Comments on: Get Up Offa That Thing http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/26/get-up-offa-that-thing/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:04:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Cirkux http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/26/get-up-offa-that-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-182814 Cirkux Thu, 28 Dec 2006 18:27:28 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/26/get-up-offa-that-thing/#comment-182814 Unfortunately the album has not been released on CD. Catalog # LP Polydor 827439 1985 CS Polydor 827439 is all there is... He will be missed but it was quite a feat to live as long as he did considering the life he lead. Unfortunately the album has not been released on CD.

Catalog #
LP Polydor 827439
1985 CS Polydor 827439
is all there is…
He will be missed but it was quite a feat to live as long as he did considering the life he lead.

]]> By: Daniel http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/26/get-up-offa-that-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-182805 Daniel Thu, 28 Dec 2006 14:53:19 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/26/get-up-offa-that-thing/#comment-182805 I think that what Phil Ford misses out is that the key to James Brown tracks is that Brown's vocals are part of the percussion section. The relationship between the placement of different parts before and after the beat which he's finding it so difficult to sum up is precisely described by the phrase "Hot Pants" (and can be contrasted with "Soul Power", which is also an onomatopoieic summary of how the beat fits together). There's a lot of this in Indian drumming, where they have a special set of syllables they use for describing drumbeats (it gives us the ubiquitous irritating vocal interludes in the middle of a lot of Shakti tracks IIRC). The other point of note is that although everyone goes on about "the ONE", there is actually quite clearly a minor emphasis on the eighth half-beat as well. It's more like "the and-ONE". I think that what Phil Ford misses out is that the key to James Brown tracks is that Brown’s vocals are part of the percussion section. The relationship between the placement of different parts before and after the beat which he’s finding it so difficult to sum up is precisely described by the phrase “Hot Pants” (and can be contrasted with “Soul Power”, which is also an onomatopoieic summary of how the beat fits together). There’s a lot of this in Indian drumming, where they have a special set of syllables they use for describing drumbeats (it gives us the ubiquitous irritating vocal interludes in the middle of a lot of Shakti tracks IIRC).

The other point of note is that although everyone goes on about “the ONE”, there is actually quite clearly a minor emphasis on the eighth half-beat as well. It’s more like “the and-ONE”.

]]> By: Robert http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/26/get-up-offa-that-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-182760 Robert Thu, 28 Dec 2006 02:21:23 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/26/get-up-offa-that-thing/#comment-182760 James Brown: First there was music for the body; and Jimi Hendrix: Then there was music for the mind and body. James Brown: First there was music for the body; and Jimi Hendrix: Then there was music for the mind and body.

]]> By: Ken Houghton http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/26/get-up-offa-that-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-182738 Ken Houghton Wed, 27 Dec 2006 17:50:34 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/26/get-up-offa-that-thing/#comment-182738 kid bitzer must be correct, since Sara Hickman did a transcendent version of "This is a Man's World" on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Equal-Scary-People-Sara-Hickman/dp/B000003MU5/sr=1-11/qid=1167241733/ref=sr_1_11/102-1802432-1600956?ie=UTF8&s=music" rel="nofollow">her first album</a>, and she didn't even attempt to imitate the pardoning of Millhouse (or <a href="http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0144168/" rel="nofollow">Dick</a>, as Michelle Williams fans call him). kid bitzer must be correct, since Sara Hickman did a transcendent version of “This is a Man’s World” on her first album, and she didn’t even attempt to imitate the pardoning of Millhouse (or Dick, as Michelle Williams fans call him).

]]> By: kid bitzer http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/26/get-up-offa-that-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-182733 kid bitzer Wed, 27 Dec 2006 14:20:17 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/26/get-up-offa-that-thing/#comment-182733 yeah, james brown was funky. but not as funky as gerald ford. yeah, james brown was funky.

but not as funky as gerald ford.

]]> By: Thompsaj http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/26/get-up-offa-that-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-182723 Thompsaj Wed, 27 Dec 2006 08:49:53 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/26/get-up-offa-that-thing/#comment-182723 Well, regarding the drums, I think the element of style which gives the "hard funk" feeling is using ghost notes on the snare drum between the heavy backbeats on two and four. Some say that the ghost notes should be more felt than heard, but they serve to outline a pulse in which the 16th notes are implied, so that the syncopations in the horns, guitar, and especially the bass come together. "get on the good foot" "mother popcorn" and "funky drummer" are great and provide the feel for countless hip-hop tracks. regarding the arrangements, what is striking is the collective improvisational aspect which is apart from, for example, a jazz solo concept. To me, the songs are really <i>about</i> the grooves, and each is a sort of extended rhythm section solo, led by Brown, hence the seemingly off the cuff vocalizations: "Can I take it to the bridge?" I'm not qualified to comment on the uniqueness of this formal concept, but clearly Brown influenced the 70's funk style immensely. I say it's striking because it goes against the pop song ideology, that the songs don't "go anywhere" in the sense of building tension to a climax and release, and they aren't really organized around the vocals. I'm way too young, but I can't imagine they played it on the radio, for example; but then, maybe radio didn't always suck. Well, regarding the drums, I think the element of style which gives the “hard funk” feeling is using ghost notes on the snare drum between the heavy backbeats on two and four. Some say that the ghost notes should be more felt than heard, but they serve to outline a pulse in which the 16th notes are implied, so that the syncopations in the horns, guitar, and especially the bass come together. “get on the good foot” “mother popcorn” and “funky drummer” are great and provide the feel for countless hip-hop tracks.

regarding the arrangements, what is striking is the collective improvisational aspect which is apart from, for example, a jazz solo concept. To me, the songs are really about the grooves, and each is a sort of extended rhythm section solo, led by Brown, hence the seemingly off the cuff vocalizations: “Can I take it to the bridge?” I’m not qualified to comment on the uniqueness of this formal concept, but clearly Brown influenced the 70’s funk style immensely. I say it’s striking because it goes against the pop song ideology, that the songs don’t “go anywhere” in the sense of building tension to a climax and release, and they aren’t really organized around the vocals. I’m way too young, but I can’t imagine they played it on the radio, for example; but then, maybe radio didn’t always suck.

]]> By: joe o http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/26/get-up-offa-that-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-182722 joe o Wed, 27 Dec 2006 07:32:16 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/26/get-up-offa-that-thing/#comment-182722 I listened to the James Brown christmas album alot this christmas. It is very good. I listened to the James Brown christmas album alot this christmas. It is very good.

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