Rock Revival's Time Capsule: James Brown Live at the Apollo 1962

In 1962 James Brown and his 16 piece band had been playing 300 shows a year, resulting in one of the tightest and funkiest outfits that had ever been seen in rhythmn and blues.

The other reason for the quality of the band was James's notorious control. He fined the band for any minor mistakes, included scuffed shoes, one missed dance step or one wrong note.

Bobby Byrd "You made a mistake that night,the fine would move from five or ten dollars to fifty or a hundred dollars".

The band was booked for a week in October at the Apollo, Harlem, playing an incredible 5 shows a day, along with the originator of soul, Solomon Burke, and one of the best blues guitarists of that era, Freddie King

The album, Live at the Apollo was recorded on October 24, 1962, and despite the record company's hesitation at releasing a live album it spent an incredible 66 weeks on the Billboard Album Chart.

In 2004 it was rated an incredible 24 on Rolling Stones 500 albums of all time and remains only 1 of 50 recordings of that year held by by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.

It was an incredible record of James Brown's firebrand style of funk, leaving him drenched in sweat and 7 pounds lighter when it was finished

Track Listing

Introduction To James Brown and The Famous Flames (by Fats Gonder)

"I’ll Go Crazy"

"Try Me"

"Think"

"I Don’t Mind"

"Lost Someone" 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" "Night Train"

The following are bonus tracks on the 2004 Deluxe Edition:

"Think" (Single Mix, Radio Promo Version)

Medley: "I Found Someone"/"Why Do You Do Me"/"I Want You So Bad" (Single Mix) "Lost Someone" (Single Mix) "I’ll Go Crazy" (Single Mix)

Image: Courtesy Polydor