From: Bob Davis (earthjuice_at_prodigy.net)
Date: 2003-10-19 02:39:01
http://www.soul-patrol.net/stanga.ram
<a href="http://www.soul-patrol.net/stanga.ram"> STANGA BY ? </a>
Back in 1974 when I was a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh, I was living in a place
called "501 Brackenridge".
This was a suite type of dormitory room with 5 other brotha's.
One of these brotha was a character whose name I have mentioned before here on Soul-Patrol.
His name is Clarence Montgomery.
However everyone simply called him "Wicks", as per his request.
(why anyone would want to name themselves after a "mediocre basketball player" is beyond me,
however that is what we called him......lol)
"Wicks" was one of those type of people that you had to know in order to even believe that he
was a real person.
He was 5'6" tall (5'9" if you counted his fro'), 165 lbs.
He always wore real bright multicolored 'rib' shirts with horizontal stripes, along with
matching knee high multicolored socks with horizontal stripes and sparkles'. He wore faded
blue jeans rolled up to his knees so that the socks were visible, 4 inch high bright canary
yellow platform shoes and his "cheese cutter afro pick" hung out of his back rear pocket in
such a way as to suggest a dangerous weapon.
In short he looked just like an "Afronaught"....
I have always said that "Wicks" is a candidate to have his picture placed in the dictionary,
right besides the word "FUNK" :)
At any rate, and more pertinent to the subject matter at hand....
One day Wicks came bursting into the suite one day with a 45 record and said....
YALL GOTTA HEAR THIS JOINT.
IT'S ONE OF THE FUNKIEST CUTS
THAT YOU HAVE EVER HEARD
& I'LL BET THAT NONE
OF YALL CAN GUESS WHO IT'S BY?
And with that announcement, "Wicks" placed the 45 record on to the turntable and dared us all
to guess who the song was by...
Of course none of us could correctly guess the name of the artist who performed song.
However it was indeed a STANK NASTY JOINT indeed and we were all surprised (but not
really.....lol) when he finally told us who the song was by....
Take a listen here and see if you can correctly identify who the artist is?
http://www.soul-patrol.net/stanga.ram
<a href="http://www.soul-patrol.net/stanga.ram"> STANGA BY ? </a>
It's one of the greatest trivia questions you could ask, because unless you really know, you
will guess wrong and when you hear the correct answer, you will say to yourself....
OF COURSE!!!!
(I knew that all along....:-))
:::::FAST FORWARD TO 2003::::::
Today I was listening to "STANGA" once again.
Probably for the first time in about 10 years.
The song is just as STANK FUNKY as it was back in the 1970's!!!
I still really dig this song...
http://www.soul-patrol.net/stanga.ram
<a href="http://www.soul-patrol.net/stanga.ram"> STANGA BY ? </a>
However while listening closely it really does sound like it could have easily been recorded
by Shuggie Otis.
(that isn't the correct answer......lol)
This cut could have appeared on the LP "Inspiration Information", an LP that was clearly
influenced by "STANGA"?
I guess I never realized this before.
Neva thought about it before.
Inspiration Information" was out during the same time when my friend "Wicks" posed this
question.
And like the rest of my boys, "Wicks" was also a big fan of Shuggie Otis as well.
Maybe one of these days I'll get a chance to ask Shuggie if "Inspiration Information" was
inspired in whole or in part by "STANGA"?
Listen to: Happy House - "Inspiration Information"
http://www.soul-patrol.com/funk/sounds/happy.ram
btw....
Just in case you still haven't guessed the correct answer yet.
Go to this web page, and it will all become clear :)
http://www.davisind.com/redirect/?d=newsletter_lilsis
<a
href="http://www.davisind.com/redirect/?d=newsletter_lilsis">http://www.davisind.com/redirect/
?d=newsletter_lilsis </a>
_________
Bob Davis
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Email: <a href="mailto:earthjuice_at_prodigy.net"> earthjuice_at_prodigy.net </a>