Also...James Brown was extremely prolific in the studio back then.
Regardless of whether he had any worthwhile ideas or not.
Which is why I find it hard to believe that:
The songs on this album were recorded at a time when Brown wasn't very interested in recording.
Brown definitely suffered from creative burn-out during that time. He wasn't the high in demand artist anymore and he couldn't keep up with the changing dynamics in black music. That's why he kept re-recording and recycling his old hits, hoping to make them sound more fresh.
.
I think that was later.
He had 17 top ten R&B hits, seven of which reached number one between 71 and 74, which is one hell of a record for someone who couldn't keep up.
He remained one of the most in-demand artists throughout that period. 75 onwards, less so.
No, it wasn't later. Get on the Goodfoot was an album with many remakes and horrible fillers, and it was released in 72. Hell was also full of remakes, and it was released two years later. In between, he released a bunch of soundtracks, which were mainly Fred's pet projects .. just like the J.B.'s albums.
When discussing James Brown, it's always important to put things in perspective, because he was an incredibly successful and productive artist.
He released 34 singles between 66 and 70, his prime years. Out of those, 24 charted in the top ten. Between 71 and 75, he released 27 singles, 17 made it into the top ten. That's still a stronger record than any black artist had at the time, but it definitely shows a trend here. It should also be considered that out of the more recent releases, many of them were done by Fred Wesley. Brown had much more creative impact on his earlier releases.
If you look at his touring habits - he was still a busy performer in the 1970s. But no where near his capacity of the 1960s.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to belittle the man's record. What I'm trying to do here is show that the year 1970 - when most of the music on Food for Thought was recorded, marks a turning point in his career. He had reached his commercial and creative peak, and it went downhill after that. And let's face it, as much as I love the J.B.'s, they never reached the same level as the James Brown bands of the 1960s.
Thank you. An interesting perspective.
I suppose this coincides with his rise as a business man, radio stations, property, People Records.
Also the luxuries of wealth, jets, women and drugs*...
Even with that, part of the downturn can be attributed to the changes in the music industry.
8-16-32-64 tracks might make recording easier, but it also made it a lot slower.
Likewise, in the 60s reviews playing 2 or 6 shows a day was not unusual.
Bands might be using a handful of mics and no stage monitors.
In the 70s large sound systems came in with mixing boards and the whole thing took longer to set up and break down.
Plus audiences were looking for a more 'authentic' show, longer with jams.
James did a good job adapting to these changes.
There was no way, even if he was feeling creative, to crank out the number of sides and dates he had before.
*To the best of my knowledge he didn't start using drugs until the late 80s and he was always a 2 woman man. One on the road, one at home. But still the added wealthy and luxury could lead to a certain softness in the work ethic.
@LaserWolf -
Sorry for my late response, I was away for a while.
You make some valid points, there are many factors which led to a decrease in Brown's creative output, and tapped into most of them.
His drug phase actually began in the early 1980s when he met his third wife, who introduced him to Angel Dust. That, combined with his tax problems, lack of consistent chart success and decline of Soul music, led to his state of constant confusion and chaos. Brown smoked pot in the 60s and 70s, but it was the hard drugs that threw him off balance. But he still managed to play some pretty strong shows.
Comments
No, it wasn't later. Get on the Goodfoot was an album with many remakes and horrible fillers, and it was released in 72. Hell was also full of remakes, and it was released two years later. In between, he released a bunch of soundtracks, which were mainly Fred's pet projects .. just like the J.B.'s albums.
When discussing James Brown, it's always important to put things in perspective, because he was an incredibly successful and productive artist.
He released 34 singles between 66 and 70, his prime years. Out of those, 24 charted in the top ten. Between 71 and 75, he released 27 singles, 17 made it into the top ten. That's still a stronger record than any black artist had at the time, but it definitely shows a trend here. It should also be considered that out of the more recent releases, many of them were done by Fred Wesley. Brown had much more creative impact on his earlier releases.
If you look at his touring habits - he was still a busy performer in the 1970s. But no where near his capacity of the 1960s.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to belittle the man's record. What I'm trying to do here is show that the year 1970 - when most of the music on Food for Thought was recorded, marks a turning point in his career. He had reached his commercial and creative peak, and it went downhill after that. And let's face it, as much as I love the J.B.'s, they never reached the same level as the James Brown bands of the 1960s.
I suppose this coincides with his rise as a business man, radio stations, property, People Records.
Also the luxuries of wealth, jets, women and drugs*...
Even with that, part of the downturn can be attributed to the changes in the music industry.
8-16-32-64 tracks might make recording easier, but it also made it a lot slower.
Likewise, in the 60s reviews playing 2 or 6 shows a day was not unusual.
Bands might be using a handful of mics and no stage monitors.
In the 70s large sound systems came in with mixing boards and the whole thing took longer to set up and break down.
Plus audiences were looking for a more 'authentic' show, longer with jams.
James did a good job adapting to these changes.
There was no way, even if he was feeling creative, to crank out the number of sides and dates he had before.
*To the best of my knowledge he didn't start using drugs until the late 80s and he was always a 2 woman man. One on the road, one at home. But still the added wealthy and luxury could lead to a certain softness in the work ethic.
Sorry for my late response, I was away for a while.
You make some valid points, there are many factors which led to a decrease in Brown's creative output, and tapped into most of them.
His drug phase actually began in the early 1980s when he met his third wife, who introduced him to Angel Dust. That, combined with his tax problems, lack of consistent chart success and decline of Soul music, led to his state of constant confusion and chaos. Brown smoked pot in the 60s and 70s, but it was the hard drugs that threw him off balance. But he still managed to play some pretty strong shows.
Very nice price. I paid 30.00 for my sealed copy in 2005.
i have 20 all time greatest hits but want something more