I know Larry invented a revolutionary way of playing the bass. But I'd like to know both just how popular GCS was back in the seventies and how influential they were on their contemporaries.

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I was born in 77 so this all happened before my time. I've been listening to 5 GCS albums I bought (they came in one package) and while I like what I'm hearing, especially the way they developed a cohesive jam like sound, when it comes to song writing they don't strike me as very inventive.

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I read up on GCS online (wiki and the likes) but it's really hard for me to gauge just how big / respected they were. Were they considered mostly an afterthought when compared to Sly & The Family Stone and Santana (the band I mean)?

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Also I was wondering whether those 2 albums of Azteca (Escovedo brothers, Sheila A, Larry Graham etc.) from the 70s are worth checking out.

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Thanks for your input.

[Edited 5/19/16 9:26am]

They were pretty big. Charted well. Other than EWF, P Funk, Ohio, Isleys, Kool+Gang they were right there.