Abaco Dream (AKA Sly & The Family Stone): Life And Death In G & A [1969]
...and the A-side: Cat Woman
This is Sly & The Family Stone recording under a pseudonym ("Abaco Dream") and for a different label (A&M instead of Epic). I read about this record in Peter Shapiro's Turn The Beat Around (one of the finest pieces of disco scholarship I've come across recently). Apparently DJ Frankie Grasso used to play "Life And Death" often in the early days of The Sanctuary. Surprisingly, I couldn't find the song anywhere, and had to buy the original 45 on eBay. Please excuse the vinyl scratchiness -- this record is older than I am.
"Cat Woman" (the A-side of the single, not the B-side) is self-explanatory.
8 comments:
Hi, tried to post a comment before but my window crashed as I was saving.. anyway, firstly, thanks for linking to my blog, I really appreciate it. I'm glad you found it interesting.
I happen to find YOUR blog very interesting too as this is a musical era that I am very much into.
Well done, I'll be looking into your blog often.
Thanks, Ivan! Your story is an inspiration to us all. I'll be reading...
hear, hear.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
I've been looking for Life & Death In G & A for decades. It was the song playing when I walked into my first disco in New York at the start of my wild and misspent youth. The club was Tamberlaine on E. 48th St. Before Studio 54, Tamberlaine was the hottest place in the city. That night changed my life. Hearing the song took me back to the wild nights of celebrities, drugs, platform shoes and overall "fabulousness".
I wish I had a Qualude.
Ken
FYI, only the song "Life & Death in the G & A" is by Sly & Family Stone (with Joe Hicks doing the lead vocals). The weird A Side is some UK group, though I love it.
They rerecorded a really somber version of this for Sly's own Stone Flower records in 1970. The Little Sister stuff from that time is way better.
This era of Sly has never been cataloged, this remains rare & obscure.
This song has never failed to make me dance. So tuff!
- Ectomorph
FYI: that noise at the start of the track is called cue burn.
This song is one of my favorite, however I never came to hear it again. I don't know what's going on.
Greta recording! I really enjoyed it.
Post a Comment