50 years ago, this month R&B Voices of the 1967 Riots

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Putting the politics back into the music at last! 

We had riots here in Baltimore as well.....a very dark time for both sides.......

DC ... some months later ....... these kicked off after MLK's murder ...

I'm not sure if Themroc is being sarcastic or not with his "Putting the politics back into the music at last!" but for me the article was both timely and appropriate. I don't think you can separate out music from the social or political context of its creation - and that is especially the case for Afro American music like soul during the Civil Rights struggles of the 60s and the huge inequalities of the Vietnam War. So I'm grateful to KenB for writing the article.

I'm sorry there was no mention of the problems in Los Angeles during this period when Watts was ablaze for several days. For a very perceptive take on the causes of the problems in LA I don't think you can do better than Johnny Otis' excellent book "The Silence Of The Lambs".

Finally from me I am surprised by Chess1458's use of the phrase "both sides" in his comment on this subject. I do not think it is either helpful or relevant here even if it is well meant. But I do agree with his view that it was a "dark time".  

Detroit -- July 67 .... these riots, MLK's assassination & the riots that followed + the Vietnam war both changed soul music in major ways .... 

 

Baltimore -- April 68 

Most ghetto riots kicked off around this time because of MLK's death (the Detroit riots were different as heavy handed white cops raiding an after-hours black bar caused those) ...  Many black owned stores / businesses were torched / looted. Record stores & warehouses were wrecked & looted. Clubs were closed (even if not damaged) as martial law was imposed. Many clubs stayed closed for some weeks as no one was going out late at night. Some venues were destroyed but even some of those that weren't attacked went out of business in the aftermath of the riots.

Kenny Hamber told me that he & his group had been in Philly cutting some tracks that day & as they had been busy they didn't realise what had gone on. As they headed back to Baltimore in a van full of instruments / amps, they were soon pulled over by police / national guard units on the look-out for looters. It was only after the studio was phoned & confirmed their story, that they were allowed to head off to Balto. Needless to say, when they arrived back in the city, it was in flames.

 

The riots in Baltimore started on the Saturday following MLK's murder & they continued non-stop for around 5 days. By that time, many parts of the city were in ruins. Just a couple of days later, the Impressions & their revue were booked to play a big local show. As it would have been just about impossible for the group to get to the city at that time, I'm sure the show was cancelled. I've also no idea if the big show planned @ the Civic Centre went ahead.

This Balto show was to be staged at the same time that the Impressions were getting started on breaking from ABC Records and setting up Curtom. I guess they already had some acts lined up to join the new label and some of these just might have formed parts of their revue show back at that time.  

10 hours ago, sirshambling said:

I'm not sure if Themroc is being sarcastic or not with his "Putting the politics back into the music at last!" but for me the article was both timely and appropriate. I don't think you can separate out music from the social or political context of its creation - and that is especially the case for Afro American music like soul during the Civil Rights struggles of the 60s and the huge inequalities of the Vietnam War. So I'm grateful to KenB for writing the article.

I'm sorry there was no mention of the problems in Los Angeles during this period when Watts was ablaze for several days. For a very perceptive take on the causes of the problems in LA I don't think you can do better than Johnny Otis' excellent book "The Silence Of The Lambs".

Finally from me I am surprised by Chess1458's use of the phrase "both sides" in his comment on this subject. I do not think it is either helpful or relevant here even if it is well meant. But I do agree with his view that it was a "dark time".  

Sarcastic why would you think that? This forum always had a policy of political neutrality which has always gone against the understanding of a dialectical process in popular black music. Also that process should inform our understanding of current political form, you can't love the music and vote UKIP or bang on about immigration. 

27 minutes ago, themroc said:

Sarcastic why would you think that? This forum always had a policy of political neutrality which has always gone against the understanding of a dialectical process in popular black music. Also that process should inform our understanding of current political form, you can't love the music and vote UKIP or bang on about immigration. 

I don't vote UKIP, but I don't see why you cant love "the music" if you do. Can people only "love the music" if they share your political views?

Well I suppose you could be right? After all James Brown did endorse Nixson. 

The riots in LA kicked off in 65 ....

On 09/07/2017 at 08:46, sirshambling said:

I'm not sure if Themroc is being sarcastic or not with his "Putting the politics back into the music at last!" but for me the article was both timely and appropriate. I don't think you can separate out music from the social or political context of its creation - and that is especially the case for Afro American music like soul during the Civil Rights struggles of the 60s and the huge inequalities of the Vietnam War. So I'm grateful to KenB for writing the article.

I'm sorry there was no mention of the problems in Los Angeles during this period when Watts was ablaze for several days. For a very perceptive take on the causes of the problems in LA I don't think you can do better than Johnny Otis' excellent book "The Silence Of The Lambs".

Finally from me I am surprised by Chess1458's use of the phrase "both sides" in his comment on this subject. I do not think it is either helpful or relevant here even if it is well meant. But I do agree with his view that it was a "dark time".  

Do you perhaps mean "Listen to the lambs"?

The effect on the music ... as told by someone there at the time ... 

 

Love that clip esp. the great Dennis Coffey.

Where you here during the riots Shambling?

https://www.yahoo.com/music/detroits-67-riots-halted-music-helped-recalibrate-sound-040444042.html

Canadian   folksinger  Gordon Lightfoot  had a point   to  make  as  well.