THE SIDEBAR #22: SYL JOHNSON

It’s been a minute since the last Sidebar podcast but I figured I could make things up to y’all by busting out an interview with Syl Johnson, the legendary R&B/funk musician/singer out of Chicago. Syl’s going to be playing in Los Angeles, with Breakestra no less, on February 11th and I am hella excited to see how they’ll team up.

Syl’s been riding a wave of re-discovery every since his Complete Mythology anthology dropped on Numero Group back in 2010.¹ We talked about how busy he’s been, especially in working with a new generation of young singers, but the podcast is mostly devoted to going through the history of his songs, including getting a back story to “Different Strokes” that I had never heard before. I wouldn’t say it’s NSFW…but it’s definitely adult material!

All that plus you get to hear Syl doing his best Ol Dirty Bastard impersonation. Hot damn!

The Sidebar #22: Syl Johnson
[podcast]http://latinboogaloo.com/sounds/podcasts/Syl%20Johnson.mp3[/podcast]

Music used in the podcast (all available on The Complete Mythology unless *otherwise indicated*)

• Sockin’ Soul Power
• *Mellow-D: Love Makes a Woman
• *Vicci Martinez: Anyway the Wind Blows
• *Syleena Johnson: Is It Because I’m Black?
• Teardrops
• I Resign From Your Love
• Come On, Sock It To Me
• Different Strokes
• *Kanye West and Jay-Z: The Joy
• Dresses Too Short
• Is It Because I’m Black?
• Concrete Reservation
• *Syl Johnson: Bout To Make Me Leave My Home (on The Complete Syl Johnson on Hi Records)
• *Boogie Down Productions: Criminal Minded
• *Wu-Tang Clan: Shame on a Nuh
• Try Me