JAMES BROWN does Northern / Crossover / Modern Soul ???

Oh yes he does ... and top notch, at times !!!

A lot of healthy debate always revolves around what is, in fact, JBs best ever soul record?

I will start the debate by putting forward one of my current spins ...

JAMES BROWN - HELL LP (Polydor PD2 - 9001) track is LOST SOMEONE

(Thank you "Maida Vale" Sean for the tip)

A very instant & catchy eye opening Modern Soul dancer which is definitely bubbling down South !!!

BUT is it his best ???

Answers on a postcard, please ...

kind regards, Shaun.

3 of my fav's :

What my baby needs

Prisoner of Love

Wake up'

i have to agree with lost someone.got lots of spins up here in aberdeen/scotland 4/5years ago.

2nd would be you took my heart(get up off that funky thing lp)

3rd wake up

JAMES BROWN does Northern / Crossover / Modern Soul ???

Oh yes he does ... and top notch, at times !!!

A lot of healthy debate always revolves around what is, in fact, JBs best ever soul record?

I will start the debate by putting forward one of my current spins ...

JAMES BROWN - HELL LP (Polydor PD2 - 9001) track is LOST SOMEONE

(Thank you "Maida Vale" Sean for the tip)

A very instant & catchy eye opening Modern Soul dancer which is definitely bubbling down South !!!

BUT is it his best ???

Answers on a postcard, please ...

kind regards, Shaun.

I always thought that Lost Someone would sound great played out - and recently found out it does

One of my faves is 'Someone To Talk To' - but for the dancefloor 'People Wake Up And Live' takes some beating

Cheers Girf

'you took my heart'

'so long'

and errmm...

'it's a mans world'?

cheers Sutty

Try this one guys "(I love you) For Sentimental Reasons" Polydor 14304 also on the Hot album, its a great dancer and worth it just to hear JB cough on the record....priceless

Blake H

forgot the duet he did with lynn collins

what my baby needs now / polydor 45

its nae to bad

In all the years I have done the Radio Shows.. I have only played 2 James Brown tracks(never into his funky stuff and the obvious popular tracks don't need me respinning them.

HOWEVER

the two I did play are 'SOUL' and superb

People Wake Up & Live(Polydor 1977)

Love the intro where he say..'Disgusted with you, you and especially you'..real classy track

&

How Do You Stop(Scotti Bros 1986)

superb 'ballad' it was described...mid-tempo soul classic is better

A pity he didn't do more soulful material..instead of all those funky riffs which personnally leave me cold.

Regards

Barry

Try this one guys "(I love you) For Sentimental Reasons" Polydor 14304 also on the Hot album, its a great dancer and worth it just to hear JB cough on the record....priceless

Blake H

agreed, in it's south coast anfum form ' i lo-o-o-ve yo-o-u... for semi-mental reeaasons...'

JAMES BROWN does Northern / Crossover / Modern Soul ???

Oh yes he does ... and top notch, at times !!!

BUT is it his best ???

Answers on a postcard, please ...

/quote]

For a 100% Northern Soul stomper, check out the track 'Why Did You Take Your Love From Me' ... from his 'I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me' album! Great!!!

"Georgia on my mind"

Lost Someone is a magical record, but really JB did absolutely tons of 'real soul', probably more than anyone who ever drew breath. Big favourites are "Sometimes A Man Has To Go To The Crossroads" or "King Heroin".

Lost Someone is a magical record, but really JB did absolutely tons of 'real soul', probably more than anyone who ever drew breath. Big favourites are "Sometimes A Man Has To Go To The Crossroads" or "King Heroin".

Gareth

King Heroin, just one stunning piece of music !!

Bit obvious but i love his version of "there was a time". IMO superior to Gene Chandler's!

James Brown did loads of good soul records, but his reputation seemed to go down with many people (including myself) when he went funky. Just found that repetitious and boring, seemed to go on forever. Therefore have missed some of the tracks mentioned.

I love Lost Someone, but surely it is a bit slow and deep to be played out in a club. Great live version on the Live at the Apollo album from about 63 or 64.

When I was at the night they used to hold at the Smersh bar on a Wednesday, can't remember what it was called, I remember someone playing JB singing For Your Precious Love accompanied by a trio featuring a pianist.

It's hard to pick favourites because it depends on your mood to a certain extent. How about:

Night Train

It's A Man's Man's Man's World

Prisoner Of Love

These Foolish Things

Money Won't Change You

Try Me

I'll Go Crazy

Think

Bewildered

Actually the list could go on forever I suppose, and no doubt funk fans could name a whole different selection.

Quite funny this post has come up, as a non-soulie friend, who actually likes the early JB, asked me over the weekend if he was the "king of soul" as he'd seen him described recently. I explained he was often called the godfather of soul, for some reason, but it depended on the listener's taste in soul.

Hi Geoff: The version of Lost Someone people are referring to is a seventies remake on the Hell double album, where it's taken at a jaunty mid pace. I could be wrong, but I usually credit Ivor Jones as being the first person I heard play this in a soul club (doubtless someone played it as a new release, though). The Wednesday night at Smersh was George Jackson, where we had an almost unwritten rule of playing JB soul records. As I stated above, there are loads of them, and there would simply be no soul music as we know it without the great man.

When I was at the night they used to hold at the Smersh bar on a Wednesday, can't remember what it was called, I remember someone playing JB singing For Your Precious Love accompanied by a trio featuring a pianist.

Hi Geoff - the night was called George Jackson! and the version of For Your Precious Love we played is from an LP called "Bring It On" released in 1983 on Churchill/Augusta Records. Worth getting if you see it cheaply (I don't think it would cost more than about a tenner).

Edited April 18, 200619 yr by sweeney

JAMES BROWN does Northern / Crossover / Modern Soul ???

Oh yes he does ... and top notch, at times !!!

A lot of healthy debate always revolves around what is, in fact, JBs best ever soul record?

I will start the debate by putting forward one of my current spins ...

JAMES BROWN - HELL LP (Polydor PD2 - 9001) track is LOST SOMEONE

(Thank you "Maida Vale" Sean for the tip)

A very instant & catchy eye opening Modern Soul dancer which is definitely bubbling down South !!!

BUT is it his best ???

Answers on a postcard, please ...

kind regards, Shaun.

I played this on Sunday at the Orwell funnily enough. Sounded beautiful.

Jordi

Try this one guys "(I love you) For Sentimental Reasons" Polydor 14304 also on the Hot album, its a great dancer and worth it just to hear JB cough on the record....priceless

Blake H

From the same album, "So Long" is also fantastic. Props to Dean Johnson for first putting me onto it in the old Expansion shop, near Manchester Victoria station, what seems like decades ago - and, come to think of it, actually WAS decades ago now.

But, for me, JB's best record of the whole of the 70s - including all those fantastic funk tunes - was the astounding 1979 deep soul ballad "Regrets", which should be in every southern soul fan's desert island discs in my estimation! (By the way, JB coughs on this one, too!) Can't remember which album it's on, but it was also on 45 in the UK at least....

TONE

My personal favourite is The Man In The Glass from the Soul On Top LP. Can't say I'm the greatest JB fan (probably just a ridiculous reaction to his massive popularity) but every so often there is a track like that which grabs my attention.

Night Train

Still fond of this

Thanks for reminding me the night at the Smersh Bar was called George Jackson, always some interesting stuff played. I like sessions where the dance floor doesn't have to rule.

I'll look out for that LP Bring It On, again thanks for the information.

I saw him when he first toured in the 60s, at Walthamstow Granada, absolutely brilliant, so good went back for the second performance, Lesley had to pay as I didn't have enough money, got in the second row from the front, I think the seats cost 30 shillings or something similar. His performance was magnificent, never seen anything quite like it, so well rehearsed. At the time I attended day release at the LCP at Elephant & Castle, and all the others in my class slagged off his appearance on Ready Steady Go (which was very similar to his live show) as too rehearsed, lacking spontaneity, etc. But then they raved over the Action doing I'll Keep Holding On, so what did they know about soul music?

I saw him again in the 70s, at Hammersmith I think, but we walked out, just too funky for my taste.

"Money Won't Change You" or "Tell Me What You're Gonna' Do"

Edited April 18, 200619 yr by B-side-B

JAMES BROWN does Northern / Crossover / Modern Soul ???

Oh yes he does ... and top notch, at times !!!

A lot of healthy debate always revolves around what is, in fact, JBs best ever soul record?

I will start the debate by putting forward one of my current spins ...

JAMES BROWN - HELL LP (Polydor PD2 - 9001) track is LOST SOMEONE

(Thank you "Maida Vale" Sean for the tip)

A very instant & catchy eye opening Modern Soul dancer which is definitely bubbling down South !!!

BUT is it his best ???

Answers on a postcard, please ...

kind regards, Shaun.

Didnt know JB had made a good record

Steve

Out of the blue....Smash....brilliant

I love his really early stuff... probable favourites are:

Try Me

It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World

Please Please Please

Out of the blue....Smash....brilliant

my fave JB choon at the mo'

here's what is as far as I know an alt take of it, more 'doo woppy' backing.

sold my smash demo of it recently, think this is better James_Brown___Out_Of_The_Blue.mp3

also love JBs 'good rockin' too

Gareth

King Heroin, just one stunning piece of music !!

I'll second that

Don't forget all those wonderful JB productions on other artists, most be 1000's of them, and not funk either.

I love " I cried " on King , brilliant Deep Soul ." hey America " is great as well .Best ,Eddie

In all the years I have done the Radio Shows.. I have only played 2 James Brown tracks(never into his funky stuff and the obvious popular tracks don't need me respinning them.

HOWEVER

the two I did play are 'SOUL' and superb

People Wake Up & Live(Polydor 1977)

Love the intro where he say..'Disgusted with you, you and especially you'..real classy track

&

How Do You Stop(Scotti Bros 1986)

superb 'ballad' it was described...mid-tempo soul classic is better

A pity he didn't do more soulful material..instead of all those funky riffs which personnally leave me cold.

Regards

Barry

In all the years I have done the Radio Shows.. I have only played 2 James Brown tracks(never into his funky stuff and the obvious popular tracks don't need me respinning them.

HOWEVER

the two I did play are 'SOUL' and superb

People Wake Up & Live(Polydor 1977)

Love the intro where he say..'Disgusted with you, you and especially you'..real classy track

&

How Do You Stop(Scotti Bros 1986)

superb 'ballad' it was described...mid-tempo soul classic is better

A pity he didn't do more soulful material..instead of all those funky riffs which personnally leave me cold.

Regards

Barry

Thanks for reminding me the night at the Smersh Bar was called George Jackson, always some interesting stuff played. I like sessions where the dance floor doesn't have to rule.

I'll look out for that LP Bring It On, again thanks for the information.

I saw him when he first toured in the 60s, at Walthamstow Granada, absolutely brilliant, so good went back for the second performance, Lesley had to pay as I didn't have enough money, got in the second row from the front, I think the seats cost 30 shillings or something similar. His performance was magnificent, never seen anything quite like it, so well rehearsed. At the time I attended day release at the LCP at Elephant & Castle, and all the others in my class slagged off his appearance on Ready Steady Go (which was very similar to his live show) as too rehearsed, lacking spontaneity, etc. But then they raved over the Action doing I'll Keep Holding On, so what did they know about soul music?

I saw him again in the 70s, at Hammersmith I think, but we walked out, just too funky for my taste.

Geoff...London College of Printing...you must tell me more when we meet up

What an awesome review of the Walthamstow Granada gig. James had the best turned ankle in showbusiness and I wish I could've seen him in his cape, dropping to the floor, working the house......keep those stories coming, Geoff - they're wonderful.

My favs?

Tell me what you gonna do - King (West Hampstead Special)

Our Day Will Come - Smash......not the world's greatest organist but this has sentimental reasons

These Foolish Things....again, sentimental reasons

Jo

Edited April 19, 200619 yr by vinylvixen

"Money Won't Change You" or "Tell Me What You're Gonna' Do"

I second that commotion

Jo

In all the years I have done the Radio Shows.. I have only played 2 James Brown tracks(never into his funky stuff and the obvious popular tracks don't need me respinning them.

HOWEVER

the two I did play are 'SOUL' and superb

People Wake Up & Live(Polydor 1977)

Love the intro where he say..'Disgusted with you, you and especially you'..real classy track

&

How Do You Stop(Scotti Bros 1986)

superb 'ballad' it was described...mid-tempo soul classic is better

A pity he didn't do more soulful material..instead of all those funky riffs which personnally leave me cold.

Regards

Barry

James_Brown___People_Wake_Up_And_Live.mp3

Good call Barry! Also love his version of "Summertme'' from "Muthas nature" LP.

Was good to meet you at the Betty Lavette gig in A'dam.

Cheer's for the dvd..... awesome!!!

Personally love JB, funk 'n' all, "take it to the bridge(Sydney

)"

P.S.

Check out "Your love was good to me" from "Get on the good foot"LP crossover fan's.

Co written by JJ Barnes!!

Cheer's Paul 'n' Mandy

Edited April 20, 200619 yr by soul shrews

Dont like his funky stuff Barry,dont like this ,dont like that,we love him round our way.Sort yer life out!

Bit obvious but i love his version of "there was a time". IMO superior to Gene Chandler's!

Original version from the "Live at the Apollo Vol2" album the riff and the ongoing side of the lp makes for excellent listening

IMO

used to play this out way back in the day and it filled the floor

old basrarrd am I

Original version from the "Live at the Apollo Vol2" album the riff and the ongoing side of the lp makes for excellent listening

IMO

used to play this out way back in the day and it filled the floor

old basrarrd am I

basrarrd?

Wot's that then? You old git

Edited April 19, 200619 yr by soul shrews