If aged 70 was reportedly the new 50, 82 now seems to be the end game for certain musicians of our generation .
This week, Sly Stone and Brian Wilson died - both at age 82.
Together, they provided much of the music soundtrack for our high school and immediate post high school ears.
What are your favorite songs for each?
For Sly, mine are Everyday People and Hot Fun in the Summertime.
For Brian, it's more difficult, considering his prolific output.
Favorites include Don't Worry Baby, God Only Knows, California Girls, Good Vibrations, Be True to Your school, I Just Wasn't Made for these Times.
(The last was a favorite of Paul Williams, a Bob Dylan biographer, founder of Crawdaddy! magazine which pre dated Rolling Stone, and hung out with
Brian and John & Yoko at their bed-ins. At his memorial service at our church, they played several Brian Wilson songs, many obscure, closing with that one..)
Here's a list from the UK
> https://www.theguardian.com/mu
What are your favorites?
Bill Kamenjarin
Carlsbad, Ca.
Songs / Sly Stone
SL - ENGLASO [MUSIC VIDEO]
YouTube · OfficialSL · Mar 7, 2024
SL - BERLIN 🇩🇪 (Official Music Video)
YouTube · OfficialSL · Sep 1, 2022
SL - PRAGUE (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)
YouTube · OfficialSL · Dec 25, 2022
SL & MATA - BUNSEN BURNER (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)
YouTube · OfficialSL · Oct 31, 2024
SL - Gentleman (Music Video) (4K) | @MixtapeMadness : r ...
SL - Bad Luck (Official Music Video)
YouTube · OfficialSL · May 14, 2020
SL - SYDNEY 🇦🇺 (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)
YouTube · OfficialSL · Apr 27, 2023
SL - Tropical (Music Video) | @MixtapeMadness
YouTube · Mixtape Madness · Dec 25, 2017
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Gemini:
write a story about Sly Stone
The California sun, thick and golden, beat down on the backyard stage. Sweat beaded on Sly Stone's brow, but a wide, almost manic grin was plastered there. The bassline, funky and fat, pulsed through the air, making the very molecules around him vibrate. This wasn't just music; it was a living, breathing entity, born from his fertile, chaotic mind
Sylvester Stewart, "Sly" to the world, had always been different. A child prodigy who conducted gospel choirs at seven, he saw music not as genres, but as colors on a vibrant, ever-shifting palette. He'd spun records as a DJ, learned every instrument he could lay his hands on, and absorbed every sound, from the smooth harmonies of doo-wop to the raw energy of rock and roll.
But it was in the late 60s, with the formation of Sly and the Family Stone, that his vision truly exploded.They were a kaleidoscope of talent: black and white, men and women, all united by Sly's audacious dream of a sound that transcended division. Rosie Stone's fiery keyboards, Larry Graham's revolutionary slap bass, Freddie Stone's cutting guitar, Greg Errico's driving drums, and the soulful vocals of Cynthia Robinson and Jerry Martini's horns – all woven together by Sly's genius. Their songs weren't just catchy tunes; they were anthems. "Everyday People" preached unity, "Dance to the Music" was an invitation to pure joy, and "I Want to Take You Higher" was a psychedelic gospel sermon.
On stage, Sly was a whirling dervish, a shaman of funk. He'd command the crowd with a flick of his wrist, his voice soaring from a soulful croon to a raw, guttural shout. He dressed like a psychedelic prince, all vibrant colors and wild patterns, reflecting the explosion of sound he conjured. They played Woodstock, bathed in the mud and the love of a generation, cementing their place as pioneers.
But the light that burned so brightly also cast long shadows. The pressures of fame, the relentless touring, the insidious creep of addiction – it all began to chip away at the edges of Sly's brilliance. The punctuality that had once been a quirky habit turned into missed shows, the vibrant outfits became increasingly disheveled. The creative well, though still deep, was muddied by internal strife and external pressures.
There were flashes, still. Moments of pure, unadulterated genius on albums like "There's a Riot Goin' On", which, despite its dark, introspective mood, reshaped the landscape of soul music. It was a raw, honest portrayal of a mind grappling with its demons, a stark contrast to the celebratory anthems that preceded it.
The story of Sly Stone isn't a neat, linear one. It's a jagged, beautiful, and often heartbreaking arc. The man who dared to mix gospel with rock, soul with psychedelia, who brought black and white musicians together on stage when the world still wanted them apart, ultimately wrestled with his own complexities. He faded from the public eye, a recluse for long periods, the echoes of his groundbreaking music a constant reminder of what once was.
Yet, his influence remains undeniable. Every time a bassist slaps a note, every time a band blends genres with reckless abandon, every time a song preaches unity and joy, a little bit of Sly Stone lives on. The wild-haired prophet of funk, who stood on a stage bathed in the California sun and made the world dance, forever changed the soundscape of popular music, proving that sometimes, the most profound messages are delivered on the funkiest of beats.
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The Beach Boys, an iconic American rock band, emerged in the early 1960s, quickly becoming synonymous with the Californian dream of sun, surf, and hot rods.
Formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961, the band initially comprised brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine.
As the decade progressed, Brian Wilson's musical ambitions grew exponentially. Influenced by the Beatles' Rubber Soul, he embarked on a mission to create a cohesive artistic statement, leading to the groundbreaking album Pet Sounds in 1966.
Following Pet Sounds, Wilson began work on what was intended to be an even more ambitious project, SMiLE.
Despite the complexities of the late 1960s and early 1970s, which saw shifting musical tastes and internal band tensions, The Beach Boys continued to release music and tour. While they never quite recaptured the consistent critical adoration of the Pet Sounds era, they enjoyed renewed commercial success in the mid-1970s with compilation albums like Endless Summer.
Tragedy struck the band in the early 1980s with the deaths of Dennis Wilson (1983) and Carl Wilson (1998), further impacting the group's dynamic. Nevertheless, The Beach Boys, in various configurations, have continued to perform and record, maintaining a loyal fanbase and cementing their legacy as one of the most enduring and influential bands in American music history.
Their impact on popular culture is immeasurable. From their iconic surf rock anthems to their pioneering studio innovations, The Beach Boys expanded the boundaries of what pop music could achieve.