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NOTE: Please visit And We Danced Daily for
the latest news on Rick James' recent passing and memorial services.
The architect of his own approach to Funk which he dubbed 'Punk-Funk' or just 'P-Funk,' Rick James
popularized the Funk beat on the one from the Dance club to Pop radio. Rick James is a one man writing,
producing and performing wizard with a legacy of single-handedly saving Motown Records in the early 80's
and mentoring a range of classic Dance artists from Teena Marie to the Mary Jane Girls.
Rick James' professional musical career began in the wake of going AWOL from the U.S. Navy. In the mid-60's
he launched the group the Mynah Birds in Toronto and for a brief period in early 1966 Neil Young was
a member of the group. The Mynah Birds were signed to Motown and recorded an album's worth of material,
but these recordings have never been commercially released. When the Navy caught up with Rick James,
the Mynah Birds split apart. Neil Young and Bruce Palmer, another band member, headed to California
to eventually form Buffalo Springfield. Rick James headed to Europe.
In London Rick James formed a blues band called the Main Line. For the next seven years he commuted back
and forth betweeen London and North America. In the late 60's he worked for Motown as a staff
songwriter. By 1977 Rick James made the decision to remain permanently in the U.S. and formed the Stone City
Band. They released their first album Come Get It! in 1978 and James' irresistible blend of
Funk and Rock propelled the single You and I to the top 3 on Disco charts. A very young
Prince and the Mary Jane Girls took part in Rick James' concert tour in
support of the album.
Rick James followed up his success with 3 albums, Bustin' Out Of L Seven, Fire It Up, and
Garden Of Love, in 2 years. None reached the success of his first album. Love Gun and
Big Time were minor dance hits, but Rick James' star was on the fade. Both critics and fans were
unprepared for the release of the masterful Street Songs album in 1981. The single Give It To Me Baby preceded the album. It is a masterful slice of swaggering Funk that topped both R&B and Dance
charts. Super Freak, the 2nd single, featuring backing vocals by the Temptations, became a
breakthrough Pop hit for Rick James. The rhythm track of Super Freak became a hit all over again
as the backing for MC Hammer's U Can't Touch This in 1990.
1982's Throwin' Down album continued the hot streak with Dance Wit' Me entering the Dance
Top 10 and Rick James' production helping resuscitate the career of the Temptations on Standing
On the Top credited to the Temptations Featuring Rick James. Rick James' notorious hard-living lifestyle
began to take a toll on him physically and artistically. His 1983 album Cold Blooded and its
leadoff single by the same name sold reasonably well but received lukewarm critical reviews. A greatest hits
album, Reflections, released in 1984 included the moderate hit 17 and nicely wrapped up
his major hits.
While it didn't reach the Pop sales figures of Street Songs, the album Glow, released in 1985,
was a major comeback among R&B and Dance fans. Can't Stop reached the Dance top 10 and Glow
became Rick James' second number one Dance hit. After 1985, life became difficult for Rick James
commercially, artistically, and personally. He had a few scattered hits including Sweet and Sexy Thing
and Loosey's Rap with Roxanne Shante, but continual encounters with the law and drug
enforcement completely disrupted his recording career. After a 9-year absence of new albums, Urban
Rapsody was released in 1997. It featured collaborations with a number of Rap stars and proved
Rick James' artistic muse was intact. No further albums have been released, but Rick James finally
enjoys a happy, comfortable personal life while continuing to tour with Teena Marie.
