David Bowie vs. James Brown

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The greater artist is....

The Godfather of Soul
35
44%
The Thin White Duke
45
56%
 
Total votes: 80

Sneelock

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Sneelock » 28 Jul 2010, 20:40

trained ears, yesterday.
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Count Machuki » 28 Jul 2010, 20:41

It's all a bit more subtle than the difference between 'The Laughing Gnome' and 'Drive-In Saturday,' so I can understand folks not getting it right away.
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Snarfyguy » 28 Jul 2010, 20:42

On the other hand, James Brown backed Nixon!

What was up with that, exactly, anybody?
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby harvey k-tel » 28 Jul 2010, 20:42

I trained my ears to roll over, sit up and play dead. Or at least I tried to. The buggers wouldn't listen.
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The Modernist

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby The Modernist » 28 Jul 2010, 20:44

Of course his early 60's records sounded different from his 70 onwards funk period. But within his funk period, which is arguably what he's most celebrated for -there isn't huge variety. They are still great records.
And let's stop all this nonsense about trained ears. We're all music fans here.

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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Josef Tay » 28 Jul 2010, 20:44

Cheers for that, Machuki - I'll have a listen to those and see what I think. I can't make any promises, maybe the Godfather just isn't for me...we shall see.
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Josef Tay » 28 Jul 2010, 20:45

Harvey K-Tel wrote:I trained my ears to roll over, sit up and play dead. Or at least I tried to. The buggers wouldn't listen.


I had to send my ears to a lughole psychologist once, after they continually dug up the neighbour's yard.
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Sneelock

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Sneelock » 28 Jul 2010, 20:51

there's an old "south bank show" about funk where they interview Bootsy Collins about working with JB. Bootsy (and others) talk about JB telling them to find "The One" when they were playing. Bootsy demonstrates and you get the feeling that "the one" is something that the players are actually injecting into their playing. JB's players had a lot of skill, they also had a unity of purpose. I think you can hear this intention in the grooves. there's more than skill in that playing - there's something else.

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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby toomanyhatz » 28 Jul 2010, 20:57

Sneelock wrote:there's more than skill in that playing - there's something else.


They were terrified of being fined. :lol:
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Sneelock

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Sneelock » 28 Jul 2010, 20:58

works for me!

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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby sloopjohnc » 28 Jul 2010, 20:59

toomanyhatz wrote:
Sneelock wrote:there's more than skill in that playing - there's something else.


They were terrified of being fined. :lol:


:lol: :lol: :lol:

You're right though.

Fela used the same control over his band's precision too.
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Count Machuki » 28 Jul 2010, 21:02

Snarfyguy wrote:On the other hand, James Brown backed Nixon!

What was up with that, exactly, anybody?


Short answer: Mr. Brown was a self-made man and bought into that whole conservative bootstrap thing.


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Then it follows that ∀ k ∈ K: K ∈ U ⇒ k ∉ D

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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Count Machuki » 28 Jul 2010, 21:04

Also, supposedly Nix said to JB, "A guy like you shouldn't have to pay taxes."

JB took that seriously.
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Count Machuki » 28 Jul 2010, 21:06

Let U be the set of all united sets, K be the set of the kids and D be the set of things divided.
Then it follows that ∀ k ∈ K: K ∈ U ⇒ k ∉ D

Sneelock

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Sneelock » 28 Jul 2010, 21:08

sloopjohnc wrote:
toomanyhatz wrote:
Sneelock wrote:there's more than skill in that playing - there's something else.


They were terrified of being fined. :lol:


:lol: :lol: :lol:

You're right though.

Fela used the same control over his band's precision too.


I'm glad somebody bought Fela up. Everybody knows what Fela meant to "Remain in Light" era Talking Heads. well, what did JB mean to Fela? I think this osmosis is notable and continues apace one way or another. JB influenced people who influence people. look at Prince.











okay, you can stop looking at him.

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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Quaco » 28 Jul 2010, 21:21

Some reasoned commentary going on here. I'm surprised, because some of these matchups seem dominated by opinions that are so obviously one way or the other that one gets the impression the other isn't even being considered. I'm most interested in hearing comparisons from people who love both immensely.

In pairing these two, you get sort of an Apollonian vs. Dionysian thing going. The Apollonians think that dancing and emoting is but one small aspect of human nature, and that an artist that explores not only this but also worlds of imagery and melody beyond this is obviously superior. The Dionysian will think that there is a trueness to the deep exploration of that world, and that flitting about with things one doesn't know about is actually a strike against, and that depth of emotion is the true test.

Or something like that.
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Bungo the Mungo » 28 Jul 2010, 21:21

I'm a fan of both, but a fair amount of Bowie's 'greatest hits' has me gritting my teeth and cursing his pretentiousness. But my fave ten Bowie tracks would probably give me greater pleasure than the ten from JB.

I think.

I'm in awe of James Brown. Aren't we all?

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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Balboa » 28 Jul 2010, 21:24

The Modernist wrote:Of course his early 60's records sounded different from his 70 onwards funk period. But within his funk period, which is arguably what he's most celebrated for -there isn't huge variety. They are still great records.


But the stuff before the funk stuff is flat out great too - why are people so dismissive of it as if he would be forgotten about if he hadn't dropped 'Out of Sight' or 'Cold Sweat'. That first Apollo album is still the benchmark by which all live albums are judged - he is one of my favourite soul singers period. That's what makes him so great in many ways - he was already pretty incredible before he turned music on its head.
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby sloopjohnc » 28 Jul 2010, 21:24

Quaco wrote:Some reasoned commentary going on here. I'm surprised, because some of these matchups seem dominated by opinions that are so obviously one way or the other that one gets the impression the other isn't even being considered. I'm most interested in hearing comparisons from people who love both immensely.

In pairing these two, you get sort of an Apollonian vs. Dionysian thing going. The Apollonians think that dancing and emoting is but one small aspect of human nature, and that an artist that explores not only this but also worlds of imagery and melody beyond this is obviously superior. The Dionysian will think that there is a trueness to the deep exploration of that world, and that flitting about with things one doesn't know about is actually a strike against, and that depth of emotion is the true test.

Or something like that.


:lol: :lol: :lol:

I'm glad you wrote that last line because I don't know what the hell you're talking about.
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Leg of lamb » 28 Jul 2010, 21:25

Bowie, but it's tough. I here a progression (note: not just a variety) to his work, an ability to serve different moods and emotions, and a femininity that appeals to me more. I could get lost in David Bowie for a weekend; JB for about an hour. It's a pretty visceral hour, I admit, but still just an hour.

And there are a good couple of hip-hop acts who for me might beat David Bowie in a match-up, so this is no partisan choice.
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