All Americans come from Ohio originally, if only briefly. --- Dawn Powell

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Love Rollercoaster


Awww, little brothers, they love to aggravate their sisters even when they're all grown up. The other week, my younger brother tried to instigate an argument/heated discussion by suggesting that Les Claypool of Primus was the best living bass player, knowing full well that my love for Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers would not allow me to remain quiet. Fortunately the discussion was short-lived and a truce declared since we quickly agreed that it wasn't quite fair to compare the two since they have rather different styles. So how does any of this relate to Ohio (other than I've seen both bands perform in Ohio)? Well, the most meaningful connection that popped in my head was that one of my favorite RHCP songs is actually a cover of a #1 hit by a band from Ohio. 'Love Rollercoaster' was originally a hit in 1976 for the funk and R&B band The Ohio Players. As one would imagine, the members are actually from Ohio and the band formed in Dayton, OH in 1959 as the Ohio Untouchables. The band became The Ohio Players when the core members returned to Dayton in 1964, after a breakup in 1963, and added Gregory Webster and Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner. They became the house band for New York based Compass Records in 1967 after adding two more singers, Bobby Lee Fears and Dutch Robinson.

P.S. If my little brother happens to read or hear of this post, he will undoubtedly demand royalties (from what I don't know) for my mentioning of him. Some relationships never change but guarantee ups, downs and curves ;-)

Flea - Funk Slap Bass Lesson (with River Phoenix)
RHCP - Around the World (of course Ohio is mentioned ;-)

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