Hi everybody I was wondering is this album worth getting? I have Sly & The Family Stones Anthology cd but I want to hear more of their music cuz I know they much more great stuff than just on one cd. So should I get it?

If you like funk at all you'll turn off the computer and run, don't walk, to the record store and buy it.

I'm definately gonna have to check this album out.

BillieSparks said:

You won't be disappointed. I think it's one of, perhaps THE funkiest album of all time. It's kind of like a much more lucid and cheerful modification of "There's a Riot Going On"

I like music that's funky

U will buy this record

BillieSparks said:

Incidentally, If you want to hear more Sly and the family stone, you might as well just go ahead and get all their albums because they're all great. Stand, There's a Riot Going On and Fresh are the holy trinity though; you MUST have these, but Dance To the Music, Life, and even their first album A Whole New Thang are all great and fun from beginning to end (even if sly recycled Dance to the Music several times).

Fresh
Get it 2day!!
/peace Manki

TheRealFiness said:

And you will get There's A Riot Goin' On too. If you stop at those two albums I won't be mad at'cha But if you're gonna own Sly, you must own those two albums. I'll force 'Stand', 'Small Talk' and 'High On You' down your eardrums at a next month. I'll let you get the rest later in 2005.

And just as an extra incentive to go buy them immediately, here's two alternate versions of

Babies Makin' Babies and If You Want Me To Stay

It is easy to tell after listening to all those albums that Larry Graham was clearly the genius of that band.

pkidwell said:

Huh?!?!?!?!

chickengrease said:

Uh yeah, Huh? Especially since Larry graham had left the band before There's A Riot Going On was even recorded.

shit, man...do you really have to ask?

chickengrease said:

recently i stumbled on a whole different(ly mixed) version of "fresh"--

i thought no sly and the family stone records were ever remastered?

purpleone said:

I've been trying to get my hands on that 3rd alternate version. I really want to hear "Que Sera" with the freaky vocals and the freaky music.

thanks for those two songs Chickengrease. I definately gotta find this cd, hopefully the record stores near my area have it. I'll let you know how I like it.

chickengrease said:

3rd?

For some reason, there are two or three different mixes of this album floating around--I know that when Epic first reissued the cd , a number of them contained alternate mixes , while the rest contained the "standard mix"... there's also a a british version(Epic 4851702)that has slightly different mixes from the US version...

It may be sacrilege to some around here, but I much prefer 'Fresh' as an album to 'Riot', regardless of anything. To my ears, it's just a more enjoyable, cooler record. 'In Time', 'Let Me Have It All' and 'Thankful & Thoughtful are all classic. I could do without 'If It Were Left Up To Me', tho!

My personal favourate Sly album.

And one day I hope there'll be a CD (or even a box set) with all the bits and bobs that Sly is rumoured to have done in the '80s and '90s.

It's such a shame that a Brian Wilson-style creative renaissance looks unlikely for Sly. His place in pop history is obscure to most non-fans, and this is a shame, as he's one of the greats. And no Sly ... no Prince (as we know him at least).

Miles said:

I wouldn't call it sacrilege, as they are both among the best sly ever recorded. Riot seems to be closer to the "undisputed masterpiece" status, but fresh is a more enjoyable listen. The reason Riot is rated higher is because it just has this unique mood-altering vibe that just about no other album can match. It's addiction, disillusion, laziness, resignation and decadence captured in music.

To me...

From "There's A Riot Going On" to "Ain't Nothing But The One Way" have been Sly's solo efforts.....

Other than Rose, you really didn't hear the other members anymore.....

Jacktheimprovident said - 'The reason Riot is rated higher is because it just has this unique mood-altering vibe that just about no other album can match. It's addiction, disillusion, laziness, resignation and decadence captured in music.'

So, a sort of 'downer trip' in music form? Actually, I've never really understood what (if anything) Sly was trying to do on 'Riot' until the above description. Thanks. I think I now understand the record better.

And I now know why I prefer 'Fresh'!

Miles said:

I remember reading that Larry Graham stated that he & the other band members were on "RIOT",
Until Sly kept editing & re-editing til no one was on there.....

A friend just gave me 'Precious Stone, Sly in the Studio 1963-1965.' Chock full of treats.

trashoblanco said:

Hmmmmm, that would be quite interesting

trashoblanco said:

I have that one too....
Good stuff....