The Rolling Stone History features an essay on Sly, written at the end of the Seventies, when he was attempting a second comeback. Would an RS History written today feature a chapter on him, or would he be relegated to a footnote?
S&tFS has a fantastic run, making fun, cool, and important music. Equally as sad as Sly’s decline is the fact that greater society didn’t get the message they were sending out at the time. I am everyday people.
So you were at a mid-seventies gig when Sly actually showed up? That makes you one lucky so-and-so....
I have that compilation, there’s some solid material there. I’d like to know more about the demos - the liner notes are good, but don’t cover the demos. I think Ain’t But The One Way could have been a much better album. It started as a collaboration with George Clinton in the producers seat; when George fell out with Warners, he left the project and Sly just sort of abandoned ship then as well. The label got Stewart Levine in to finish the record without Sly. Levine says Sly later told him ‘we’ll have to work this way again in the future - I’ll f*** it up, and you finish it.’ I’d love to hear the material as it was left by Sly and George at the point Levine took over. It feels like a great deal of potential went unrealised with that album, some of the material was pretty good. But then, I suppose that’s the story of the latter part of Sly’s career all over.
I'd love to hear all the stuff George and Sly were doing in 1980-1981. Some super funk in there, I'm sure.
I know the FS played a gig in Bournemouth in 2007, with Sly 'sitting in'. Where you there? I read while back that Sly still talks to some former members. Jerry Martini claimed he was still writing songs.
Yes, I was there in Bournemouth! I could not believe it when that show was announced - it was the first date announced of that strange attempt at a come back tour. I set my expectations low and enjoyed the gig, many didn’t. Sly still had a pretty good and very recognisable voice then; I don’t think that is true now, he seems to have lost his voice. I don’t think Sly has ever stopped making music. I have some connection with various Family Stone related people via Facebook etc, and what I hear would corroborate this.
Detail on the circumstances of Larry Graham's departure from the band. Tragi-comic: https://www.sfgate.com/entertainmen...s-Of-Sly-And-the-Family-Stone-For-2997684.php
I live a long way from Bournemouth, but I did think about going down, given the rarity of the SF's appearances outside America (don't think they ever played Britain in their heyday - a 1968 television appearance was scotched when one of them was busted at the airport). Then I did some research, and thought better of it. I'm told the band, minus Sly, are still worth watching, though maybe less so now Cynthia has passed on.
They did play in the UK a few times in their heyday, most famously in London at the Lyceum the night Hendrix died - this gig features quite a bit in the mythology around that night. I have some footage of that gig, it’s really good - I will look to see if it is on YouTube shortly and post here if it is. If not then I’d better not post it myself I think. Also the Isle of Wight show around the same time (some tracks are on the Higher! boxset). I think there were a few shows in ‘68, and I know they played at some mini festival type thing at White City in ‘73. Those are the ones I know about - there may be more. I think the current band calling themselves the Family Stone is probably quite a bit better than the one that played in 2007. They had Cynthia and Pat Rizzo, but a lot of insipid sounding session types. Sly’s sister Vet was there, and Rose Stone’s daughter Lisa. Vet wrote and self-published a book about that tour and her point of view about what went on - I think it’s fair to say she felt let down by her brother. Fairly or not, I could not say.
Ah, yes, I'd forgotten about that famous Lyceum gig. Would be great to see the footage, but understand if you'd rather not post.
Love Sly, saw them at MSG, NYC around 1973/74 timeframe. I lived a hour from the city and took the train to Grand Central with some friends. Sly was a hour late but it was a fantastic show. Anyone grab their Woodstock vinyl on RSD? How does it sound? I know there are several threads for RSD but to long to read through them.
I know it's been said many times before but man, what a positive message Sly & The Family Stone had behind their music. Black or white, who cares? Times have changed for the better in many respects but in many ways society has become much more fragmented, which leads to different groups of people continuing to target each other and forgetting about what they have in common. (Let's not get political here, we know how that tends to go) But Sly & The Family Stone always said forget about all that. We are all "Everyday People", "EVERYBODY is a Star", "You Can Make It If You Try" so let's "Stand!" for equality. Forget your hangups, let's "Sing a Simple Song" and "Dance to the Music", let's go "Higher!" Thank you Sly, for delivering an important message and making some of the most kick*ss music at the same time!
George released the demo version of "Who In The Funk Do You Think You Are". Sly plays most of the instruments. I prefer this over the proper version.
So I was lucky enough to see Sly at BB Kings in NYC about a decade ago. 2 sets, one night. Got there a few hours early and camped out in front of Slys keys. The first set... wow. Unreal. Not only was it great music, but Sly started jamming off setlist. He was experimenting on the keys and broke into "Don't Call Me...." He was very well alive and having a blast. The band was great!! 2nd show... started off ok. Then he disappeared. Some guy was screaming for the "crackhead" to get back on the stage. Then out of nowhere I got thrown aside by an irate Sebastian Bach running after the heckler. Sly came back shortly but it was a dud. The first set was something I will never forget Hundreds of shows, and that was a highlight.
How long was the first set? If he was on for about 40 minutes, that's a long time by his current standards.
I saw Graham Central Station when I was in college in NYC in the 90's. I remember feeling like I was seeing Sly & The Family Stone, just without Sly. I seem to recall a few other FS members in the band, but I can't confirm. It was a great show, though there was a strange segment where LG had a whole group of bass players (some of them seemed local and amateur) get up on stage and play together. But a high point was when somebody set up a chair right next to me on the floor, and LG came out and stood on it in the middle of the crowd for a bit, slapping away.
I can't leave a Sly thread without commenting, as they are one my all time favorite groups. Their "Greatest Hits" is one of my 2 all time favorite albums (the other is "Pet Sounds", both tied at #1 in my book). Stone was so ahead of his time it's unreal. He had the Woodstock crowd disco dancing 7 years before it became big! His performace at Woodstock was like the mid-1970's happening in the summer of 1969, not just in the music but the way he was dressed, etc. He basically invented the music known as "funk" and later "disco", but unfortunately got pushed out of the way when that music took off in the 70's, becoming quickly forgotten and mired in personal problems. One of the saddest declines I've ever seen, short of Harry Nilsson. Every song on GH is incredibly positive and upbeat, as the liner notes say it's the perfect album to bring your spirits up after you've been having a bad day (assuming you don't have a headache of course, since it's earsplittingly loud!) Then comes "...Riot", one of the biggest 180's I've ever heard, all the optimism is gone, replaced by a downbeat, buzzed out Sly - yet the album is brilliantly riveting. It doesn't get any more "down and dirty funk" than this one. No other album at the time said "The optimistic 60's are over" more than this one.
