WHO'S THE GREATEST FUNK BASS PLAYER #2 MARK ADAMS

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 ARE SOME GREAT LINKS ON MARK ADAMS:

Tribute to Mark Adams by Vibes and Scribes
Tribute by Wilf on Slave Fanaticism
Tribute by SoulWalking
Mark Adams Slave Discography on Discogs
Facebook Group House of Slave
Comments Soultracks 
The Greatest Funk Band in 6 Posts by F.S.V.B
A Slave & Al Green Mix, Mixed by George the DJ for F.S.V.B

Related articles

• Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player!
• Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player #1 Bootsy Collins
• The Greatest Soul Singer of All Time....frankie Beverly
• The Greatest Soul Singer of All Time....eugene Record
• TH4 164th MIX FOR F.S.V.B
• THE 162nd MIX FOR F.S.V.B

BROKEN DOWN YELLOW VAN and SLAVE

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!


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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.





Checkout this out, a Tribute Page to Mark Hicks.


Related articles

• Yellow Van & the Four Tops!

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• The Greatest Soul Singer of All Time....marvin Gaye

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• The Greatest Soul Singer of All Time....al Green

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BON SCOTT & AURRA

 I don't remember the circumstances, dates, how or why, but I do remember going back to the Smaller Shop (after doing relief during the Summer period) & the Old Boy "Wally" (Butcher/Manager) was retiring!

The New Manager was a Chap by the name of "Steve" (cant remember his Surname!) he came from a Bigger Branch about 4/5 miles away in Great Yarmouth, he has it turned out was Alright to work with!

He lived not to far from where I lived, so most Morning's he would pick me up (in his Car) on his way to work, so that was Handy!

I cant remember what type of Car he had, but I can recall, He Liked "Heavy Rock Music" and his Favorite Band was AC/DC, & his Hero was "Bon Scott" (He had earlier in 1980, Died) in the car every morning he had allsorts of  Heavy Music blaring out!

You would Hear him coming about a 5 minute's before he arrived with the Music so loud!  something else I remember, On the inside of his car, on the Roof, there was a Giant Poster of his Hero "Bon Scott"

I didn't go to  much on Heavy Rock (Especially them School Boy Shorts!), but He Hated Soul/Black Music with a Passion!

But as I said we got on Well, and worked there together with "The Other Old Boy" Percy, for several Month's.

As for the Music around this period, A new Band had their Debut Release out, it was "Aurra" they were basically Ex Member's from "Slave" including Starleana Young, Steve Washington, Tom Lockett Jr, Phillip Fields & Curt Jones.

The Album was called "Aurra" and it was on the Dream Record Label through the Salsoul Record Label.

Best Tracks were "Who Are You" & "When I Come Home"

Aurra released a total of 4 Albums during the 80's before changing their name to "Deja" around 1987. 

AURRA.....THE DEBUT ALBUM!!!!!!

SLAVE part 3

As I said in previous post, Slave's Music from the 4th Album was about to become mellower, with
Steve Arrington performing more Lead Vocals as time went by!

The 4th Album "Just a Touch of Love" was released in 1979, Jimmy Douglass produced the first 3 tracks and the Band Produced the rest, it contained 3 Singles, all had Steve Arrington on Lead Vocals...
"Funky Lady" Roots" and one of Slaves Best ever Tracks "
Just a Touch of Love"

Starleana Young and Curt Jones were also in Slave at this time, so with them and Steve Arrington on Vocals, Slave had a much more commercial sound than before.

By 1980 Slave released the Stone Jam Album, a better Album than "Just a Touch", it contained some Great Classic Tracks including Sizzlin' Hot, Watching You, and my Favorite Feel My Love!

The Album was co-produced by Jimmy Douglass and Band member Steve Washington.

This was to be Starleana Young and Curt Jones last appearance on a Slave Album, they left to form Aurra.

1981 saw the release of the "Showtime" Album, this was to be Steve Arrington's last Slave Album!

Arrington did Vocals Drums and Percussion.

Produced again by Jimmy Douglass, and probably Better than the previous album!

It contained some Great Tracks, including Snap Shot, Party Lites, Spice of life, Steal your Heart, and two funkier Tracks Funken Town and Smokin and one of Slave's Greatest Ever Tracks " Wait For Me"

I always remember getting this Vinyl from the USA, when my Parents went there on Holiday, unfornately with the Heat in the Aeroplane luggage hold, the Vinyl Melted, so I could never play the first Tracks on side 1 & 2,
Snap Shot and Wait For Me!

Here's a link to download the Best of SLAVE!