WHAT IS "SOUL FINGER"?

You've heard it a thousand times but, man, does it get ever get old? From the horns introducing the mighty crack of the drums, "Soul Finger" is a just a full on two and a half minute party. I love how the drummer is just pounding the living shit out of his kit. Released the same year, 1967, "Knucklehead" is entirely different. It starts out sounding like the intro of Stevie Wonder's "Uptight", and then out of nowhere this blues harp comes in. It's already getting fucked up. Pretty soon you're just chooglin' through guitar parts, drum breaks and assorted instrumental weirdness. If it seems odd hearing those two compared to the later decidedly funky stuff it's because four of the original Bar Kays died in the same plane crash that killed Otis Redding, in December 1967 (including kit basher of the day Carl Cunningham). After that, it was essentially a new group. That version of the band was completely different, wah-wah happy, but still righteously funky, backing a number of artists on Stax, including Isaac Hayes on his Hot Buttered Soul.

If you dig the Bar Kays, or just cool band photos in general, check the giant high resolution version of the above photo here.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
The Bar Kays - Soul Finger mp3 at LZ Center 1967
The Bar Kays - Knucklehead mp3 at Junk Shop Juke Box 1967
The Bar Kays - Son of Shaft mp3 at Beware of the Blog 1972
Isaac Hayes - Walk On By mp3 at Louder Softer 1969
Visit:
The Bar Kays at Wikipedia