Can someone explain DC's Go-Go scene to me?

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Any great records in this genre? Also, what is it? Funk, Hip-Hop?

― Matt Boch (Matt Boch), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 01:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, there was a recent thread on the subject that might help ...

In terms of records ... those Trouble Funk reissues on the Infinite Zero label are great. And try to scare up that old Go-Go Crankin' compilation on 4th and Broadway (I'm not sure if it ever had a CD release, but I think it did; anyway, it should have).

― Broheems (diamond), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 01:17 (twenty-one years ago)

There's a bunch of "Best of DC Go-Go" comps that are pretty widely available... they are great, great party records.

I don't know anything about most of the modern stuff (I grew up in the D.C. suburbs but haven't lived there in a long time), but the real great groups to see then were Pleasure, Rare Essence, Junkyard, Chuck Brown, Doo Doo, and many more. I was terrified seeing these shows (I will never forget somehow convincing my FATHER to take me to a mixed rap/go-go show in the middle of Maryland that the Geto Boys headlined !!), but looking back they were some of the most fun things I have ever seen. Everyone dances nonstop and it's just a huge party. A highly recommended live experience, and fun on record for parties.

― Ben Boyer (Ben Boyer), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 01:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Thanks, I tried thread searching, but "go" is four characters or less.

― Matt Boch (Matt Boch), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 01:37 (twenty-one years ago)

on the other thread somebody mentions "Arcade Funk". that track is incredibly ill is seriously well put together - it beats "losing my edge" hands down for raw, jittery vibes. not bad for 1983!

― vahid (vahid), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 01:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Also see the cruelly foreshortened S&D: Go Go

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 01:50 (twenty-one years ago)

My soulseek is busy downloading me some troublefunk, but it looks like I'll have to try a little harder to find those other rekkids.

― Matt Boch (Matt Boch), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 01:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Arcade Funk/Tilt/Search and Destroy, I get it all mixed up, but it's the best Go-Go electro, vocoder songs about video games on top of Go-Go, so good.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 22:04 (twenty-one years ago)

There's a Trouble Funk live record that's not the (excellent) one that Infinite Zero reissued but is blue with a really cheesy pic of the band on front. That record is off the hook. I will find out the name and report back.

The best way to figure out what's good, go-go wise, is to see what people are buying. When I worked at Kemp Mill back in the day that's how I did it. Also there's a go-go specialty store in (I think) Langley Park, MD.

― adam (adam), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 22:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I really want to hear that Chuck Brown record with Ricky Wellman on drums.

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 22:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Any Other Way to Go? I have it, if that is the one you're thinking of. It's a decent, if a bit lukewarm, live recording. Very monotempo, not as sprightly sounding as the studio stuff I've heard. Chuck's voice isn't full of a lot of vigor. It's been a while since I listened to it though. I might have a different opinion these days, cuz I actually started listening to some of this stuff again after that last thread was started. The Trouble Funk Early Singles compilation absolutely kills! I can't believe how good it sounded, after having not listened to it in quite a while. Yeah, I have their double-live record with the cheesy cover, too. I need to dig that one out again as well.

Matt, were you able to grab some tracks?

― Broheems (diamond), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 22:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes. I am hooked to that early singles collection. I'm trying to download their other albums as well. I called a couple friends in DC, and I'm trying to convince them to send some records my way. I'm impressed.

― Matt Boch (Matt Boch), Thursday, 4 December 2003 07:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Do you know that E.U. "Da Butt" song? That was totally the biggest national hit to come out of the scene, should be real easy to find.. also, Chuck Brown's "We Need Some Money" is another good one to search for (it was also on that Go-Go Crankin' thing). It's a good cut, and it was sampled by Eric B. & Rakim on "Paid in Full" (or one of the remixes anyway)..

― Broheems (diamond), Thursday, 4 December 2003 07:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Wow, I downloaded some Chuck Brown stuff and it's great. I've already heard some horn (or "horn" rather) lines that some New Orleans brass bands used later on, and some hip-hop samples.

Now, how is this not just funk?

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 17 December 2003 03:06 (twenty-one years ago)

the first link has some explanations, jordan

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 17 December 2003 03:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Should have read more closely. That makes sense, go-go as bridging elements of funk & hip-hop.

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 17 December 2003 03:40 (twenty-one years ago)

The younger go-go bands don't have horns and cover more hiphop songs and incorporate more rapping while still utilizing lots of percussion and keyboards. The older outfits still use horns and mix old-school funk with hiphop.

― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Wednesday, 17 December 2003 04:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Rare Essence will do old-school go-go on some nights and then do new-school go-go covers of current hiphop on another night...

― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Wednesday, 17 December 2003 04:34 (twenty-one years ago)

last time i was back in DC, went to see a triple bill of EU, Trouble Funk & Chuck Brown.

though I did feel a little like i was revisiting my high school years I had an absolute blast and my friends who I dragged along who'd never been to see go-go were blown away. It is an amazing & fun live experience.

― H (Heruy), Wednesday, 17 December 2003 08:30 (twenty-one years ago)

three years pass...

Capital Swamp: The DC Resource Thread

Go Go - Gone Gone?

Saw Mambo Sauce the other night. Their songs "Miracles" and "Welcome to DC" are getting major DC airplay on Wkys and WPGC. They have a woman vocalist, another woman on drums, plus keyboards and congas and cowbell, and do more origiinals than most (less go-go-ized covers of rap songs)

WKYS' 2nd annual DC Go-go awards are coming up November 18th at DAR Constitution Hall (big place).

― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 24 October 2007 12:10 (seventeen years ago)

http://www.jazzinthediamonddistrict.com/promo_banner.jpg

Some people I know from high school made this, and my brother did some music (one track) for it.

― Hurting 2, Wednesday, 24 October 2007 13:21 (seventeen years ago)

http://myspace.com/jazzinthediamonddistrict

― Hurting 2, Wednesday, 24 October 2007 13:23 (seventeen years ago)

Avon loves Go-Go, Stringer hated it, that's why they could never work it out.

― Alex in Baltimore, Wednesday, 24 October 2007 13:30 (seventeen years ago)

One time I went with my high school jazz band to a festival in Florida. We were sitting in a giant auditorium waiting for a ceremony to start, and schools from other parts of the country started doing their elaborate cheerleader-style pep chants. In response, my bandmates went into an impromptu go-go style "AWWWWWWW DC! AWWWWWWW DC!"

― Hurting 2, Wednesday, 24 October 2007 13:33 (seventeen years ago)

This line from Greg Tate's blog: Of course, DC had its own brand of live funk and hiphop called go-go: freewheeling bands of 12 members or more who weekly put on marathon, funkathon shows of generally 6 - 8 hours in length. Outside of New Orleans it remains the only Black music that demands young Black musicians become instrumentalists.

― Jordan, Wednesday, 24 October 2007 16:13 (seventeen years ago)

six years pass...

R.I.P Ricky Wellman (via Vince Wilburn, Jr. on fb)

― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Sunday, 24 November 2013 18:54 (eleven years ago)

I know, sad news. He played on Chuck Brown's "Bustin' loose", EU's Da Butt and with Miles Davis and others. Cancer. I posted it on the Rolling Obit thread and the Capital swamp one

― curmudgeon, Monday, 25 November 2013 17:11 (eleven years ago)

the new D.C. Go-Go thread

― curmudgeon, Monday, 25 November 2013 17:11 (eleven years ago)

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