Two quick things:

1) Shout! Factory’s new three-DVD set, I’ve Got the Feelin’: James Brown in the ’60s, is a valuable corrective. Just as the final, bloated Elvis became the best-remembered Elvis, the presence of the JB set on my desk prompted people to tell me their sorry, late-period James Brown story. My own was a surprisingly slack show at Ontario Place in Toronto in 1985 or ’86. For anybody whose touchstone to Brown comes from that era, I’ve Got the Feelin’ reminds you what all the shouting was about, both as a musical and social figure. Even drenched in sweat, he was a smooth mover. And for those whose connection to Brown comes through Prince, watching Brown dance at this time reminds you that Prince probably never had any real street cred. And for those fascinated by late James Brown, here’s Jonathan Lethem’s excellent profile for Rolling Stone.  

2. I’ve finally finished the Bryan Ferry section of Michael Bracewell’s Re-Make/Re-Model: Becoming Roxy Music (which I’ve been reading at lunch each day), and it occurred to me as a I looked at a photo of a long-haired, freaky Eno that Spin‘s Coldplay cover story did not mention that Eno was ever a member of Roxy Music, instead identifying him as “guru to U2, David Bowie, and Talking Heads, among many others.” How interesting to realize that there may be two generations of music listeners who don’t know the gig that made Eno’s name – or the albums he made with Bowie and Talking Heads.

As for the book, the section on Ferry ends with him having done little or nothing. Bracewell tells the story of an art school program at Newcastle that tied to Duchamp, Warhol and pop art, but that Ferry did little at school beyond absorb the intellectual atmosphere. He’s the least interesting, least active figure in his story.