Tagged: bootsy collins

January 6, 2015

Funktastic

I have drafted a few posts about Rap artists and have decided to dust them down and get them out there.

Let me get this straight before I start I am a fan of all genres of music and I think that Rap music has its worth. I prescribe to the idea that all true and pure record collections should have no Beatles albums in them at all and must contain Kind of Blue by Miles Davis. After that there is certainly space for hip-hop and rap music.

The first Rap artist I want to talk about is Snoop Dogg. He gets a bad press at times, which is to be expected when one considers some of the things he has done. He got a bit of a ticking off by Jay-Z this week, probably due to Mr Dogg sending a cake and some strippers to R&B singer Tyrese for his 36th Birthday.

The Guardian is a bit more complimentary about him, where they grudgingly admire his resourcefulness in making tv adverts for car insurance.

Rolling Stone described Snoop Dogg as “everyone’s favorite pimp”. I would not go that far, but he is a likeable rogue who is able to laugh at himself as well as those he is taking money from.

Loving his work with my other favourite joker Bootsy Collins.

The World needs people like Snoop Dogg and for that reason I salute him.

March 30, 2012

Mad Men – Bootsy Collins on Rock school

Bootsy Collins is a crazy cat. The sort of bloke you would not sit next to on the tube unless you had to. Well he does dress terribly loud.

He appears here on a classic BBC2 series from the 1980’s called Rock School – the programmes sought to give musicians an insight on the technicalities of playing certain instruments with certain styles, be it Rock guitar, Reggae drums or in Bootsy’s case – Funk bass guitar.

He makes it look so simple!

It is just all about being on the “ONE”!

Now where am I heading on this post then? Well there are two things that stand out about Bootsy.

Firstly he has lived a life and seen the World, for instance you see him happily playing bass lines for the Great James Brown in a televised show in Italy. Notice the crowd clearly do not know what to make of the Godfather of Soul here as he struts on stage. Nevertheless Bootsy seems to be enjoying himself in the background.

Now that was years ago – but Bootsy keeps busy giving talks on his musical past and also helps to encourage and support young musicians with his own University of Funk. The next clip has Bootsy telling a story in one of his seminars about the relationship he had with James Brown.

So I say “Good on you Bootsy!” for giving it back.

And listening to Bootsy speak reminds me of, the second thing…….

PETER CROUCH – Mr “You know….” immediately to mind when you hear Bootsy speak. You know you end up counting them, you know, during any interview that Crouch gives on TV.