1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:01,280 Speaker 1: Taking a Walk. 2 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:04,560 Speaker 2: He did some miracles, and the number one thing was 3 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:08,240 Speaker 2: when he made it stop raining. It was raining, cats 4 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:11,000 Speaker 2: and dogs. It had been raining for two days straight. 5 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 2: When we got out of the bus, it was nothing 6 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 2: but mud around us, and he said, would you like 7 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 2: to see it stop raining? We're like, that would be nice. 8 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:26,119 Speaker 2: He went to the stage for the first time in 9 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 2: two days. The rain stopped, the sun came out, and 10 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 2: as he gets off stage, he said, did I do 11 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 2: it or not? 12 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:38,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Taking a Walk Podcast, where we celebrate 13 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 1: music history and the people behind the music. It was 14 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 1: Christmas Day in two thousand and six when we lost 15 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 1: the great James Brown. And on this episode, your host 16 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:52,600 Speaker 1: Buzznight celebrates the life of James Brown with two special guests. 17 00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:56,639 Speaker 1: Author James Sullivan wrote the book The Hardest Working Man, 18 00:00:57,200 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 1: How James Brown Saved the Soul of America in Super 19 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: Frank Cop c das James Brown's former manager in Friend. 20 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 1: Here is Buzz Night with James Sullivan. 21 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:14,039 Speaker 3: Well, James, as we sit in a world of divide 22 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 3: and challenges. If James Brown were alive today, what sort 23 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 3: of force in the world do you think he would be? 24 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:25,399 Speaker 2: That's a good question. 25 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 4: I would like to think that he would have rediscovered 26 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:36,119 Speaker 4: sort of the social power that he amassed for himself 27 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 4: as a superstar in the nineteen sixties, that he'd be 28 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 4: calling for people to come together. I feel pretty confident 29 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 4: that he probably would have had something to say during 30 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 4: the Black Lives Matter protests. Obviously, I think we most 31 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 4: of us know at this point that Al Sharpton, who 32 00:01:54,320 --> 00:02:01,160 Speaker 4: is you know, often seen around events involving the African 33 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 4: American community, was kind of groomed at the knee of 34 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 4: James Brown. Al Sharpton was sort of a kid preacher. 35 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 4: When he came under James Brown's wing, they stuck together 36 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 4: pretty tightly for years. They Actually there was a there 37 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:22,680 Speaker 4: was a moment during the Reagan presidency where James Brown 38 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:25,640 Speaker 4: had an audience with Reagan in the White House and 39 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 4: he brought Al Sharpton. But so so so. My book 40 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 4: The Hardest Working Man, which I wrote several years ago, 41 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 4: is specifically about The subtitle is how James Brown Saved 42 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:42,080 Speaker 4: the Soul of America, And it's specifically about how mister 43 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 4: Brown recognized at a certain point in the mid sixties 44 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 4: that he had some cultural clout and what I often 45 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:53,679 Speaker 4: said when the book came out, was that, in a way, 46 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 4: similar to Muhammad Ali, who obviously you know, used his 47 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 4: worldwide fan on behalf of his speaking out on all 48 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 4: kinds of issues, whether it was Vietnam or race relations 49 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 4: or lots of other things, James Brown did the same 50 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 4: thing in the mid and late sixties. I had just 51 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 4: moved back to Boston a few years before writing this book, 52 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:19,680 Speaker 4: and there's this famous story about how James Brown played 53 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:23,080 Speaker 4: the Boston Garden the night after Martin Luther King was killed, 54 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 4: and the city had initially thought about canceling the show 55 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 4: because they didn't want people out on the streets, and 56 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 4: ultimately the show actually went on, and not only did 57 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 4: it go on, but it was broadcast live on WGBH, 58 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:41,960 Speaker 4: which is Channel two in Boston. And so I used 59 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 4: that moment to kind of as a kind of window 60 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 4: into this idea that James Brown spoke out a lot 61 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 4: about a lot of different issues affecting the country in 62 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 4: the nineteen sixties. He campaigned for he himself, who was 63 00:03:56,760 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 4: not a great student, campaigned for kids to stay in school. 64 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 4: He talked often about black independence and supporting the black community, 65 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 4: supporting each other by starting their own businesses, and he 66 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 4: you know, led by example in that way, and then 67 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 4: he of course did this, you know, perform this this 68 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 4: famous show at the Boston Garden the night after doctor 69 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 4: King was killed, which you know by many reports Boston. 70 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 4: Although there were some disturbances on the streets, the level 71 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 4: of protesting and rioting was much lower in Boston than 72 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 4: elsewhere in the country the night after King was killed, 73 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:37,479 Speaker 4: because all eyes were on James Brown. So the long 74 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 4: you know, that's a long winded way of getting around 75 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 4: to back around to your question, which is, if he 76 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 4: was still alive today and healthy, I would like to 77 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:48,479 Speaker 4: think that he would probably still be attempting or maybe 78 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:52,360 Speaker 4: he would have returned to using some of that cultural 79 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 4: and political clout that he that he gained for himself 80 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 4: in the sixties. 81 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 3: How was he able to balance the turbulence in his 82 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 3: family life with his work. 83 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 4: Well, I mean, that's part of the James Brown story. 84 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 4: I'm not sure that he did. 85 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:08,600 Speaker 2: You know. 86 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:10,720 Speaker 4: One of the things that led me to want to 87 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:13,479 Speaker 4: write this book and focus on the sixties was that 88 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:18,720 Speaker 4: by the nineties, you know, if later generations knew anything 89 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 4: about James Brown, they thought he was this kooky older 90 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 4: guy who showed up on Larry King you know, you know, 91 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 4: half out of his mind or whatever. He kind of 92 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:32,719 Speaker 4: squandered and and and the biopic with Chadwick Boseman playing 93 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 4: him kind of reflects a lot of that. 94 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:35,359 Speaker 5: You know. 95 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 4: There's the episode that the film starts with actually where 96 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:41,599 Speaker 4: he you know, is high and shows up with a 97 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 4: rifle at you know, one of his offices in Georgia, 98 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:49,039 Speaker 4: wonder you know, it had been rented out to some 99 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:51,719 Speaker 4: insurance group or whatever, and he's you know, wondering why 100 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 4: they're there and starts shooting, shooting up the place and 101 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 4: the shooting bullets into the ceiling or whatever. I mean, 102 00:05:56,920 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 4: Like obviously it went off the rails a little bit 103 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 4: for him later in life, you know, unfortunately, I think, 104 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 4: like a lot of celebrities, and he had taken a 105 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 4: lot of responsibility on himself. He had, you know, huge 106 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 4: numbers of people on his payroll throughout his career, so 107 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:13,159 Speaker 4: he was responsible not just for himself, but for lots 108 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 4: of other folks. The stress, you know, overwhelmed him at 109 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 4: a certain point. And I also think that in the 110 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 4: early years of hip hop, there was a lot of 111 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:28,360 Speaker 4: talk about how he was not very happy with hip 112 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:32,479 Speaker 4: hop producers appropriating his music, although it was so clearly 113 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 4: such a great fit with hip hop beats, and I 114 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 4: think a lot of that was I mean, it was 115 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,599 Speaker 4: some of it was about getting paid, obviously, but a 116 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 4: lot of it also was about the fact that he 117 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,800 Speaker 4: had to come to terms with the idea that he 118 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:51,599 Speaker 4: no longer had this social capital that he had had 119 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 4: in the sixties and seventies. He was not nearly as famous, 120 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 4: and you know, a younger generation was taking over, and 121 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:01,800 Speaker 4: he wasn't going to be a superstar for the rest 122 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 4: of his life. And I you know, he was, you know, frankly, 123 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 4: you know, an egotistical guy who's you know, hyper proud 124 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 4: and uh and and and and probably took it hard 125 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 4: that that he was, you know, kind of being showed 126 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 4: the door, you know, even though so much of that 127 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 4: early hip hop music is based on James Brown rhythms 128 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:25,720 Speaker 4: and fantastically so that wasn't what mattered to him. It 129 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 4: was that, you know, these young guns we were kind 130 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:30,520 Speaker 4: of you know, inching him towards the door, and he 131 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 4: didn't like it. 132 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 3: Talk about his disciplined approach, that he demanded the excellence 133 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 3: out of his all of his bands. Can you can 134 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 3: you discuss that? 135 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 4: Yeah, he grew up at a time where you know, you, 136 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 4: if you were a performer, you talk the talk and 137 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 4: walk the walk. So you dressed fine. I mean, one 138 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 4: of my other books is about the history of blue jeans, 139 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:00,600 Speaker 4: and I always found it funny that James around pretty 140 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:05,000 Speaker 4: famously refused to let his bandmates band members wear blue jeans, 141 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 4: even even never mind on stage where they all wore 142 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 4: matching suits. They couldn't even wear blue jeans in his 143 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 4: traveling entourage when they were later traveling, when they were 144 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 4: going in the airports or whatever, because it made it 145 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 4: could to him, denim was the was the workware of prisoners, 146 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:25,640 Speaker 4: and he had spent time as a young man in 147 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 4: prison and had worked his way out of that. So 148 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 4: to him, you know, you dressed super fine. You know, 149 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:37,839 Speaker 4: you wore the flashiest clothes you you carried yourself like 150 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 4: a star. And you know, famously he would you know, 151 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 4: he had these very tightly rehearsed, choreographed bands, and if 152 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 4: anyone hit a wrong note or you know, took a 153 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:51,959 Speaker 4: wrong step in the in the in the choreography, in 154 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 4: the horn department or whatever, he famously would flash fingers 155 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:58,080 Speaker 4: at them, flash five fingers at them. That would mean 156 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 4: you just got doc five bucks forming that step and 157 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 4: after the show, you're gonna owe me. And they hated 158 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:06,360 Speaker 4: seeing those flashing fingers. You know, he'd do it as 159 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 4: part of one of his dance steps. So the audience 160 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 4: didn't necessarily what was going on, know what was going on, 161 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:15,280 Speaker 4: but the musicians absolutely did, and they hated it. When 162 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 4: Bootsy Collins and his band they were, you know, really young. 163 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 2: They were like. 164 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 4: Nineteen or twenty years old if I remember correctly joined 165 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 4: to become the new JB's, you know, James Brown's new band. 166 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:28,320 Speaker 4: When a bunch of other band members left on Mass 167 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 4: around nineteen seventy. Bootsy and his you know colleagues were 168 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 4: they couldn't stand it, you know, like they were free 169 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 4: wheeling young guys, and they only lasted a year or 170 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 4: two with James Brown because he was such a disciplinarian. 171 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 3: Well, lastly, in your research that you did about James, 172 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:50,080 Speaker 3: was there one thing that you discovered that really surprised 173 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 3: you that you didn't know before you did the research. 174 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 4: Well, there were lots of things that I didn't know. 175 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 4: I mean, he was a magnanimous person, for sure. And 176 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:05,640 Speaker 4: I mentioned earlier that he was very much a huge 177 00:10:05,679 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 4: part of his political drive to the extent that he 178 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:14,359 Speaker 4: had one was just advocating on behalf of black communities 179 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 4: supporting each other and starting their own businesses and not 180 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 4: and sort of you know, declaring their independence from the 181 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 4: mainstream world in America, the white world. So he bought 182 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 4: the radio station that he had come up at in Augusta, Georgia. 183 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:33,600 Speaker 4: He around this time, around early nineteen seventy or so, 184 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 4: started a chain of restaurants, which didn't last. But he 185 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 4: was very much of a businessman who you know, in 186 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:44,080 Speaker 4: this all on top of you know, sort of carrying 187 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:47,960 Speaker 4: a dozen musicians and you know, however, many more touring 188 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:52,239 Speaker 4: members and people working at a you know, at his organization. 189 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 4: I mean, he carried a lot of people and was 190 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:57,960 Speaker 4: you know, carried a guy like Bobby Bird who was 191 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:00,720 Speaker 4: this sort of right hand man for all of his 192 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:06,680 Speaker 4: life basically, and so politically he came out in support 193 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 4: of Richard Nixon, and some in the black community were 194 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:13,600 Speaker 4: not particularly happy about that, in part because Nixon obviously 195 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:17,120 Speaker 4: was you know, responsible for much of the war in 196 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 4: Vietnam and other reasons. But you know, James Brown's thinking was, 197 00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:26,640 Speaker 4: this is a guy who's doing who was supporting black 198 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:29,600 Speaker 4: independence and black business, and so because of that, I'm 199 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:32,200 Speaker 4: gonna I'm gonna throw my weight to him. And so, 200 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 4: you know, the thing that surprised me was also the 201 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 4: thing I think I would say that led me to 202 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 4: do the book in the first place, was that he 203 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 4: did have an enormous amount of cultural capital. And what 204 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:47,680 Speaker 4: you know, around this time period that I covered, late 205 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:51,720 Speaker 4: sixties into the early seventies, anything that James Brown said 206 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:55,440 Speaker 4: carried an awful lot of weight in this culture. It 207 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:57,440 Speaker 4: was fun kind of digging out some of the threads 208 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:00,960 Speaker 4: and finding out where he how he developed some of 209 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 4: this some of these ideas, and it was it was 210 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:07,440 Speaker 4: a joy to spend a couple of years sort of 211 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 4: immersed in his music. 212 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:12,440 Speaker 3: Thanks for helping us celebrate the life of Jamie. 213 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: Right back with more the podcast. Welcome back to the 214 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 1: Taking a Walk Podcast. Here is Buzznight when Super Frank 215 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 1: cop see das James Brown's former manager and friend. 216 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 5: So would you identify yourself sir and tell us tell 217 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 5: us who you are, what are you doing these days, 218 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 5: and how are you able to help us celebrate the 219 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 5: life of James Brown. 220 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 2: Ah, well, that's interesting because currently I am nowhere near 221 00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 2: the music business anymore. After spending oh probably close to 222 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:08,439 Speaker 2: thirty years in the music business, I am now immersed 223 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:14,000 Speaker 2: in television and the television broadcast industry and what is 224 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:17,559 Speaker 2: known as five G Broadcast, which is a brand new 225 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:21,960 Speaker 2: platform that isn't world out to the public yet. But 226 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:27,520 Speaker 2: how do I celebrate James Brown every day? Well, I'm 227 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 2: going to say I cannot escape him any day of 228 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:34,560 Speaker 2: my life. He is somewhere there. And he always said, 229 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 2: after I'm gone, if you hear my song, you know 230 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 2: I'm talking to you, and it'll be the strangest places 231 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 2: I hear it, Like all of a sudden, I'm listening 232 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 2: to a program that he really has no contact with 233 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 2: or no relationship with, and all of a sudden, they'll 234 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:55,920 Speaker 2: play a song and it's like, Okay, that was strange. 235 00:13:56,600 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 2: And we were walking through a hotel lobby one time, 236 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:05,800 Speaker 2: and all of a sudden, his songs came on back 237 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 2: to back to back, and we're like, what is that 238 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 2: all about? And they weren't playing his kind of music either, So, 239 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:16,439 Speaker 2: and I was with somebody else I worked with in 240 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 2: the James Brown World, and we're both looking at each 241 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 2: other saying, he's here right now, no question about it. 242 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:28,600 Speaker 2: Some of the things I look back at and really 243 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 2: shake my head laugh. But he did some miracles, and 244 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 2: the number one thing was when he made it stop raining. 245 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 2: We were going to Glastonbury one year the first time 246 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:45,480 Speaker 2: he did this. We're headed to Glastonbury. It was raining, 247 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 2: cats and dogs. It had been raining for two days straight. 248 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 2: When we got out of the bus, it was nothing 249 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:57,760 Speaker 2: but mud around us, and he said, would you like 250 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 2: to see it stop raining? And we're like, that would 251 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 2: be nice, And he went to the stage for the 252 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 2: first time in two days. The rain stopped, the sun 253 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 2: came out for his performance. At the end of his performance, 254 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:19,600 Speaker 2: the clouds closed back up, just like a curtain, and 255 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:23,200 Speaker 2: it started raining again. And as he gets off stage, 256 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 2: he said, did I do it or not? And we're like, 257 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:31,000 Speaker 2: are you kidding? And we saw him do that two 258 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:34,880 Speaker 2: more times at different events where he said, you want 259 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:37,360 Speaker 2: me to make it stop raining again, I'll do it 260 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:41,640 Speaker 2: right now, and he did and we're like, okay, he 261 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 2: does have some powers. 262 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:46,320 Speaker 3: Wow, I would say supernatural. 263 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:50,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, he was supernatural, that's for sure. And we had 264 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:55,400 Speaker 2: a great time working with him. There were a lot 265 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 2: of fun moments. He became good friends with my mother 266 00:16:01,280 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 2: and would call her from the road and they'd sing 267 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 2: on the phone together. The next thing I know, my 268 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 2: mother is an I'm an adult at this point, a 269 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:16,560 Speaker 2: fifty year old adult at this point, and I have 270 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 2: my mother lecturing me about drinking the night before, and 271 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 2: I'm like, what is this all about? And she'd say, well, 272 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 2: he let her call him James, and she'd be like, 273 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:31,040 Speaker 2: James and I had a conversation last night, and you 274 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 2: shouldn't be doing this. I'm like, go away, hang up 275 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:39,720 Speaker 2: the phone now, thank you. And then he'd say to me, yeah, 276 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 2: I talked to you, mama last night. We both think 277 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:45,520 Speaker 2: you shouldn't be drinking like that. If you go out partying. 278 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 2: I'm like, no, you're just jealous. Leave me alone. So 279 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:55,680 Speaker 2: there were a lot of oh, let's see what else 280 00:16:55,800 --> 00:17:00,600 Speaker 2: when if it was just mister Bobbin and myself with 281 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:04,800 Speaker 2: him in the limo. He loved to tell jokes and 282 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:08,440 Speaker 2: we go, oh, no, he's not going to tell us jokes, 283 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:14,240 Speaker 2: is he? Because his jokes took forever. They were long, long, 284 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:20,199 Speaker 2: long jokes, and when he ended it we'd be like, 285 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:25,919 Speaker 2: where's the punchline, and he'd start laughing hysterically and we're like, 286 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:29,680 Speaker 2: there's no punchline, and he said, yeah, I just told 287 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:34,160 Speaker 2: you the punchline. And we'd be like, yeah, we missed it. 288 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:36,720 Speaker 2: It's not a funny joke, and he'd be like it 289 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:39,560 Speaker 2: was funny, And we get into big fights about how 290 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:43,320 Speaker 2: it was funny and not funny, but it was all 291 00:17:43,359 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 2: in good fun and we had a great time doing that. 292 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:49,399 Speaker 5: I have a sense that every day with him, you 293 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:52,280 Speaker 5: were like me right now and tears laughing. 294 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 2: Yes, absolutely, it was tears laughing. He always tried to 295 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:02,280 Speaker 2: so I had to sing and dance with him to 296 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:06,160 Speaker 2: close a show if I was there. So at Sex Machine, 297 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:08,879 Speaker 2: at the very end of the show, i'd get called 298 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 2: on stage. I had to go out. We had our routine. 299 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:14,280 Speaker 2: Then I went to the center of the stage with 300 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:18,200 Speaker 2: him and we sang out the rest of the remainder 301 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:21,639 Speaker 2: of the show. So if, first of all, if I 302 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:25,320 Speaker 2: didn't come out, I got fined twenty five bucks, and 303 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:27,879 Speaker 2: as he'd come off the stage, his hand would be 304 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:32,480 Speaker 2: out to get paid for the fun. The second thing 305 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:36,239 Speaker 2: he did when I did come out, he tried to 306 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 2: throw me off. Do something every night to throw me off. 307 00:18:41,720 --> 00:18:46,200 Speaker 2: So we were at the Oxygen Festival in Dublin one 308 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:50,920 Speaker 2: night and one hundred thousand kids out there. I come out, 309 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:53,600 Speaker 2: we do the dance part, we go to the center 310 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 2: of the stage. He looks at me and he said, 311 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:59,760 Speaker 2: you finished the show, and he walks right off and 312 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:03,000 Speaker 2: he's laughing. Of course the band is laughing. They're looking 313 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:05,320 Speaker 2: for what's he going to do to him tonight? And 314 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:07,720 Speaker 2: I'm standing there in the middle of the stage to 315 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:12,119 Speaker 2: close out this show. So I just start singing my 316 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:15,639 Speaker 2: part and then he came out and finished it, but 317 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:18,919 Speaker 2: he was hysterical laughing. So there were a lot of 318 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:22,680 Speaker 2: things like that, and a lot of James brown isms 319 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:30,200 Speaker 2: that took place as well, which were I don't know, 320 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:32,679 Speaker 2: you might want to cut this out, but I'm not sure. 321 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 2: He'd say, you know that man stuff that comes out 322 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:40,400 Speaker 2: then there. I ain't tired about the Yellowstone. I've taught 323 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:45,280 Speaker 2: about that other stuff. And you're like, yeah, and your 324 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:48,840 Speaker 2: point is what he said. If you don't get rid 325 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:51,919 Speaker 2: of that stuff at least once a day, it backs 326 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:54,919 Speaker 2: up right in your head. It makes you crazy. So 327 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:57,159 Speaker 2: you have to get rid of that stuff once a 328 00:19:57,240 --> 00:20:04,879 Speaker 2: day and you're like, okay, thank you, and he would ask, 329 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:07,680 Speaker 2: did you get rid of that stuff today? You're cranky? 330 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:17,880 Speaker 2: So and he also liked women with well and down 331 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:21,640 Speaker 2: in the rear end right and we'd be walking through 332 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:25,159 Speaker 2: an airport. He gets stopped and he pointed to it 333 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:28,080 Speaker 2: and said, this is what I'm talking about. He said, 334 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 2: that's what life's all about. And you'd be like, okay. 335 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 2: So there was a lot of fun, a lot of 336 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 2: times we had that were really really special, to say 337 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:49,280 Speaker 2: the least, that we had a good time in two thousands. Well, 338 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 2: I'm of the belief he was murdered in two thousand 339 00:20:53,640 --> 00:21:01,119 Speaker 2: and six, which is already seventeen years ago, was like yesterday. 340 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:06,359 Speaker 2: There was a CNN podcast done earlier this year about 341 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 2: it again, and I am a believer that his life 342 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:15,240 Speaker 2: was cut short. He was very excited about what was 343 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:18,960 Speaker 2: going to happen in two thousand and seven. So John 344 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:23,600 Speaker 2: Legend had written a duet for he and and WREITHA 345 00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:28,159 Speaker 2: Franklin that we had for about a year and it 346 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:33,440 Speaker 2: just said Grammy all over it. John wrote a brilliant 347 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:36,959 Speaker 2: song and we couldn't get him to sing it and 348 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:40,159 Speaker 2: He's like, it's disrespectful to my wife to sing it. 349 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:44,720 Speaker 2: I'm like, oh, please, what's going on? He said, I 350 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:47,919 Speaker 2: ain't singing it? And then mister Bobbitt, who was his 351 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:52,320 Speaker 2: personal manager, saw Aretha in New York and said, are 352 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:54,920 Speaker 2: you going to do that song with mister Brad And 353 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:57,280 Speaker 2: she said, I ain't singing with that son of a bitch. 354 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:02,800 Speaker 2: And it's like, oh, oh, something's going on here. Well, 355 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:06,080 Speaker 2: we found out they had a tourd love affair that 356 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:08,280 Speaker 2: had never been resolved. 357 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:09,760 Speaker 3: Wow. 358 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 2: So we asked and asked, and finally we actually had 359 00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 2: two other songs written for mister Brown, brand new ones 360 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:23,159 Speaker 2: by a twenty five year old in La. He loved 361 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:26,400 Speaker 2: the songs. He said, this kid's got the fuck and 362 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:31,120 Speaker 2: he was going to go. So mister Brown died on 363 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 2: Christmas Day of twenty six and for New Year's Day 364 00:22:39,359 --> 00:22:43,679 Speaker 2: January first and second, we had a studio book in 365 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 2: where was it in Montreal to record for two days. 366 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:52,160 Speaker 2: And I said to him, mister Brown, I think part 367 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 2: of the problem that you faced in the past couple 368 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 2: decades is you were never meant to record with bro 369 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:05,199 Speaker 2: tools in sessions and taking apart sessions. Your magic is 370 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:09,840 Speaker 2: going in the studio recording it straight through live and 371 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:13,359 Speaker 2: there's your signal, right, And he looked at me and goes, 372 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:17,440 Speaker 2: I think you're right. So that's what we put together 373 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:21,080 Speaker 2: for January first and second of two thousand and seven 374 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 2: was to record his part of that John Legend song 375 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:30,919 Speaker 2: with the Retha and two brand new songs. And that 376 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:34,240 Speaker 2: was one thing. Then March of that year we were 377 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:39,760 Speaker 2: going to do five songs in five days with Joss Stone, 378 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:43,720 Speaker 2: to go away with her and do that. And then 379 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:47,680 Speaker 2: the funniest thing, so anytime I asked him or told 380 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:50,960 Speaker 2: him about a new tour, it would be no, I'm 381 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:54,680 Speaker 2: not doing it. It didn't mean no he's not doing 382 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:57,959 Speaker 2: it means no he doesn't understand it yet. It hasn't 383 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:03,920 Speaker 2: sunk yet because he did absolutely everything. He loved being 384 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:09,760 Speaker 2: on the road. It's what he lived for. And I 385 00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:13,120 Speaker 2: said to him, I have a crazy idea for you 386 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:17,199 Speaker 2: this year in two thousand and seven. What if you 387 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:21,360 Speaker 2: do the Pride Parade on a float with Joss Stone 388 00:24:21,520 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 2: and justin Timberwake doing sex Machine, and you see you 389 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:31,400 Speaker 2: sing sex Machine, the floatstops, and then you do what 390 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:34,920 Speaker 2: you do at concerts where you tell people now look 391 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:36,879 Speaker 2: at the person on your right and tell them you 392 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 2: love them. Now look at the person on your left 393 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:43,720 Speaker 2: and tell them you love them too, and then go 394 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:46,920 Speaker 2: into sex machine and keep going right, and we keep 395 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:51,160 Speaker 2: doing that. He loved that idea. He was all over it. 396 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:56,479 Speaker 2: Josh Joss Stone was all over it, and Justin was like, 397 00:24:56,680 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 2: that is great, I love it. So there were all 398 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:03,720 Speaker 2: a lot of fun things, not to mention a full 399 00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:07,680 Speaker 2: schedule of shows. And when I started working with him, 400 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:12,679 Speaker 2: he said, I just have one favor I'd like to 401 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 2: ask of you. I said, what is it? He said, 402 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:18,120 Speaker 2: I want to play to ten thousand people one more 403 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 2: time in my life. I said, ten thousand. Done. And 404 00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:26,200 Speaker 2: the summer I believe it was two thousand and five, 405 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:30,880 Speaker 2: he played to two point four million that summer alone, 406 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:36,800 Speaker 2: between all the festivals we were at. And of course 407 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:39,720 Speaker 2: anytime there were one hundred thousand people out there, they 408 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:43,479 Speaker 2: all came to see him. Forget anybody else on the 409 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 2: festival band, they were all there to see him, And 410 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:51,240 Speaker 2: especially after Dave Grohl said his tent load of people, 411 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:55,080 Speaker 2: his one hundred thousand people, what are you doing here 412 00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:59,880 Speaker 2: watching me? You should be across the field watching James Reno, 413 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:03,000 Speaker 2: So we had a lot of fun. 414 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:07,399 Speaker 5: So is your belief though, that his life was taken 415 00:26:08,640 --> 00:26:12,879 Speaker 5: because of the robust plans and schedule that he was 416 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 5: excited about. Is that why you feel that way? 417 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:21,919 Speaker 2: I feel his life was taken because he wanted to 418 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:26,679 Speaker 2: move back to New York with his wife. And we said, okay, 419 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:29,320 Speaker 2: if you want to do that, you need to stay 420 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:32,399 Speaker 2: quiet about it and just do it when you're ready 421 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:37,040 Speaker 2: to move. And mister Brown could not stay quiet about anything. 422 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:42,440 Speaker 2: So he told his business manager at the time that 423 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:46,440 Speaker 2: he wanted to move, and his business manager said, you're 424 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 2: not going anywhere. You're saying right here where he could 425 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:57,400 Speaker 2: control him a lot better. This is a horrendous story. 426 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:02,679 Speaker 2: But he took mister Brown on a ride through Barnwell, 427 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:05,679 Speaker 2: South Carolina, and he pulled over to the side of 428 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:08,639 Speaker 2: the road with mister Brown in the car, and he 429 00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:12,639 Speaker 2: pointed to a noose in a tree and said, we 430 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:15,600 Speaker 2: still do that to people who don't listen down here. 431 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:20,960 Speaker 2: So he actually scared him. When I heard of that story, 432 00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:25,959 Speaker 2: which was a couple weeks later, I went absolutely haywire 433 00:27:26,480 --> 00:27:30,640 Speaker 2: with his business manager saying, how dare you do anything 434 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:37,320 Speaker 2: like that? But he saw that if mister Brown moved 435 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:41,520 Speaker 2: to New York, he'd lose control over him and his money. 436 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:45,720 Speaker 2: That's what he was afraid of. And he thought he 437 00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:50,159 Speaker 2: was going to administer the estate after mister Brown was gone, 438 00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:54,600 Speaker 2: and thought he had his cash cow all set. We 439 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:58,920 Speaker 2: had a hundred million dollar offer on the table right 440 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:02,479 Speaker 2: before mister Brown and died for basically a lot of 441 00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:06,399 Speaker 2: his rights, and they wanted it to go through, but 442 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:08,600 Speaker 2: they didn't want to give him any of the money. 443 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:13,560 Speaker 2: So his business manager was kind of thinking, this is 444 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:15,480 Speaker 2: a great way for me to get a lot of 445 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:19,560 Speaker 2: money at once. So there were a lot of motivations 446 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:23,520 Speaker 2: at that point for mister Brown not being around. He 447 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:24,440 Speaker 2: stood in the way. 448 00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:29,480 Speaker 6: So when you think about it, it's terribly sad when 449 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:34,199 Speaker 6: you think about if he were alive today in this 450 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:40,600 Speaker 6: divided world that we live in and always being so 451 00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:43,880 Speaker 6: at the foreground of speaking his mind. 452 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 3: What do you think he'd be saying about the way 453 00:28:46,480 --> 00:28:47,360 Speaker 3: things are today? 454 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:51,880 Speaker 2: Probably the same as he saw then, which is people 455 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:56,600 Speaker 2: need to communicate and music being the universal language, is 456 00:28:56,680 --> 00:29:01,400 Speaker 2: what brings people together. He said, we have to talk 457 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:04,480 Speaker 2: to each other. That's why it is. At his shows 458 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:07,320 Speaker 2: he would say turns of person on your right and 459 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:10,120 Speaker 2: tell them you love them, and the left tell them 460 00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:13,120 Speaker 2: you love them too. We all need to love each other. 461 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:16,960 Speaker 2: So that is a message. He sent out it every 462 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:22,320 Speaker 2: single show he was at and he always said music 463 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:27,120 Speaker 2: is the universal language that will unite us. So I 464 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:31,200 Speaker 2: think he feels the same way today as he felt 465 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:34,360 Speaker 2: back then that we just need to talk to each other, 466 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 2: respect each other. 467 00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:41,920 Speaker 3: So I know you stated earlier you still feel his presence, 468 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:45,880 Speaker 3: but do you ever have dreams about him that that 469 00:29:46,040 --> 00:29:47,280 Speaker 3: happened that you Of. 470 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:53,440 Speaker 2: Course that happened, that are happening. The past doesn't seem 471 00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:56,800 Speaker 2: to come up. It's always the current day. And it's 472 00:29:56,920 --> 00:29:59,880 Speaker 2: like you wake up and you go, yeah, but you're 473 00:30:00,120 --> 00:30:03,520 Speaker 2: not here, and you hear him say in your head, yeah, 474 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:08,080 Speaker 2: but I am. I'm always with you and his presence. 475 00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:13,840 Speaker 2: I feel his presence every day to this day. And 476 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:18,000 Speaker 2: I let's see. So he said to me, I'm going 477 00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 2: to work with you till I'm one hundred years old, 478 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:24,080 Speaker 2: and I'd say that's the day I quit. I will 479 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:27,160 Speaker 2: have had plenty of you by then. We're done when 480 00:30:27,160 --> 00:30:30,920 Speaker 2: you're a hundred. So he died at seventy three. Actually 481 00:30:30,960 --> 00:30:34,600 Speaker 2: here's another little story. He wasn't seventy three. He never 482 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:38,840 Speaker 2: had a birth certificate. He was actually seventy eight. And 483 00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:41,240 Speaker 2: I used to say to him, mister Brown, why is 484 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:44,720 Speaker 2: it that all your friends from school, all the people 485 00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:48,000 Speaker 2: you said you grew up with, are five years older 486 00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:52,160 Speaker 2: than you. I said, you're making this up that you're 487 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:56,680 Speaker 2: five years younger. He said, I'm just smarter than all 488 00:30:56,720 --> 00:31:02,080 Speaker 2: of them. That's why he was actually seventy eight when 489 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:06,560 Speaker 2: he passed. So let's see add seventeen years to that. 490 00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:09,920 Speaker 2: Since he passed seventy eight eighty five, ninety five, I 491 00:31:09,920 --> 00:31:12,160 Speaker 2: would have had five more years to work with it. 492 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 3: Oh Man, super Frank, thanks for celebrating James Brown on 493 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:19,200 Speaker 3: this episode. 494 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:24,120 Speaker 2: Oh my pleasure, My pleasure. There are so many stories. 495 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:27,040 Speaker 2: It was an honor and a privilege to work with 496 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:31,160 Speaker 2: him and part of music history. I wish we had 497 00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:36,200 Speaker 2: gotten some of two thousand and seven done and he 498 00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:38,760 Speaker 2: could have won a Grammy. That would have meant a lot. 499 00:31:39,480 --> 00:31:41,440 Speaker 2: We love you, James, We love you. 500 00:31:42,040 --> 00:31:45,360 Speaker 3: And the jokes are really funny. 501 00:31:45,640 --> 00:31:50,400 Speaker 2: No they're not, they are not. I would say that 502 00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:54,240 Speaker 2: to this day that I would not subject to anybody 503 00:31:54,360 --> 00:32:00,480 Speaker 2: to his joke. Thanks super Frank, You're welcome. You're the best. 504 00:32:00,560 --> 00:32:01,400 Speaker 3: I appreciate it. 505 00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:05,440 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a 506 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:09,360 Speaker 1: Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends 507 00:32:09,480 --> 00:32:12,920 Speaker 1: and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking 508 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:16,880 Speaker 1: a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 509 00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:19,400 Speaker 1: and wherever you get your podcasts.