SEVEN SONG CIRCLE #3

Here's one of the funkiest mixes I've put together. Well, actually, it's split between legendary funk and lesser known alternative.

There was one incredibly funky track that I tried to fit in, but couldn't make it work. I put that one separately at the end of the post, 'cause it's way too good to let go.

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1 Dinosaur Jr. - "Freak Scene"
2 Rick James - "Superfreak"
3 Jude - "Rick James"
4 Big Audio Dynamite - "James Brown" (remix)
5 James Brown - "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine (Part 1)"
6 Funkadelic - "Hit It and Quit It"
7 Mike Watt - "Maggot Brain"

notes:
1 From the album Bug. (buy)
2 From the album Street Songs. (buy) Unrelated trivia: Rick and Neil Young were roommates for a time in the 60's. They were also in a band together called The Myna Birds. They recorded an album, but it remains unreleased to this day.
3 From the tragically underhyped, and out-of-print, album No One is Really Beautiful. Pick it up if you find it.
4 Original version was on Megatop Phoenix, but that's out-of-print. It can be had on some of their best-of's, though. (buy)
5 One of the longest titles ever for a song. Also one of the best songs, though. A longer version of this was released on the album Sex Machine. (buy)
6 From the amazing album Maggot Brain. (buy) In my book, this features the best backing vocals ever. How does this one connect? The last lines of the JB tune the precedes it are "Can I hit it and quit it?" repeated several times.
7 A Funkadelic cover from Ballhog or Tug Boat. How does this one relate to the first track? The amazing 10+ minute guitar solo is performed by J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. (The organ, by the way, is played by Bernie Worrell, who also played it on the original)

I tried like hell to fit in Cee-Lo's song "Closet Freak" (buy) somewhere, but couldn't find a way. I'm giving it to you anyway, 'cause it's a fantastic song.

SIMPLY RED

Mick Hucknall is Simply Red. Him and anyone else that he decides to put in the band at any point.

They, or rather he, came out of England back in the eighties playing a mix of pop, jazz, and blue-eyed soul. Breaking on the scene with the massive hit “Holding Back the Years”. A few minor hits later, they sunk back into obscurity in the states, but remain a big name act elsewhere. Big name with good reason, Mick has a hell of a voice, and his choice of backing musicians has been rock solid over the long haul.

Mick’s brief cameo in Family Guy’s “Blue Harvest” episode ("Simply Red, standing by") reminded me I haven’t heard from them lately. So here’s a few things by Mick & co. you may not have heard already:


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Simply Red - “There’s A Light” B-side of “The Right Thing” single.
Simply Red - “X” A very cool instrumental released on the “It’s Only Love” single.
Simply Red - “Holding Back the Years” (live acoustic version) Not sure where or when it was recorded, but it was released on the “You’ve Got It” single.
Simply Red - “I Know You Got Soul” (live James Brown cover) Also from the “You’ve Got It” single.
Simply Red - “Sugar Daddy” Another one of their great instrumentals. B-side of the “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” single.
Coolio with Mick Hucknall - “Gangsta’s Paradise” (live) Recorded for the French TV show Tarata in 1995.

Simply Red discography:

Picture Book, 1985 (buy) - highly recommended!
Men and Women, 1987 (buy)
A New Flame, 1989 (buy)
Stars, 1991 (buy)
Life, 1995 (buy)
Blue, 1998 (buy)
Love and the Russian Winter, 1999 (buy)
Home, 2003 (buy)
Simplified, 2005 (buy) (remakes of their own songs)
Stay, 2007 (buy)

It appears that Mick Hucknall has announced that the band will call it quits after this year's tour dates. He will continue to record as a solo artist.