Earth Wind and Fire - Classic or Dud? [UPDATE Feb 2016: RIP Maurice White]

(everybody picks P-Funk btw)

Which doc is this?

http://www.okayplayer.com/news/nelson-george-finding-the-funk-doc-premiere-vh1-video.html

i used to go to a bar years ago that was ALWAYS playing the EWF greatest hits album and boy did it get tiresome. but, you know, i will always love them. i do listen to that first album a ton. those first two albums were new to me in the 90's. but all the 70's stuff is solid.

It was a treat when I learned years ago that the they-were-a-singles-band claim was as poorly informed as when applied to Elton.

http://www.okayplayer.com/news/nelson-george-finding-the-funk-doc-premiere-vh1-video.html

Cool, thanks!

it is great

coming out in September (naturally):
http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Your-Head-Sky-Earth/dp/0062329154

Lot of interesting EWF anecdotes in David Foster's autobio, Maurice sounds like he was a stand-up guy in addition to his tremendous musical talents, RIP

The kindly older black gentleman that sold me my first electric guitar told me that after his shift he was going to see EWF live, "see if I can get me some Tang, hold the water."

It's that day.

https://t.co/Kh6Aq2kIds pic.twitter.com/Y9kJsaRuEq

— demi adejuyigbe (@electrolemon) September 21, 2019

that is wonderful

Aw shit they were playing EWF in the local book shop today!

It's the day

https://t.co/FRHZXzd9xe • https://t.co/ztznLId5fl pic.twitter.com/z2d4Mv6szm

— demi adejuyigbe (@electrolemon) September 21, 2021

https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/september-21stthats-today-by-demi-adejuyigbe/

I tried giving Chicago another chance recently, specifically the first five years of recording activity - couldn't get into it for a lot of reasons. It's not a band I'll ever find appealing. While reading up on them, I came across a few dismissals that urged the curious to try the first Blood, Sweat & Tears album (with Al Kooper) or Earth, Wind and Fire instead, both of which I already knew and loved.

With saxophonist Andrew Woolfolk's recent passing, I decided to set aside the Chicago stuff and put on EWF. That switch really made me appreciate EWF a hell of a lot more - they're just so much better at melding horns with their music. Also better melodies, better songs, better singing, better sounding production - much, MUCH better across the board.

I'm thinking their mid/late '80s is almost as solid as their '70s:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux6MLIjJT_4

You and Xgau:

I should mention that because I prefer their slick early-'80s decline to their soulful late-'70s ascendancy (not to mention their fusoid early-'70s launch), my tastes in this matter are unorthodox if not crackpot.

I'll split the difference between mid/late '80s and '70s by enjoying "Let's Groove" from 1981:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrle0x_DHBM

Ha! I'd no idea. He "prefers" while I say "almost as solid."

"Let's Groove" is one of the greatest singles ever recorded.

Hook after hook!

disagree vehemently that 80s ewf is as as good as (or better than!?) 70s, but also curious - what about maurice white's one solo album from 1984?

i admit to attempting to listen a decade or so ago and being really disappointed.

okay listening to the maurice white album now — it's very mor. meh. sounds like swing out sister or some other 80s plastic popsoul iteration. i don't hate it, but it's not especially engaging and the "stand by me" cover is just. . . no.

SOS album is better.

sadlol not wrong

I had no idea there was an unrelated group called Earth and Fire. For a second, I thought it could be EWF minus some crucial member(s).

song of the marching children is a cool album!