Sly Stone

Offset · June 9

Oh shute.

oh_pollo · June 9

Here is another even more surreal lost moment from pop cultural history: the soul singer and soon-to-be recluse Sly Stone is being interviewed by Dick Cavett on the latter's prime-time American chat show in July 1970. Dick is wearing a grey suit and matching tie: Sly is also wearing a suit, but it is a bright red, sparkling, sequined creation, topped and tailed by knee-high, diamond-studded boots and a big, woolly, floppy hat that sits unsteadily atop his afro. Dick is every inch the straight guy, Sly is loaded. The interview starts like this:
Dick: 'I heard you had some trouble getting here.'
Sly, staring intently at his index finger: 'Yeah, I had my house broken into.'
Dick: 'You've cut yourself there. How did it happen?'
Sly: 'I broke into my house.'

jonnyburgo · June 9

A legend, Stand remains one of my favourites LPs. I've got his book but haven't got round to reading it yet. RIP.

Philly_Q · June 9

I have to be honest, he's yet another on the very long list of "people Philly Q thought had died many years ago".

He's a very famous name, and revered by many, but I've heard very little of his music and I don't recall him releasing an album in the 40-odd years I've been buying records, as presumably there'd have been a big fanfare about it. I'll read about him later, but I assume he had a troubled life?

EricTheWeary · June 9

Fairly short brilliant career trashed by drugs and a long slow decline.
I saw The Family Stone a few years ago and it's a wonderful and surprisingly varied collection of songs.
RIP.

MartinBush · June 9

There's a video on YouTube of him on Letterman giving out the number of a friend keen to get gigs. I think it's the same show where he plays 'If you want me to stay' - an effortlessly excellent performance.

Blueingreen · June 9

I can recommend episode 175 (parts 1 and 2) of Andrew Hickey's podcast in the "A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs" (Everyday People by Sly and the Family Stone). Gives a pretty full bio of the band and particularly Sly. It's long, so you need to be interested in a fair amount of detail, but I thought it was one of the best episodes in the series, and I'm only a moderate Sly fan. Available on Spotify.

exocet · June 10

MartinBush said:

There's a video on YouTube of him on Letterman giving out the number of a friend keen to get gigs. I think it's the same show where he plays 'If you want me to stay' - an effortlessly excellent performance.

If You Want Me To Stay was always my go to track.

KDS · June 10

Music genius. How ironic that 'There is a Riot Going On' in LA at the moment

Placidcasual79 · June 10

Dam - R.I.P Sly. An incredible musician and songwriter. Plus a mixed race and gender band at a time when that was far from the norm. Some truly amazing records......

Edit- I should add a great producer.....he was ahead of his time..... the book is occasionally brilliant and sometimes frustrating. He clearly has an unusual mind and fought against any sort of restriction being placed on him..... however, despite all the peace and love stuff he espoused he also had some very dated attitudes about women and violence.

ESBlonde · June 10

RIP
I’m saddened mice elf.

fretmeister · June 10

Philly_Q said:

I have to be honest, he's yet another on the very long list of "people Philly Q thought had died many years ago".

He's a very famous name, and revered by many, but I've heard very little of his music and I don't recall him releasing an album in the 40-odd years I've been buying records, as presumably there'd have been a big fanfare about it. I'll read about him later, but I assume he had a troubled life?

EricTheWeary said:

Fairly short brilliant career trashed by drugs and a long slow decline.
I saw The Family Stone a few years ago and it's a wonderful and surprisingly varied collection of songs.
RIP.

Yup - and also massively ripped off by his manager and others and was so broke he spent years living in his car. He finally won a claim for unpaid royalties about 10 years ago.

mudslide73 · June 10

RIP Sly. I had a phase of listening to his stuff - I should revisit it. Very influential on hip hop and dance music - Paul's Boutique contains a fair bit of his work for starters.

MartinBush · June 10

Here's the clip I refer to above - (9) Sly Stone on Letterman, February 21, 1983 (expanded) - YouTube

An amusing interview and great live performance.

boogieman · June 10

RIP Sly, maker of some great music and a fine band leader and front man. As others have said, he had a racially integrated band a long time back. His one time drummer Bill Lordan went on to play in Robin Trower’s band for quite a few years.

SRich · June 10

MartinBush said:

Here's the clip I refer to above - (9) Sly Stone on Letterman, February 21, 1983 (expanded) - YouTube

An amusing interview and great live performance.

RIP SLY

Two of my favourite Woodstock moments that I experienced first release time were SLY and Santana, both of which totally blew my mind as a very impressionable 16 yr old

SLY with Dave here shows a quite vulnerable side to him much like a humble Jimi on the Dick Cavett show

Sad to see him off this Earth.

guitars4you · June 10

That blend of soul, disco, funk still influences many acts today - Larry Graham was the guy who laid down the groove - I've not played an album of theirs for years - But have loads of tracks on various play lists - I need to have a session again of more material - RIP Sly