Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967’

Sly and the Family Stone, courtesy of High Moon Records

In 1966, Sly & The Family Stone emerged from San Francisco’s flourishing counterculture with a sound and statement that defied all expectations and fundamentally changed the shape of popular music. Now, the roots of that groundbreaking riot have been unearthed with The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967, the legendary psychedelic soul ensemble’s earliest live recording. The insipient and electrifying set, due to release on July 18 via High Moon, is preceded by the show-closing treatment of “Gotta Go Now (Up On The Floor) / Funky Broadway,” available to stream now.

The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967 was captured on March 26, 1967, by Rich Romanello, the group’s first manager. After their signing to Epic Records later that year, the time capsule from the site where Sly Stone and his pioneering ensemble played their first show and served as the house band for their first two years was shelved, where it sat forgotten for a long 35 years. In 2002, the 7” analog tapes were uncovered by Sly & The Family Stone archivists Edwin and Arno Konings, who passed them on to Grammy-nominated producer Alec Palao for a meticulous restoration.

“The Winchester Cathedral recordings showcase a one-of-kind outfit that was already at the peak of its powers, long before it became internationally famous,” Palau shared. “Sly is fully in command, while the unique arrangements and tighter-than-tight ensemble playing point clearly to the road ahead, and the enduring influence of Sly & The Family Stone’s music.”

Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967 will be released digitally alongside vinyl and CD formats, which come packaged with an expansive booklet of archival photos and interviews with Sly and the band. The July release follows a sold-out limited edition Record Store Day run earlier this year, as well as placements of several tracks in Questlove’s massively acclaimed documentary Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius). The project is to pre-order and pre-save now.