They're both better.

don't know enough about either
to make an unbiased decision

but from what I know/heard
of both groups

I'm goin with
Kool & The Gang

dammme said:

i'm opting with Kool & The Gang 'cause like Chicago,they were able go more places with their music than the commodores..... (i .e. Funk/Jazz/Pop)

Kool & the Gang

The Commodores

This is a tough one but I'm gonna choose The Commodores.

DirtyChris said:

>>>>><<<<<

It depends on the era. I would say K&TG early in their career. I would say the Commodores from Caught In the Act forward (until Lionel was put out). After Lionel left the Commodores, I would say K&TG again.

daPrettyman said:

interesting

daPrettyman said:

I agree with you.

K&TG

Kool & The Gang

REASONS: Jungle Boogie, Spirit of The Boogie, Funky Stuff, Get Down On It, Ladies Nights, Tonight (12" Version w/guitar solo), Misled, Fresh, Let's Go Dancing, Emergency, Steppin' Out,

commodores of course,they had their more distinctive sound.
when they were doing funk funk was so hard and rocking at the same time.
every instrumentalist in commodores had their uniq style .

you had ronald lapread hard hitting funk bass,or thomas mcclary ukelele like aproach to guitar.

you had weird synthisizer lines by late great milan williams,or powerful drumming and vox by walter cllyde orange.

even lionel had tasty saxophone and clavinet licks.
they had much more complex vocal harmonies in they songs then kool and the gang ever had.
they were mainstream and avant garde at the same time.
check
funky situation
look what you've done to me
thumpin' music
flying high
hold on
gimme my mule
got to be together
sexy lady
i feel sanctfied
come inside
cebu
why you wanna try me
slippery when wet
fancy dancer
girl i think the world about you
lady(you bring me up)
and many many more

Kool & The Gang

The Commodores

K&G= 7
Commodores= 4
Both/Neither= 4

I normally would have chosen Kool and the Gang also until I bought a lot of The Commodores albums this past year.

vainandy said:

The only thing about The Commodores that disappointed me in retrospect is when Lionel started writing all of those love ballads (Easy & Zoom are THE only two exceptions, at least they were soulful). They were suppose to be a funk competing against EWF, The Isley Brothers, P-Funk, etc., & here is Lionel trying to get them to compete against The Carpenters as well!!!

Babyface's situation before and after The Deele reminds me of Lionel before and after The Commodores. Both groups should have kept those guys in check and not give them too much participation.

you are wrong
lionel did write balads but he alway wrote or cowrote some of the funkiest commodores song,and commodores slow jams are great and still funky .
commodores have much better songwriting the kool and the gang and i assure you 80 %of commodores catalog(with lionel) are hard funk jams and only 20 % are ballads

You ain't got to tell me about The Commodores, I learned when I bought several of their full albums this year. I love their funk and their slow jams. I still think they needed to lock Lionel in a closet somewhere though because even though those Commodores slow jams were great, they were preparing Lionel for what was yet to come.

no,its not like that.
lionel was getting more paid because of his hit songs and songs lionel started writting for others,commodores were pissed because lionel gave lady to kenny rogers when they needed a hit.
thats a reason for lionel departure.
and i got to tell you every better funk song in commodores catalog was written or co-written by lionel

vainandy said:

My Endless Love


Truly


These aren't slow jams. They're ballads. Lionel turn his back on The Funk (& The Commodores for that matter) for THIS!
[Edited 9/12/08 13:57pm]

Kool & the Gang.

Oh, I remember the circumstances behind Lionel leaving very well. All of what you say is true. And the reason Kenny Rogers sought out Lionel to write a song for him is because he loved "Three Times A Lady" that he had written and recorded with The Commodores.

I'm aware of Lionel's great talent and I know he has a lot of funkiness in him also. I don't dislike Lionel at all and never disliked him as a person even after he left The Commodores. I even like a little of his work afterwards, even though it is as different as night and day. I'm just playing around and having fun thinking about ways that the other Commodores could have kept Lionel from becoming what he later became. Lionel Richie is far from Shitney Houston. The only thing I'd like to beat his ass for is because he didn't put his foot up his daughter's spoiled ass years ago and prevent her from being the little monster she became.

I like that one

Both bands were criticized for "watering down" their funk as the 80s began.

vainandy said:

Hell, I'm sure Lionel wishes he had beat Nichole's ass a few times. Brenda did the best she could, but the end result would have been different if Lionel had whipped some a$$ along with Brenda.

Who knows, she may get that wild streak from her biological dad and Lionel. I'm sure they have ALL partied together. Especially since Sheila played for Lionel and I think Nichole's dad did too for a while.

dammme said:

coomodores


Celebration and Too Hot ruined Kool and the Gang for me,]

Brick HOuse is still a funky song no matter how it gets white washed for commercials on tv selling car insurance and shampoo.