IM 27 years Old Soul......DAMN.... THIS IS THE BEST GENERATION EVER...WHERE MUSIC ACTUALLY SPOKE TO THE SOUL....NOWADAYS ITS A BUNCH OF NOISES AND KLINGON LYRICS.........
R.I.P. Ricky West, Spike Mickens, Ronald “Khalis” Bell, Dee Tee Thomas, and Charles “Claydes” Smith…..Kool & The Gang music lives on and is timeless. 💖✝️🙏🏾
@Humberto Ruiz ...Some of the world's greatest entertainers. Lost the battle of life to drugs! That makes them no less human. Let's give thanks to them for their talent. And all that good music.
@Humberto Ruiz I doubt it. The Bell’s were Muslims, so they do not take drugs. I do not think they would tolerate that behavior in their group. The guys all worked hard at their craft. Writing, recording, performing, raising families.
Now this is the real "Gang" with Rick West, Clay and Spike all RIP. Rick played those simple but funky riffs on clavinet and Clay was just a master guitarist probably the most advanced of any guitarist who played funk back then because of his knowledge of jazz chordal structures. A dominant seventh chord with a raised 9th as in Funky Stuff was unheard of back then in this style of music
dlonra65 Your right about Brother Claydes X SMITH the only other Guitarist known for this would be THE GREAT MR.JIMMY NOLAN who I know Brother SMITH listened to.
@@DJGary0910 Good question; I remember him from their very first album, and nothing is really known about him-never heard anything about him either, other than he was on their first album, and then he was no longer in the group. If he is still living, it would be nice to hear his story...1-1-23.
Was searching for this song about 8 years. because of san andreas it was in my head but i couldn't find it anywhere.Now i have found it and my side quest is over.
With all respect to the man who moved my behind in the mid-eighties, KOOL & THE GANG was a different group in 69-72, the earthy, raw super horn-driven funk this group delivered is nothing but pure school book FUNK!
I was born in 1977 and my parents introduced me to soooo much truly truly good music 60s 70s 80s 90s music I love Kool and the Gang among so many groups THAT WERE TRULY TALENTED HERE WE ARE LOOKING AT THE DAYS WHEN GROUPS WERE TRULY TRULY TALENTED YOU HAD TO BE ABLE TO SING AND DANCE NOT KNOW SOMEONE BE PRETTY OR HANDSOME AND LET MACHINES MAKE YOU SOUND GOOD BUT LIVE YOU SOUND LIKE SHIT AND THEY USE MACHINES TO MAKE YOU SOUND GOOD OR JUST DOWN RIGHT SOMEONE ELSE IS SINGING BUT THESE NO TALENT BOMBS GET PAID LIKE NOW OR SLEEP YOUR WAY INTO THE INDUSTRY THE 60s 70s 80s 90s ARE EXCELLENT YEARS FOR EXCELLENT MUSIC AND TALENT RIP TO THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED IN THIS GROUP INCLUDING WOLF MAN JACK INTRODUCING THESE STARS WHO SHOWED UP TO SHOW OUT 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Those stages were just too small to contain such monster groups like Kool & The Gang, Commodores, New Birth and WAR. But the music..that horn solo!! And that "Ba-dah-do-ba-Dah" at the end? Everybody used to vocalize the Kool's horns. Even Kool.
1974 went off to college and partied at the "Magic Moment" (nightclub) to this jam. Talk about take me back to a time when nothing hurt and I was a party machine. Thanks Cool and the Gang! You'll never be forgotten!
One of the photos used for the artwork of their album, Light of Worlds was taken during their appearance on this show. If you have the album, you'll see it plus at the corner is a NBC cameraman.
Unfortunately, they have his bass too low in the mix on this song. It’s what makes this song the great song it is but you can barely hear it because it’s too low and the rhythm guitar is too loud. Sound guy didn’t do his job right. It the guys, as usual, didn’t miss a note! Perfect as always.
The most recent passing was of Dennis DT Thomas on tenor sax. Dennis was the father of the beautiful young lady who played Theo's first girlfriend on The Cosby Show. She, unfortunately, passed away while the show was still being filmed.
Endless and Timeless as The Courage, Talent and Music of These Brothers Shall Live Through Eternity, Always Being on Our Hearts, Minds, Bodies and Souls... Back in the day where not easy, but they definitely where better than these days...
The story told by Ricky West at the beginning of " Hollywood Swinging " is the one he told to me on many occasions as we partied at the club " Cheetah " back in da day!!!
Gosh, I'm just old enough to remember Wolfman Jack -- so kool that the person who digitized this video and uploaded it chose to include his intro of the band!!!
+jimmiranda this song is even worst than today songs, because 1. the lyrics of this song are fucking bullshit 2. the music is very bad and crap 3. this music isn't cool or relaxing at all
Brilliant Young Jazz Musicians from Jersey City NJ. Look at how they Shine!!! The Nation of Islam surely showing on their faces and in their dapper suits! RIP Spike-Trumpet and Charles-Guitar.
Man they had some good dope back then, how could you sit there, you had to get up and dance to this funky tune This tune is funkyer then 7 day old mustard green
I always loved the lyrics to this song. Who writes a song about going to see a band perform and later joining them. RIP Ricky West along with Spike Mickens and Charles Smith
From 2022 to present, this song is played and covered by Miguel Candelman and his band as the main title theme from the 2022 FOX revival of the million-dollar music game, "The New Don't Forget The Lyrics" starring Niecy Nash. P.S. Thanks Kool and the Gang. I hope your song helps contestant on "The New Don't Forget The Lyrics" win $1 million and make history as the America's richest music millionaire. From Vietnam with ❤
We need to see more rare footage of performances like this one! Kool & the Gang brought their "A-Game" to the Midnight Special, as did other artist of that era
I saw them perform live in San Diego, CA, at the Del Mar Fair (now known as the Del Mar Mar County Fair) in June 14, 1990. The very same people here onstage in this video. One of the few bands who sound just as good live, compared to their studio-tracked albums.
