WHO'S THE GREATEST FUNK BASS PLAYER # 6 LOUIS JOHNSON

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 6..............LOUIS JOHNSON 

Louis Johnson was Born on April 13th 1955 in Los Angeles, California USA.

During his School Days, He was to Form a Band with his 2 Brother's "George and Tommy" and a Cousin by the Name of Alex Weir, the band was called "Three Plus One"

In the Early 70's Louis and George Johnson were in the Backing Band's for a Two different Artists, Bobby Womack and The Supremes, they later  also both Joined Billy Preston's Band, but left in 1973.

They were both Hired in 1975 by Quincy Jones to Play on his Album "Mellow Madness" during that same Year they both Toured with Bobby Womack and Billy Preston.

During Late '75 early '76, The Brothers Decided to Form their Own Band and called themselves "The Brothers Johnson" Their Debut Album was called "Look Out For # 1" it was Produced by Quincy Jones and on the A&M Record Label.

The Album Reached Number 9 on the US Pop Chart and Number 1 on the US R&B Chart, it also Attained Platinum Status!




The Album Contained 3 Singles,           US Pop   US R&B

"Get The Funk Outta Ma Face"                          30          4
"I'll Be Good To You"                                           3           1
"Free and Single"                                                 -          26

During their Career "The Brothers Johnson" were to Release a Total of 7 Albums, between 1979 to 1988, all on the A&M Record Label.

Brothers Johnson Discography

7 Studio Albums

1 Live Album

7 Compilation Albums

18 Singles

The Brothers Split up in 1982, but Reunited Twice in 1984 and 1988, Both Brothers had a Brief Solo Careers, Louis Released 2 Albums During this Period.

Louis Johnson has Worked (Recorded or Performed) with the "Whos Who" in the Soul/Funk, Jazz and Pop/Rock Fields, far to many to Mention here, please go Here to see "Who he has Worked with" a Total of 9 Full Pages!

He also Worked on 3 of Michael Jacksons Albums "Off The Wall" Thriller and "Dangerous"

Louis Johnson Earned the Nickname of "Thunder Thumbs"

Checkout a Selection of "Brother Johnsons" Music:



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1977 / 79 PHOTOS and THE BROTHERS JOHNSON

Something a bit different this Week, I found up some older Photos of me and Susan from 1977 and 79. These first 3 Photos were taken Outside and Inside of the Shop, where  Susan used to work,  it was Her Father's Shop, it sold Leather Good's, for example, Bags Purses etc, it was called Regent Leathers, the other Photos are on a Day trip to London! Some are a bit damaged, but still great Memories!

Susan worked there for a couple of Summer's, the first being 1976 and 77, in early 1977 was when I came along, although I did actually go to the Shop in September of 1976, I took a College Friend down to have a look at Susan, who was working, little did I know some 35 years later, we would still be Together!

That was a Great period of my Life, I was working in a Great Hotel, I had no Debts, no worries, I had a Car and I had a Great Girlfriend! How things were going to change for me in about 1 Year's time!

I used to spend a lot of time in the Shop, I sometimes used take Susan to work in the Car and Pick her up after Work, one Day I remember Driving her to work about 9 am, and I smashed into the Car in front of us, I still remember it was a Volvo!

That was a Great Car I had, it was a Morris 1800, We called it "Bessie", I remember I had  stickers above the Window Wipers on front windscreen, it read "SPRINT 1800" What a Child I was!


The other 2 Photos were taken in London, we had a Day Out with Susan's sister and her Boyfriend, it was, I believe our first time out without nathan who was Born about 8 Months previously, we were having a Drink outside a Cafe!

It was a Coach trip, we went around "Madam Thussand's" Buckingham Palace etc, another place we went to, was "The Planetarium"  I remember this well, as I fell asleep during the Show!


Another thing that always sticks in my Mind concerning this day was, as I said about us being away from Nathan for the first time, well it was also my Mother's First time at looking after Nathan, on her own!

And what a Mess, she made of that, when we got Nathan home, he was Crying a lot as I remember, so Susan went to change his Nappy, well I will always remember, the state of Nathan's Bottom, I don't think My Mother had changed his Nappy all the time we was in London, his rear was RED RAW, he had Bleeding Blisters on there, all this and I thought my Mother said she was Great with Kids!


This I'm afraid was what we were going to get from my Mother, over the Years!
===============================================
Music from 1977, there was a Great Album Release from "The Brothers Johnson" called "Right On Time" It was their Second Album to be Released on Qwest /A&M Records, it was Produced by Quincy Jones, it also contained the following 3 Singles! with US R&B and US Pop Chart Placings:

"Strawberry Letter # 23"	1	5	-	Right On Time
"Runnin' For Your Lovin"	20	107	-
"Love Is"	50	-	-

The Album Tracks were as  follows
Runnin' For Your Lovin'
Free Yourself, Be Yourself
"Q"
Right On Time
Strawberry Letter 23
Brother Man
Never Leave You Lonely
Love Is

The Best tracks on the Album were "Strawberry Letter 23, "Right On Time" and "Love Is"


Create a MySpace Music Playlist at MixPod.com

DEBUT ALBUM FROM THE GREATEST FUNK BAND! SLAVE part 1

Around Summertime of 1977, I was still working as a Chef in the same Hotel, but by now I was by now seeing Susan all the time, I will always remember sitting in her bedroom with her listening to The Isley Brothers "Go for your guns" album, we both had the Vinyl Album! our Favorite Track was "Footsteps in the dark" GREAT TRACK!

By mid "77 most of the Music I brought was Soul, apart a few Funk Albums i.e
BRASS CONSTRUCTION, BROTHERS JOHNSON, BOOTSY, BOHANNON, FATBACK.

I recall one day going to Airfield Tapes to buy an Album, and one stood out from the rest, it was the Front Cover that caught my eye, they were called "SLAVE" I had never heard of them!
anyway there was 9 Band Members pictured on the back Cover, so I brought the Album!

What a GREAT ALBUM it was, I recorded it to Cassette Tape for the Car, and listened to it for Months, I still have the Vinyl Album to this day, but of course I now have the CD version!

The GREAT TRACKS on the Album were "SLIDE" "PARTY HARDY" "SCREW YOUR WIG ON TITE" and my Favorite "YOU AND ME"

This Album was nothing like I had ever heard before, it was what I had been listening to up until then, ie Soul Music but it had something else, what you would describe as Rock Music, please listen to the Album Tracks on the Walkman at the bottom of this post! and to this day I still regularly play "SLAVE" 



SELECT A TRACK FROM 4 SLAVE CUTS FROM DEBUT ALBUM
BY PRESSING FFWD BUTTON.

GREAT MUSIC, GREAT BIRD!

By the middle of the Summer in 1976, I remember buying some Great Vinyl, here's 6 of the Best, that will bring a few memories flooding back!


Brother's Johnson "Look out for number one"
Johnny Bristol "Bristol's Cream"
Detroit Spinners "Happiness is being with the Spinners"
Al Green "Full of fire"
Isley Brothers "Harvest for the world"
Barry White "Let the music play"

I brought all of these plus many many more! There was'nt that many Albums I brought and did not like, obviously there must of been a few Duds, sometime later in this Blog I will list my Favorite Artists, Singles and Albums, along with the Duds!

Did I hear somebody say "How the Hell can he remember those Albums being Released in that Year" The answer is Simple, I logged everything I Purchased in my Little Red Books, which Obviously I still have!

I had well over a 1000 Albums (Vinyl and Tape) at one stage, & that didnt include 7" & 12"Singles!

As I said in Previous installment of this Blog, I had 2 other Big Events in 1976, & by roughly the end of the Summer of "76, I met Somebody who would Change my Life forever!

I was still Working as a Trainee Chef in the same Hotel, but by this time I had a new Second Chef, we got on quite well, and he was always go on about his younger Sister in law, who used to go and sit with his Wife (her Sister)while he was at Work!

After hearing him talking about Her for Weeks and telling me she was the same age as me, and what School she went to and where she went Day and Night! I decided to ask him for a Photograph of Her, he some days later Obliged, What a Beauty I thought to Myself ( i still have that photo in the Loft, I will find it up and put it on here later) After having that Photo for a little while, I finally asked him to set me up a date with Her!

A few days later, it was all arranged to meet her, around his House the following Sunday after work, we always worked the Late Shift together on a Sunday! What happened that Sunday!

You will have to wait until my next installment!