whats the difference between jimmy nolen and phelps catfish collins?

Catfish and brother Bootsy were only in the JB's for about a year 70-71, though they played (uncredited) on some sessions before that. The difference between catfish and jimmy nolen is hard to distinguish, at least to my ears. Catfish was more aggressive perhaps, definitely more up-front in the mix. Check his playing on selected cuts from James Brown's Funky Divas. he could do terse rock leads as well as chicken scratchin' rhythms. He was THE MAN.