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Thread started 07/01/17 4:58pm

LoveOrConfusio
n

Sly Stone has "a thousand new songs on his hard drive"

The number comes from Sly Stone's archivist/road manager. A few of us briefly discussed this in another thread but i think it warrants a proper discussion. What do we know about Sly Stone's huge unreleased collection?

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Reply #1 posted 07/02/17 8:13am

LoveOrConfusio
n

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/aug/18/sly-stone-living-on-welfare
.
"The trailer also claims that Stone had been working with Michael Jackson, and that the King of Pop had commissioned the 66-year-old to write songs for his new album. Stone apparently hoped that this would solve his financial woes."
.
This is interesting

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Reply #2 posted 07/02/17 7:43pm

214

LoveOrConfusion said:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/aug/18/sly-stone-living-on-welfare
.
"The trailer also claims that Stone had been working with Michael Jackson, and that the King of Pop had commissioned the 66-year-old to write songs for his new album. Stone apparently hoped that this would solve his financial woes."
.
This is interesting

eek eek

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Reply #3 posted 07/02/17 8:19pm

Strive

Isn't it all demos from his makeshift studio in his RV?

A few home-studio recordings (most likely from the late 1980s) with Stone's voice and keyboards over a drum machine have made their way onto a bootleg. One Sly-penned demo called "Coming Back for More" appears to be autobiographical and includes the verse: "Been so high, I touched the sky and the sky says 'Sly, why you tryin' to get by?' Comin' back for more." His son, Sylvester Jr., told People Magazine in 1997 that his father had composed an album's worth of material, including a tribute to Miles Davis called "Miles and Miles."

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Reply #4 posted 07/03/17 11:03am

LoveOrConfusio
n

Strive said:

Isn't it all demos from his makeshift studio in his RV?

A few home-studio recordings (most likely from the late 1980s) with Stone's voice and keyboards over a drum machine have made their way onto a bootleg. One Sly-penned demo called "Coming Back for More" appears to be autobiographical and includes the verse: "Been so high, I touched the sky and the sky says 'Sly, why you tryin' to get by?' Comin' back for more." His son, Sylvester Jr., told People Magazine in 1997 that his father had composed an album's worth of material, including a tribute to Miles Davis called "Miles and Miles."

I read that he still worked in proper studios at least in the 80s and 90.

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Reply #5 posted 07/03/17 11:09am

mjscarousal

LoveOrConfusion said:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/aug/18/sly-stone-living-on-welfare
.
"The trailer also claims that Stone had been working with Michael Jackson, and that the King of Pop had commissioned the 66-year-old to write songs for his new album. Stone apparently hoped that this would solve his financial woes."
.
This is interesting

excited

A Sly and MJ collab??? I am IN Heaven biggrin

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Reply #6 posted 07/03/17 1:16pm

NorthC

Don't get your hopes up too high, brother. I'm quoting from the article Willem Alkema wrote in Mojo magazine # 196, march 2010:
"There was talk of Sly writing a song for Michael's new album and performing it together during his concerts at the O2. (...) He (Sly) has already turned down an invitation to the memorial. (...) Mike Tyson got his tickets. "You better not say no to Mike Tyson," laughs Sly.
Willem Alkema is a Dutch writer who spent years trying to find Sly Stone. He wrote the article I just quoted and made a documentary called Coming Back For More.
The song Coming Back For More is also featured in the documentary. If you haven't heard it, it sounds a bit like Prince during the Dirty Mind period: a lo-fi keys and drum machine workout...
[Edited 7/3/17 13:24pm]
[Edited 7/3/17 13:27pm]
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Reply #7 posted 07/03/17 4:44pm

FunkGetsStrong
er

I have compiled a list of known songs over the years:


1980s: 20 unknown songs from the late 80s, early 90s

1980s: Coming Back For More

1980s: Coming Back For More (alternate version)

1980s: Coming Back For More (alternate version #2)

1980s: Day Ain't Got No Business in the Night (George Johnson)

1980s: Eek-Ah-Bo-Static Automatic (alternate version)

1980s: Eye to Eye

1980s: Eye to Eye (alternate version)

1980s: Get Away

1980s: I Am Red

1980s: If I'm Tired It's Because I'm Wired

1980s: Lady Is A Tramp

1980s: Time Out

1980s: Modulate (James Mtume)

1980s: Not Hot Fun

1980s: Plain Jane

1980s: The Streets are My Background

1980s: Ruby Shoes

1980s: Songs from 1986/87 with Jesse Johnson

1990s: CoCo

1990s: Miles and Miles

2000s: 2 short instrumental snippets uploaded to Phattadatta

From the list, about 10 are circulating. It's really a shame nothing ever materialized, because, from what I have heard, Sly had some interesting ideas and he was strong vocally.

[Edited 7/3/17 16:45pm]

[Edited 11/10/17 11:43am]

[Edited 11/10/17 11:44am]

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Reply #8 posted 07/03/17 5:15pm

Strive

FunkGetsStronger said:

I have compiled a list of known songs over the years:


1980s: 8 unknown songs from 1989

1980s: Coming Back For More

1980s: Coming Back For More (alternate version)

1980s: Coming Back For More (alternate version #2)

1980s: Day Ain't Got No Business in the Night (w/ George Johnson)

1980s: Eek-Ah-Bo-Static Automatic (alternate version)

1980s: Eye to Eye

1980s: Eye to Eye (alternate version)

1980s: Fight To Break Up

1980s: Get Away

1980s: I Am Red

1980s: If I'm Tired It's Because I'm Weird

1980s: Lady Is A Tramp

1980s: Time Out

1980s: Modulate (w/ James Mtume)

1980s: Not Hot Fun

1980s: Plain Jane

1980s: The Streets are My Background

1980s: Ruby Shoes

1980s: Unknown songs from 1986/87 w/ Jesse Johnson

1990s: CoCo

1990s: Coming Back For More (alternate version #3)

1990s: Miles and Miles

2000s: 2 short instrumental snippets uploaded to Phattadatta

From the list, about 10 are circulating. It's really a shame nothing ever materialized, because, from what I have heard, Sly had some interesting ideas and he was strong vocally.

[Edited 7/3/17 16:45pm]



There's also

His Eye Is On The Sparrow (1980s) https://www.youtube.com/w...2Pop-sr7_w

Satisfied (1980s) https://www.youtube.com/w...Tw2tCxoz_4

One More Hit (2014) - I can't find the original on youtube. The copy I bought in 2014 is a different version and it was credited to Sly with a featuring credit to whoever that guy is.


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Reply #9 posted 07/03/17 5:20pm

mjscarousal

NorthC said:

Don't get your hopes up too high, brother. I'm quoting from the article Willem Alkema wrote in Mojo magazine # 196, march 2010: "There was talk of Sly writing a song for Michael's new album and performing it together during his concerts at the O2. (...) He (Sly) has already turned down an invitation to the memorial. (...) Mike Tyson got his tickets. "You better not say no to Mike Tyson," laughs Sly. Willem Alkema is a Dutch writer who spent years trying to find Sly Stone. He wrote the article I just quoted and made a documentary called Coming Back For More. The song Coming Back For More is also featured in the documentary. If you haven't heard it, it sounds a bit like Prince during the Dirty Mind period: a lo-fi keys and drum machine workout... [Edited 7/3/17 13:24pm] [Edited 7/3/17 13:27pm]

I wonder why Sly turned down the invitation if this is true.

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Reply #10 posted 07/03/17 5:55pm

FunkGetsStrong
er

Strive said:

There's also

His Eye Is On The Sparrow (1980s) https://www.youtube.com/w...2Pop-sr7_w

Satisfied (1980s) https://www.youtube.com/w...Tw2tCxoz_4

One More Hit (2014) - I can't find the original on youtube. The copy I bought in 2014 is a different version and it was credited to Sly with a featuring credit to whoever that guy is.


Satisfied was supposed to be on my list...not sure what happened there.

[Edited 8/29/17 4:32am]

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Reply #11 posted 07/04/17 2:10am

SoulAlive

FunkGetsStronger said:

I have compiled a list of known songs over the years:


1980s: 8 unknown songs from 1989

1980s: Coming Back For More

1980s: Coming Back For More (alternate version)

1980s: Coming Back For More (alternate version #2)

1980s: Day Ain't Got No Business in the Night (w/ George Johnson)

1980s: Eek-Ah-Bo-Static Automatic (alternate version)

1980s: Eye to Eye

1980s: Eye to Eye (alternate version)

1980s: Fight To Break Up

1980s: Get Away

1980s: I Am Red

1980s: If I'm Tired It's Because I'm Weird

1980s: Lady Is A Tramp

1980s: Time Out

1980s: Modulate (w/ James Mtume)

1980s: Not Hot Fun

1980s: Plain Jane

1980s: The Streets are My Background

1980s: Ruby Shoes

1980s: Unknown songs from 1986/87 w/ Jesse Johnson

1990s: CoCo

1990s: Coming Back For More (alternate version #3)

1990s: Miles and Miles

2000s: 2 short instrumental snippets uploaded to Phattadatta

From the list, about 10 are circulating. It's really a shame nothing ever materialized, because, from what I have heard, Sly had some interesting ideas and he was strong vocally.

Yeah it's a shame that he wasn't able to make some kind of 80s comeback.Around the time when he had that song with Jesse Johnson,"Crazay",there was talk of him making a new album (it was rumored that Prince was gonna contribute songs) but it never materialized.Such a shame.

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Reply #12 posted 07/04/17 2:13am

SoulAlive

He appeared on a Funkadelic single from a few years ago ("The Naz") but unfortunately,it's not a great song....just Sly talking nonsense over a groove.

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Reply #13 posted 07/04/17 4:22am

LoveOrConfusio
n

SoulAlive said:

He appeared on a Funkadelic single from a few years ago ("The Naz") but unfortunately,it's not a great song....just Sly talking nonsense over a groove.

5:25 lol

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Reply #14 posted 07/04/17 6:06am

NorthC

Sly also did the theme song for the Whoopi Goldberg film The Burglar. I think that was in 1987. It's been a looooong time since I've seen that film, but I remember that I liked the song: it was classic Sly with an 80s sound.
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Reply #15 posted 07/04/17 7:10am

FunkGetsStrong
er

SoulAlive said:

Yeah it's a shame that he wasn't able to make some kind of 80s comeback.Around the time when he had that song with Jesse Johnson,"Crazay",there was talk of him making a new album (it was rumored that Prince was gonna contribute songs) but it never materialized.Such a shame.

That was the perfect opportunity. He did release the EekAh-Bo single through A&M, but it flopped.

[Edited 11/10/17 11:40am]

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Reply #16 posted 07/04/17 8:29am

purplethunder3
121

avatar

Nevertheless, I'd like to hear some of the unreleased stuff. Essentially, it's a miracle that he's still here.

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." --Plato

https://youtu.be/CVwv9LZMah0
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Reply #17 posted 07/04/17 12:31pm

LoveOrConfusio
n

purplethunder3121 said:

Nevertheless, I'd like to hear some of the unreleased stuff. Essentially, it's a miracle that he's still here.

a large box set would be incredible.

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Reply #18 posted 07/04/17 4:33pm

mjscarousal

purplethunder3121 said:

Nevertheless, I'd like to hear some of the unreleased stuff. Essentially, it's a miracle that he's still here.

It really is, he has gone through a lot!

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Reply #19 posted 07/04/17 4:38pm

LoveOrConfusio
n

What did the music sound like? Dakss says that "the closest album I can use to describe what I heard was an album by Miles Davis, called "On The Corner". It was very funky, with throbbing bass and pounding drums. It had a very tribal spirit, but it also seemed sort of evil."
.

Mark Davis: "I saw Sly two years ago [1999], and he was glad to see me, and I was glad to see him. He must have played me forty tracks that were not completed, but they were at the point where they were as good as they were going to be and he was looking to get past that. He's still trying to figure out his puzzles.

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Reply #20 posted 07/04/17 10:28pm

OrangeClock

most likely all trash

.

.

will gladly put my foot in my mouth if itsn't though

The good ol' days weren't always good, and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems.
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Reply #21 posted 07/05/17 4:45am

LoveOrConfusio
n

OrangeClock said:

most likely all trash

.

.

will gladly put my foot in my mouth if itsn't though

what makes you say that?

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Reply #22 posted 07/05/17 7:02am

bluegangsta

avatar

OrangeClock said:

most likely all trash

will gladly put my foot in my mouth if itsn't though

I've heard quite a bit of the stuff I assume is referenced to in this thread.

Yes, there is some stuff that would be regarded as filler. But, there's also a lot of really cool stuff in there as well. It has the remberance of classic Sly with an added sense of where he's gone since then.

I know that sounds incredibly ambiguous, but there's really no other way to describe it.

Always cry 4 love, never cry 4 pain.
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Reply #23 posted 07/05/17 9:10am

LoveOrConfusio
n

bluegangsta said:

OrangeClock said:

most likely all trash

will gladly put my foot in my mouth if itsn't though

I've heard quite a bit of the stuff I assume is referenced to in this thread.

Yes, there is some stuff that would be regarded as filler. But, there's also a lot of really cool stuff in there as well. It has the remberance of classic Sly with an added sense of where he's gone since then.

I know that sounds incredibly ambiguous, but there's really no other way to describe it.

What have you heard?

.

I really like the track Satisfied that was posted.

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Reply #24 posted 07/05/17 9:31am

OrangeClock

LoveOrConfusion said:

OrangeClock said:

most likely all trash

.

.

will gladly put my foot in my mouth if itsn't though

what makes you say that?

I don't know, that last album he released in 2011 with the re-recorded versions of Sly & The Family Stone songs wasn't that inspiring to me

Also, considering he hasn't really put out a great album since 1973 leads me to have incredibly low expectations

The good ol' days weren't always good, and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems.
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Reply #25 posted 07/05/17 3:10pm

LoveOrConfusio
n

OrangeClock said:

LoveOrConfusion said:

what makes you say that?

I don't know, that last album he released in 2011 with the re-recorded versions of Sly & The Family Stone songs wasn't that inspiring to me

Also, considering he hasn't really put out a great album since 1973 leads me to have incredibly low expectations

I agree about the latest album. A bit of a weird release. The 3 tracks at the end are interesting imo though.

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Reply #26 posted 07/05/17 5:16pm

SoulAlive

OrangeClock said:



LoveOrConfusion said:




OrangeClock said:


most likely all trash


.


.


will gladly put my foot in my mouth if itsn't though



what makes you say that?




I don't know, that last album he released in 2011 with the re-recorded versions of Sly & The Family Stone songs wasn't that inspiring to me



Also, considering he hasn't really put out a great album since 1973 leads me to have incredibly low expectations




I sorta feel the same way.I'd be more interested in hearing some unreleased material from the early 70s (if there are any).
[Edited 7/5/17 17:16pm]
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Reply #27 posted 07/06/17 4:48am

FunkGetsStrong
er

SoulAlive said:

OrangeClock said:

I don't know, that last album he released in 2011 with the re-recorded versions of Sly & The Family Stone songs wasn't that inspiring to me

Also, considering he hasn't really put out a great album since 1973 leads me to have incredibly low expectations

I sorta feel the same way.I'd be more interested in hearing some unreleased material from the early 70s (if there are any).

Going off this there is not much is left "Most of what remains in ...ard lick."

[Edited 11/10/17 11:40am]

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Reply #28 posted 07/06/17 10:54am

LoveOrConfusio
n

does anyone have the interview where the George/Sly/Bootsy/Roger unreleased tracks are mentioned?

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Reply #29 posted 07/06/17 12:38pm

DarkHorse77

LoveOrConfusion said:

does anyone have the interview where the George/Sly/Bootsy/Roger unreleased tracks are mentioned?

Dayum, sign me up for any of these!

"Anna Stesia come to me, talk to me, ravish me
Liberate my mind."
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Forums > Music: Non-Prince > Sly Stone has "a thousand new songs on his hard drive"