I cannot figure out why the Isely Brothers Band have not gotten the acclaim and the place in World Music they so honestly deserve. I always felt they were one of the most original forces in pop...true outsiders is a world of slickness.
The Isley Brothers created many of the most definitive cross over R&B Rock Classics of the last 50 years. Everybody knows Twist and Shout, or from the same period...SHOUT!
YOU KNOW YOU MAKE WANNA SHOUT!
As the family band moved into the 60's they evolved and the younger members of the family pushed the music ahead. In the mid 60's, the Classic Isely line up included Jimi Hendrix on guitar. A young teen, Ernie was profoundly influenced and became the guitarist for the later day Iselys and created his own sonic signature. Ernie remains one of the most under appreciated and influential guitarists of all time...everybody loves his sound, but nobody knows who he is.
Around the same time, the youngest member of the family, Marvin began to play bass with the band in the mid 70's. They created a new sound, the song everybody knows is Who's That Lady?
The Brothers kind of broke up and retied in the early 80's, but Ernie released some incredible records on his own and Marvin, Ernie and Jasper had a few international hits, the biggest was Caravan of Love...they played together and in solo projects for years, but Marvin became diabetic and eventually became an invalid and lost his legs.
Marvin died yesterday at age 56. I posted this piece because it was the dawn of the new Isely Brothers in the early 70's. The older brothers and the younger musicians redefining funk, R&B and rock for a brave new world!
This is for you Marvin.....
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