I have been scanning mp3.com today, listening to alot of unsigned and underground artists. Alot of these songs are categorized by the artists themselves into the "funk" genre, but man, most of the artists are so generic. Most of the songs start off with an obligatory "scratch/wah" guitar riff, and then go into a typical and all too common groove that sounds like it came out of an urban mid 70's porn movie. Who said that to be funky that you have to be a stereotype of what funk is? To me, IMO, funk needs to bounce. Have you heard the song "PsychoticBumpSchool" by Bootsy? THAT is FUNK. It seems like these artists spend too much time studying a musical textbook definition of what funk is instead of just letting their mind go and their ass follow. But if you have found the funk, then you have found it, I guess.

Let me know what you think.

JD

I Agree.Funk is something you can't go to school for you either have it or you don't.it combines many elements of Groove&Yet stays thick but is also Free.i think also Folks are trying to Sound Polished for that Major Deal.Heck the reason why many of them sound Generic is because many of them not all are basing there Performance on what the Industry deems worthy.I Agree with you it's pretty Generic overall.

Hey Maxx, check this guy out. www.mp3.com/somnithycus


Listen to the song "Octavia". This guy is mad original. He is from my hometown of Columbus, Ohio. I would like to work with him sometime.


Peace,
JD

JDODSON said:

I Shall Thanks for Sharing the Grooves.Peace

Hey,

The funk is still alive but I must admit a lot of it is rather generic.

Have you guys heard Weapon of Choice? How about the Dawn Silva CD proving that the Brides are still in the house when it comes to this P-Funk ish.

Still on the same subject: Does airbody here know where I can get hold of the 2nd and 3rd Slapbak albums? I have tried all the usual places like Amazon and CD-Now and have had no luck. Help!

{Who said that to be funky that you have to be a stereotype of what funk is? To me, IMO, funk needs to bounce. Have you heard the song "PsychoticBumpSchool" by Bootsy? THAT is FUNK. It seems like these artists spend too much time studying a musical textbook definition of what funk is instead of just letting their mind go and their ass follow. But if you have found the funk, then you have found it, I guess.}

I don't mean to disagree with you because you do know funk if you listen to Bootsy, But this is what I think, After listen to Bootsy, P-Funk, Graham Central Station, Brothers Johnson, etc. How can anybody today compete with that. I mean those cats were free to do what they felt, Roger Troutman and Slave funked our @$#% 's off. We were just blessed to have in our time the greatest musicians that there ever was. That is a lot for the new artist to follow.

But at least we know what Funk its. Peace

jazzy328is said:

I think somebody new could come along&Groove.maybe not make those Cats Impact but still be a force.I Mean there are folks who Grew up on Count Basie,Louis Jordan,Charlie Bird Parker,Miles Davis,Dizzy,etc..&Feel that nobody could OutFunk there Swing.so it all depends on how you look at the matter? there are Funkateers out here but it's also done in a Modern way with a different take&feel.Technilogy forever changed the game.

The funk must be carried on to the next generation (with energy). That's the reason why the world has been given the history.

In response to the original post, IMOH, I think some of these artists would sound better if they were a little less polished. The software is just a tool and when it becomes the thing that people are recording around, it's boring/polished.

With funk, it's music of the party, fun and dancing. The real trick is how the music transfers to a live audience which most of the software driven music doesn't do.

I'm not generalizing ALL music on MP3 or on the internet because I have heard some amazing music. Just agreeing with your original post.


"Funk is its own reward" - George Clinton

I don't think that all independent funk artists are generic, I was just venting about the majority that I have been hearing on mp3.com. Most of this stuff should be in the "jazz fusion" genre or something.

Why are alot of "Funk" artists today so damned UNFUNKY?

I have been scanning mp3.com today, listening to alot of unsigned and underground artists. Alot of these songs are categorized by the artists themselves into the "funk" genre, but man, most of the artists are so generic. Most of the songs start off with an obligatory "scratch/wah" guitar riff, and then go into a typical and all too common groove that sounds like it came out of an urban mid 70's porn movie. Who said that to be funky that you have to be a stereotype of what funk is? To me, IMO, funk needs to bounce. Have you heard the song "PsychoticBumpSchool" by Bootsy? THAT is FUNK. It seems like these artists spend too much time studying a musical textbook definition of what funk is instead of just letting their mind go and their ass follow. But if you have found the funk, then you have found it, I guess.

Let me know what you think.



ur funny as hell

funk needs to bounce. Have you heard the song "PsychoticBumpSchool" by Bootsy? THAT is FUNK. It seems like these artists spend too much time studying a musical textbook definition of what funk is instead of just letting their mind go and their ass follow. But if you have found the funk, then you have found it, I guess.

Let me know what you think.

JD[/quote]



good point, JDod


There are (too) many "youngin's" (let's say, under 25) who don't want to learn to play instruments or sing, all they want to do is sample (=steal) other people's (REAL) music & rap. This lends itself to not knowing the elements of what REAL FUNK is. You can sample a Bootsy or Cameo or Prince line, put it over a "phat beat" & you could have something pretty good, but it's
NOT
the same.
Those few who do play instruments, they must just figure it's easier to try to copy what they like or try to play what they think funk is..


The more today's "music" goes away from actual musicianship & singing, the less quality there is. Because the word "FUNK" has such an implied meaning of good music, some people want to use it or associate themselves with it, even though they lack the elements that make FUNK what it is..
& it must be easier to copy "what you think funk is" than to actually funk it up, do something a little different with it..


FUNK, in its best, purest form, is the OPPOSITE of most of what you hear today on the radio:
overproduced,
drum-machined,
style-over-substance
BULLSHIT.
Funk is more about taking different elements & mixing them in different ways.. it's like how Alan Leeds described it:

"r&b with no rules"


PSYCHOTICBUMPSCHOOL BRINGS the funk.
I especially like the live version at the end of the Bootsy "Back in the day" compliation..
now THAT is some FUNK!

You know what Funk is NOT, Hip Hop.