Sly & The Family Stone, photo courtesy of High Moon Records
On June 9, Sly Stone, the fearless innovator behind Sly & The Family Stone, died at 82. As the frontman, singer, songwriter, organist and producer for the legendary psychedelic soul ensemble, Stone created generational anthems that challenged the injustices of his era through joy and shook the foundations of popular music, laying the foundation for fusion, funk and more.
Just before his passing, one of Stone’s earliest tapes with the Family came to light as the lead single for The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967, their first-ever live recording. Today, another preview from that time capsule has arrived: “I Can’t Turn You Loose,” available on all streaming platforms now, is a rarity emblematic of the group’s earliest artistic impulses and vision for a new genre-defying music.
“I think it was one of the early ones in development, and you’re trying different things out,” said drummer Greg Errico of the energetic dance track, which was a holdover from Freddie Stone’s The Stone Souls that was central to the Family Stone’s live repertoire through their formative years. “That song just happened to be there at that time.”
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-a-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 available to pre-order and pre-save now.
Read a full obituary for Sly Stone here.
Content shared from relix.com.