When I first started listening to funk music, I was kind of thrown around. That sweet, funky sound is really the type of shit to toss you. You hear a few wild words or catch a few “jiggy pudding rolls” and you’re in there. You’re funk man #1, baby! There’s no way to really steel yourself for it. You have to be ready to sort of get yourself punched up and funked out.
A lot of that is because of the way all that music gets moved around you. The drums, the funk, leaning up against the scruff around your chest. They leave you surrounded by the music you’re making. You gain so much from it hitting you the way that it does, that becomes the point of it. How does this funky music hit me.
Early on, I’d say my most likely songs were the Stevie Wonder song “Superstition” or “Brick House” by the Commodores. There’s always something of extreme funk in every line. Something about getting the funkish breaks slapped off you that keeps you coming back every time.
Currently, biggest funk song I remember is a new one called “Congo Square.” It’s a Neville Bros song about how rich people don’t know what those voodoo people are up to. It’s kind of hilarious and holds a pretty special place in my heart so far. I look forward to performing it live this March.
Ultimately though, I think the whole music bit of turning your head and really digging out the classic jams is very cool. I recently read a long article by the Honest Broker about how record companies had stopped selling real, actual records. They had this chance to build and grow the same side of the business they once dominated and just didn’t do it. Admittedly, it wasn’t particularly fun reading how the record industry stopped making records. Those guys want to make as much money as possible from doing as little work as possible… I get it. I hate doing work, too. Plus there are literally a million other ways to get the music to people. Most of them are streamed straight into their brains with no problems whatsoever.
Personally, If I wanted to get music out to the unfettered masses, what would I do? Would I listen to all of the music placed down in my hands? Would I make a big difference in how I’d make music hits available to people? Would I just sell more Meghan Trainor? I bet you can get rich just selling Meghan Trainor now.
Now, look at the whole setup for music and realize I don’t know shit about it. It doesn’t matter if I’m going to set up any lessons or interactions with it. I don’t really sell music… not yet anyway. Though I am slated to see how much of my own music I can sell. We’ll see how this earlier group goes when I finally enter into a more daily musicianship properly. I think in many ways, that is what I need to get back into.
Because when it is all said and done, that music will be the last thing I sort of have done in Estonia and beyond. I’ll write my own funk songs and sing the hell out of them, thus making my own little Stevie Wonder project extra funky too.
I can’t wait to hear all of it!