"...Stone To The Bone..."
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70ts Soul, R'n'B, Funk, Jazz Fusion
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70ts Soul, R'n'B, Funk, Jazz Fusion
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Fans of this fantastically
funky late 1973 double-album will notice some subtle differences on this
September 1992 US CD Remaster. But some details first...
Originally penned and
recorded to be another Blaxploitation Soundtrack called "Hell Up In
Harlem" - the filmmakers were famously less than impressed with more of
the same from JB - so they passed, Recorded at sessions throughout the year
(February to October) – Brown therefore prepared and rush-released the double
into the US market place. It was preceded by the November 1973 issue of the
fantastic "Stone To The Bone" single - a four-minute edit of
10-minute monster that would dominate Side 4 of the double-album (along with
the equally cool and brill brothers-across-the-nation "Mind Power").
Issues of Billboard talked
about "The Payback" set as early as November 1973, but it's sales
debut came late in the year when it hit the US R&B charts on the 22nd of
December 1973 (charted Pop in January 1974). British Soul lovers saw no
original release until April 1974 when Polydor UK simply brought in unsold
copies of the US double on PD 2-3007 and stuck a UK catalogue number on its
rear sleeve (Polydor 2659 030). It remained unissued on British pressed LPs
until the 1993 reissue (Polydor 517 137-1) of this 1992 CD Remaster. And
although filmmakers may have rejected it – the US Joe Public lapped it up and
Brown did indeed get payback when it eventually went No. 1 R&B and No. 34
Pop - his biggest selling double in years. Which brings us to this cheap but
utterly fab CD reissue. Let's get Stoned To The Bone...
US released 22 September 1992
- "The Payback" by JAMES BROWN (The Godfather Of Soul) on Polydor 314
517 137-2 (Barcode 731451713729) offers the full 1973 eight-track double-album
onto 1CD with some tracks slightly extended (73:08 minutes):
1. The Payback (CD 7:39
minutes, original LP 7:35 minutes) - Side 1
2. Doing The Best I Can (CD
7:39 minutes, LP 7:50 minutes)
3. Take Some...Leave Some (CD
8:20 minutes, LP 8:22 minutes) - Side 2
4. Shoot Your Shot (CD 8:19
minutes, LP 8:08 minutes)
5. Forever Suffering (CD 5:39
minutes, LP 5:42 minutes) - Side 3
6. Time Is Running Out Fast
(CD 12:48 minutes, LP 12:37 minutes)
7. Stone To The Bone (CD
10:14 minutes in Mono, LP 10:05 minutes) - Side 4
8. Mind Power (CD 12:04
minutes, LP 10:35 minutes)
The studio double-album set
"The Payback" was US released December 1973 on Polydor PD 2-3007 and
April 1974 in the UK on Polydor 2659 030 (using US copies).
As you can see from the
timings provided above, the final three tracks are added to - especially the
minute and a half bump up onto the seriously great groove of "Mind Power".
ALAN LEEDS who did the original liner notes, returns for this 1992 reissue and
provides a potted history of the tumultuous 1973 for JB. Leeds has handled all
of the magnificent James Brown remasters across the decades – check out the
eleven volumes of "The Singles" series of 2CD sets (I’ve reviewed
Nos. 6 to 11). His name is a sign of quality. And the JOSEPH M. PALMACCIO
Remaster makes every track feel like it’s kicking anew – even if it transpires
that "Stone To The Bone" is in fact in Mono?
"The Payback"
title-track would haunt so many movies for decades afterwards and its fantastic
groove and drum breaks has provided samples for DJs and mixers for nearly 50
years! I used to dislike the ballad "Doing The Best I Can" – a JB
co-write with Charles Bobbit and Fred Wesley – but I’ve mellowed to its charms
as the years have passed. Other winners include the slow and sexy cat groove of
the give-me-some song "Take Some…Leave Some" followed by the very
movie-funky cop-chases-a-baddie speed drive of "Shoot Your Shot". The
African bells, drum-whack-rim-shots and Herbsman shouts of "Time Is
Running Out" felt like Fela Kuti and Ginger Baker at times and those
guitar passages from Jimmy Nolen and Hearion Martin are just so damn cool. And
on it goes to the best - "Stone To The Bone" followed by "Mind
Power". And throughout his crew simply excel – the tightest band anywhere
- Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, St. Clair Pinckney on Horns with John Starks on
Drums and so many more.
JB and his evolving Famous
Flames had issued the "Black Caesar" soundtrack in February 1973, the
soundtrack to "Slaughter's Big Rip Off" in July, a compilation called
"Soul Classics, Volume II" in October and then "The Payback"
double-album in December. And when you think about how he issued "Get On The Good Foot" in November 1972 - another double - the man was amazingly prolific. 1973 was a helluva year for The Godfather Of Soul - commercial success again - only marred by
the horrible loss of his son Teddy in an automobile accident on the 14th of
June. Still he carried on that punishing schedule for years after. My
admiration for him and what he achieved is boundless.
Currently selling for just
over a fiver and less in some places, this 1992 great-sounding CD Remaster of
1973's "The Payback" is indeed stone to the bone. Increase your mind
power with it, right away…
PS:see also my separate in-depth reviews for "The Singles Series..." Volumes 4 to 11...
