Director: Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson
Original Release: January 23, 2025
My Overall Rating: 5 stars out of 5
 |
| via Wikipedia |
When people talk about the "best bands" of the rock era, it's usually a Beatles vs. Rolling Stones vs. Led Zeppelin debate. If you prioritize the songwriting, it's the Beatles. If you're a rock purist, it's the Stones. If you favor the virtuosos, it's Zeppelin. But that last one, in particular, comes with an asterisk. Here's the truth: objectively, the funk bands are the "best bands." Come on, folks. Zeppelin didn't even have a horn section!
Is funk truly rock? I suppose that's a worthy question. But if the JBs, Sly and the Family Stone, Parliament, Earth Wind & Fire or any of the others had been white bands rather than black (or multi-racial in the Family Stone's case), they would probably be called rock bands. Chicago was.
Sly Stone's band is, of course, the subject of Questlove's documentary. The film premiered at Sundance in January before its general release in February. The material is built around interviews of band members and several prominent musicians of later generations who were influenced by Sly and company: D'Angelo, Chaka Khan, Q-Tip, Nile Rodgers and George Clinton for starters.
For Sly, it was a meteoric rise in the late 1960s. Having both women and white musicians in a predominantly black band certainly caught people's attention and the music was out of this world. Songs like "Dance to the Music," "Hot Fun in the Summertime," "Everyday People" and "Thank You (Falletinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" are classics of the era. By the time Woodstock rolled around in 1969, Sly and the Family Stone were one of the biggest bands in the world and their performance is considered by many critics to be the high point of the entire event.
The focus of the documentary is more on cultural and industry impact than artistic process but there are a few treats for us nerds. Hearing "Everyday People" grow from a few piano chords to final product - in a completely different key - is magical.
The rise was followed by a disastrous fall. In the early '70s, the band fell apart. Sly had lost the hit-maker magic and was constantly late for gigs, eventually not showing at all. The culprit? Drug addiction. It's easy to get judgy about drug use, especially regarding those with wealth and fame. But recreational drug use is not the same as self-medicating. Addiction is a disease and for Sly, it robbed him of everything.
While watching the documentary, I had completely forgotten that Sly Stone passed away in June at age 82. The fact that I forgot, in itself, says a lot. 50+ years after his heyday, Sly should still rank in stature with folks like Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder and Bob Dylan. At his peak, he was that good and comparably influential. But because of the years of addiction, it wasn't like that by the end.
The documentary is loving but even-handed. The darker side of the story is handled honestly. If you love music of the late '60s and early '70s, this one's a must-watch.
No comments:
Post a Comment