James Brown Live At The Apollo

YOWWW! I feel good after this one! Wild, outta sight! I would have liked to have been in the audience for this. Probably would have joined in with the screaming 🙀

Such a raw and energetic performance, but of course it is, he’s James Brown. Also amazing music and singers. This album is so nostalgic, the live show is like a snapshot of 1963, some complain about the audience noise, but that’s part of the appeal.

Another problematic artist. Things I like about this: the cover art; the very short runtime of 31 minutes; the old-fashioned production (horns are fun!). Things I don't like about this: James Brown's screaming; the audience noises; the old-fashioned production (horns are annoying!). I'll go with a 3 and move on to the next.

I like this one. Didn't blow me away though. 3 stars

James Brown is high energy and something probably best captured on a live album. Most of the songs are short (about 2 minutes long.) The album is short (about 30 minutes long.) 1/3 of the album is "Lost Someone" which is almost 11 minutes long. It's interesting to hear what a performance like this was like... but I don't see myself listening to this album much more other than when it comes up on lists like this.

2.6 Unsurprisingly for a live album from the early 60s, the quality is pretty poor. This was before he really cemented his place as the godfather of soul and I think it shows, if you hadn't told me this was James Brown I don't think I'd ever had guessed. Missing his trademark swagger or whatever you want to call it that made him world famous, so I'm guessing that came later. Not sure there's been any/many JB albums on here so I think he's been hard done by with this choice.

Fun music, quite low energie for a live album though.

Oww!!!

Very fun crowd work, it seems like this would’ve been an epic show to be in the audience for. Not my personal taste of music, but still enjoyable.

Kinda cool, but would prefer it not to be live. I feel like you'd need visuals for James Brown. I like the doots.

It's James Brown, what else is there to say? Actually, quite a few things. First of all, it's a live recording, and a bad one. Then, there's the audience. Some like it, some find it annoying. I tend to be in the latter group. And then there's the band. Am I the only one noticing that they are not always in tune with JB? There are several sections where part of the brass is slightly out of tune, and I don't think that this is intentional.

I like how this captured the energy of the room, but to me the music is just okay. I find most old-school soul to be inoffensive and smooth, but also largely uninteresting. This is no exception.

good relaxing album, but the audience audio gets annoying real fast. liked the intro, "i'll go crazy", "try me", "i don't mind", but "lost someone" got boring and annoying. 3

Too bad he’s a terrible person

Great music but the screaming got old

He's fun, It's solid. paved the way for others. Not something I'll seek out to listen to, but I don't mind if it is on either. That's about as 3 as it gets.

Underwhelming. I'm never a big fan of live albums.

Gear: Hifiman HE6se v2 SE Artwork: 🖌️🎨🌆 Production: 🕰️😐👍 Music: 🌶️😱🤯 Rating: 🧨🧨🧨(🧨)/5

Classic soul from the God Father himself.

Solid groove and great musicians. Didn't make me go "Wow this is great" but wouldn't mind listening to this one again.

“Vivid sound” claims the cover…but this recording is anything but! “Muddy, scratchy, thin sound” would be more honest. I’m sure I’ve heard/seen much better James Brown live performances than this. 😢 That aside…it’s James Brown! The godfather!

I like James Brown, he’s fantastic. I think the recording of this isn’t my favorite, I don’t love the constant audience screams and I always feel like the crowd interactions are very staged, even if they’re not. I wish I had been there, and I love the studio versions, but I’m not dying to listen to the live album.

Just another great James Brown performance, but I'm biased.

I like his voice and I like the energy from it being a live show but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Honestly I think that’s 80% due to Lost Someone. There’s are some moments in it that really show off his voice, but for the most part it’s boring. I imagine it was exciting to see live, and it is fun to hear some of the interactions with the crowd. But the instrumentation just gets really dull and it seems to go on forever and take the pace out of the album. I liked the rest of it more but I’m not sure I’d listen again. Fav song: Try Me Least fav: Lost Someone

Disappointing lack of jokes for a live at the Apollo... Think hearing the audience in a live album can be super interesting but all the screaming wasn't adding much for me, think in this case I'd have preferred a studio recording. I think sometimes I ruin these albums for myself by reading the Wikipedia pages- he's clearly got a great voice and the band is flawless but I couldn't helping thinking about how he treated women. Favourite song: Medley: Please, Please, Please/You've Got The Power/I Found Someone Least: Lost Someone

What Pupienus said. No, really. What he said. I cannot add any more to his summation.

I do like these live historic bigger band style acts but its not always easy to appreciate them in full due to age and style. I probably prefer the more Jazz variants and soul has never really resonnated with me. Its a bit too wild for me with vibes of being possessed by God. There is nothing wrong with that specifically in the spiritual sense but I dont like the style. Lots of gospel style "preaching". AKA wailing. I am not just digging at this mind its pretty optimal wailing and can imagine the deep power of this to the audiance. The tight band, the atmosphere and the energy must have been electric. Impossible to knock this classic music. As music its excellent.

Great music that is made to be performed live. Although this is a cool recording, it is still a poor replacement for being there. I think these live recordings of older artists are a really great insight into the cultural record. This is not my preferred genre of music, but the live element (gratuitous screaming and all) make listening to this far more interesting than a polished studio performance. Another recording I enjoy listening to out of interest but not one that would feature in my personal collection.

I felt like I was in the Eddie Murphy SNL skit

Missing a lot without the visuals. Everyone sounds great. Most of the songs are short or are part of a medley. There's one 10-minute epic in the middle, and before you know it, it's over. There's a reason the man laid in state on the stage of The Apollo when he passed away. I felt glimpses of that, but that's just it...glimpses. It went by so quickly, that I didn't feel like there was much to latch on to.

Puts me in a good mood. The last songs were a bit too long

1/12 Not bad. Classic live R&B album, but dont see myself listening to it again

-finally losing my James Brown virginity. i can def see why he is referred to as the King of Soul now.. the energy on this live album is incredible. damn those bitches in the audience were goin crazy for him -idk if this is the best introduction to his music and it’s far from my favorite soul album, glad i got to listen and see what James Brown is all about tho -Favorites: I’ll Go Crazy, Lost Someone, Night Train

ok, not such a big fan

He’s got a great voice, and you can just feel the energy he has on stage through the recording. Backing band is pretty great, but the music also isn’t really my cup of tea. Still cool though

I can feel the sweat dripping through the speakers here and I dig it

It gets samey but a good listen

I can see why it’s good. But it just isn’t my jam.

Old school live performance with more focus on the show than the actual songs

Thought this was alright, didn’t enjoy it too much honestly but it was ok

I've heard of James Brown but had never properly listened to any of his songs, soz. Intro by Fats Gonder - dang, great intro, and the crowd goes wild !!!!!! I'll go crazy - rlly jazzy and smooth, but he’s a great performer Try me - crowd favourite apparently, rlly beautiful vocals dang Instrmental bridge 1 - 12 seconds !! Yes jazz and trumpets Think - jazz jazz jazz, very upbeat but sounds very fun, would be a fire MT number Instrumental bridge 2 - 9 seconds !! I don't mind - crowd loves this one too, I like the rlly quick vocal echo (idontmind), very sultry Instrumental bridge 3 - 10 seconds !!!! Lost someone - 10 mins, makes up for the bridges lol, dang great crowd work, ok it’s getting a little long lowkey Medley - very long, all the songs kinda sound the same ngl Night train - I’m glad I’m ending now, geez Louise OVERALL: this is just a recording of one of his performances, but dang the crowd loves him, he’s a great performer. I also like it being less than 30 mins long 🫶, everything blended into each part that I didn’t even notice the song changed. But lowkey at the end, I was getting a bit bored 🤷‍♀️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5

Ihan tyylikäs keikka, ei ollut I Feel Goodia vielä julkaistu niin ei vetänyt sitä :( Ei tuttuja kappaleita siis. Parhaat: I Don't Mind

Enjoyed this. So much energy and soul in it. Hearing the audience sometimes lets me down though, but I think in this case the energy can be felt through them too. I like lots of James browns work, and I would listen again. Wish it was a bit longer of an album.

Really like the artwork of this. Feels like pure energy. I've been well exposed to James Brown via Alan Freeman's Story of Pop and I'm a fan. This is unfortunately a bit too short and difficult to get your teeth in to. Feels like a missed opportunity.

Good but not long enough

é um álbum muito tranquilo de escutar. as letras são mais simples, o vocal é bom e instrumental também. é um álbum com uma sonoridade bem clássica do soul. é bom!

It was good! Very enjoyable and easy listening.

He performed in Harlem, New York on October 24th, 1962.

This is pretty ok! I broadly like the energy and style of music, but it just sorta ends up going in one ear and out the other. Enjoyable enough time though

This wasn’t as good as I was hoping from the first couple songs. He brought the energy, the band sounded fantastic, but by the song I Don’t Mind, I felt like the whole thing lost steam and I had grown somewhat tired of his constant interjections that were 10x louder than anything else that was going on. That said, as far as a relic of history, it’s really interesting. Dude absolutely had the ladies going buck wild throughout the entire thing. Putting aside his obviously problematic personal life, he had one hell of a stage presence. The album does a great job of making you almost feel like you were there, or can at least vividly imagine it. Especially the early 60s, James Brown was some revolutionary stuff. For the modern day though, I’m not overly impressed.

🗣️ OWWW!! 🗣️ Delightfully fun and soulful. The crowd going insane for James Brown adds tons of charm to the record!

No skips but not for me

For a live album it's thankfully short. I understand it's inclusion to hear James Brown in his element. But I respect it more than I like it. It was solid though. 3 Stars.

Fairly unexciting to be honest.

good

I’m sure this is an important album that deserves better, but I didn’t latch onto anything here.

I hate so called live albums where you can tell the artist has had the vocals fixed in the studio or they add extra crowd noise. With this one however you can feel the energy is genuine. Music wise I liked the album for the most part, I wasn’t overly fussed on the medley at the end. In saying that I got busy in work when it was on so I wasn’t giving it my full attention. Maybe on the second listen later it will be different. Top Track - Think

Meh. Sounded like old doowop music. Not his prime material.

This is an earlier edition of one of the James Brown live albums. It misses the songs the funk and the visual swagger of his later concerts. Its listenable but by no means definitive. Also his voice is an acquired taste and this early version is too polished

É um bom registro ao vivo. Tem seu valor. QoA Adonis New.

Live albums are typically a bust and this is no exception. James Brown earns his place here as the Godfather of Soul.

I would have preferred later era for the songs but listening to the audience reactions and James interacting with the audience was the best part of this record. Didn’t recognize anything but the energy was high and I’m betting his dancing was off the charts.

James Brown is mostly just screaming the whole time

I love a live album and this one was really fun. It was funky, it was jazzy. I enjoyed it.

Thought I'd like it more, guess I'm not big into jazz Fave track: I'll go crazy

James Brown being James Brown

Can't deny the music is fab...but the man was an arse.

JB doing JB things, with his incredibly well oiled machine of a band. If you can for half an hour ignore the fact that he was a really terrible person, this is a delightful capture of early 60s live show energy.

Live-Alben finde ich hier echt schwer zu bewerten. Seine Interaktion mit dem Publikum ist überragend.

No me moló tanto para ser un disco de James Brown

The crowd loved him. I think his other songs hit better.

boring

The thing I like about this is that is captures the live energy of James Brown. The thing I do t like is all the yelling and squealing. Brown was an elite performer, but the music is not my taste.

Good good soul

I mean, what can I possibly say about James Brown that hasn't been said a thousand times before, and a thousand times more eloquently

Enjoyed this but dont know why it's a must listen

He brought those people to a frenzy.

Day 118 What a voice James Brown had, really fun live album. 7/10 Highlights Try me Lost someone The medley

Good

Was intrigued when i saw it come up. The alblum did nor disappoint.

Pretty cool

Wasn't bowled over

Solid album, nothing spectacular.

A cool document of James Brown in action. Musically brilliant, but feels a bit disjointed.

Great energy and good songs.

Тут ще не той фанкі Джеймс Браун,, якого всі люблять, але енергія й тут вже лізе з нього максимально

Якщо вже слухати Джеймса Брауна, то слухати у концертному варіанті. Енергетика мені подобається, але більше 3 поставити тут не можу.

Not a fan of this being live; could be into it in the right mood

I understand the significance of this album, but it wasn’t really doing it for me. The band is super tight, the energy is great, but what was groundbreaking and massively influential in 1962 doesn’t have the same impact today. I preferred it in the background than as an active listen.

It's pretty good, not a genre I have ever enjoyed. James Brown has a hell of a voice though.

Awesome to hear him live.

Skulle gjerne vært der, for all del. Men vet ikke om jeg synes innspillingen sparker så hardt.

I had to listen to this album twice to get it, and honestly, its a little bit underwhelming. I don't know if there are more James Brown albums here in this list, but I was expexting more fast paced and energetic songs, all the fun that I know him for. Also live albuns are such a chore... I understand ehy they did it but yeah it draga a little

There's a squeaky pedal! Where is the squeak coming from?

I have a huge problem with live albums. They are a bit irritating. But when we're talking about James Brown, things change a bit. He just sends you the best energy through the headphones. Amazing performer. But it's still a live album and there are just a handful that are done ok, so I will give this a 3 just because I love James Brown.

I wanna hear you say "AAAOOOWHH!!!!!!11!!"

It was a good album. I’ve never heard James brown as a young guy

I love live albums like these where it’s a single show and you can really get a feel the energy between the artist and the audience.

Were they all on cocaine? The energy of their performance was frenetic.

I like JB but this was early in his career and a little boring. Also 60s live albums don't really hold up in terms of sound quality.

There are many ways to approach live albums, and in my opinion this one does it right. It cranks up the audience so you can hear every clap and whoop, capturing not just the sound but the feeling of being in a James Brown crowd in the early 60s. The energy and adoration for Brown are palpable, and that's the album's real selling point. The songs themselves, while good, fall a bit short of the electric atmosphere the record creates.

Favorite Track: Lost Someone

not the biggest fan of this genre or live performances, but i'd still say this album is somewhere in the middle of the road if it were longer, i think i'd lower the rating, but as it is, i'd say it's enjoyable at least for some background music unlike other albums on here

Once again, not how I think they should've chosen to showcase the artist, but Brown is undeniably great. This feels like including a Beatles album, but it's Beatles '65. Not bad by any means, but not putting their absolute best foot forward.

I feel like I don't want to take down a sacred cow - but - I hate the way this is mixed. JB is ALL the way right, with the other vocalists. The horns and bass are all the way left, drums seem to be straight up the middle. It leads to a very strange, thin sound, that de-emphasizes JB's incredible vocals. Maybe I need to listen to this off-headphones.... The horns sound tired as shit, even at the beginning of the show.... and they’re sloppy as hell on the hits. Yikes. The songs are fine. Nothing that compelling for me, honestly. And I love James Brown! He's obviously a great performer, and he whips this crowd into a frenzy by the end. But I don't really feel the same way. It's fine. THREE STARS

James Brown is absolutely the star of this performance. None of the instruments stand out in a way that competes with is voice. This is obviously highly edited and some of the song transitions are a bit jarring. To my taste, as an album this is perfectly fine, but nothing I would seek out. As a performance, DAMN I wish I had been in the room.

I think a few dozen women in the audience got pregnant just from witnessing that show. I’m not the biggest James Brown fan, lots of style but not a lot of substance in my opinion. He’s also an absolute maniac if you’ve ever read anything about his lifestyle.

In the groove. James Brown, pure soul. His energy is legendary. Good album.

This was fine. JB, a legend. Not likely to go back to it.

I like the studio recorded stuff more because there was definitely something of a visual spectacle to see The Hardest Working Man in Show Business that is missing here

This was an enjoyable live album. I’ve not really listened to much James Brown. It was kind of a peek into club shows at the time and the crowd interaction gave it a fun vibe. I don’t expect this to be added to my regular rotation.

Not my thing, wasn't long enough and felt dated

A surprising amount of female screaming here. Not dissimilar to Mr Brown’s house, or so I’ve heard.

James Brown isn’t usually my thing, but I really enjoyed Live at the Apollo. It’s bursting with energy, and the sound is powerful from start to finish. You can tell he was an incredible live performer — the band sounds fantastic and perfectly tight throughout. My only complaint is that it’s over too soon; I wish the album was longer! Favourite track: I’ll Go Crazy, Night Train and Try Me are great tunes. Least favourite track: Every song is worth a listen. Album artwork: A cool and iconic cover that perfectly suits the performance.

Funky! Lost points for being a bit short and very "live," but can appreciate why, being self-funded and capturing the raw energy of the godfather of funk, this was an important album.

Omggg, my first time ever listening to James Brown. This feels momentous. — Ok, hear me out. It’s not the best introduction. It’s grainy 60s audio and the audience is not tuned out at all and SCREAMING. It still grooves heavy, but I look forward to a studio recording. Maybe a video here would help.

Lowkey the longest half hour of my life and I don’t necessarily mean that in a bad way.

Yeah, whatever.

Decent

Seeing James Brown live back in the day had to be an experience! The hype, brass, and the pure soul of the Godfather himself. What a vibe! Like a lot of live albums, the recording quality leaves something to be desired, but the energy is through the roof!

James Brown is one of the greats but in its genre, this is a decent but potentially disappointing album. While the music is fine, it's not representative in my view of the standard of James Brown to come, who I think got better and better after this. A lot of the 30 minutes of this album are James playing with the crowd and instrumentals rather than showing off his more refined songs and lyrics. It's a great 30 minutes but I would reach for other records by JB and his peers before this. 3 out of 5.

The recording quality is just okay, and it shows the limitations of live recording technology in the early ’60s. Still, James Brown’s stage presence and energy are undeniable — this is an artist who truly had to be 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 to be fully appreciated. It’s a powerful snapshot of his early live magic, even if his later classics like 𝘚𝘦𝘹 𝘔𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 were still years away.

Enjoyed it more when directly listening. Energy off the charts but got repetitive .

This actually bangs Oh actually way ballady-er than I expected. Kinda tails off.

i guess i ain't ready for the night train

01) Introduction to James Brown and The Famous Flames - 5,5 02) I'll Go Crazy - 7,0 03) Try Me - 7,0 04) Think - 7,0 05) I Don't Mind - 7,0 06) Lost Someone - 7,0 07) Medley: Please, Please, Please/You've Got the Power/I Found Someone/Why Do You Do Me/I Want You So Bad/I Love You, Yes I Do/Strange Things Happen/Bewildered/Please, Please, Please - 7,0 08) Night Train - 7,5 TOTAL: 6,88 (69/100) Current ranking: 440/719

105/1089 This was a really nice album, it was quite short and sweet, and even with a single song that took up a third of the half hour runtime alone, it flowed smoothly. i feel that maybe my score doesn’t do the talent/impact justice but it feels right as a reflection of how much i like/enjoy the actual music, personally. Soul music and live albums (of artists i’m not already into) aren’t the most resonant with me but i could see myself coming back to this down the line with fresh ears and appreciating it even more faves: Think, Lost Someone 60/100

Just some good ol’ JB.

Energetic, claro and fun to listen to. In the realmente of live albums this is a standout with song choices, production and overall sound. Very good.

This was fine, but all the songs sounded the same

Pretty nice couple of songs though there was some stuff I didn't really care about

Enjoyed this album but prefer some of James Brown’s other work. Liked that it was live and I did feel like I was there at the Apollo watching a show. Favorite Song(s): I Don’t Mind, Lost Someone

Good

Listened Before? N FUNKY! Love James Brown. This was early JB, and he wasn't quite as wild as he was in the 70s but still great stuff. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: I'll Go Crazy

Pretty good of it’s time and effective great vocals n instrumentals might return

its still a live album lol

It was good but didn't really blow me away. Hummm

Expected more energy...

Christ that was quick

I know he’s influential and important for music and I do understand the appeal, it’s just not my taste.

Soulful and energetic, you can practically feel the buzz of the crowd. It’s a nice, tight performance with James Brown conducting. Not something I would typically listen to, but I enjoyed it.

Première fois que j’écoute le grand James Brown pendant tout un album. Son énergie est infinie ! L’album est bon, mais j’aurais préféré un chanteur moins hyperactif et un band plus restreint. Moins big band, mais tout autant funky et bluesy.

Enjoyable, but not particularly memorable. 3/5

Okay this was a lot of fun and made me want to be there. The call/response of getting all the girls to scream "owwww" in the extended performance of Lost Someone is classic.

This was a quick, easy listen. All albums should be a consumable 30 minutes. Live performances, however, should be longer, and a lot of live performances don't need to be on this list.

Почти религиозный экстаз и практически панковский напор.

I can only repeat myself so many times about live albums. We're only getting half of the experience! I'm sure the half we're missing was great, given the reactions of the audience captured with the music here. Aside from those reactions, I'm not sure there was much more here to make it stand out. Noticeably, this album doesn't follow the usual trend of live albums by running long. It's short and sweet save the last three tracks: Lost Someone (running 10 minutes), the medley (a bit over 6 minutes), and the closing track, Night Train, which is still short (3.5 mins) but runs a minute longer than the next longest tracks. There are a couple songs that aren't even 2 minutes long. The quick changes (and lack of the visual half of the performance) made it a little hard for me to stay engaged as a listener during the middle portion. I also got lost in the runtime of Lost Someone (nominative determinism at work?) for the opposite reason. I thought the medley was the most engaging section of the album, but that too had some ups and downs. Night Train was a strong finish, though. While this album was enjoyable, it didn't really strike me as all that special. That's probably got something to do with the number of live albums I've had on here recently, and I may have liked this more with some separation from those. Even so, I found it a little hard to stay engaged with despite the short runtime. Instead, I'm again left wishing I could see what was happening in the performance. I'll give it a "good" and move on, hopefully getting a break from these live albums for a while. Overall: 3.1/5

An amazing look into the energy, emotion, creativity of a legend and his band at the top of their game.

must have been a hell of a show

I enjoyed this, but inevitably wont come back to it. Always nice to get a shorter album, doesn’t outstay its welcome. As is often the case with this age of record switching to mono was a must.

I’ve never really ‘got’ James Brown but this album really captures the live energy well.

Was kind of expecting more from this. Low-mid 3

To be honest, I never really got into James Brown because his vocal style and tone never really appealed to me. That said, I thought this was a decent live album. The energy and atmosphere are fun and uplifting, and the musical instrumentation stood out the most for me. It’s not a personal favorite, but I can appreciate what it brings to the table.

I actually thought this would be a live album that I really enjoyed, but once again, I feel like I was missing out while listening.

For a live album of its time, this is so clear and he obviously knows how to work the crowd. With that said, I thought this would be really fun starting out but it got repetitive really quickly. I think it’s worth a second listen.

Never listened to James Brown really I knew the famous songs but this was good and I don't normally like live albums

At times it felt like James Brown was being played outside my headphones while the band was playing in them. My distaste towards live albums only continues… There’s a lot of soul jazz and funk to enjoy here, or at least there would be with a better recording…

James Brown Live At The Apollo is an album that i have odd feelings towards. I did enjoy it but i feel like it is missing a few things to be truly great. For someone like James Brown, it really makes sense for him to have a live album on this list as he feels like one of those singers that really has a presence when performing that really suits being live. As for the show/album, it is enjoyable and had a lot of fun moments but my main issue is that a lot of the best moments on this album are simply too short and are unable to properly sink in most of the time. I still think its a really solid album but i don't think i can justify giving it any higher than 3 stars. Best Song: Think Worst Song: I Don't Mind

This was a pretty good album, James Brown isn't my favorite but he's pretty good!

I didn’t realize that James Brown was such a POS until I read some of these reviews, which caused me to do some research on my own. In any event, I don’t take that into account when reviewing an album. Having said that, I thought this was pretty good and enjoyed listening to it, and I certainly understand why it made this list. The main problem for me was that it was a live album, and I was really distracted by the intermittent loud screaming in the background…also, on one of the tracks it is hard to hear him sing. What should have been a four star album gets knocked down to a three due to these issues.

I tried to appreciate this in my younger years, but it just didn’t take. This time I did actually appreciate it, so it’s like a personal victory.

Didn’t think this was a great album. I was listening and when it finished, I couldn’t believe it was already over. Yeah the energy was decent throughout, just as you’d expect from Brown. But that’s about it. Just not a whole lot to it for me. Pretty average.

# Album Name: James Brown Live At The Apollo # Artist: James Brown # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: A very mid album. Wasnt bad. But live albums dont really do it for me. # Top Tunes: Nothing that struck me # Would I listen to it again? No

Pretty fuckin good. I love old time jazz/r&b/soul live stuff, it’s fucking awesome. But I left feeling this one was missing something. Probably just how short it was. Hell of a voice tho

it was like a 4 until it ended and a studio james brown track came on and i was like “holy shit this is so much better”

Some of these go on for a while!

Pretty good. Not really my genre but I can see why it’s loved.

Can recognise the raw musical talent and how early this music was - funk, blues, country even. Absolute energy to have the crowd going. But musically doesn't do it for me :(

#DÍA 39: 1001 Discos Que Hay Que Escuchar Antes De Morir (English Translation Below) Dios mío, realmente James Brown hacía que sus conciertos, si les quitas la música, pareciesen matanzas… La leyenda del Soul o R&B o Funk o de la Música emocionaba con una facilidad que sólo pudo ser superada por su discípulo Michael Jackson, básicamente. 1963 fue todo un año para el barrio Harlem contando con que Sam Cooke actuó por allí también. Hablamos de la cumbre de su carrera, cuando todo el mundo deseaba ver en vivo sus icónicos movimientos y el poder de su voz. El concierto, de primeras, sorprende de sobremanera por la cantidad de medios que se invirtieron en su momento. A diferencia de lo que vi con Sam Cooke, Brown contó con gran cantidad de músicos para acompañarle, sean vientos metálicos, un órgano, coros… Es llamativo como entre tema y tema hacen divertidos interludios instrumentales, no hay momento sin música más que la introducción; son 30 minutos del R&B y del Soul más puro. I’ll Go Crazy es un potente comienzo en el que el cantante hace luz de sus especialidades: un rango sorprendente, unos agudos que hacen temblar y un control total de sus cuerdas vocales que le hacen ir de los más dulce a gritos distorsionados. Try Me es un momento bonito y sutil, así como I Don’t Mind, por lo que sorprende que entre medias tocasen Think que es un frenético tema anticipador del Funk con ese predominante bajo y el semi-scratching de la guitarra. Por supuesto, el momento más impresionante es Lost Someone, una pista en la que James Brown no para de recordar que es uno con su voz, haciendo gritar al público prácticamente con cada frase que pronuncia. Hasta aquí no había tenido mucha interacción con el público, pero aquí les anima a gritar y gritar junto a él. Es una expresión bastante sintética de lo que es el Soul, un beat sólido, cierta sensualidad en las cuerdas y vientos, y una voz que con versos sencillos penetra el espíritu del oyente mediante sangrar de emoción con cada nota. Perfectamente unido a la pista anterior, tocan un Medley de distintos temas que fluye a la perfección. Especialmente la conexión entre el tono más picante e intenso de I Want You So Bad y la calidez y dulzura de I Love You, Yes I Do. Finalmente vuelve a escalar a la perfección con Bewildered, creando un clímax precioso para volver a Please Please Please, el que fue uno de los singles que dio a conocer a James Brown. Es un concierto emocionante, aunque pienso que el interés realmente comienza desde Lost Someone. El resto de interpretaciones son de calidad y estoy seguro que vistas en vivo debieron ser para enmarcar. No obstante, como álbum en vivo la experiencia no es tan completa, y pienso que termina de un modo algo abrupto con Night Train, canción que tampoco es que sea muy llamativa. Aún así, es una muestra del talento de una joya de la música como fue James Brown, y es toda una fortuna que tengamos grabaciones de audio de cómo fueron sus conciertos. Favoritas: I’ll Go Crazy, Lost Someone, Medley Menos favorita: Night Train #DAY 39: 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die My God, James Brown really made his concerts, if you stripped away the music, seem like massacres… The legend of Soul, R&B, Funk, or simply of Music itself could electrify with a natural ease that was only ever truly matched by his disciple Michael Jackson, basically. 1963 was quite a year for Harlem, considering that Sam Cooke also performed there. This was the peak of his career, when everyone longed to witness live his iconic moves and the sheer power of his voice. The concert, right from the start, is astonishing for the amount of resources invested at the time. Unlike what I listened with Sam Cooke, Brown was backed by a large number of musicians: horns, organ, backing vocals… It’s really fun how between songs they played playful instrumental interludes. There isn’t a single moment without music, apart from the introduction; it’s 30 minutes of pure R&B and Soul. I’ll Go Crazy is a powerful opening where the singer immediately showcases his specialties: a surprising vocal range, falsettos that shake you, and complete control of his vocal cords, shifting from sweet tenderness to distorted screams. Try Me is a subtle, beautiful moment, as is I Don’t Mind, which makes it all the more surprising that they played Think in between, a frenetic track foreshadowing Funk, with its dominant bassline and semi-scratching guitar. Of course, the most impressive moment is Lost Someone, a track where James Brown proves over and over that he is one with his voice, practically making the audience scream with every phrase he utters. Up to this point, there hadn’t been much crowd interaction, but here he urges them to shout and cry along with him. It’s a distilled expression of what Soul is: a steady beat, a touch of sensuality from the strings and horns, and a voice that, with simple verses, pierces the listener’s spirit by bleeding emotion into every note. Seamlessly connected to the previous track, they play a medley of different songs that flows perfectly. Especially, the transition between the spicier, more intense I Want You So Bad and the warmth and tenderness of I Love You, Yes I Do. Finally, the set builds once again, nicely, with Bewildered, creating a beautiful climax before closing on Please Please Please, the single that first put James Brown on the map. It’s an exciting concert, though I think the real magic begins with Lost Someone. The other performances are high-quality, and I’m sure seeing them live must have been unforgettable. Still, as a live album, the experience doesn’t feel entirely complete, and I think it ends somewhat abruptly with Night Train, a song that isn’t particularly striking. Even so, it’s a valuable showcase of the talent of a musical gem like James Brown, and it’s a true blessing that we have audio recordings of what his concerts were like. Favorites: I’ll Go Crazy, Lost Someone, Medley Least favorite: Night Train

I like James Brown and was lucky to see him live in 1999 (I think). There's a good energy to this album but actually think this isn't the best collection of songs... 3/5

I love a good live album and this certainly fits that bill. Great energy and atmosphere. Favorite track: Night Train

Just makes you feel a certain way

Wonderful performance and honestly just the fact that this made me enjoy listening to an artist working with a crowd is impressive as hell. Not my music over all, but probably the best version of what it is.

Bothers me that this hits me as just fine. The Sam Cooke album was SO GOOD that this had to be basically the same thing, right? Well, it's not. It sounds like there might be energy in the room but it doesn't really come through on the recording, which sounds a little muddled. It's like too much and too little of a good thing. Also it's 30 minutes, one third of which is one song. It's a good song, but it's just kinda weird.

Great snapshot of James Brown from 1962 which he actually had to fund himself! Really captures the power of his live performance. Not heard before so was worth the listen.

Music was well produced for a live album. I'm not typically one who listens to live music, R&B, funk, or soul. The album seemed very good, but it isn't for me. Still, I enjoyed listening to it. My goal is to expose myself to music I normally wouldn't listen to, and this album did exactly that. It's amazing that this was all done in 1 take as a live album, and I see talent, even if it isn't my taste. 4/5?

The novelty wore off too quickly. This really is a time capsule, though. It was interesting to hear a crowd of fans from 1962 vibing along with one of the best vocalists ever. I wouldn't necessarily listen again, but glad I experienced this album. OH and that band was really good too.

3 5

Hell of a voice. I like the funkier stuff by JB better

This concert sounded like a religious experience and a great time!

I can understand why this made the list because it's a piece of music history. Very cool to hear the audience going wild for James Brown. He has a lovely voice with a lot of power and emotion. This recording isn't the most engaging to listen to though and likely doesn't do this performance full justice. 7/10.

It's ok.

The Godfather of Soul. About as cool as you'd expect. The voice is pretty amazing (especially considering this was recorded over 60 years ago) and musically it's just such a vibe. It's not my favourite genre or an album I'll be making lots of return trips to but it's a highly enjoyable listen and a lot of fun.

Honestly can see why this is on this list, as its quite an amazing live performance truth be told, with some very talented musicians as well. It would have been AMAZING in person I am sure. But as a listening experience in 2025, I think its a little dated (which gives it some personality if you look at it the right way.) Overall though, I think the live quality elements make me unlikely to revisit this in the future. However I will be looking into James Browns other music due to the quality of the music here itself!

It's a good album, with James Brown, in top form, giving 110%, and the crowd giving it right back, and the music is good, but it's not for me, I think. Would not skip a song if it came up in a shuffle, but as a whole album, it's a little much for me, I think.

This was alright. I don't have much to say about it. James Brown is one of those artists for me where . . . I understand why people like him, but he just doesn't connect with me. And I can't listen to him without thinking of Eddie Murphy's "James Brown's Celebrity Hot Tub Party." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAJnpaFRrlw) I kinda wanted to go two stars, but that felt wrong.

3/5 - I needed to hear this because it is a brief window into a particular moment in time that I’d never get from a studio recording. That said, I don’t care much for live albums, and they are almost always “one and done” listens for me. The tracks here are mostly shorter than I expected and feel like they’d be especially flat without the audience. I have a ton of respect for the outsized influence Brown would have for the decades to come, but I doubt I’d revisit this recording.

Incredible vocal range from the man himself, James Brown. Great listen.

I’m a big fan of many of the classic live albums: Live at Leeds, Live/Dead, The Last Waltz, At Fillmore East, Live at the Regal… I had never listened to Brown’s Live at the Apollo and was excited to see it as my album of the day because I know it’s often ranked with the above as an all-time great live album. After a couple of listens I was left thinking… that’s it? There’s definitely a palpable tension building that releases during Please Please Please that is very much the highlight, but otherwise I’m pretty underwhelmed with it. Maybe the quality of the record on Spotify is poor and influenced my experience, but other than being a semi-interesting relic of Brown at that point in time I didn’t get much from it.

3 - it was ok. You miss out on what made James brown so great without video of his performance

Not really a fan of live albums, but this was enjoyable. It felt like it would have been better to be there in the audience.

Good god yall! It’s James Brown. This was fine.

I find myself liking the ballads more the the uptempo songs. Overall, a pretty good live record. Favorites: Try Me, I Don't Mind Would I listen to it again: Probably

it’s james brown live at the apollo

Bonne performance!

Interesting live album kind of shows off James Brown’s vocal chops and showmanship. The last three tracks are the only real song length takes in the album, the rest of the album is kind of live show filler type material. I’d rather just listen to a studio album.

Great energy, but this is hard to rate. Top 1001 ALBUMS you must listen to? Idk about that. There are better James Brown album experiences that you could have. The magic of this music would've certainly been in person more than the other live albums that we have received. Feeling the weakest 3 you could possibly give

Si court (trop?), mais intense et fougueux.

Du James Brown quoi Get up, pour ceux qui aiment pas mal 😉

‘Live At The Apollo’ is pretty good, but I prefer my brother James in his fonky era.

This was before JB found the funk. Not a fan of live albums

I'm very conflicted by this record, the whole listening experience for me just felt underwhelming and not as explosive as I'd thought it would be. As I understand James Brown was considered by many as being "That Guy" he influenced countless pop stars, was a progenitor of many genres of music, and grew impressive reputation that even those at the top could only dream of. It feels blasphemous saying this but I really don't know what I was expecting out of this. Maybe it's crowd going a little too crazy, maybe it's the instruments not hitting hard enough, or maybe it's just me not understanding the time period well enough to appreciate this record. In any case this record was not bad or mid but I just expecting something more. I'll look further into this. 3.00-3.50/5

High energy, James, as always! This was a younger, powerful James Brown, full of excitement and power. Short bursts of dance music designed to whip the crowds into a frenzy. In it, I can definitely see the icon-to-be. This is my second live album on the journey, and I have to say, they don't appeal to me, so far, as much as studio albums. Not sure why. Maybe live recordings have matured since them, but they both seemed rather disjointed.

Man those cats are swinging!

good live album. similar to the sam cooke album that was on this list but not as good imo 7/10 Favourite Medley Least Favourite: Try Me

James Brown might be best heard through Live recordings, if for no other reason then the crowd will let you know when you're missing a dance break. I have listened to Get Down With James Brown: Live At The Apollo Vol. IV (1972). James Brown does very little singing on that album, but presumably dances and otherwise entertains most of the time. I assumed this album would be similar, but that was incorrect. James Brown does a lot more singing on this album, and it certainly feels like a proper JB album. This won't be a comparison of the two albums because they're very different and it wouldn't be fair. Listen to both. If you're curious about the origins of Soul/Funk, this is a great place to start. I have no doubt that JB was an amazing entertainer in his day, and the Apollo was probably the best place to witness that. You really get the links to Rock'n'Roll and R&B, and some solid crooning (do we call it crooning in Soul?). Worth the listen.

This album mostly proved that some music just needs to be experienced live.

It's alright I guess.....I think I expected a little more from the hardest working man in show business.

Frenetic-gospel James Brown. Good musical backup and the crowd participation adds some punch.

6/10

Fantastic R&B and soul record. Just not a huge fan of it myself. I did recognize I Don't Mind though since it was on The Who's My Generation. Cool to hear the original. For once I'm not gonna complain about a live album being on the list, but what I will say is, how come a lot of these old live albums are (I assume) heavily cut down from the original performance? I have a hard time believing Brown only played 30 minutes of material. Is it a "We only have so much space on the vinyl, so we picked the best tracks" situation?

A good, short album. It feels like this doesn't really encompass the Godfather of Soul's energy (or his lewdness). It's because it's early on his career and Brown didn't have a lot of his catalogue. Nevertheless, Brown has infectious soul, even in these truncated tracks. Top Tracks: "I'll Go Crazy," "Medley: Please Please Please ..."

--I'll Go Crazy...cool --Try Me...too early for a ballad but it's fine --Think...this kicks. But it's too short! --I Don't Mind...a sexy and slow groove. Very cool --Lost Someone...after a few rapid fire tracks we have a 10+ minute epic. Sounds like the audience is having fun but if all you're doing is listening, it just meanders --Medley...You've Got the Power section is beautiful --Night Train...we end with a nice groove

Love me some godfather. Definitely appreciated the vibes on this one. This live album did a great job showcasing the musicianship of his backing band, and the solid grooves they could put down.

7/10

1. Introduction By Fats Gonder/ Opening Fanfare - N/A It's an introduction so it will not be rated. Please note that the instrumental bridges will not be either. 2. I'll Go Crazy - 9 Great song. Brown's vocals are impeccable. The blaring trumpets between the lines, concluding the chorus. Amazing song. Classic big band style music. 3. Try Me - 5 Pass over track. The vocals too minimal, too repetitive, and the instruments subdued so as not to drown Brown out. It just never gets going anywhere. 4. Instrumental Bridge #1 - N/A 5. Think - 6 Frantic song. Random clapping that sounds like it should be there for the whole song, which is under 2 minutes in length it will randomly stop. Instruments at times have the same randomness to them outside of the verse. Brown almost mumbles his lines instead of sing them. Overall, could be a lot better. 6. Instrumental Bridge #2 - N/A 7. I Don't Mind - 6 I don't mind this song. It's slower, little bit barbershop quartet until the very end. Nothing spectacular. 8. Instrumental Bridge #3 - N/A 9. Lost Someone - 3 Brown's voice is impeccable but the song is pointless. It just goes on and on and on and on with no real purpose. 10. Medley: Please Please Please/You've Got The Power/I Found Someone - 8 The medley starts great with a burst of sound before mellowing out in the later parts. Brown is insurmountable in his excellence on the track. It's exactly as a medley should be. 11. Night Train - 6 The beat is great, the tempo is good, the pause in the middle is unnecessary. The lyrics aren't anything phenomenal, just naming random places in the United States along the east coast. Average Rating: 6.14 Adjusted to a 5-Point Scale: 3.07 Rounded Down: 3 Stars

Seems like a fun night, I love the passion in his voice and how he interacts with the crowd.

How does a live album recorded in 1963 sound this damn good?! It's a great performance by a legendary performer. Band is great. Everything about this record is great. However I do not believe this is mandatory outside of it being a masterclass in live concert recording.

It is a very interesting album, although not my style

it was pleasant, but nothing blew me away. Probably would not intentionally listen to again, but would have no issues if it was being played. 3 stars

I’m not saying I disliked this album. It was okay. However I do have some critiques. Lets start off with the good. The atmosphere is electric, the whole crowd is into it. And I do think James Brown has an incredible voice, that’s even better live than it is in his studio recordings. On the other hand, the bad… There are parts where you can tell he isn’t singing directly into the microphone because his voice fades out. Kind of frustrating not being able to hear what he is saying for half the album. I will say this isn’t particularly my style of music, but I didn’t necessarily have a bad time either. It was just okay to me. Standout songs: I’ll Go Crazy I Don’t Mind Medley

A bit short but good

Not my thing, sounds good though. Probably good background music for something.

I will say one thing about James Brown. He put 100% into his performances, so he gets some points just for effort. The music is not really my style. I prefer the Otis Redding style soul, but it's decent enough. He likes to repeat phrases over and over again. And in this live performance, he too often is hard to hear from being far away from the microphone. The audience is definitely into it though.

Not too bad, but not great, feels like your ordinary jazz

The closest I ever came to seeing James Brown was seeing The Screaming Eagle of Soul, Charles Bradley (who started his career as a James Brown tribute act). James Brown’s voice is so powerful you think it’s going to go horribly wrong at parts, but he manages to hold it back from breaking completely. I think he’s at his best live, and this album certainly showcases his showmanship and energy as an entertainer; the crowd also adds an electric energy to this album and is the better for including it on the recording. I found the tracklist quite dull though compared to other live recordings I’ve seen/heard from him.

Pretty pleasant to listen to, especially with the jazzy instrumentation and groove. Very different style of singing from back then though.

This is a fine listen, but nothing on this album really does it for me. The energy is there, but the live aspect, while historic, probably worked better in the room than it does on the recording.

Groovy but I won’t be relistening too often

Did was niet slecht, maar duurde gelukkig ook niet te lang

Not the best James Brown I have ever heard. There are so many better options that we could have heard.

Saw the artist/album and was hoping it would be better. Maybe it is on this list because it is 60+ years old and live?

hei hei heeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiii ja tervettullloooo.. tervetulllooo illan showh'n'n!! wooooooooooo woooooooooooo!! ooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO bbbbBAAAAAAAAAAAABYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY. incredible soundwriting and sing-a-songing... tämä mf ei ole oppinut laulamaan vielä.. tässä mitään sielua ole heh.. meikäläinen voisi repäistä paremman performanssin.. musiikki on silti hyvää että ei liikaa hakata paskasi. hakta palasiksi tätänäin mutta voi voi voi kaukana on kunniakierrokset jos tämä on anti.. fucked up piece of shit type music. Instrumental Bridge #2 - Live At The Apollo Theater/1962

Zeker gelachen tijdens dit album. Maar niet helemaal mijn ding

Bra trøkk

We have Led Zeppelin at home

me gustó el ambiente festivo del álbum y como se sentía todo como una fiesta en las vegas o algo así. las canciones largas se me hicieron algo pesadas pero en general es un álbum bastante entretenido y simple.

enjoyed this album

Fun!

- spectacular live I’m sure, love to hear the crowd in background - spectacular musician, spectacular voice!!

A fun and energetic recording but I’d still prefer a studio album. Exactly what I’d expect from James Brown live.

A fun live album, but 'Lost Someone' feels a bit repetitive after awhile and, overall, didn't grab my attention. I had some laughs every time the crowd screamed though.

I am not sure that listening to this on an overnight flight from Boston to London did it justice…

I'm less familiar with James Brown's earlier material, so this was definitely an interesting listen. There's some decent tracks on here, but it was just a bit too short. It felt like just as I was getting into a song it'd be over and on to the next - which is probably why the longer cuts really worked for me.

Typische James Brown Sound als Live-Aufnahme. Ist ok, es sich einmal anzuhören. Mehr begeistert es mich nicht. 3/5

Nog een keer luisteren

A fun album, but not too many hots/standouts. Overall enjoyable

It's decent music. It's just a lot of the same to me. I don't get why Lost Someone is 10 minutes long.

Guys night, burnout and beers

Pretty good, good snapshot at the time of what live music was like especially a James Brown concert

3.5/5. Great easy listening vibes, Lost Someone too long. What a voice, the upbeat songs the strongest

Great live vocals

Really enjoyed this but probs won't listen again. Thought the crowd noises would be annoying but actually added to this I think

mjög gott, en mér finnast hljóðversplöturnar yfirleitt betri.

The live albums really annoy me. James Brown though .... maximum amount of stars for a live album awarded.

good music for outside when it’s sunny

Way ahead of the time live album, in sound quality, showmanship, song structure the whole nine yards. 3.5/5

Konzerte haben damals nur ne halbe Stunde gedauert? Hm, egal, ich mag die Live-Atmosphäre.

Das Album fängt seine beeindruckende Bühnenpräsenz und die mitreißende Energie seines Publikums ein. Die *Famous Flames* liefern eine kraftvolle musikalische Begleitung, und Songs wie *Try Me* und *I’ll Go Crazy* zeigen seine emotionale Intensität. Insgesamt ganz ok.

Good listen, but while I respect the man I think I'm never going to love him.

Very cool, was distracted while listening but love to hear early R&B

he’s the absolute best but the live recording was difficult to listen to

Really thought I’d like it more

Love James Brown. Not my favorite live album but the dude had it. 3.5 stars.

Tons of energy. R&B is not really my thing but this was great listen.

Pretty and probably nice to be there. Just ok as an album Will I listen to again: 4%

credit where credit is due, the man can work a crowd

Decent, but I wanted something else. I prefer singing over screaming, although it works for the album.

Big band jazz vibes, sounds great. 3

Soul

Aside for the fact I don’t think live albums should be on this list, I’ve never understood the love for this release. Yes, the live essence comes through, but the songs are not all that and it’s an easy pass for me in exchange for Brown’s studio work.

Can’t say this is bad, I just thought it was fine.

Nice album, a bit short. I do hope he played longer than 30 minutes or else I would've feel scammed in the audience. 3/5

Ok, I guess I'm fucking stupid after all...

Solid live album, but not better than the other live albums so far that I like more. Not sure how much James Brown is on this list or if he had any good normal albums.

Unexpectedly enjoyable. Early 60s live recordings are a mixed bag. This is OK. 3/5.

nice nice nice

Kinda jazzy. I don’t really remember much about this album, good or bad. For that, it gets a 3/5.

I think I need to better understand the context here, as Brown’s prolific showmanship doesn’t fully translate into an audio-only format. Also I’m curious how they got such clean sounds but mostly hard-panned (rather than centered) the vox.

I can see why the medley was such a powerful thing and at a different time that would be my shit. Continuing the artifice concerns, Brown fronted the cost for this. Which is to say, this wasn’t some one-off happenstance capture of a band one night, but a deliberately staged, well-rehearsed performance. He and his manager knew they had something special and made sure to get it right. But the sense one has with so much time removed is capturing a glimpse through a keyhole, of, again “the real thing man” which was powerful enough in the years after to inspire entire bands and potentially a genre via the MC5, Stooges, early Who. Whereas now..? It’s not lost to time, at all, but... Keepers: I Don’t Mind, Try Me

usually not a fan of live albums. But this puts you back in time. Enjoyable, but not stuff I know.

It's oke

It's difficult to deny the charisma and influence James Brown had, as evidenced by the screams in the audience (like how he croons "I believe somebody out here love someone" and someone shouts back "Yeah, YOU!!"). This album and live show set him up for his huge huge hits in the 70s which are pretty ubitiquitous by now. I see this album as a preview to those. And I'm sure this is like half of the artists on this list, but Brown was also a known abuser. It's unfortunate that he used his talent and fame to take advantage of the many women in his life.

This was fun but too short imo. Didn't get the full depth of why he rox

Sure. It's James Brown, one of all time greatest artists since recording technology has existed. But there's nothing particularly unique or special about this live album that isn't better captured by a greatest hits compilation. I appreciate that JB needs to be on a list of albums to listen to before you die but this one isn't anything unique among any of his other work.

The quality of recording was really great, but live albums are generally not my thing. Solid 3. 3/5

Would have loved to have seen this live. Such energy, such a cutting-edge artist, and so much future work and sound is based off of this. Sadly, I probably would have been given a really hard time and I told I don't belong there.

Imagine being there?! Damn.

Decent live album.

Can understand the appeal of James brown and the impact of his music. Not my favour genre, but definitely a great album showcasing one of the heavyweights of early R&B music

Favorite songs: Think, I'll Go Crazy Least favorite songs: I Don't Mind 3/5

I really wanted to love this but it was no JB greatest hits for me.

don't have much to say for this. was good.

Great band, funky as hell and James is on fire. It's short at 31 minutes but I can only imagine what it was like to be there to witness this. Makes me want to dig deeper in to his live stuff that came a little bit later.

3/5

2.8 2x

En pahemmin välitä live-albumeista, mutta hyvää musiikkiahan tämä noin kuitenkin on.

Think this should be seen rather than just heard

Not bad for the time

I suppose fine. I want some of the James Brown hits. Cool to read the story of how it came about.