Uh, no he didn't. I saw him in the late 70's, then again right after he got out of prison, then two years before he died. There was a serious diminishment each time, and at no time did he match his late 60's/early 70's peak.
However, except for the last performance there were always transendent moments, which is natural given that he was the minister of super heavy funk.
Part of the problem was his last band, the Soul Generals, who sucked. Yeah, sucked. It was a tragedy he never hooked back up with with the Flames or the JBs.
Ooh, and that last performance, he gave an insane about of time to Tami Rae, who did a Vegas-tacky Janis Joplin imitation, as if anyone in the audience even knew who she was (Janis and Tami).
All that said, I love this dancing clip. I grew up knowing 50 guys who looked like that. James both influenced and reflected his audience. And he was always a MAN. What performer can you say that about today?
This is wild, he's showing them all up - the Pop-alots, Rerun, MJ, Soul Train Dancers, you name it. James was the man in so many respects, and he inspired so many others.
Is that Eddie Griffin?
ReplyDelete"The HARDEST working man in show bidness! National and internationally KNOWN! Man that sing, "I'LL GO CRAZY! TRY ME!"
ReplyDeleteNow this is hot!.
Well, maybe not that cover, but there are a lot of good ones on this site..
Somebody beat me to it but that does look like Eddie Griffin. Why would James Brown have made a video like that? It looks like an instructional video.
ReplyDeletei had the honor of seeing james brown two years before he died. he was GREAT. i was thrilled. still had the moves and the voice and everything.
ReplyDeleteUh, no he didn't. I saw him in the late 70's, then again right after he got out of prison, then two years before he died. There was a serious diminishment each time, and at no time did he match his late 60's/early 70's peak.
ReplyDeleteHowever, except for the last performance there were always transendent moments, which is natural given that he was the minister of super heavy funk.
Part of the problem was his last band, the Soul Generals, who sucked. Yeah, sucked. It was a tragedy he never hooked back up with with the Flames or the JBs.
Ooh, and that last performance, he gave an insane about of time to Tami Rae, who did a Vegas-tacky Janis Joplin imitation, as if anyone in the audience even knew who she was (Janis and Tami).
All that said, I love this dancing clip. I grew up knowing 50 guys who looked like that. James both influenced and reflected his audience. And he was always a MAN. What performer can you say that about today?
^how do you know that he wasn't good when i saw him in 2004?
ReplyDeletelucky you to have seen him earlier.
should a man in his 70s have his performance compared to when he was 40? that's just foolish.
that dude, you tell me you haven't "seriously diminshed" in 30 years.
I'm bringing the "camel walk" back! :-)
ReplyDelete^ Yes! More camel walk, less robot.
ReplyDeleteThis is wild, he's showing them all up - the Pop-alots, Rerun, MJ, Soul Train Dancers, you name it. James was the man in so many respects, and he inspired so many others.
ReplyDeletePeace
It's from a documentary. Here's a slightly longer clip.
ReplyDelete^ Good on you, Bill! Thanks for that.
ReplyDelete