This was a long time coming. Time Life is offering a 9-DVD set called “The Best of Soul Train.” List price: $149.95.
The DVDs won’t ship till the end of March... but Time Life is soliciting pre-orders now.
What I’m waiting for is the kick-ass half-hour infomercial. Till then, you can check out preview clips on YouTube:
yay!
ReplyDeleteas someone who was fortunate enough to dance on Soul Train (1979-80) i'd like them to make every individual episode available for purchase..."best of"...Boo!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if it'll have that brilliant performance by Al Green with his arm in a sling. Did you catch that in the recently "Soul Train" documentary on VH1? Awesome!
ReplyDeleteO.M.G. I've only been waiting forever for this! Thanks for the heads up UBM!
ReplyDeleteronnie brown did you know Leonard Allen Jones?
Will this be out in the UK? Looks awesome.
ReplyDeleteNo Shemar Moore clips?
ReplyDeleteYour infomercial comment... was that a reference to the soul music collection hosted by Cuba Gooding Sr.?
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how many times I have watched that whole damn thing.
... was that a reference to the soul music collection hosted by Cuba Gooding Sr.?
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely.
Important, or noteworthy perhaps, to add that while Time Life won the rights to distribute this set, the owners are a smart group of brothers who bought the brand rights from Don Cornelius. They'll make out best on this deal and it's a wonderful thing. It's been everywhere since they took over. Big kudos to them for that.
ReplyDeleteHell to the yeahs. I've had Soul Train on Season Pass ever since Centric began re-running past shows. I just wish they'd get past the same re-runs and move on. The Elton John re-run was fascinating though. Hadn't seen that shit since I was 11. Elton recounted how he and the band watched Soul Train religiously for "entertainment." Good stuff.
ReplyDeleteSistas were finer back then. Have steroids in the food fucked up their figures that much?
Finally, I didn't realize how long The Robot and pop-locking were in style. And the celebs you see on that show are amazing. Don Cornelius needs to get his due.
Meant to type in "amusement" as opposed to "entertainment." Sorry.
ReplyDeleteFinally, I didn't realize how long The Robot and pop-locking were in style. And the celebs you see on that show are amazing. Don Cornelius needs to get his due.
ReplyDeleteGood calls DeAngelo Starnes. MJ must've watched a lot of Soul Train!
Only after watching the doc on Vh1 did I realize Darnell Williams was on the show.
I'd love to see the episode with Grace Jones!
Never saw Prince on it, though. :-?
DeAng: I remember Elton John on the show. Matter fact, I remember that "Bennie and the Jets" got a lot of play on black radio in D.C.
ReplyDeleteDamn... junior high school...
Seeing the clips reminded me of an enduring Q I've had about the Train. Was there a house band backing the guest vocalists? Seeing the James Brown performance with a band stuck out as one of the few times you did see a band.
ReplyDeleteAnd was there ever -- wrong to say this, I know -- lip-syncing?
bklyn6, now that you mention it, I don't remember seeing Prince on Soul Train either. Saw him, looking real soft, on American Bandstand when Andre Cymone and Dez Dickerson were in the band though.
ReplyDeleteRe: Elton John. On point as usual Dave. "Bennie and the Jets" and "Philadelphia Freedom" were big on Black radio back in the day. Also, Elton changed into a green outfit when he played "Bennie" on Soul Train. I love that episode for some reason. Right up there with seeing a young in-shape Chaka Khan.
Lip-synching was interesting. There were times when the bands played live on Soul Train. Ike Turner's band was tight behind a tight Tina Turner (damn she was fine). I think Tower of Power got down live. And I also think some acts sang to the instrumental tracks. I seem to recall Luther Vandross displaying geniusful vocals to some tracks.
Can you tell I dig Soul Train? Especially tuned in to see what Rosie Perez was going to do next. My groin hurts thinking about her on Soul Train. Hey Rosie, if you read this, hit a brotha up.
^ Wild boy...
ReplyDelete:^D
This might seem like a dumb question coming from me, but... was P-Funk ever on "Soul Train"??
I think I recall Prince doing Soul Train in the 90s, and maybe doing a track from 1999 in the eighties, but maybe the latter was on Solid Gold.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember seeing Prince on Soul Train either. Saw him, looking real soft, on American Bandstand...
ReplyDeleteWatch it, Mr. Starnes. :-) I remember watching that appearance too, but I chalked it all up to nerves and shyness.
Don Cornelius talks about the live performances thing on the VH1 doc. They were the most popular and exciting shows, but logistics were a bitch.
Oh, another memorable performance--The Dynamic Superiors. :-D
Oh, another memorable performance--The Dynamic Superiors. :-D
ReplyDeleteHeh-heh...
i've been trying to figure out what happened to that chick that was dancing on stage with james brown. i swear that would be a good story.
ReplyDelete^MLM, I didn't watch the video but that looks like Damita Jo Freeman. She was acting for a while. I think she was in "Private Benjamin" with Goldie Hawn. No idea what she's been up to these days.
ReplyDeleteI just thought...those DVDs better include the Soul Train line; would be a deal breaker for me if they don't.
... that looks like Damita Jo Freeman.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, bklyn6.
bklyn6, re: Prince. Didn't mean any harm. Just calling it like I remember it. Prince came to Denver and I saw him for dirt cheap. LOVED the show, but my boys were freaked out that he was in these black bikini draws and singing in a falsetto. I was more freaked out by the guitar solos.
ReplyDeleteHey, UBM. She's a dancing machine! I especially liked the Joe Tex segment.
ReplyDeletePlease, no harm taken DeAngelo Starnes. I'm sure guys were freaked out by the bikini-leg warmer thing, but I loved the look! Which reminds me.... Years ago I remember Wynton Marsalis dissin' Prince in the worse way. Now he pissed me off. LOL
Earlier in his career, Wynton said some really stupid and arrogant shit. I recall one interview for Downbeat where he claimed no musician in a funk band could play as disciplined as a jazz musician. I recalled thinking so a m-f staying on the One wasn't a disciplined musician? What about the drummer on Isaac Hayes' "Joy" keeping the beat for over 15 minutes? No drum machine.
ReplyDeletethanks for the info. guys
ReplyDeletemlm
I swear I wanna play her in the new movie they are doing. Bah I wanna be in that movie some way or another and pluck out my fro
ReplyDelete^There's gonna be a Soul Train movie?!
ReplyDeleteyep bk6 there sure is there's a post about it on shadowandact
ReplyDelete