FRIDAY NIGHTS ARE FOR FUNKIN'

One of those instrumental records in my past is Del's I Wish My Brother George Was Here. This ish blew my mind. To be honest (and I only ever am), it was like my first funk record. I was about 14 years old and I didn't even know what Parliament or Funkadelic was. James Brown did "I Feel Good" and Sly Stone was, uh, I had never said that name in my life. Del's first record was basically how I got into funk. Even though it was definably hip hop, there was an element to his first record that was immediate and severely addictive. As I grew older, it was that one of those records that never aged. Maybe because in 1991, it was already about twenty years old because it was comprised of a bunch Parliament/Funkadelic records. I remember unfolding the cassette liner notes in front of me and checking the credits for which song sampled who. Names like "G. Clinton" were prominent in the liners. I didn't know who "G. Clinton" was and wouldn't for years until I could finally put a first name to him..."George"...the front man of some of the nastiest funk masterpieces ever to hit the globe. This is George. And, yes, is the Brother George Del is referring to.

Admittedly, just putting a name to Mr. Clinton was not a full understanding of his musical accomplishments. That would come much later. I'd say it was about 1999 when I purchased a used copy of Funkadelic's Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow that I was completely hooked. It was a sickness. If you're reading this, you're catching me admist a, roughly, 20-month funk binge. You name, I've listened to it. I've completely immersed myself in it and it's been among the greatest musical periods of my lifetime. But as I spiral outward, I always come back to where it started. When I was working on the second De La mix, I was listening to "I'll Stay" by Funkadelic as I was mixing it down and I was completely hypnotized. Also equally distractive was listening to Parliament's "The Placebo Syndrome." I then went heavy into my back catalog and started listening to Funkadelic records. I listened for hours on end up at work and decided, as a break from my De La project, I desperately needed to go back and give the same treatment to Del's first album. It made perfect sense because, essentially, it's one of the dopest funk records that hip hop has ever made. I was talking to Owen today and was floored when he told me he never really listened to Del. It made no sense to me. I thought everyone had heard Del's first record because I'm so out of touch. In Owen's defense, I think Wish My Brother George only scanned like 300K which, back when the music industry was healthy, that was a mediocre place on Soundscan. These days, that's a good as platinum.

So, here I am, on a Friday night with a cold six pack listening to Del and George Clinton in an otherwise empty home except for two sleeping beagles. My lovely wife's out of town which leaves me to hours of endless listening--for better or worse. I've already mixed down through, uh, at least "Dr. Bombay." Can't remember. I ask you to be on the lookout for the mix. It'll be done before the end of the weekend. I'm pretty positive of it. Here's the album cover. If you don't see it in your local record store, it proves that the industry is completely lost and retail is dead. Have no fear, though, I'll have a version of it ready for download along with the original samples.
Had a pretty positive experience throwing my two De La mixes and Cypress mix up on Okayplayer.com. Music heads must really check it out. I've been posted for, geez, close to nine years. Man, nine years. Of course, I only post about ten times a year. A few cats were extremely complimentary of the mixes. Funny, how close to 350 people downloaded the De La Soul is Dead mix in two days and yet Danny still hasn't downloaded the 3 Foot mix because he's on dial-up and it keeps timing out on him. I like my friends. I do.

Kelvinmercerlookalike, glad you enjoyed the mix. I'll try to keep up. Day job, married with two needing beagles and a number of unresolved tasks both at the office and homestead. It's tough. But these hours are crucial. I'm at a creative flex and I can go to bed when I want because the lady's away.

Man, this OU/Tech game has officially twisted my stomach into a sheet shank. Alot of cat's think that Tech stands a chance. I think they stand better than a chance. In fact, chance ain't got nothing to do with this game...it's skill, homeboy. We got the best passing offense in the nation and OU's pass defense is 90th in the country. Mike Leach has surprises that haven't even been imagined yet and Stoops is known for blowing big games. Gotta love our odds.

Not that I don't give OU their due. They're freaking #5 in the country and I still haven't gotten my "hands around" (love that phrase) Tech being #2. Wait, you're telling me that we're going into Sooner Country and OU is looking to upset? So, we're better than OU? Bizarre. Not quite as bizarre as Mike Leach doing the weather on local Lubbock television. Real pimps call the weather. Whaddup, Ron Roberts?

That's all you get. Back to Funkville. I love you. I sincerely do.