Sunday, November 30, 2014

Rufus Thomas - "Do The Funky Chicken, STAX 24-bit Remasters" (CD, Concord/Universal - 2011)

Hey there! Everything's fine? I hope so. Sorry for slowing down a little bit, we're on a roll the last
months. Along with JP we 're in a hurry to catch Holidays with a new WAX like project and on top of this, I reconnected with my old pal Manos for a new printed zine! I'm firing on all cylinders as you can guess cause there's work to do too with my dayjob and the other blog, the one about Olympiacos basketball team...
Anyway, there's always a little time I suppose for an upload and a few words, right? So, that's my fave Rufus Thomas LP. I know there's maybe an argument here, but I don't care. For those who don't who Rufus was (shame on you), everything's included in this: A Memphis Soul legend, of the first rock & roll DJs ever and 'The Crown Prince of Dance'! Need more? He gave Stax its first hit record ("Cause I Love You" with daughter and later superstar Carla), the one actually made the Atlantic giant turn eyes down there and start a collaboration which is no hyperbole to say, changed the face of the music (at least in my mind).
And coincidentally this again was the first one after the break up with Ahmet Ertegün and Herb Abramson's company. Having lost superstar and King of Soul, Otis Redding on a plane crash and all of its back catalog to Atlantic, Stax/Volt vice- prez Al Bell visioned a 'suicidal' to many then 28 LP release project for the company's resurrection. And the forgotten by the end of the 60s Rufus was back!
The 'house band' of Booker T and the MGs took place in the studio and guitar master Steve Cropper handled the production duties as well. Son Marvell with Isaac Hayes sat on the keyboards and the famous Memphis Horns with Ollie and the Nightingales were a full on back up fill.
From the opening same title song to the funky recreation of "Bear Cat" (originally the answer to Big Mama Thornton's, "Hound Dog") and all the bonus tracks in here, like the Eddie Floyd penned "Funky Mississippi" there's plenty of good time ass shakin' silliness! Yep the same one made the Ramones as brilliant... So fuck serious music, rock & roll's nothing else but fun,OK?

Yours Truly!

PS: Go ask Poison Ivy from where with Lux took the "Can your pussy Do the Dog?" inspiration...

1 comment: