With this album, Sly truly became a modern (progressive) bluesman.

And he's been playin' the Sly Stone blues ever since ...

Good gawd, this is one bad motha right here. The bass playin' is so tiiight . What do y'all think about this Sly & The Family Stone masterpiece?

My fave Sly joint. Just listened to it yesterday. When you listen it to it, you can feel the pain and sense the addictions he was already going thru within himself. The LP is so dark and brooding and so opposite the message he had in songs like "Sing A Simple Song" and "Love City". Bobby Womack, Billy Preston, and a uncredited Miles Davis play on the LP. I always considered this LP Sly's "Sign Of The Times" for 1971 since he played almost everything on it.

Mojo magazine had a nice 8 page write up about the LP and the gangsta stuff that went on while making it.

does anybody have a link to the 8 page story on this album?

I always consider There's A Riot Going On as Sly's own White Album. This was the album where Sly told his listeners the real truth behind not only the turmoil of America, but for the first time gave us a very vivid and dark setting of his own personal life. It was and still is 30 something years later, a masterpiece in every way. And everytime I listen to it, I just wonder how he did it. The production rocks too, even though it does sound like one of those "demo-tape" production with it's imfamous hissing noise sound. James Brown might have originated funk, but with this album, Sly took it to a whole new level with Sly playing all the instruments and just jammin' and funkin'!!!! It is not only Sly's single best album, but it's one of the best albums of all time, in my opinion. It is definitely one of my favorite albums!
[Edited 2/14/06 14:59pm]

One of my all time favorite albums..it's certainly in my top five. Sly was on some other wordly shit on this one. Riot is a headphone masterpiece that reveals so many nuances with each repeated spin...and the original artwork is outstanding!



What it is...
Sly & The Family Stone
It's about time
It's about space
It's about ups and downs caused by life in general
It's about the music
It's about the people who are interested
It's about runnin' away
It's about love and hate
It's about brave and strong
It's about smilin' just like a baby
It's about poet

It's a family affair

It's so complex
Words get in the way
Just look at the faces
On the outside and the inside of this album, they'll tell you
Thank you again'

Sleeve notes: There's A Riot Goin' On - Sly & The Family Stone.

oh yeah back in 87 Rolling Stone had Riot listed in it's issue of the greatest albums of all times.

Shame Sony or Mike won't remaster that joint and re-issue it with the original cover....that is rare find if you got with the original cover.

JQuad said:

my brother has it I think its a UK import

I always consider There's A Riot Going On as Sly's own White Album.
[Edited 2/14/06 14:59pm]

silverchild said:

White Album? I actually think There is A Riot... much more brilliant and inspired than The Beatles White Album. At least there s no Revolution Number Whatever;-)

dammme said:

Well, actually I said that because when The Beatles recorded The White Album, there were bitter arguments and disagreements that led to individual members of the band began producing and recording their own material for that album and to me, when Sly and Co. did TARGO, Sly mostly played all the instruments with other musicians jamming with him and the band didn't really participate that much. That's what makes both albums so interesting: it was what both bands were going through while recording such outstanding material.
[Edited 2/15/06 14:37pm]