Kool And The Gang "The Albums Vol. 1: 1970-1978" 13CD box set [[Edsel UK)

[jack020]

http://www.imwan.com/phpBB3/viewtopi...22971bd81ec78c

Description
• 13 CD box set
• 119 tracks
• Contains all of their 12 Studio & Live albums from 1970-1978
• Includes a 'Singles Selection' CD

Kool & The Gang are one of the most sampled bands in music history.

From their roots in the mid-late ‘60s, the band has explored many musical styles from jazz and soul, funk and rock, R&B/pop, with Gene Redd at the helm for their first handful of albums.

Formed by brothers Robert "Kool" Bell [[Muhammad Bayyan) and Ronald Bell [[Khalis Bayyan) and five close friends, Kool & The Gang signed to De-Lite Records in 1969, releasing their eponymous debut album, “Kool And The Gang” worldwide the following year, having reached the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart with the title track.

In 1973, Kool & The Gang reached the Billboard Top 30 for the first time with ‘Funky Stuff’, which was swiftly followed by ‘Jungle Boogie’ and ‘Hollywood Swinging’, which both reached the US Top 10. These are two of their most instantly recognisable earlier recordings, due to them being sampled and featured in present day TV commercials.

More hits followed, including 1975’s ‘Summer Madness’, again instantly recognisable from DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s [[aka Will Smith) global hit ‘Summertime’ in 1991. However, it was the inclusion of their 1976 track ‘Open Sesame’ on the 50 million selling units “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack, that they really gained worldwide commercial popularity and recognition.

“The Albums Vol. 1: 1970-1978” is the first of two box sets that cover the band’s first 20 years. The set contains 119 tracks across 13 CDs, from the band’s twelve studio and live albums, released worldwide from 1970’s debut “Kool & The Gang” and 1978’s “Everybody’s Dancin’”, as well as a “Singles Selection” disc, containing singles edits and non-LP tracks.

[kenneth]

It's amazing to me there's a market for a 13-disc Kool & the Gang set, but the powers that be don't find groups like the Temptations or the 4 Tops would have the audience for such sets. I never really listened much to Kool & the Gang. I always thought they had some good tunes but never thought of them as innovative in any way, and honestly never owned any of their albums. In fact, I'm surprised that this box only represents about half of their output and another box is planned! Some of their songs [[Ladies Night, Celebrate) almost seemed to be indistinguishable from one another.

But do my fellow SDFers think this would be something they would want to have? I'm curious.

[Motown Eddie]

But do my fellow SDFers think this would be something they would want to have? I'm curious.

I'd want to have it! I'm a big Kool & The Gang fan and I've got many of the group's albums that are included on the set at home. However, I do agree with you there should also be similar collections for The Temptations, Four Tops, Diana Ross & The Supremes [and others].

[Mondeo]

I always thought they had some good tunes but never thought of them as innovative in any way, and honestly never owned any of their albums. In fact, I'm surprised that this box only represents about half of their output and another box is planned! Some of their songs [[Ladies Night, Celebrate) almost seemed to be indistinguishable from one another.

But do my fellow SDFers think this would be something they would want to have? I'm curious.

In my mind the early seventies represent the best of Kool and the Gang’s music. They were at the forefront of “Street Funk” along with Ohio Players. Being one of the most sampled bands in music history suggest they were doing something different to the rest [[innovative?).

As discussed on these pages previously, ‘75/76 marked the declining fortune/quality of soul with disco being dominant then on. This is reflected in Kool and the Gang’s music where they became big sellers with their pop/soul/disco hits such as Ladies Night in ‘79. This stage of their career the music to me seems formulaic aimed squarely at the pop charts. Can’t blame them for wanting to make money but my interest for them waned rapidly at this point.

I would be interested in this box set if priced right, considering you can get the next six albums in a box set on Amazon U.K. for just over £13.

[kenneth]

Thanks for your opinion guys.

I never thought of them in the same "bag" as the Ohio Players, who to me were much funkier and closer to the Parliament/Funkadelic sound than to K&G. [[The Ohio Players also had those great album covers, often with the same gorgeous model.)

A friend of mine from Europe tells me that outside of the UK, the Motown groups weren't all that big, and that Kool & the Gang had a huge following into the 80s, and also that 80s music is very popular there today.

I wouldn't say that Kool & the Gang had what amounted to a "Eurodisco" sound, but they were certainly smoother than most of the Motown groups, at least considering their hit material which is all I'm really familiar with.

I'm thinking they may deserve a second look, though not with a 13-CD introduction!

If any of our European members can comment on my friend's opinion, I'm interested to hear it. Also, if anyone can recommend a good comp on K&G, please do.

[Mondeo]

Thanks for your opinion guys.

I never thought of them in the same "bag" as the Ohio Players, who to me were much funkier and closer to the Parliament/Funkadelic sound than to K&G. [[The Ohio Players also had those great album covers, often with the same gorgeous model.)

A friend of mine from Europe tells me that outside of the UK, the Motown groups weren't all that big, and that Kool & the Gang had a huge following into the 80s, and also that 80s music is very popular there today.

I wouldn't say that Kool & the Gang had what amounted to a "Eurodisco" sound, but they were certainly smoother than most of the Motown groups, at least considering their hit material which is all I'm really familiar with.

I'm thinking they may deserve a second look, though not with a 13-CD introduction!

If any of our European members can comment on my friend's opinion, I'm interested to hear it. Also, if anyone can recommend a good comp on K&G, please do.

Just seen this box set on Amazon U.K. priced at £84.99 I think that’s far to much for what it is so I won’t be getting it.

Kenneth try More Funky Stuff and Electric Frog on YouTube to remind yourself of just how funky they were in their early days. It is this period where I feel they can be grouped with Ohio Players not their later pop/disco output.

[kenneth]

Just seen this box set on Amazon U.K. priced at £84.99 I think that’s far to much for what it is so I won’t be getting it.

Kenneth try More Funky Stuff and Electric Frog on YouTube to remind yourself of just how funky they were in their early days. It is this period where I feel they can be grouped with Ohio Players not their later pop/disco output.

Thanks! That's exactly what I need to know and that's the period I'd be most interested in. That should help me find the best comp on them. Thanks again!

[Mondeo]

Thanks! That's exactly what I need to know and that's the period I'd be most interested in. That should help me find the best comp on them. Thanks again!

I recommend a cd on Amazon U.K. called Kool and the Gang The Funk Collection. It’s only £2.22. There’s no track listing on the web site but it is full of their early funk tracks. I bought it some 20 years ago.

[TomatoTom123]

I like Kool & The Gang, both their earlier funk period and their more pop/disco stuff from 1979.

I think J.T. Taylor has a fantastic voice [[their lead singer from 1979, and on all their big hits). I think I have all of their albums!

[Boogiedown]

one of the earliest commercial disco 12" a commoner could buy at the store, if they could find it and they knew to look:




fun stuff !

[TomatoTom123]

one of the earliest commercial disco 12" a commoner could buy at the store, if they could find it and they knew to look:




fun stuff !

You sure know your disco, Boogie

I like this one which is in a very similar vein…

[Boogiedown]

You sure know your disco, Boogie

I like this one which is in a very similar vein…

yes. excellent "deep" disco . good call Tom. they revisit earlier hits in this: OPEN SESAME and HOLLYWOOD SWINGING.
What's most incredible starts at about 1:45 ...did you notice
... this came out [suspiciously] BEFORE Diana's THE BOSS.

[Motown Eddie]

Also, if anyone can recommend a good comp on K&G, please do.

Here's two good comps on Kool & The Gang with one covering the 1969-1976 period and the other featuring the 1979-1987 hits;
Kool & The Gang - The Best Of Kool And The Gang [1969 - 1976] | Releases | Discogs

Kool & The Gang - Celebration: The Best Of Kool & The Gang [1979-1987] | Releases | Discogs

And their Gold collection covers both of the band's eras in an inexpensive 2CD set.
Kool & The Gang - Gold | Releases | Discogs

[kenneth]

Great suggestions. Thanks all! The Gold collection sounds like a great overview. Actually from the track listing I had forgotten that they did several of the songs listed. For example, I had forgotten that they did “Jungle Boogie”, “Hollywood Swingin’” and even “Open Sesame!”

[dylan]

Hi Gang,
Here are a couple of Kool interviews...

#7 - Kool & the Gang
SHOW NOTES
Tom spoke to Kool & the Gang founders, Robert Bell and Ronald Bell, about how their band name came about to avoid problems with James Brown, their thoughts on some artists’ multiple retirement tours, and their plans to release a big box set of previously unfinished works.

21 minutes / Apr 8, 2020
https://podbay.fm/p/greatest-music-of-all-time/e/1586379600


Robert Bell [[of Kool & The Gang)
SHOW NOTES
One of the founding members of the group that bears his name, Robert Kool Bell helped form Kool & The Gang in 1964 with his brother Khalis, and friends Dennis "D.T." Thomas, Robert Spike Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown, and Ricky West. With hits like [Celebration,] [Summer Madness] [Ladies’ Night,] and [Jungle Boogie,] Kool & The Gang earned 25 Top Ten R&B hits and nine Top Ten Pop hits, in addition to selling more than 70M albums worldwide. Kool & the Gang’s legacy endures, with their works being sampled by A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, N.W.A., Anderson .Paak, Wu-Tang Clan, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, The Notorious B.I.G., Queen Latifah, and many more. And in 2015, their No. 1 mega-hit [Celebration] was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2018, Kool was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, an honor that was added to his already impressive list of achievements with the band, which includes two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, a MOBO Award, and a BET Soul Train Legend Award. One of Kool’s bass guitars is currently on display at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

1 hour 6 minutes / Sep 9, 2021
https://podbay.fm/p/rock-and-roll-high-school-with-pete-ganbarg/e/1631185200

[dylan]

I keep forgetting how to make links clickable.
'Sorry about that.