Ah, Sugar

This was 1972 at the Sugar Shack in Boston, which was off the Common in what used to be a seedy neighborhood that has since been purchased by Emerson College. A guy called Rudy Guarino–whose name, let’s be honest, is a bit on-the-nose–opened up the club in ’65, and it was the only place in town that booked soul acts. Everyone played there.

This shot is undated, but we can assume it’s around 1970 from Mr. Brown’s outfit and natural, PLUS that may well be Bootsy behind him. See how the headstock of the Fender Jazz bass is all upright like that?

That’s Bootsy, baby. (And that’s Bootsy’s brother Catfish playing the Vox on the right.)

The O’Jays, Four Tops, Temptations, Gladys Knight and All Of Her Pips, Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, Teddy Pendergrass. The Wicked Mr. Pickett, and Brother Ray. If you were a black act in the 60’s and 70’s, then you played the Sugar Shack.

It looked like this:

That’s Arthur Conley in 1968, possibly singing his #2 hit of the previous year, Sweet Soul Music. (It was kept from the top spot by The Happening by The Supremes. If it’s any consolation to Mr. Conley, I can’t remember any of The Happening, but could sing every word of his tune. Spotlight on James Brown now.)

Here’s another number from Funkadelic:

Perhaps you’re wondering why I haven’t given an exact date for the show. If so, you haven’t been listening to me: NO ONE WROTE ANYTHING DOWN.  Who joined the band when? Who played on what track? Where was the band on which date? A lot of the time, the best we can do is educated guesses. This was 1972, and it may or may not have been the first show with Bootsy, Catfish, and Frank “Waddy” Kash on drums. We know this, too. That’s as close to we can get to the truth.

The whole gig is available as an import CD from Japan, and therefore should be available somewhere on the innertubes, but I can’t find it. (If anyone wants to slip me an MP3 copy, I wouldn’t holler.)

One more:

I lied. One more:

You’re right. That was not P-Funk. It was Rappin’ Rodney. I apologize for the error.