James Brown Press Conference Philadelphia Peter Stone Brown Archives Podcast

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PSB: How did you first start out?
Well that’s a long story that goes back to kind of a long line of playin’ at talent shows, theaters and what-have-you, and comin’ from a very poor family havin’ to dance for the soldiers and make money to the pay money to pay the rent.  Kind of built my talent up to necessity for survival and when we started talent shows, it was kind of easy for me to win.  I won so many talent shows I guess they just they just got tired of me and decided to let me make it.  
Other person: I was listening to your new record and it seems like a new direction for James Brown that’s moving into an area of sort of sophisticated production away from that raw funk sound that we kind of associate with you.  What do you feel about your musical direction now?
No.  That was just change.  It’s kind of hard to have a direction because of the fact that my past has caught up with all of the kids, the rock clubs and everything, they’re so crazy about my older stuff.  We just recorded a live album.  Went to Japan where they have the best facilities in the world.  It’ll be out next of the original James Brown sound with new arrangements.  We had a band, you’ll see what I’m talkin’ about, all the excitement that the entertainment needs today.  But by the same token, I like the studio recordings, which produced by Brad Shapiro was fantastic and I’m one who kinda wanna do it all.  I don’t wanna have this one direction.  I think the main direction that I’m goin’ in today is what the country has ceased to go in, in the direction of entertainment.  I decided to come back out and entertain the people.  They need some entertainment, that’s all.
Other person:  Do you feel that as opposed to the disco thing which is strictly a sort of recorded dance....
Well, disco gave people a chance to dance.  They’d been sittin’ down for about 15 years, so they wanted to dance.  I think what’ll happen today is you’ll have dance concerts, you’ll be playin’ live and then they’ll dance and the ones that want to sit, they’ll sit.  If you’re hot enough, you’ll keep ’em standin’, if you’re not, then they’ll sit down.  It’s be kind of bad for ’em to sit down.
Other person:  James, I interviewed a few people outside in the bar and a number of ’em told me that, a number of black people told me that you as an individual meant quite a bit to their life and that you were an inspiration and the whole soul drive really kept ’em goin’ for awhile.  Did you ever have that as an intent?
Well it was my intent to contribute to humanity and I didn’t want it to be just black people.  But however I wanted to do what I could for people ’cause people made me what I am today.  I think that’s everyone’s duty.  However, I think God give me a talent to entertain people to try to make them forget their problems and whatever and kind of help them to get themself goin’ and reorganize themself or what have you.  So that’s really where I’m at about entertainin’ and tryin’ to give back and keep the energy goin’.
Matthew Berg:  A lot of people came through your band like Bootsie and Fred Wesley and the horns.  What do you think about the kind of music they’re making now, the younger people or even someone like James Chance.  Have you heard him?
No I haven’t, but what it is, you fellas, youngsters just kind of come along a little late.  We were talkin’ about it earlier with the owner of this club who I’ve known for quite awhile.  Naturally, being young at heart or bein’ people at heart, human, if you see me around the house, you’d see how I feel because I would probably come with my boots on and western hat my denims and things.  I know I’m in a lot of bags, so sometimes I put my suit on, bust the collar open and sometimes I’ll take you inside, I’ll take you up in how I look my most sophisticated but what Bootsy and them is doin’ is