Defunkt - Live At Channel Zero
SKU
05-ESPDISK 5008CD
There wasn't a hell of a lot going on in music for me in the early 1980's. Even many of the punk bands had died off and in their place were what my wife referred to 'punk disco'. And it was especially grim in terms of what bands were touring around. The one very bright spot on the scene was the pre-Knitting Factory harmolodic/punk funk combination from whence sprang (in alphabetical order, so I am not playing favorites): Curlew, Doctor Nerve, Ronald Shannon Jackson and the Decoding Society, James Blood Ulmer and...Defunkt, among others. Defunkt were led by trombonist Joseph Bowie (brother of A.E.C.'s Lester) and were a harmolodic funk band with great grooves and chops to spare.
Joseph has periodically led reunions of the band since their heyday in the early 80s, and this features some of the original folks from back in the day and they are still playing in top form:
Joseph Bowie, vocals, trombone; John Mulkerin, trumpet; Bill Bickford and Ronny Drayton, guitars; Kim Clarke, bass; Kenny Martin, drums.
"After many lineup changes, the classic '80s lineup got back together for a 21st-century comeback and is still going strong. Every member applies jazz chops, rock energy, avant-garde risk-taking, and punk disregard for rules to the task of pushing killer tracks into new territory. The band has had more than a few lineups, but a few years back it coalesced around a reunion of its most classic '80s configuration and hit the road. Live at Channel Zero captures a fierce 2015 club date in Slovenia and throws in a particularly hot passage salvaged from a 2007 German gig as a bonus."
- LabelESP Disk
- UPC825481500821