James Brown: From Sex Machine to Which Sex Machine? n
He’s n the man who’s been sampled more times than a Woolworth’s pick’n’mix. n I’m talking about, of course, the legendary Soul Brother #1, James Brown. n
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Now, there’s a reason why I’ve mentioned his name. You see, a while n ago I had a DJ in my car. A real life DJ. I picked him up from the airport n and we drove off in silence. No banging tunes on the stereo, nothing. I know n that there are people who like to make an impression on the boys and girls of n the trade by playing loud dance music in their cars. They do it only for egocentric n purposes, because they don’t realise that all DJs are desperately in search n of a little tranquility in their lives. If they want to listen to some music n it has to be through choice. But this particular DJ wanted me to turn on the n stereo. Okay. I asked him what he fancied. “Anything but four-to-the-floor,” n he said. That was a hard one. I searched through my CDs. Nothing. Then I opened n my little jewel-box full of cassettes. Found it. James Brown Live At The Apollo. n When Fred Wesley’s first sax lick filled the car, the DJ turned to me with n a grin on his face and said: “James Brown is tha man!”
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I smiled back, because it reminded me of the blunder that is number one in n my personal top ten of perfect blunders.
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James Brown was in the country to play a big stadium gig and I had arranged n an interview with him. His PR told me that I had to do the conversation at the n venue, an hour before the show. Was that a good idea? No worries, I was told, n James was at his best at such moments.
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A little more than an hour before the show I went backstage to search for my n subject. I walked through long corridors, past loud roadies and nervous musicians, n but no sign of Mr Brown. In 45 minutes the show was due begin. When I saw a n dressing room door ajar I had a quick look inside. I saw a woman sitting beneath n a huge drier. “Ma’am do you know where James Brown is?” I asked. n Suddenly the woman, rollers and all, turned to me and my heart stood still.
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Yes, James Brown is tha man. But for a few moments I thought he was, well, n tha woman.
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Mick Boskamp
n* Mick Boskamp lives in Amsterdam and is editor of Playboy Magazine (Netherlands), presenter of nthe AXE-Nightguide TV show, presenter of VIP-Sessions on ID&T Radio and nrecord-box carrier to the international DJ jet-set.
