On Wednesday, March 9th, KEXP DJs John Richards, Cheryl Waters, and Kevin Cole paid tribute to one of the most sampled breaks in music history: the iconic eight-bar unaccompanied solo by session drummer Clyde Stubblefield in the 1970 James Brown single "Funky Drummer." Listeners had the chance to win a copy of Copyright Criminals: The Funky Drummer Edition DVD, a documentary exploring the impact that sampling and remixing has had on both modern musicians and veteran performers. Throughout the day, you could hear the songs that sample Stubblefield, and hear the story behind this unsung hero who never received any recognition or royalties for his work.
In an interview with the New York Times, Ahmir Thompson, aka Questlove of the Roots, said, "There have been faster, and there have been stronger, but Clyde Stubblefield has a marksman’s left hand unlike any drummer in the 20th century. It is he who defined funk music."
In honor of Stubblefield, KEXP also spent the day honoring all the overlooked underdogs of rhythm, with guest appearances by Seattle musicians Michael Shrieve, Telekinesis aka Michael Benjamin Lerner, Trent Moorman, Tilson, OCnotes, guitarist Jimmy James from Grace Love and the True Loves, and more local luminaries of percussion.
In honor of Funky Drummer Day, local musician and journalist Trent Moorman has graciously shared interviews he's done for The Stranger and Vice Magazine for 24 Drummers, 24 Interviews, a four-part series here on the KEXP Blog!
In honor of Funky Drummer Day, local musician and journalist Trent Moorman has graciously shared interviews he's done for The Stranger and Vice Magazine for 24 Drummers, 24 Interviews, a four-part series here on the KEXP Blog!
