Funk bands that didn't record a thing
meatyogre
2,080 Posts
Theres plenty of em... and plenty of one sheets and press photo's left behind to prove they existed. Who was jammin in your hoods and not pressing 45s or not releasing their recordings? I got a live tape of a band called "Mulato Band" from Miami circa 1971 that destroys shit.
Comments
I think Dante knows about one or two of them
Curtis Rodgers (People's Choice, Spot & the Blotters etc.) told me he worked with a bunch of local Grand Rapids acts that never put anything out. Palmer James and Curtis Rodger's high school soul/doo-wop group, the Creations, for instance, never recorded anything despite packing every venue they played. None of the work Al Green did with the People's Choice was ever recorded either. I also heard tell of a white dude that toured West Michigan doing James Brown-style originals with a backing band that sounded like a cross between the JB's and Funkadelic.
Supposedly the Black on White Affair reformed as the Black on Black Affair after their output on Topaz, but I'm not aware of any releases under that name.
I recently learned that the Indiana funk outfit Black Magic used to play with a bunch of similar-sounding local bands, including one called the "Candy Snaps" (!!!!). Considering the limited run of the Black Magic 45, it's probably safe to say that the Candy Snaps never commited anything to wax.......or did they?
By the way, "Candy Snaps" gets my vote for hardest sounding band name EVAR!!
I've got something from Amarillo circa 1969 that's pretty damn
have to dig that shit out.
why not post some audio and get this thing on some
Actually, they did put out 3 records. KICK OUT THE JAMS was probably my favorite.
this band is from Texarkana, TX - curious if they released anything...
this flyer came with a letter to Motown( handwritten w/ cross-outs on notebook paper) asking for an audition - they claim that their best song is called "I'm Gonna Be Cool"
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Fabulous Dealers. They reformed farther down the road (in the mid 70's) and released a 45 but with different members and an unrelated group name. From what I was told, they seriously cooked on the club circuit in the early 70's. The main members (one's that didn't change) were 2 brothers and I believe a third brother was involved from time to time. I wish they had recorded something on reel.
"Call that obscure? I'm only into bands that never even existed..."
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heard this same thing but no one has confirmed it though..
45s by Punchy & Roulettei, a band from early 70's located in Atlanta has eluded me.. the leader of the group said that they were in studio and recorded 3 to 5 original compositions, but he cant recall who payed for the sessions and who possibly put out the 2 45's that should've been put out.. any info?
There will be an appendix in my upcoming Funk book that tells of known bands without any recorded output. It's grown to be a massive index.
Here's a couple from the B's and S's:
Black Brass Axe (Columbia, SC 72-73)
Black Essex (Youngstown, OH 76)
Black Funk Experience (Indianapolis, IN 73)
Black Funk Revue (Miami, FL late 60s)
Black Genesis (Durham, NC 76)
Black Haze (Cleveland, OH 75)
Black Magic Rhythm Band (San Francisco, CA 71)
Black Rock Advancement (Kansas City, MO, early 70s)
Black Rose Express (Cincinnati, OH 75)
Black Satin Soul (Dayton, OH 75)
Blind Justice Band (Columbus, OH 72)
Bliss Transition (Seattle, WA 69)
Spiritualistic Convoy (Dallas, TX 69)
Steel Warehouse (Akron, OH 76)
Strictly Soul Unlimited (San Francisco, CA late 60s)
Students of Soul (Morehead, KY early 70s)
Swamp Man (Columbia, SC late 60s)
Sweet Funk Musical Express (San Antonio, TX early 70s)
Sweet Sugar (Columbus, OH 72)
Swinging Soul Sultans (Bronx, NY 69)
Symphonic Revolution (Columbia, SC 74)
anything to do w/ mike jackson & the soul providers
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It will probably be an encyclopedia. I mean, who fits in there? High School and college bands? There's probably millions.
Dante, any word on when your book will be out? Inquisitive minds want to know.
Those names are so fuckin'
"Black Brass Axe" ??
"Black Rock Advancement" !!
"Bliss Transition" ~~
Might be this:
Early Warning System ???Success Story/ Pt. 2??? (EWS 1201)
Punchy & Early Warning System ???Whole Lotta Jammin???/ Git It??? (E.W.S. 1202) 1976
They have a 1977 record on Polydor as well.
The EWS were based around local Georgia player Early Clover.
That's all I know.
Graf-- The list comes from bands who advertised in local papers, interviews with other funk musicians and so on.
KidInquisitive-- Good question!
Killing Floor (Auckland 67-71)
Mojo Men (Auckland 67-68)
Stax-Volt Revue (Auckland 68-70)
Dante, add the Soul Machine from New Orleans to your list. Soul Machine was Aaron and Cyril Neville, with Sam Henry on Piano, Bull Dog Bonnie drums, GAry Brown Sax, and Richard Amos Bass. Late 68-69?.
Art Neville and Neville Sounds was the Meters plus Aaron, Cyril and Brown. 67-68?
is this one hard to get?
I heard it's a killer "disco" funk track
-e
Hard Hittin Harlems (Seaside, CA)
Uniques (Seaside, CA)
im too tired to think anymore... there are MAD amounts of groups out here in the Bay Area that rocked shows... i have some HS shows on reel that i need to transfer. maybe some winners?
It's nice, I play my copy out here and there. One side has a hip hop tempo-ed jam and the other is (I think) more disco oriented.
Interesting to read about "Soul Machine" members as I have a 45 by Gary Brown & Soul Machine 2 on Cotch label. I wonder they are different musicians.