Today is the first time I've heard James Chance.. most excellent! Thanks to the Internet I've discovered so much incredible music I've been clueless about the last 40 years..
Out of all scenes ive heard about, read about and seen, no wave is the best. No scene, no posers, no hypes, no sharkjumpers, no brands, just extremely diverse music. God is well hidden.
This guy should have broken through to urban radio the way Bolton and McDonald did. Some of the best white soul I’ve heard, and blows away the aforementioned artists’ for shear emotion and saluting The Godfather the right way!
90% OF THE SHOWS I SAW UPSTAIRS AT MAXS KANSAS CITY-NYC -IN MY MISSPENT "YOOT" ( -1970'S-) WERE 2 GO SEE JAMES CHANCE & THE CONTORTIONS ! HE WAS THE 1ST GUY I EVER SAW THROW HIMSELF AT THE AUDIENCE & BEAT THE CRAP OUTTA THEM ! & I LOVED IT ! ( HE LOOKED LIKE A PUNK-HOWDY DOODY IN A SUIT -W/ A BAD ASS ATTUDE' & KICK ASS SAX !) Then I got this album - "James White & the Blacks" - 'Off White' (or Something like that) ("Stella- Stella Who?") -- Can't believe that was back when I was 16ish & I'm Now 58 Y.o. -- So Cool to hear/ see again ! 💜
James Chance is fabulous in this recording made in 1979 by Paul Tschinkel at Max's Kansas City in New York. It was featured on his cable TV show 'Paul Tschinkel's Inner Tube' and represents a prime mover in the then new music scene that still has an impact today. For more on this period in art and music visit "Paul Tschinkel" on RU-vid. A BETTER VERSION IS POSTED NOW. DVD WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON.
This is just soooo good. What a true punk he is. Saw him in 1980 and 2005. He still had it. Thanks for posting and praise God somebody taped it in the first place.
I remember hearing "Contort Yourself" years ago from the "Buy" album, which is similiar to this tune. I thought it was one of the most bizarre and individual vocal performances I'd ever heard. But the groove they have going is so addictive I couldn't stop listening. "Take that, corporate bores!" I was heard to say.
Jesus Lord . . . I just found a copy of James Chance's debut album "Buy" and bought it on a whim . . . This stuff is absolutely amazing! It's like a punked up James Brown funk - but not, if you know what I mean. Anyway, this is a fantastic video of him and his band the Contortions in action back in the late '70s, when New York was the Capital of Music. Thanks for posting this!
This stuff was way ahead of it's time. James sax work reminds me of Bubber Miley's trumpet work, oddly. Some of this seems to have a Talking Heads and CAN element to it too. I recently heard about James on Mark Morans WFT Podcast and David Byrne mentioned him. I dig stabling across new cool sounds and Chance raises the hair on my arms. The other new thing in my ear is Marden Hill. Super badass.
James Chance and The Contortions - I Can't Stand Myself 1247pm 25.8.23 die haut must have thought we cant get anyone to sing and play about like that.... we'll just do instrumentals... as the emphasis on the mental seems to reside here.
This is what a saxophone solo should sound like. 10,000 times better than the solos that appear in most Pap songs because "it's cool to have a sax in the middle!" To say that James "punked the funk" is a gross, gross understatement. Does Pat Place look like she's about to toss her cookies here, or is it just me? Shame Anya and George can't be here to see how many people love this.
I read about this band recently, and I have to say, it's more than I'd hoped for. No Wave was something I was born too late for, but can thankfully enjoy thanks to the intarwubs. Ass shakin' stuff
James Chance is fabulous in this recording made in 1979 by Paul Tschinkel at Max's Kansas City in New York. It was featured on his cable TV show 'Paul Tschinkel's Inner Tube' and represents a prime mover in the then new music scene that still has an impact today. For more on this period in art and music visit "Paul Tschinkel" on RU-vid. A better version of this performance will be posted soon.
This is my kind of music. Great !! I belioeve in You Tube. My hero alive and crazy as in his best days. Years later saw him singing Duke Ellington shite on a stool as he was to wasted to stand on his legs for to long. But...what a raw energy..... Fabulous and exciting. Cheers.
It is messed up if you walk around thinking "kids today" do not get this. The 20-somethings I know--they get this & a lot of other kinds of music. Positive, young attitude that is something "kids today" know. Forget, all you OLD kids. We know James Chance, the Wipers, Lou Reed, the Beatles, the Stooges. & all the new stuff too. Thinking that way about the youth can only mean your old and not cool.
I'm glad to see some footage of James Chance. The kids and musicians of today should be watching this and learning from it. I have James Chance on my iPod and don't think anyone gets it.
I remember seeing a movie at the Fox Venice theater of a collection of punk/new wave videos that included a well made music video of the Contortions doing Contort Yourself-- though it may actually have been the "James White & the Blacks" version rather than the Contortions, I don't recall. I'd sure like to see that again-- anyone know what the movie was called? Or if they have that footage and can upload it to RU-vid? It was by far the coolest thing in the whole program...
@Shrmnatr actually, just for reference, this style of music is commonly referred to as "no wave." The sound was no accident either. Like pariah pete mentioned, you have to look at this through the lens of what was going on in the punk scene at the time. I personally love james chance, but it's not for everyone...it was a commentary more or less on what was going on during that time. And btw...the blues definitely are NOT a form of jazz. James Brown was a Soul man.
@gayandblackin1985 Cocaine is a hell of a drug. Ever see the hardest working man in showbusiness on Sonya? Aired back in '87. He was out of his gourd then; eerily similar to this, but less funky.
