60's Live: Please, Please, Please by James Brown and The Famous Flames

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James Brown, Soul Brother Number One, is the featured artist for today's edition of 60's Live. Choosing a great live performance by Brown was not easy because the man ALWAYS put on a great show. I've decided to share with you James Brown and The Famous Flames' 1964 live performance of 'Please, Please, Please' at the Teenage Awards Music International/Teen Age Music International a.k.a. The T.A.M.I. Show.

James Brown was The Hardest Working Man in Show Business and his catalog was a powerhouse of soul and R&B music. Brown helped develop funk and was an inspiration for hip-hop music. To learn more about his amazing career then check out his bio at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Why did I choose 'Please, Please, Please'? I wanted a James Brown performance that could be seen and heard. Live at The Apollo which was recorded in 1962 is a fantastic album, but I wanted the readers to see how James Brown commanded the stage with his Famous Flames. In my opinion, one of his best live moments was in 1964 when he gave an amazing performance at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium for the T.A.M.I. Show.

The T.A.M.I. Show was a popular music event that featured the best acts in rock and roll and R&B. James Brown, The Rolling Stones, Marvin Gaye, Smoky Robinson, and The Supremes were a few of the artists that rocked the house for the T.A.M.I. Show. James Brown and The Famous Flames gave the performance of a lifetime and the poor Rolling Stones, the show's closing act, had to go onstage following Brown's performance. Keith Richards would later say that closing the show ahead of Brown was a major mistake.



TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll and is also the head writer and owner of Champion City Comics. Follow him @TonyDougWright on Twitter.

My Super 70's: Hard Times by Baby Huey

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My Super 70's week is going strong. The song that I have selected for today is 'Hard Times' by Baby Huey. This song was featured on Baby Huey's 1971 cult classic album The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend.

Baby Huey was a 400 pound mountain of soul music that died before his first album was released. Born James Ramey, he was given the nickname Baby Huey due to his resemblance to the cartoon character. He helped form Baby Huey and The Babysitters, a R&B group that gained a reputation as an exciting act. By the late 1960's Baby Huey and The Babysitters caught the eye of Curtis Mayfield who wanted to sign Huey, sans the band, to his label Curtom Records. However, members of The Babysitters were asked to help record Baby Huey's debut album in 1970, which led to a tense recording session.

Baby Huey never saw the release of his debut. An addiction to heroin and a drinking problem led to his death at the age of twenty-six. The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend is something of a Velvet Underground and Nico album for the hip-hop world. The album sold poorly, but inspired a hip-hop generation.

I discovered this album last year during one of my various internet searches for long lost albums. The first song I heard was 'Hard Times' and it was a pretty catchy tune despite the fact that it dealt with inner city misery. I've checked out the entire album The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend online and it was a great debut that showed a great deal of promise for the young singer. We'll never know what could have been but enjoy the song below.




TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll and is also the head writer and owner of Champion City Comics. Follow him @TonyDougWright on Twitter.

My 80's Jams: Word Up by Cameo

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Last week was a trip to the 90's and this week I am featuring my 80's jams. I'm not afraid to share my guilty pleasure jams with my faithful followers. The first selection is Cameo's 1986 hit, 'Word Up!'.

Cameo is a NYC band that has been active for four decades. Remember, Cameo is the name of the band and the lead singer is Larry Blackmon, not Cameo. They were originally known as the New York City Players, but changed their name to Cameo. It is rumored they changed their name in the 70's due to a lawsuit from the Ohio Players. Cameo had some R&B hits in the 70's and 80's, but 'Word Up!' is definitely their most popular song.

'Word Up!' is a funky jam. I've been a fan of this song since it was the hotness on Top 40 radio. You don't need an explanation why this song is awesome, so watch the video below and enjoy. On a side note, the word of the day at The Lost Soul of Rock & Roll is CODPIECE. 




TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll and is also the head writer and owner of Champion City Comics. Follow him @TonyDougWright on Twitter.