Go Go music ?

WHaT is Go Go m usic

by KC THE FUNK aHOlIC

KC the Funkaholic, DJ, promotor, label owner and collector and has been working at the music venue Paradiso sinds 1995. Go-Go changed his life after seeing Trouble Funk and Chuck Brown on many occasions in the eighties in London and at the Paradiso in Amsterdam.

Finding Go-Go records was difficult back in the days. Only few copies would find its way to Amsterdam. The employees of a record shop in Amsterdam would, as he stepped into the shop, always start singing the iconic theme song of Mr Ed, a TV show about a talking horse.. They changed the lyric’s to: the famous Mr T.E.D.D as he was always asking if they got any new releases on the Trouble Funk label.

Go-go music is a unique style of music that originated in Washington, D.C in the eighties.

Go-go has its roots in a variety of African American musical styles, including funk, hiphop, soul, and R&B.

It is characterized by a highly energetic but slow rhythmic sound, with heavy use of percussion instruments such as congas, cowbells, and timbales. The repetitive rhythms are a key characteristic of go-go music, and the musicians who play in go-go bands are highly skilled at creating and maintaining those rhythms. In a go-go band, there may be multiple percussionists playing together to create a complex, layered rhythm. The drummer and bassist also play a crucial role in maintaining the groove and driving the beat forward.

The bands are led by a charismatic frontman or frontwoman, help to create a sense of unity and interaction between the musicians and the audience. The audience is referred as an extra band member and performances usually start with a call-and-response a so called Roll Call an introduction between band and crowd. Overall, go-go music is a collaborative effort that requires a high level of skill, coordination, and improvisation from everyone involved this the ultimate goal creating a “pocket”. The term “the pocket” or “Sho Nuff Crankin” is used to describe the sweet spot where the drums, bass, and other percussion instruments all lock in together to create a solid, consistent rhythm , tightly locked-in, that keeps the music moving forward. It is the foundation of the music, and the goal is to create a rhythm that is so tight and infectious that it makes people want to dance. When the band is in the pocket, the music feels effortless and natural. Achieving and maintaining the pocket is a mark of a skilled go-go musician and a hallmark of the genre.

trouble Funk Live at Paradiso ( 3 october 1986 )

The golden age of Go-Go was in the 1980s, with endless list of bands performing and competing for fame and fortune in the DC area. Four bands stood out: Trouble Funk, the Godfather of Go-Go Chuck Brown who gave birth to the sound, EU, and Rare Essence, each with their own unique style and signature sound. Following the political riot of the Pentagon Papers, Go-Go remained one of Washington’s best-kept secrets. However, there was one man on a mission to change that: Maxx Kidd. He had a vision. As hip-hop was spreading worldwide and house music was gaining popularity, it was time for Go-Go to make its mark. Once people experienced “the pocket” - the irresistible groove of GoGo music - they would be infected by its rhythm.

Maxx Kidd believed that the world would become a slave to the Go-Go rhythm, just as other genres had captured global attention.

This is a vintage article from the East Village Eye from March 1985.

By Winston C. Robinson Jr. Photo’s by John Eder.

Trouble Funk are about to drop bombs and Go-Go is about to blow.

Go-Go Funk is the fast track to a dance attack.

“Street Music from the nation’s capital. It’s non-electronic with a very heavy African beat” explains Maxx Kidd, acknowledged patriarch of the D.C scene and president of TTED Records. Kidd likes to compare the spread of Go-Go in D.C. to the way reggae caught afire and united Jamaica.

If a few white groups from Washington D.C. have received some national attention, the music of inner-city blacks-80% of the population-has remained relatively unknown beyond the District line-until now. Washington stands poised ready to break onto the national scene. One reason Go-Go has remained underground is that it is first and foremost a live sound. As opposed to hip-hop or scratch, which can be recorded on something as simple as a four-track studio, the improvised horn charts and percussion jams which play an integral part of the Go-Go sound cannot be captured so easily on vinyl.

Go-Go funk has yet to catch the ear of the trendsetters in New york, and Los Angeles. That’s not the case in England, where the insatiable appetite for something new must be appeased on at least a weekly basis. Go-Go funk is the hottest thing to hit London since Run-D.M.C says Jay Strongman, London D.J. and correspondent for The Face. On his last visit to new york, Strongman had to scour small record shops in the Bronx for Trouble Funk Discs.

For everyone else, the process should be easier. A compilation of Go-Go bands will soon be released on Island records. It will contain mostly vintage Go-Go, featuring prime cuts from Trouble Funk, Chuck Brown, Hot Cold Sweat, Slim and the GoGo’s only all all-female band, yuggie, whose song, “Go-Go Mania” sets up the whole LP. Island will also distribute some of TTED’s releases, beginning with two 12-inches, one by Mass Extinction and another by Reds and the Boys.

“Can you imagine what music would be without rhythm ?” jokes Taylor Reed, Trouble Funks trumpet player. He aims the question at his colleagues, brother and guitarist Robert Reed, bassist Tony Fisher and keyboard player James Avery. Laughter greets his remark, part of the clowning-around that Trouble Funk relies on to keep sane during the grueling recording sessions at New york’s Right Track Studio.

Maxx Kidd, manager of the band and guru of the Go-Go funk movement, has been shuttling the group from Howard Johnson’s to the recording studio all week.

On this particular occasion, a photo session for the E yE, he seems to be giving the band members a chance to blow off steam. Big Al, who is both Trouble Funk confidante and bodyguard, also takes his turn in front of the cameras. He awkwardly tries to ignore the jibes and catcalls from the band.

Tracks from Trouble’s tape sessions hammer away in the background, the music so fresh that the vocal tracks have yet to be added. The band begins to put their own words to the bare loops as one yells out a familiar Trouble Funk chant: “One mo’time yáll, we’re still smoking on the Go-Go scene!”. Are they referring to the same Go-Go Smokey Robinson sang about years ago ?. The band members respond to my question almost in unison: Go-Go means dance ! It’s like saying, “Let’s go to the show”. Let’s go to the GoGo, because Go-Go means non stop music. Maxx Kidd directs the Reed Brothers in front of the camera as he gives a more thoughtful definition of the Go-Go scene. “Go-Go is a raw sound, “he say’s “ a natural vibe based on a lot of feelings, voice, chants, call and response. “Kidd should know. His records label, TTED-it stands for Tolerance, Trust, Eternal Dedication and Determination-has signed up virtually all the Go-Go groups, like Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers, Snap and the Go-Go All Stars. Kidd also manages these bands. He began working with Trouble Funk after they fell out with the folks at Sugar Hill Records.

Trouble Funk claims James Brown and George Clinton as their major influences, besides, of course Chuck Brown who set the show on the road back in the early ‘70s. When Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers hit the road, Trouble became the house band at the Le -Barrons’s. That’s Browns favorite spot to gig, and the only place in D.C. where you can get a $2 fish fillet and a dose of Go-Go funk

“Go-Go music was born and bred in D.C.”says Kidd. “I think it’s something that’s been in the bowels of this city for the past 30 years. It’s been naturally processed, and now it’s here. It’s arrived”. Because of Go-Go’s interdependence on live audience participation, Kidd thinks it’s almost impossible to capture the GoGo sound on record. “The music belongs to the people,” he continues. “Now it’s grown into something that America and the world can respect. When you come to the Go-Go, you release all your tensions and just have a good time.”

With all the attention the Go-Go scene has been getting of late Kidd is a very busy man. As the phot session winds down, he suggests we all go back to HoJo’s so that he can finally take a breather. Once in his room, Kidd collapses in a chair. yet he still manages to talk non stop between gulps of Hennessey. It is obvious the Go-Go business does not stop inside the motor lodge. Big Al, meanwhile, is busy taking calls, while the band readies itself for another all night recording session in a room down the hall.

Maxx makes a few calls himself, making sure the per diems arrive, scheduling the limo to get Trouble Funk to the airport in the morning, and ordering up six steak dinners before hitting the studio. The steaks are a reward he promised the boys earlier if they behaved during the photo shoot. I ask him where he thinks Go-Go is going from here. : I’ll give it four years,” he says matter-of-factly. “Then it will turn into something else. It’ll still be Go-Go, but you’ll never get the total effect of Go-Go until you come down to D.C. “

Maxx smiles: “Remember, if it don’t make you dance, it ain’t Go-Go.”

Gordy of Go-Go. He was a legendary figure in the history of the genre. He was a multifaceted talent, serving as a musician, bandleader, producer, and, most of all, an ambassador for the style, striving to make Go-Go a worldwide phenomenon. Maxx was known for his tenacity in getting songs played on the radio, often resorting to unorthodox, but effective, methods such as bringing a baseball bat to the studio. If he believed in something he came in with guns blazing,. The legendary stories are endless. During the release party of Chuck Brown’s We need some money he threw hundreds of dollar bills in the audience. He was a promoter who believed in the D.C. sound and worked tirelessly to get it exposed, making both friends and enemies along the way. However, like many music industry figures like Berry Gordy, Maxx Kidd engaged in unethical practices, taking advantage of young, inexperienced artists.

In 1985, Maxx Kidd successfully convinced Chris Blackwell, the founder of Island Records, of the value and potential of gogo music. Blackwell became interested in the genre after hearing a Chuck Brown song and subsequently took Kidd’s advice to witness a multi-act go-go performance at the Washington Coliseum. This experience led Island Records to release a compilation album titled “Go-Go Crankin’: Paint the White House Black,” and

What happend after this interview in 1985?

Maxx Kidd worked hard to promote the sound and referred himself as the Berry the phenomenal live in London album by Trouble Funk. Island’s distribution put GoGo on the map worldwide. In 1986, Kidd served as the associate producer for the film “Good to Go,” starring Art Garfunkel. The movie, was a project that Island Records hoped would help propel go-go into the mainstream music scene and world domination.

Despite his flaws, Maxx Kidd’s contributions to Go-Go music were significant. He helped shape the sound of the genre and played a vital role in establishing Go-Go as a vital part of Washington, D.C.’s cultural fabric and for his endless efforts, he was loved by the community as Berry Gordy was loved in Detroit.

But Maxx was not the only one in love with Go-Go.

More people fell in love with the sound and other great things happend in the golden years that should have lead to world domination.

The band EU (Experience Unlimited) released their first spiritual jazz funk album “Free yourself” on the beautiful Black Fire Records in 1977, before transitioning to the GoGo genre with their subsequent albums. EU gained wider recognition and commercial success with their hit song “Da Butt” , which was featured on the soundtrack of Spike Lee’s film “School Daze” in 1988. “Da Butt” became a crossover hit and reached No. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. EU also collaborated with Salt-N-Pepa on their hit single “Shake your Thang”, which peaked at No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1988.

Trouble Funk’s first tour to London and Europe marked a significant milestone in their career and played a crucial role in introducing the go-go sound to international audiences. The band’s energetic live performances and infectious rhythms quickly captivated audiences in London and across Europe. Their unique blend of funk, soul, and percussion-driven go-go music created a vibrant and engaging live experience .

The tour helped to establish Trouble Funk as ambassadors of go-go music outside of the United States and contributed to the genre’s international recognition. It allowed them to showcase their talent and spread the infectious energy of go-go music to new audiences, creating a strong following in London and other European cities.

Chuck Brown, the Godfather of Go-Go, extended his musical influence beyond Washington, D.C., and embarked on successful tours in Europe. His Go-Go more

Rick Rubin from DefJam records fell in love with the style.

Rick Rubin, the renowned producer and co-founder of Def Jam Records, became enamored with the go-go style. Junkyard Band captured Rick Rubin’s attention during their performance at the iconic New york City nightclub, the Peppermint Lounge, in the mid-1980s. Rubin was deeply impressed by their high-energy performance and distinctive sound, which seamlessly blended elements of go-go and hip-hop. Consequently, he signed the band to his label, Def Jam Recordings, and took on the role of producing their first 12-inch single, “Sardines.” Rubin incorporated go-go samples into se - jazzy swing captivated audiences across the continent. From intimate venues to larger stages, Chuck Brown brought the spirit of Go-Go to European cities, sharing the vibrant sound and culture of the genre with new audiences. Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers’ European tours brought them international recognition, and as a testament to their captivating live performances, a live album titled “Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers – Live ‘87” was released on the UK label Rhythm King. veral tracks, such as LL Cool J’s “Rock the Bells,” Beastie Boys’ “The New Style,” and Jay z’s “99 Problems,” where he skillfully integrated Wilson Pickett’s “Engine Number 9” to create a go-go-inspired feel.

Little Benny was a highly influential figure in the go-go music scene in Washington, D.C. He was a talented musician and bandleader, known for his skills on the trumpet and his dynamic stage presence. Little Benny started his career in music as a member of the legendary go-go band Rare Essence, but later formed his own band, Little Benny and the Masters and scored a modest world hit with the song Who comes to boogie.

Grace Jones - Slave to the rhythm

The biggest worldwide Go-Go hit was “Slave to the Rhythm,” produced by Trevor Horn, who had no problem in bringing Go-Go to the mainstream. The song sold one million singles worldwide, reaching its peak at number 12 in the UK and topping the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. Interestingly, the song was released on Chris Blackwell’s Island Records, which may not be a coincidence. While Trouble Funk may not have received the recognition they deserved, if you exa - mine the credits, the band members are mentioned, highlighting their contribution to the song wasn’t feasible in 1985, it certainly isn’t in the post-COVID era. some of my go- go golden year favorites : rare Essence - Live at the b reeze’s Metro Club.”

Fast forward , nearly 40 years later.What ever happend to Go-Go.? Why didn’t world domination take place?

To penetrate the mainstream, Go-Go music faced several challenges. How can you translate the Go-Go sound to a record or create a Go-Go hit?

The only authentic way to record Go-Go is live. That’s what Go-Go is all about; it must be recorded live. Even if artists recorded music in the studio, they still needed a crowd! And to be honest , when do you ever listen to a live recording at home? It’s more about the live experience. Artists were pushed to create Go-Go pop hits. The world considers EU’s “Da Butt” a Go-Go song, but in Washington, it wasn’t. It was an R&B song with Go-Go elements. Similarly, “Bustin’ Loose” was considered a funk record.

Despite its popularity in the region and being used by Beyonce, Jill Scott and other artists, Go-Go music has remained relatively unknown outside of the D.C. area, making it a uniquely local phenomenon.

Go-Go is still live and kicking and it has gained official recognition as a cultural heritage of Washington, D.C. In 2020, the D.C. Council passed the “Go-Go Music Official Music of the District of Columbia Designation Act,” which declared Go-Go as the official music genre of the city. This recognition acknowledges the significant contribution of Go-Go music to the cultural identity and history of Washington, D.C. It solidifies Go-Go’s importance and ensures its preservation and celebration for future generations.

When it comes to Go-Go music, it can be divided into two categories: live recor-

Dealing with record companies didn’t make sense either. Artists weren’t getting paid while selling massive amount of tapes of their live shows on the streets. Cassettes and live performances formed a major part of their income. Why risk your reputation by selling out with a song that wasn’t embraced by your own community? Instead, why not focus on touring and building your reputation as a live band? However, touring required hits, and big bands cost significant money, including expenses for hotels, transportation, and food. If it dings and studio recordings. Many incredible live performances have been captured on vinyl, showcasing the raw energy and infectious spirit of the genre. Personally, I hold a special place in my heart for “Trouble Funk Live in London” and the live recordings of Chuck Brown. I had the opportunity to witness their electrifying performances whenever they played in Amsterdam or London, as I was a devoted

Go-Go enthusiast and groupie.

There’s nothing quite like experiencing the energy and excitement of a Go-Go concert firsthand.

As a promoter of live music at Amsterdam’s Paradiso venue, I’ve had the privilege of booking and witnessing legendary artists from Prince to D’Angelo. However, in my opinion, nothing surpasses the thrill of a live Go-Go band. If I were to choose one standout live album, it would have to be “Rare Essence - Live at the Breeze’s Metro Club,” with its remarkable Roll Call that goes on for more than 10 minutes. This record has seen plenty of mileage on my turntable, bringing joy with every play.

D.E.T.T and T.T.E.D label

In 1980, go-go band Trouble Funk self-released their “E Flat Boogie” on D.E.T.T, Trouble Funk’s own label

D.E.T.T stood for Dyke, Edwards, Taylor and Tony, Trouble Funks band members. Maxx was trying to take over D.E.T.T but Trouble Funk would not let him.

So since he couldn’t control D.E.T.T, he released his own label in 1983 riding the wave of the succes of D.E.T.T using the artwork and flipping the name to T.T.E.D.

T.T.E.D. stood for Tolerance, Trust, Eternal dedication, and Determination. Another smart but blunt business move by Maxx Kidd.

My favorite DET.T- So many bangers , to choose one is impossible but Hot Cold Sweat - Meet me at the Go-Go still does it for me till this day.

The hit song “Pump Me Up” by Trouble Funk saw releases on various labels. Initially, it was released on their own label, Trouble Funk Records. However, as the song gained immense popularity, they faced challenges meeting the high demand due to limited pressing capabilities. To overcome this, they turned to Jamtu Records, a label owned by Henry Moore, which had better distribution power. Adding to the confusion, the records were sold in D.E.T.T sleeves.

My favorite TTED- Slug and Go- Crazy

Although “Pump Me Up” was selling in significant numbers, the band didn’t receive proper compensation. Frustrated with the situation, they sought a better deal. Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse when they signed with Sugar Hill Records.

While the label provided national recognition, it failed to deliver on financial compensation. Furthermore, the contract restricted the band from recording under the name Trouble Funk for a certain period. Consequently, they resorted to recording under different names such as Tilt, Slim, and Hot Cold Sweat as a means to work around the contractual limitations.

The Jamtu release of “Pump Me Up” also features one of my favorite Trouble Funk songs, “Super Grit.” Apparently, “Super Grit” was a DC dance where participants had to make an intentionally ugly face while bobbing their heads to the groove.

Donald Banks Status Quo

Stand out track on the Good to Go soundtrack. The social critical lyric’s are still relevant today.

These Rеaganomics are killin’ my stomach I feel just like I’ve got to vomit you votеd for Reagan, and you voted for Bush

Now we all got to take a look

Rare Essence - Body Moves

More funky disco boogie driven Go-Go song. Still play this in my sets.

Icee Hott - Hollar at me

Interesting as this song was released on the US mayor label Manhattan EMI that had connections with Island. So no surprise there.

EU the Butt was also released on the same label but the attempts by mayor lables to embrace Go-Go and push the sound where scares.

This is the only record Icee Hott ever released so why did the mayor choose this band ? Maybe for the simple fact that it’s an incredible banger. Straight up Go-Go funk explosion.

Mass Extension - Fun

Mass Extension, another tight band from DC. Happy Feet was their hit but Fun for me is special. Not straight hop Go-Go , it has more of a a boogie feel. From the 1990’s on they have also been active as producers and served as backing band for James Brown. That’s how tight they were.

Jim Bennett and the New Directions - If you can’t beat em Jim Bennett was released on another Washington based label that has to be mentioned, Future Record and Tapes. A powerhouse that stayed in the game until the end of the 90ties.

Stand out Tracks for me are: and the electronic Go-Go track Alvin, DT.

But Jim Bennett is a personal favorite. Music by Jimmy Bennett & Family has been re-issued on a few occasions. On PPU’s first 12inch compilation, , highlighting the forgotten era of 80s FUNK & GoGo and lately, Hold that groove was recently released on Fantasy Love.