DRAC & THE NEW SLAVE : DRAC ATTACK

TCC/TFS Release Date:6/22/2005
LABEL: Drac2005
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN : USA


TRAX :

1 BODY SNATCHERS
2 DRAC IS BACK
3 KEEP THE FUNK ALIVE
4 WEAK AT THE KNEES
5 FUNK IT UP DRAC ( 1987 / Ichiban Records )
6 SHE'S FIRED UP ( 1987 / Ichiban Records )
7 ROCKS ( 1987 / Ichiban Records )
8 I WANT YOUR LOVE ( 1987 / Ichiciban Records )
9 AUTOMATIC,SYSTEMATIC,FUNK ( 1987 / Ichiban Records )
10 FREE AT LAST ( 1987 / Ichiban Records )

SAMPLE-SNIPPETS :

http://www.thefunkstore.n...ypeBox.ram



Drac Is Back To Continue The Attack !

The Slave guitarist is on a mission to "Keep the Funk Alive". He takes the old skool bass-popping Ohio dancefloor funk that is his blood, his musical birthright to a new futuristic level. Gritty, wicked grooves but with a nice crisp production. Drac’s style on lead guitar is seamlessly smooth soaring over the vamp, he is one of the best at that through all classic funk Remember this is the same Marc Hicks who threw down on all those classic Slave albums and concerts.. But he’s so versatile because he can shred it up on you too.

Without a doubt , a Funk Guitar God, one of the best of the funk rock guitar heavyweights. Plus he sings and raps on many of the songs. My imagination found me moving and grooving to this sunroof down, out on the island coast of my mind. Its feel good music with a good good feeling. He apparently incorporates fellow Ohio funk legends Zapp on a revamping of the Slave classic "Weak at the Knees".

But it’s the new material here that shows even down thru the years after the glory days of Slave fame, Drac knows what time it is and hasn’t missed one stroke and thats more than refreshing. Highly recommended tracks include "She’s Fired Up", a straight ahead 80s style dance number. "Rocks" is a hilarious romp over a deadly serious subject, crackrock. Lotsa greasy chicken-scratch guitar and then Drac goes for another one of those soaring squealing lead solos and just eats it up.

The boys is an axe-slinger. The Slave element is couched down in the groove , most evident on "I Want Your Love" me thinks. Not a knock-off though, it’s the real deal from one of the originators and architects of that influential sound. "Automatic Systematic Funk" is just a stripped down groove with a sexy female lead vocal over the top.

He samples Parliament’s "FlashLight" and Dr. MLK Jr on the civil and social rights funk/hip-hop fest "Free at Last"before blasting you away with another shot of his fire-driven guitar work. Drac is indeed back, but did he ever go away in the first place?

Reviewed For TheFunkStore.com..By
Funk Journalist&Atlanta Radio Personality~"Bustin'"Bob Mitchell

Compiled For TheFunkStore.com..By:Tylard Tatt II

Source : http://www.thefunkstore.c...ack_CD.htm





DRAC & THE NEW SLAVE Featuring Rude : KEEP THA FUNK ALIVE

TCC/TFS Release Date:02/01/2005
LABEL: Drac2005
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN : USA
ORIGINAL RELEASE DATE:01/15/2005

TRAX :

1 KEEP THA FUNK ALIVE
2 KEEP THA FUNK ALIVE (Remix)
3 KEEP THA FUNK ALIVE (Drac Solo Guitar Mix)
4 WEAK AT THE KNEES Ft:Rude
5 WEAK AT THE KNEES Ft:Rude & Zapp
6 WEAK AT THE KNEES (Instrumental)

SAMPLE-SNIPPETS :

http://www.thefunkstore.n...ypeBox.ram

Does the phrase “Drac Is Back” mean anything to you? Funksters just coming of age during the late 70s funk apex will recall a track from the Slave LP of 1978 called “The Concept”. A prime entry in the history of funk, the band was formed by master funk bassist Steve Washington, who started a group called Black Satin Soul in the early 70s which eventually morphed into Slave. Boasting an impressive roster of at times close to 20 musicians the group charted an astounding 20 singles on the R&B chart between 1977-87.

Guitarist Mark ‘Drac’ Hicks was part of that legendary line-up. As far as I know he released one super rare solo effort in 1987 called “Drac Attack” which is definitely worth seeking out. Here he erupts back onto the scene with “Keep tha Funk Alive”, a slice of splattering post-Y2K funk for your earhole. It features the ‘new’ Slave. Drac does his thang on the guitar, kickin’ some hard rhythm and searing lead. Fellow Ohio funklords Zapp are also featured on a slamming remix of the Slave classic “Weak At the Knees”, also featuring Rude.

Also rising out of the Drac camp is a lesson in funk history, Slave’s Greatest Hits. 14 of the bands most memorable hits, compiled by Drac. So take this ride down funk memory lane and back to the future with the one and only Drac.

Source : http://www.thefunkstore.c...olo_CD.htm




DRAC & THE NEW SLAVE : JUNETEENTH FREE AT LAST

TFS/TCC Release Date:04/01/2005
LABEL: Drac2005
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA

TRAX :

1 JUNETEENTH FREE AT LAST
2 JUNETEENTH FREE AT LAST (Instrumental)

SAMPLE-SNIPPET :

http://www.thefunkstore.n...stSB01.ram



Sources :

http://www.thefunkstore.c...D2_TFS.htm

http://www.juneteenth.us/drac.html
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[Edited 5/15/06 10:54am]

I definitely could use more Drac in my life.

This is VERY cool info. Drac was a cold cat on "Slide". I remember playing this to death when I first started playing leads when I was a kid. I adored this solo and still to. It's the epitome of the "post Hendrix new breed black rock guitar solo". I think it lit a fire up under P's fingers and gave him more confidence to go down the road as well.

Those titles look like old songs re-'released'. Are these NEW songs?

Graycap23 said:

Only the ones which are noted with : 1987 / Ichiban Records
The coversleeve of Drac Attack is the original artwork from 1987 too .

Weak @ The Knees was indeed first recorded by Steve Arrington's Hall Of Fame ,
( released in 1983 on Atlantic Records ) , but has been re-done by Mark .

Keep Tha Funk Alive contains a kinda I Just Want To Be-chant from Cameo mixed with a One Nation Under A Groove-vibe .
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[Edited 5/15/06 11:48am]

I agree w/ you on that Brutha B. Drac really went to work on that cut. I think that jam was one of the 1st R&B cuts (with a crazy lead guitar solo) I ever heard...(outside of the Isleys of course).

YES!!!!! Before Prince and "Cut Em Jesse" Johnson, and around the same time as Michael Hampton but after Eddie Hazel, THERE WAS DRAC!!!!!