King Funk (Vinyl 2xLP)

King Records of Cincinnati was one of the most influential record labels in the history of music. They recorded jump blues, rockabilly, vocal groups, rock'n'roll, country and excelled in all those areas. Names such as Hank Ballard, the Five RoyalEs, Billy Ward and the Dominoes and Little Willie John stare out from the labels and titles like Fever, Honky Tonk and The Twist all made their debut on Syd Nathan's mammoth independent. It was in the mid-60s that the label made its most influential stamp on the music world. Its then #1 star unleashed a record that was defined by its unchanging solid groove rather than its melody. James Brown's Papa's Got A Brand New Bag may not have been the first funk record - check Gene Ammons Ca'Purange from his Bad! Bossa Nova album on Prestige - but it put it in an accessible context. For King, it meant that its next ten years were dominated by either James Brown productions or attempts to recreate that success with other producers.

King Funk rounds up much of the great music that was produced during this period and, unlike others, relies on the original masters for superior sound quality. From the James Brown camp we have old King stars Hank Ballard and Bill Doggett revitalised by a shade of Brown magic. We also include the rare 1972 outing by the JBs under the name the Sons Of Funk From The Back Side (titter ye not). Ballard is also on the original version of Unwind Yourself produced by Charles Spurling. Our 50s hit-makers are topped off by the Coasters with a couple of cuts from their sought-after 1972 album On Broadway including the much-sampled Down Home Girl.

We round up several more super-rare moments, including Roosevelt Matthews hooked up with Billy Ball and the Upsetters on Tighten Up which would set you back more than £500 for an original. We also have three tracks from Marie 'Queenie' Lyons' ultra-rare DeLuxe album including the magnificent See Don't See and Fever. Add to this the much-wanted singles by Over Night Low, Soul East and James K-Nine and you can see we are truly cooking.

Of the other tracks there is a level of consistency that would rock most people's worlds. My personal favourite is the wonderful Gold Walk by the Presidents, whilst J Hines and the Fellows' Camelot Time is a big favourite with DJ/producer David Holmes. This is music that is funky and some. Listen and enjoy.

By Dean Rudland

Condition
Media: Mint (M)
Sleeve: Mint (M)

Our Grading Standards
We grade all vinyl using the Goldmine standard:
Mint (M): Perfect, unplayed condition.
Near Mint (NM): Nearly perfect with minimal signs of handling.
Very Good Plus (VG+): Shows light signs of play but plays with minimal surface noise. The most common grade for collectable vinyl.
Very Good (VG): Noticeable marks and some surface noise, but still an enjoyable listen.
Good (G): Heavy wear — for collectors only.

All records are graded visually and by play. Media and sleeve are graded separately.

About Peckham Soul

Visit our physical store at Linnégatan 2, 413 04 Göteborg.
Mon–Tue 11:00–18:00 · Wed–Thu 11:00–18:30 · Fri 11:00–20:30 · Sat 11:00–17:00 · Sun Closed.

We're a specialist vintage vinyl shop with roots in Peckham, London. From our Swedish store we ship across Europe and the EU. Every record in our collection is individually sourced, inspected, and graded. We stock soul, funk, jazz, reggae, punk, indie, psych and beyond — always original pressings, always honestly described.

Shipping & Returns
We ship carefully packed in rigid mailers to protect your record in transit. If a record arrives not as described, we'll sort it — no hassle.