly about being Black in 1972 America.

By far the highlights for me were this Rufus Thomas performance of “Do the Funky Chicken”, and this, the Bar-Kays’ “Son of Shaft”. You just have to love the style of the times. And just check out how the Bar-Kays hit the stage. Now that’s showmanship! I guess the band wanted to come on to the field in a chariot, but that was rejected at the last minute. Well, the outfits stayed. S-t-y-l-e.

It really doesn’t get any better than this….

If you want a new (or renewed) appreciation for 70’s soul & the Stax label, as well as a fascinating document of the early 1970’s L.A. Black community, check out this film.

Thanks Gonzo for the recommendation!

By the way, if anyone can recommend any other good films / concert videos that document this era of 70’s soul, funk, and R&B, please drop a comment below. I want more!

Amazon: Wattstax (30th Anniversary Special Edition)

Posted in R&B, Soul, Video | 3 Comments »

Bringing Quirky Back: Alan Wilkis

May 19th, 2008 by Michael

Falling on the right side of fine line between contrived and convincing, Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist Alan Wilkis brings an indie sensibility to the electro-pop sound of the 80’s with a huge dollop of soul on his solo debut Babies Dream Big. From ABBA to Zappa the entire lexicon of pop is well represented and feels so, so good. Among the 10 cuts you’d be hard pressed to find a moment that is not crafted with the utmost respect for it’s influences which range from the Stevie Wonder-esque funk of “It’s Been Great” to the 50’s Motown of the tender “I Wanna Know” with nods to Prince, ELO and Nintendo along the way. This is a must-have for all fans of all things 80’s. Don’t just take my word for it, check out my favorite track “It’s Been Great” below and hop aboard yourself.

Alan Wilkis – It’s Been Great (MP3)

Buy Babies Dream Big: CDBaby | iTunes

Links: on Last.fm | on MySpace

Posted in Electronic, Funk, Indie, R&B, Soul | 2 Comments »

Everybody all aboard

March 2nd, 2008 by Pete

The Gap Band. Venice Beach 1983. Charlie Wilson dancing in the surf in a Speedo.

Yep, Spring is in the air.

Posted in Old School, R&B | 4 Comments »

A Taste of Honey…

January 28th, 2008 by Michael

If you have not checked out the video for Erykah Badu’s new single “Honey” then you need to get over to dailymotion to check it out.

Links: Official Site | MySpace

Posted in R&B, Video | No Comments »

Shuggie Otis - a psyche-funky-soulful classic

December 29th, 2007 by Pete

One of the categories I forgot to include on my Year in Music post was “Best Aged Album Discovered This Year”. Undoubtedly, it was 1974’s Inspiration Information by Shuggie Otis. Some buddies on my defunct Prince forum recommended Shuggie as sort of a “Prince 1.0″; or Prince, rather, as Shuggie 2.0.

• He released his first album in his teens.
• He played all of the instruments and sang.
• He wrote his own music.
• His music is a combination of funk, R&B, pop, and psychedelic soul…

One of the standout tracks on this record, “Strawberry Letter 23″, was later covered by the Brothers Johnson, who turned it into one of the top R&B tracks of 1977. Almost thirty-four years after its original release, the album sounds fresh and ahead of its time.

David Byrne reissued it in 2001 on his Luaka Bop label. Stylistically, the songs are all over the map. The two I give you here are a short blast of Innervisions-era funk (”Ice Cold Daydream”) and an electronic instrumental slow jam (”Pling!”). But you need to hear the whole thing, especially the finale, the 12 minute plus trippy soul/funk suite “Freedom Flight”.

Shuggie Otis - Ice Cold Daydream (mp3)

Pling! (mp3)

BUY Inspiration Information on

Posted in Funk, R&B | No Comments »

P-Funk: Um, Yeah, I’ll Have Some of What They’re Having

December 19th, 2007 by Pete

I have one of these sweet little Apple Airport Express gizmos that allows me to play my iTunes on any stereo inside or outside my house. So when it was time to string up the Christmas lights this past weekend, my 4 year old girl and I fired up the iTunes, set it to shuffle, and took to the front yard with wild holiday abandon.

What I didn’t realize was that earlier in the day I had filtered my iTunes to show me only “parliament”. So what ensued was 90 minutes of the P-Funk discography on shuffle. Okay, no one - not my 4-year old or my passing neighbors - realized the intensity of this Spontaneous P-Funk Christmas Light Hanging Ceremony, but I sure funked out in delight for an hour and a half.

It made me rediscover some of the gems of their catalog, including some tunes that jumped out at me for their uncharacteristic qualities. Like this song. This isn’t the P-Funk your ears expect. You hear it, and you’re wondering what it is you’re listening to. A mellow, otherworldly, fantasy-like rhythm; Peter Chase’s melodic, bird-like whistling solos. What a cool little P-Funk nugget.

Parliament - I Just Got Back (from the Fantasy, Ahead of Our Time in the Four Lands of Ellet) [mp3]

Buy: Up for the Down Stroke (1974)

Posted in Funk, R&B | 1 Comment »