James Brown Hot Pants CD

Any advice on James Brown's Hot Pants? I have a chance to buy it, and am wondering if I should. I am a big James Brown fan of his 60's stuff but I don't know much about his 70's work. You JB experts out there, is this a good one? Most or maybe all of his non compilation Polydor CDs seem to be out of print at this point for some reason.

 

The best way to go about collecting James Brown's seventies work is to purchase the following anthologies, which feature no overlap: FUNK POWER 1970: A BRAND NEW BAG; MAKE IT FUNKY: THE BIG PAYBACK 1971-1975; and DEAD ON THE HEAVY FUNK 1975-1983. I would add to these comps the sterling live albums, LOVE POWER PEACE and REVOLUTION OF THE MIND.

After this, your need for the original albums from this period, including HOT PANTS, will depend on your enthusiasm for the artist. Luckily, the Polydor reissue program conscientiously varies LP/single, stereo/mono, and extended/complete edits and alternate mixes throughout the reissues to avoid total duplication. For example, "Escape-ism" appears in a 4:02 edit on MAKE IT FUNKY, while the side-split LP 3:18 and 4:10 edits appear on HOT PANTS, which also includes the original 19:09 take.

The bonus 19:09 complete take of "Escape-ism" is the bait for JB fans on the HOT PANTS CD. In addition to the greater length, the complete take removes whatever weird processing was inflicted on the edits, and sounds much clearer. Also, you get to hear the Brown and the band goofing around and cutting up -- this "song" was actually just a session warm-up before cutting a single for Bobby Byrd. It's like being in the studio.

 

Ron's advice couldn't be more dead on. As far as James Brown goes, Ron is always on the good foot.

 

Thanks Ron. It sounds like I'll be getting Hot Pants while I have the chance. I LOVE those long, complete take things. Especially since doesn't have the processing. Any word about JB on SACD?