Here's the 166th Mix Selection for F.S.V.B, it contains Various Funk Bands, Its been Mixed by EJ Flavors, and it Contains some Great Tracks, including amongst others: Slave, Ohio Players, Parliament, James Brown, Gap Band and Rick James amongst others!
In this Series of Posts, I will Writing about the Artist's who are in My "Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player" Poll.
The Poll is over to the Right of the Blog, it has been Running for a Few Week's, so if You haven't already Voted, Please do so!
In these Post's, I will write a few Facts, Figures, Stats and Interesting Stuff on the Artist in Question, I will also include a Playlist of their Greatest Songs.
I will Write a Post on Each Artist, One Every Other Week!
ARTIST NUMBER 2..............MARK ADAMS This Week's Bass Player is Mark Adams (He got my Vote) of the 70's Funk Band Slave, incidentally my Favorite Bass player and my Favorite Band! I had the Pleasure of seeing Mark Adams and Slave in Concert back in 1984, at The Pink Elephant in Luton UK, it was a Great Concert, by The Best Funk Band Ever! I have Scoured the Internet, but there is not Too Many Stories and Facts Concerning the Slave Bass Player, so I have Posted about Slave's Early Years, which Mark Adams was an Integral Part. I will put a Few Links at the End of the Post and if you know anything, which I have not Mentioned Please drop me an e-mail (for a Part 2 Post)!
Mark Leslie Adams was Born during 1960, he was one of 3 Sibling's,(the other 2 were Sisters) and from Dayton, Ohio, USA. Slave began in 1975, Guitarist Mark "Drac" Hicks had a Band Called Black Satin Soul with Drummer Tim "Tiny" Dozier, they later met Trumpeter Steve Washington in a Local Music Class! Mark Hicks also Knew Bassist Mark Adams, who Led another Local band by the Name of "The Young Mystics" which also included Floyd Miller, Tom Lockett Jr, Carter Bradley, Danny Webster and Orion Wilhoite. All the Members of the 2 Bands Gelled Together after a Music Session at Tim Dozier's House!
The 2 Band's decided to Form 1 Band together, and they Called themselves "Congress"
After 2 or 3 Sessions together the Band decided to Change their Name to "Slave" after Floyd Miller came in to 1 of the Sessions with a T-Shirt on with the Name "Slave" Written across the Front of it! Slaves early Work included Covers of Band's such as Earth Wind & Fire, Hall & Oates and the Average White Band. Their First Concert Performance was at "The Roth High School" Talent Show, Steve Washington's Father Brought them Their First P.A System and Mark Hick's Father Brought them their First Amp and a Couple of Guitar's.
After about 6 Month's of Rehearsal's in Mark Hick's Father's Garage, Steve Washington Tried to get Slave their First Contract. He knew "Jeff Dixon" who was Programme Director from WNJR-AM, he later Became "Slaves" Manager and Producer! Jeff Dixon then Set about getting Slave a Music Contract, this took about 6 Weeks and During Spring of 1977, and Slave were Signed by Henry Allen, President of Cottillion Records, a Subsidary of the Great "Atlantic Records".
That same Year of '77 saw "Slave" Release their Debut Album, Entitled "Slave" it was Producer by Jeff Dixon. The Album reached Number 6 on the Us Billboard Top Soul Chart and was Certified Gold. The Biggest Hit (& only Single Release from the Album) on the Album and Slave's Biggest Hit of All Time was "Slide" the Track went "Gold" on 14 July of '77. "Slide" Reached Number 1 on the US R&B Chart and made it to Number 32 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Chart. The Original Line up for The "Slave" Album was as Follows: Steve Washington....Trumpet, Percussion and Vocals Mark Hicks...............Lead and Rythym Guitars and Vocals Mark Adams............Bass Guitar Floyd Miller.............Trombone, Trumpet and Vocals Tom Lockett Jr.......Tenor and Alto Sax Carter Bradley.......Keyboards Danny Webster.....Guitar and Vocals Tim Dozier............Drums, Percussion and Vocals Orion Wilhoite.....Alto and Tenor sax
Mark Adams was Ever Present in Slaves Line-up during their 15 Studio Album's, they also Released 7 Compilation Album's and had 21 Single Releases. Mark Adams Died on March 5th 2011, he was 51 Years of Age, I Believe he had 6 Children and 10 Grand Kids. To Hear some of Mark Adams Great Bass Playing check out this Great Slave Mix from ej flavors.com there are some Great Tracks on Here! Full Track Listing as Follows: 01 – Slide 02 – Spice Of Life 03 – Party Lites 04 – Wait For Me 05 – Inside Out – Odyssey 06 – Watching You 07 – Just A Touch Of Love 08 – Dreamin’ 09 – Snapshot 10 – Steal Your Heart
Here's the 148th Mix Selection for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by DallasEverson, its called Old School-Funk Mix, there's some Classic Funk and Dance Tracks on here, Featuring amongst others: Zapp, Whodini, Fatback, Lakeside, Emotions,Funkadelic, Roger, Slave, Tom Browne, Cameo, Sugar Hill Gang and Cheryl Lynn.
We must be around Easter Time 1987, I with the Help of my Father had just Brought a Van from an Auction, I had to go back next day to pick it up!
In them days they had to do Checks and the money had to go through etc etc, So the next day I took Nathan with me , to go & get the Van, I cant Remember how we got there, but I can Remember getting the Keys and Starting it up for the First Time, it did not start at First!
Anyway the Auction Place was a Few Miles away and we came back on the Inner-Ring Road in Norwich, cant really remember the Journey back, but what I can remember is, we got about 2 Minutes from Home, and the Van Just stopped!
We had just about Reached the Heartsease Roundabout in the City, and we had ran out of Petrol, we had to Push the Van up on the Kerb and then went to Buy a Jerry Can & then get some Petrol, Luckily there was a Garage very near by!
All of this took a little While, so when we Finally got Home that Day, Susan had been Worrying where we were had been for about 3 Hours!
What an Eventful day that had been!
We spent the rest of Easter getting the Van Cleaned and ready for the start of my New Business!
What I was going to do was, carry on Making Pies, Cornish Pasties Sausage Rolls etc and go to Fetes Shows etc to Sell them, I also was going to Buy (for the Van) Groceries, Sweets and Toiletries to Sell around the Estates of Norwich.
I was going to do whatever I could to make it Work, so I was looking in to what Areas I could Sell around, including where we were now Living!
Some Music now, as You will be aware if you Read this blog Regular, My favorite Band of All-Time is Slave.
Back in 1980 they Released their 5th Album "Stone Jam" it also turned out to be Their Highest ever Placed Album on the US R&B Chart, Reaching Number 5, and attaining Gold Status, what a Great Album Cover that was!
The 3rd Single to be Released from the Album, did not come out until 1981, it is also one of my Favorite all-Time Slave Tracks, "Feel My Love"
The Song was written by the Band and Produced by Jimmy Douglass and Steve Washington, and it was on the Cotillion Record Label.
The Track Featured Steve Arrington and Starlena Young on Vocals and the Late Great Mark Adams on Bass, look out for the Trade Mark Bass Intro.
In this Series of Posts, I will writing about a Particular Classic Soul/Funk Album from the 60's 70's and 80's
The one's that stand out in my Mind, as The Best Soul/Funk/Jazz/R&B Albums ever Released. All of them, I purchased on Vinyl many Years ago and also now have them on CD or Digital Download today.
You may have a Differing view (as we all do) on these Choices, but these are my Favorites!
Number 17.......DAYTON.......FEEL THE MUSIC
Dayton Released their 4th Out Of 5 Career Albums on the Capitol Record label in 1983, it was called "Feel the Music"
As with all their Releases, Dayton Changed quite a lot of their Personnel with this Album, Originally the band were formed by a Couple of Members from the Band "Sun"
