By Carl Dixon London (195.153.219.170 - 195.153.219.170) on Sunday, January 13, 2002 - 03:37 pm:

Not that I am an expert, but this album was a Christmas present and I notice that the Earl van Dyke listing is with the 'Soul Brothers' and not the 'Funk Brothers'. Unless the Funk Brothers was the in-house nick name only and 'Soul Brothers' is correct! And yes, this is the source of the CD version of 'Can't stop looking for my Baby' by the Fantastic Four, which I love. Also, I am now learning that the writing teams behind the Fantastic Four's songs are different with their musical phrasing than say, the teams at Motown. The lead singers unique voice stands out and matches well with the songs I hear by them. David mentioned an album of theirs, which I must keep an eye out for. These songs are ageless and I was convinced this morning, as I listened to 'Can't stop', that I heard finger snaps counting in the musicians under the piano intro, hidden away in the tape hiss!

Any thoughts on the 'Soul Brothers' question? I did actually Email MCA/Universal via their web site,here in the UK, but as yet no reply from them. I am convinced their offices are in Hammersmith,near where I live!

Thanks
Carl Dixon

By John Lester (213.1.165.127 - 213.1.165.127) on Sunday, January 13, 2002 - 04:28 pm:

Carl

We only knew about Funk Brothers from articles and interviews....it's always been Soul Brothers on the vinyl....

Universal ARE near Hammersmith....St Peters Square.

If you get a knowledgable reply from anyone at Hammersmith.....I shall be rather surprised!!

Glad you liked Soul Satisfaction 02... (snigger snigger)

By Ritchie Hardin (62.254.0.6 - 62.254.0.6) on Sunday, January 13, 2002 - 04:45 pm:

Guys - my gut feeling is that "the Funk Brothers" was the simply name the guys used themselves, for themselves. "the Soul Brothers" was just the name on the record label. Quote:
"James Jamerson came up with the name... cause producers were always telling us to play it funky. Shorty Long used to come in and tell us 'today we ain't playing nothing but funk.'"
- The great Earl Van Dyke

By Carl Dixon London (195.153.219.170 - 195.153.219.170) on Sunday, January 13, 2002 - 05:28 pm:

Thank you John

The reason I mentioned it was I also love that excellent track on the Motown Christmas CD by, wait for it, 'The Funk Brothers' called 'Winter Wonderland' which is a great showcase for the studio musicians. In theory, that means that is incorrect? (Spectrum)

Yes I did like the CD and am still learning and listening! I have just ordered that double Gaye/Terrell CD that was spoken about in an earlier forum. I cannot wait for the days when this music is available '8 track' wise so I can give it a good grilling and see how they did it!!

I actually called into the Hammersmith offices once, on the off chance they may have had a record division looking for somebody like me who loves this genre of music and could possibly work for them in some capacity! Not that I posses anything special and I have never seen so much detail as on this web page about the trivia that I and so many others, by the look of things, like. It is highly informative. However,the receptionist mentioned they only dealt with DVD's there and that CD/music stuff was done elsewhere. I am sure they appreciate how important this material is to the loyal fans around the country. The price structure of these releases from them is very competitive. I was in Chiswick just after that televised 'Motown' extravaganza with alternative artists was broadcast and was shocked to find in MVC 'hard to find' Motown stuff at a lower price that the CD accompanying that TV programme. Just to bore you even more, one of the sales staff in MVC who was about 20 years old informs me he was learning the bass guitar at college and that he knew all about Jamerson - amazing, at his age.

Thanks
Carl Dixon

By Ritchie Hardin (62.254.0.6 - 62.254.0.6) on Sunday, January 13, 2002 - 06:05 pm:

Carl - I'm actually more surprised to hear there's a kid working in MVC who even knows what a bass guitar IS ;o)

By Dave Moore (193.165.192.171 - 193.165.192.171) on Sunday, January 13, 2002 - 06:06 pm:

Hi Carl,

I think every budding bass guitarist holds James Jamerson in awe. (Along with a few world class ones as well). There is a booklet that displays his talents that was put together for his foundation in the eighties (I think). It is supported by 2 CDs or C90 tapes that have recordings of famous guitarists playing his techniques (or trying). It really is worth getting just to crack a beer and listen to the 'magic' of the man being celebrated. Pretty sure it will have been deleted now but you see it on the internet (Ebay etc), quite frequently.

Regards,

Dave

By Carl Dixon London (195.153.219.170 - 195.153.219.170) on Sunday, January 13, 2002 - 06:25 pm:

Thank you Dave

The book,is it 'Standing in the Shadows of Motown'? I have that and yes, I have step recorded some of his bass lines and cannot beleive what I hear when I play it back. The notes and comments from everybody are fantastic. I must ask the guy in MVC whether he has the book!

Thanks
Carl Dixon

By Carl Dixon (195.153.219.170 - 195.153.219.170) on Sunday, January 13, 2002 - 06:42 pm:

Ritchie

I was surprised too. He was very good and shocked me. I said to him 'what's this playing now?'. He replied 'Tower of Power'. I said I had shown my ignorance. He replied that he liked the group and it was his ordered CD playing and was uncertain whether he was going to buy it. I told him he should or I would! He told me he was studying bass guitar and how he likes to check out the old School type stuff! So, I mentioned Jamerson and off we went, but once again we were interupted by a customer needing something!

Thanks
Carl Dixon

By John Lester (213.122.204.185 - 213.122.204.185) on Sunday, January 13, 2002 - 07:10 pm:

Dr Licks still sells that CD (plus T shirts) and US lot are all going to watch the film version...

AREN'T WE!!!

The artist name Funk Brothers was first used by Cary Mansfied on the Xmas CD....not everyone agreed with that choice and it came as a bit of a shock to the purists!

The track is a band track for the Temps, if I recall correctly

By Ritchie (62.254.0.6 - 62.254.0.6) on Sunday, January 13, 2002 - 07:11 pm:

That's great. I have a teenage son (16) who's into music but the only times our genres cross over is when I identify a well-known riff or lick that's been half-inched as a sample. Actually, it's quite funny sometimes.. I'll be playing some "old skool" music and he'll say "wow! Is THAT where it came from?" By the way, my favourite Tower of Power track is So Very Hard To Go, a little uncharacteristic for such a funky outfit, but it can turn my knees to jelly on the first chorus!

By Carl Dixon (195.153.219.170 - 195.153.219.170) on Sunday, January 13, 2002 - 07:36 pm:

Thank you John and Ritchie

Funk Brothers solved. I would like to see the film/video too. I think Dr.Licks did a sterling job with his work. I wonder if he knows about this web page. I have his address somewhere I think.

I must check out Tower of Power. I was never a great lover of funk, but as I 'mature' I can appreciate it a little better. I know I mentioned to the guy in MVC that only twice in my whole life I had heard something in a record shop that I liked and belive it or not, it was MVC down Chiswick High Road and believe it or not again, the other track was 'I heard it through the grapevine' Marvin Gaye version! I mentioned to that guy too and wait for this, he knew everything about Marvin Gaye and he was playing the CD and so young! So you never know Ritchie, your son may be influenced 'covertly' and one day he will astound somebody like me!

Thanks

Carl Dixon