Clyde Stubblefield
Encyclopedia
Clyde Stubblefield is a drummer
best known for his work with James Brown.
Stubblefield's recordings with James Brown are considered to be some of the standard-bearers for funk
drumming, including the singles "Cold Sweat
", "There Was A Time", "I Got The Feelin'", "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud
", "Ain't It Funky Now", "Mother Popcorn
", and the album Sex Machine
.
His groove on James Brown's "Funky Drummer
" is believed to be the world's most sampled record. Stubblefield was featured in a PBS Independent Lens documentary, Copyright Criminals
which aired January 19, 2010. In the mid- nineties Producer/Songwriter Richard Mazda
wrote and produced a record, Revenge of The Funky Drummer, which was Clyde's first solo record.
. Recently Clyde Retired from the Monday shows, leaving the band in the hands of his nephew Brett Stubblefield. His health prevented the funky drummer from continuing his over 20 years of playing music in downtown Madison near the capitol. He played every Monday night with his Madison band, The Clyde Stubblefield Band, featuring his long time friend and keyboard/organ player Steve "Doc" Scaggs, along with soulful vocalists Charlie Brooks, and Kari Daley, as well as a powerful five-piece horn section and supporting band. He also plays funk
festivals with Bootsy Collins
, Maceo Parker
, or Jabo.
In 1995
he played on two tracks ("Queer" and "Not my idea") on the self-titled album by the rock band Garbage
, led by fellow Madison resident Butch Vig
.
In recent years Stubblefield has collaborated frequently with another former James Brown drummer, John "Jabo" Starks. As the Funkmasters, they released an album in 2001 called Find The Groove. and COME GET SUMMA THIS. Starks and Stubblefield also appear on a drumming instructional video.
Stubblefield can be heard playing jazz on the nationally syndicated public radio show Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know?
Most recently he and Jab'o completed a CD with Fred Wesley. This should be released in early Spring 2008 by Columbia Entertainment Music, Inc. in Tokyo.
Jab'o and Clyde joined Bootsy Collins in Covington, KY/Madison Theater on 22 December 2007 for the first Tribute to James Brown.
In November 2008 Toontrack Music announced the release of an expansion to their EZdrummer
drum sampler software
, titled "Funkmasters", with samples and MIDI recorded by Stubblefield and Starks.
As of June 2009, Stubblefield is in need of a kidney transplant and undergoes dialysis treatments. Bands throughout Madison are making a strong effort to organize and play fundraiser events, donating the event proceeds to go toward supplementing Stubblefield's dialysis treatment and subsequent medical bills.
" rapper MC Frontalot
pays tribute to Stubblefield in his song "Good Old Clyde".
Black Thought of The Roots
rhymes "I'm cooler than Clyde Stubblefield, drummer for James" in the song Stay Cool.
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
best known for his work with James Brown.
Stubblefield's recordings with James Brown are considered to be some of the standard-bearers for funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
drumming, including the singles "Cold Sweat
Cold Sweat
"Cold Sweat" is a song performed by James Brown and written by his bandleader Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis. Brown recorded it in May 1967. An edited version of "Cold Sweat" released as a two-part single on King Records was a #1 R&B hit, and reached number seven on the Pop Singles chart...
", "There Was A Time", "I Got The Feelin'", "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud
Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud
"Say It Loud — I'm Black and I'm Proud" is a funk song written and recorded by James Brown in 1968. It is notable both as one of Brown's signature songs and as one of the most popular Black Power anthems of the 1960s. The song was released as a two-part single which held the number-one spot on the...
", "Ain't It Funky Now", "Mother Popcorn
Mother Popcorn
"Mother Popcorn ", is a song recorded by James Brown and released as a two-part single in 1969. A #1 R&B and #11 Pop hit,. It was the highest-charting of a series of recordings inspired by the popular dance The Popcorn which Brown made that year...
", and the album Sex Machine
Sex Machine (album)
Sex Machine is a 1970 double album by James Brown. It showcases the playing of the original J.B.'s lineup featuring Bootsy and Catfish Collins, and includes an 11-minute rendition of the album's title song. This rendition is different from the original recording of the title song, which was...
.
His groove on James Brown's "Funky Drummer
Funky drummer
"Funky Drummer" is a funk song recorded by James Brown and his band. The recording's drum break, performed by drummer Clyde Stubblefield, is one of the most frequently sampled rhythmic breaks in hip hop and popular music; indeed, it lays a strong claim to being the most sampled recording ever,...
" is believed to be the world's most sampled record. Stubblefield was featured in a PBS Independent Lens documentary, Copyright Criminals
Copyright Criminals
Copyright Criminals is a 2010 documentary film directed and produced by Benjamin Franzen and Kembrew McLeod examining the creative and the commercial value of sampling including the related debates over artistic expression, copyright law, and money....
which aired January 19, 2010. In the mid- nineties Producer/Songwriter Richard Mazda
Richard Mazda
Richard Mazda is a record producer, writer and musician. In later life he also became an actor and director.-Music career:Mazda was one of the co-founders of Poole punk/mod band Tours, singing and playing lead guitar. They signed to Virgin Records in 1979 after selling large quantities of their...
wrote and produced a record, Revenge of The Funky Drummer, which was Clyde's first solo record.
Present status
Stubblefield currently lives in Madison, WisconsinMadison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
. Recently Clyde Retired from the Monday shows, leaving the band in the hands of his nephew Brett Stubblefield. His health prevented the funky drummer from continuing his over 20 years of playing music in downtown Madison near the capitol. He played every Monday night with his Madison band, The Clyde Stubblefield Band, featuring his long time friend and keyboard/organ player Steve "Doc" Scaggs, along with soulful vocalists Charlie Brooks, and Kari Daley, as well as a powerful five-piece horn section and supporting band. He also plays funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
festivals with Bootsy Collins
Bootsy Collins
William Earl "Bootsy" Collins is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter.Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late 1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s, Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk...
, Maceo Parker
Maceo Parker
Maceo Parker is an American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, as well as Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s. Parker was a prominent soloist on many of Brown's hit recordings, and a key part of his band, playing alto, tenor and baritone saxophones...
, or Jabo.
In 1995
1995 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1995.- January–February :*January 18 – Jerry Garcia crashes his rented BMW into a guard rail near Mill Valley, California, USA, but is not injured in the accident....
he played on two tracks ("Queer" and "Not my idea") on the self-titled album by the rock band Garbage
Garbage (band)
Garbage are an alternative rock band formed in Madison, Wisconsin in 1994. The group consists of Scottish singer Shirley Manson and American musicians Duke Erikson , Steve Marker and Butch Vig . All four members are involved in songwriting and production...
, led by fellow Madison resident Butch Vig
Butch Vig
Butch Vig is an American musician and record producer, best known internationally as the drummer of the Madison, Wisconsin-based alternative rock band Garbage and the producer of multi-platinum selling album Nevermind by Nirvana....
.
In recent years Stubblefield has collaborated frequently with another former James Brown drummer, John "Jabo" Starks. As the Funkmasters, they released an album in 2001 called Find The Groove. and COME GET SUMMA THIS. Starks and Stubblefield also appear on a drumming instructional video.
Stubblefield can be heard playing jazz on the nationally syndicated public radio show Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know?
Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know?
Whad'Ya Know? is an American comedy, interview, and quiz radio show. Hosted by Michael Feldman, it was created in 1985. It is produced by Wisconsin Public Radio and distributed weekly by Public Radio International...
Most recently he and Jab'o completed a CD with Fred Wesley. This should be released in early Spring 2008 by Columbia Entertainment Music, Inc. in Tokyo.
Jab'o and Clyde joined Bootsy Collins in Covington, KY/Madison Theater on 22 December 2007 for the first Tribute to James Brown.
In November 2008 Toontrack Music announced the release of an expansion to their EZdrummer
EZdrummer
EZdrummer is a sample-based drum software synthesizer developed by Toontrack. It is a simplified version of its predecessor, Superior Drummer. EZdrummer is based upon approximately 7000 16-bit 44.1kHz samples of real drum kits. EZdrummer contains a mixer that allows the user to adjust the...
drum sampler software
Software sampler
A software sampler is a piece of software which allows a computer to emulate the functionality of a sampler.In the same way that a sampler has much in common with a synthesizer, software samplers are in many ways similar to software synthesizers and there is great deal of overlap between the two,...
, titled "Funkmasters", with samples and MIDI recorded by Stubblefield and Starks.
As of June 2009, Stubblefield is in need of a kidney transplant and undergoes dialysis treatments. Bands throughout Madison are making a strong effort to organize and play fundraiser events, donating the event proceeds to go toward supplementing Stubblefield's dialysis treatment and subsequent medical bills.
Recognition
Self-proclaimed "NerdcoreNerdcore hip hop
Nerdcore hip hop, is a sub-genre of hip hop music characterized by themes and subject matter considered to be of general interest to nerds, though it can appeal to others as well. Self-described nerdcore musician MC Frontalot has the earliest known recorded use of the term in the 2000 song...
" rapper MC Frontalot
MC Frontalot
Damian Hess , better known by stage name MC Frontalot, is a Brooklyn-based hip hop musician and self-proclaimed "world's 579th greatest rapper". He is best known in nerdcore hip hop and video game culture, for naming the nerdcore subgenre, and performing at Penny Arcades annual Penny Arcade Expo...
pays tribute to Stubblefield in his song "Good Old Clyde".
Black Thought of The Roots
The Roots
The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...
rhymes "I'm cooler than Clyde Stubblefield, drummer for James" in the song Stay Cool.