The Best of Late 60’s Funk Music

The Best of Late 60’s Funk Music is a great blog for music lovers who appreciate the sounds of the late 60’s. This blog features some of the best funk songs from that era, as well as information on the artists who created them.

The Meters

The Meters were an American funk band formed in 1965 by Zigaboo Modeliste (drums), George Porter Jr. (bass), Leo Nocentelli (guitar) and Art Neville (keyboards). The band is noted for having a unique groove that incorporates syncopated New Orleans-style second-line drumming, Minister of Information for the P-Funk all stars Bootsy Collins has said about The Meters that “they invented Funk”.

The James Brown Band

The James Brown Band was a funk and soul band formed in 1965 by singer James Brown. The band helped to pioneer the sound of funk music and is considered to be one of the most influential bands of all time. The band’s hits include “I Got You (I Feel Good)”, “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag”, and “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine”.

Sly and the Family Stone

Sly and the Family Stone was an American band from San Francisco. Active from 1966 to 1983, the group was led by singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Sly Stone, and achieved its greatest commercial success with its active years between 1968 and 1975. It was characterized by an integral use of horns, extended vamps, irregular pauses, and a heavy reliance on psychedelic improvisation.

The band’s work with producer George Clinton influenced the development of funk music and helped pioneer the subgenre of psychedelic funk. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

Parliament-Funkadelic

Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s. The term “funk” refers to a particular style of rhythm and groove that was created by bassist Bootsy Collins while playing with James Brown’s band. It is characterized by a repetitive, syncopated bassline, played on the downbeat of each measure, and a complex, often polyrhythmic drumbeat. Funk music also includes elements of soul, rock, and R&B.

One of the most popular and influential funk bands of the late 1960s and early 1970s was Parliament-Funkadelic, also known as P-Funk. The band was led by George Clinton, who was also a member of the soul group The Parliaments. P-Funk’s music is known for its psychedelic arrangements, funky basslines, and often suggestive lyrics. The band’s stage show was also legendary, featuring wild costumes, onstage dancing, and pyrotechnics.

Other well-known funk bands from the late 1960s and early 1970s include Sly & the Family Stone, Graham Central Station, Funkadelic (the band’s name derived from an abbreviation of “Parliament-Funkadelic”), Kool & the Gang, Curtis Mayfield & the Impressions, and Earth, Wind & Fire.

Bootsy’s Rubber Band

Bootsy’s Rubber Band was one of the most influential funk bands of the late 60’s. Their sound was a mix of James Brown’s hard-hitting R&B and the more psychedelic soul sounds coming out of Sly & The Family Stone. The band was fronted by bassist Bootsy Collins, who is considered one of the most important bass players in funk history.