K.C AND THE SUNSHINE BAND-DO IT GOOD.

dereksmusicblog ♦ October 18, 2012 ♦ Leave a comment

K.C AND THE SUNSHINE BAND-DO IT GOOD. 

Sometimes, people forget just how popular an artist or group were. One group people forget just how successful they were are K.C. and The Sunshine Band. With their unique fusion of disco, funk, soul and poppy hooks, K.C. and The Sunshine Band became one of the biggest bands of the disco era. Between 1974 and 1979, K.C. and The Sunshine Band released six albums, two of which were certified platinum and two which were certified triple-platinum. That’s not forgetting four number one singles in the US Billboard 100 with Get Down Tonight, That’s the Way (I Like It), (Shake, Shake, Shake), Shake Your Booty and I’m Your Boogie Man, plus four US R&B number one singles. The other success Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch of K.C. and The Sunshine Band enjoyed was with George McCrae. The wrote and produced Rock Your Baby, George’s 1974 worldwide number-one single and his debut album Rock Your Baby. It gave George the most successful album of his career. So, it seemed the two men behind K.C. and The Sunshine Band had the midas touch. Sadly, that proved not to be the case. When K.C. and The Sunshine Band released their debut album Do It Good in 1974 the album failed to chart. The success that they’d go on to enjoy and had enjoyed with George McCrae must have seemed a long, long way away. Before I tell you about the music on Do It Good, which will be released on October 29th 2012 by BBR Records, I’ll tell you the background to album.

By 1973, the Godfather of Funk James Brown and funk were both at the height of their popularity. Through America, and further afield, record companies were jumping on the funk bandwagon. In Miami, funk provided the musical soundtrack to people’s lives. For two young Miami-based musicians, Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch funk would provide the basis for their new “sunshine sound.” Harry and Richard had grown up together in Miami’s suburbs, since Richard moved from Indianapolis, Indiana. The pair shared a love of music and Richard’s love of R&B music grew while working in a television and radio repair shop. Motown and Stax were two of the hottest labels of the time, but it was a local label that fascinated Richard Finch and Harry Wayne Casey…T.K Records.

Miami had its own record labels, with Criteria one of the more established labels. It boasted cutting-edge equipment with Brook Benton, Eric Clapton and Aretha Franklin recording at Criteria. T.K. Records was seen as one of Miami’s up-and-labels, Henry Stone had single-handedly built up T.K during the sixties, and as the seventies dawned, Henry had invested in a new studio with new equipment. This paid off with two releases, Betty Wright’s Clean Up Woman and Timmy Thomas‘ Why Can’t We Live Together. For aspiring local musicians, T.K. was the label they wanted to sign to. Two people working in the background at T.K. were Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch, both aspiring musicians. At T.K., Harry and Richard started working unpaid, helping behind the scenes. What really interest Wayne and Harry was making music. They were talented musicians and songwriters, who played in local bands. Gradually, their persistence paid off. They worked as engineers and session musicians. Eventually, they were asked to work George McCrae.

Harry and Richard’s work with George McCrae changed the lives of not only George McCrae, but Harry and Richard. Having written, produced and played on George’s worldwide number one hit Rock Your Baby, they wrote, produced and played on George’s debut album Rock Your Baby. It reached number thirty-eight in the US Billboard 200 and number seven in the US R&B Charts. This would prove to be George’s most successful album. While working with George McCrae, Harry and Richard were also releasing music as K.C. and The Sunshine Band. 

T.K. Records were focusing on their most successful artists, so the music Harry and Richard were recording was done after-hours, when the studio wasn’t busy. K.C. and The Sunshine Band had released their debut single Blow Your Whistle in August 1973. It had reached number twenty-seven in the US R&B Charts. Sound Your Funky Horn was K.C. and The Sunshine Band’s sophomore single, released in January 1974. This gave them their second hit single, reaching number twenty-one in the US R&B Charts and number seventeen in the UK. Maybe, T.K. Records had another successful act on their hands? However, when Harry and Richard penned Rock Your Baby and K.C. and The Sunshine Band was put on hold. After the success of Rock Your Baby, people started talking about the two men behind the song, and their group K.C. and The Sunshine Band. So, Henry Stone commissioned their debut album, which would become Do It Good.

Do It Good features nine tracks, all of which Harry Wayne Casey wrote or cowrote. Richard Finch cowrote three tracks, while Willie Clarke cowrote two tracks and Betty Wright and Clarence Reid one apiece. These tracks were recorded in T.K.’s Miami studios, with a nine-piece band, which included many of a a former local band the Ocean Liners. Once Do It Good was completed, it was ready for release later in 1974.

On the release of K.C. and The Sunshine Band’s debut album Do It Good, it failed to chart. Queen of Clubs was released as a single in June 1974, reaching number sixty-six in the US Billboard 100 and number twenty-five in the US R&B Charts. Over in the UK, the single reached number seven. When I’m A Pushover in December 1974, it reached number fifty-seven. While Do It Good hadn’t charted, K.C. and The Sunshine Band had enjoyed four hits in the US R&B Charts, one in the pop charts and two hits in the UK. Henry Stone and T.K. Records had another successful act in the making. However, what does the music on Do It Good sound like? That’s what I’ll now tell you.

Opening K.C. and The Sunshine Band’s debut album Do It Good is the title-track Do It Good. It was written by Harry and Richard with Betty Wright. Straight away, you realize a prime slice of funk is unfolding. A combination of a driving rhythm section, blazing horns and handclaps accompany Harry’s powerful, vampish vocal. He roars and hollers his way through the track, as this slice of good-time party music unfolds. Occasionally, echo is added to his vocal as it trails away in the distance. Always, though, the music is funky with a capital F.

There’s a real James Brown influence to Sound Your Funky Horn as it opens. This is another joyful, uptempo track and the second of four singles released from Do It Good. Percussion, growling horns, keyboards and the rhythm section combine with Harry’s vocal. He almost drives the track along, encouraging the band to greater heights. They mix plenty of funk, with disco, soul and Latin percussion. Soon, some of K.C. and The Sunshine Band’s poppy hooks to shine through. You can hear the sound that became more prominent in later albums. With more than its fair share of poppy hooks, it’s no wonder this was such a successful single.

Baby I Want Your Lovin’ has a much more understated sound as it begins. That’s K.C. and The Sunshine Band just teasing you though. Just the rhythm section, percussion and guitars accompany Harry’s sassy, dramatic vocal. The horns answer Harry’s call, reflecting his needy, dramatic vocal. Gradually, the vocal grows in power and drama. Harry vocal becomes a powerful vamp, with braying horns and Santana-like percussion accompanying him. By now the song has shown its secrets, subtleties and surprises and K.C. and The Sunshine Band have shown themselves to be a tight, accomplished band in the making.

Queen of Clubs was third single released from Do It Good. Here, K.C. and The Sunshine Band showcase two sides of their music. Driving horns and a pounding rhythm section add the funk, while Richard’s vocal is soulful. It veers between tender and a powerful, confident style. He takes charge of the track, delivering one of his most confident vocals against a glorious combination of growling horns, handclaps and a driving rhythm section. This results in another slice of good-time party music from K.C. and The Sunshine Band.

It doesn’t take long before you realize why Blow Your Whistle was such a successful song in clubs with its joyful, uplifting and catchy sound. It’s best describes as a fusion of influences, including Sly and The Family Stone, James Brown, Marvin Gaye and even Northern Soul. This track also influenced Sound Your Funky Horn. Both tracks have a similar party sound as the track begins, before K.C. and The Sunshine Band unleash a combination of percussion, whistles, searing guitars and funky rhythm section. The drums and guitars sound like a sixties Northern Soul track, while the vampish vocal, percussion mix funk and Latin music. It’s an infectiously catchy melting pot of a track, that gave K.C. and The Sunshine Band their first hit single.

I’m A Pushover is one of two tracks Harry Wayne Casey wrote himself. The other seven tracks were collaborations. Just guitars accompany Harry’s dramatic, soaring vocal before the growling horns, percussion and rhythm section create a driving, funky arrangement. Harry delivers the vocal as if his life depends upon it. Backing vocalists accompany him, while the rest of the band match his passion. In doing so, they play their part in making this the highlight of Do It Good with their blend of brassy stabs, funky licks and poppy hooks.

From the get-go, You Don’t Know sees the drama build. Flourishes of piano, stabs of rasping horns and pounding bass accompany Harry’s vocal. It’s full of hurt and heartbreak. As the band drive the arrangement along, horns, bass and piano reflect his hurt and the drama in his voice. Although still funky, there’s a real soulful side to K.C. and The Sunshine Band, especially Harry’s vocal, which is his best on Do It Good.

As I Need A Little Lovin’ begins, it’s like discovering an old Northern Soul track. This is very different to the rest of Do It Good. Stabs of blazing horns and a driving rhythm section combine with Harry’s needy, desperate vocal. Dramatic, soulful backing vocalists accompany Harry’s vocal, adding to the drama and sheer soulfulness of the track. While this is very different to other tracks, it’s one of the most impassioned, soulful tracks on Do It Good and will be totally irresistible for anyone who likes Northern Soul.

Closing Do It Good is All My Love, which sees another change in sound. There’s a jazzy influence, especially with the lone distant horn. It accompanies Harry’s tender, heartfelt vocal. Gradually, the arrangement builds and builds, growing in power, drama and funkiness. The rhythm section and blazing horns add funk and drama, while Harry’s vocal is a mixture of passion and power, with backing vocalists answering his call. Horns are central to the arrangement, while flourishes of piano and the funky rhythm section ensure that K.C. and The Sunshine Band end their debut album on a dramatic and funk-laden high. 

While Do It Good was only K.C. and The Sunshine Band’s debut album, they showed themselves to be tight, talented and accomplished band. Key to the success of K.C. and The Sunshine Band was Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch, two hugely talented songwriters, producers and musicians, capable of fusing musical genres. During the nine tracks on Do It Good, K.C. and The Sunshine Band fused their own unique brand of funk, soul, Latin and disco. To this fusion, Harry and Richard added a plentiful supply of poppy hooks. These poppy hooks come to the fore on several tracks on Do It Good, and would play their part in the rise and rise of K.C. and The Sunshine Band during the next five years. On Do It Good, funk was to the fore, with horns a blazing all the way. In some ways, Do It Good saw K.C. and The Sunshine Band discovering their sound, exploring musical genres and honing their sound and style. Later albums would see K.C. and The Sunshine Band’s music move more in the direction of disco. Ironically, the disco’s popularity waned, so too did K.C. and The Sunshine Band’s commerciality. By then, they’d become one of the biggest commercial successes of the seventies. 

Back in 1974, when K.C. and The Sunshine Band released their debut album Do It Good, which will be released on October 29th 2012 by BBR Records, that success looked a long way away. Little did they know that their next album K.C. and The Sunshine Band would be certified triple-platinum. Do It Good deserved to have been a much bigger success. Indeed, Do It Good has more than a few glimpses of K.C. and The Sunshine Band’s sunshine sound. Do It Good is compelling collection of tracks from  K.C. and The Sunshine Band, the  inventors of Miami’s sunshine sound, who when spreading  a plentiful supply of poppy hooks during the seventies Do It Good. Standout Tracks: Sound Your Funky Horn, Queen of Clubs, I’m A Pushover and You Don’t Know.

K.C AND THE SUNSHINE BAND-DO IT GOOD.