Crib Notes

Heather Kuldell, a former music editor here at the Loaf, once told me that we’re only aware of all the musicians who pass away because it’s the Internet age. So when jazz greats like Max Roach (who died Aug. 16) and Joe Zawinul (who died Sept. 11) pass away, we learn about it instantly instead of when the next issue of Mojo or Rolling Stone comes out. I think that’s a good thing, if only because we’re reminded that popular music has a glorious past as well as temporal present and uncertain future.

With that in mind, give it up for Bobby Byrd, who passed away from cancer yesterday at his home in Loganville, Ga. Byrd was a mentor to the late great James Brown, and later became his keyboardist and flamboyant hypeman on classics such as “Sex Machine.” His “I Know You Got Soul” is one of the sampling cornerstones of late ’80s hip-hop. It was Eric B. & Rakim’s unlicensed sampling of “I Know You Got Soul” in 1987 that led James Brown to dis the group on “I’m Real,” claiming, “Stop using my voice on your records till I’m paid in full.”

For more on James Brown, read Scott Freeman’s story from the Jan. 10 issue here. But if James Brown was the king of funk, then Bobby Byrd was the earl. Rest in peace.

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