Sly and the Family Stone, led by the enigmatic Sylvester Stewart (aka Sly Stone), were a pioneering funk band in the 60s and 70s who merged rock with funk, had a sexually and racially integrated line-up, and who famously moved from optimistic party anthems and hippy idealism to drug-induced frustration and paranoia.
Sly and the Family Stone were formed in 1966 when Sly Stone merged his struggling band with the struggling band of his brother Freddie, and added bassist Larry Graham. A debut album received good reviews but didn't sell well, so they were reluctantly persuaded to record an overtly commercial single to boost their reputation. Sly came up with the goods in January 1968 with the raucous party anthem "Dance to the Music", which got to No.8 in the pop charts and influenced the sound of soul music for the next several years. There are a few interesting innovations in just this one song: it is performed by a racially integrated group and with instrumental participation by women, it included rock guitar parts in a funk song, and there are four lead singers who take turns to sing.
This was followed in 1969 by their first classic album, Stand!, which included hit singles "Everyday People/Sing a Simple Song" and "I Want to Take You Higher". It eventually sold over three million copies and was followed by a famous Woodstock appearance, and another hit single: "Hot Fun in the Summertime". But internal differences were arising and illicit drug use was increasing at this time, so in the following two years only one single was released. "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" (December 69) is important for two reasons: it prominently featured Larry Graham's new slap-bass method that would become a standard in funk; and it signified the beginning of Sly and the Family Stone's darker period, as they expressed their frustration that the hippy ideals they once offered, of peace and love for all mankind, weren't working.
For much of 70/71, Sly Stone sank deeper into a drug habit and retreated from recording duties. A comeback single, "Family Affair", reached No.1 in late 1971, before the November release of their most acclaimed work: There's a Riot Goin' On. An album of melancholy and frustration, it announced the passing of 60s idealism and the new reality of widespread socio-economic problems. Despite the dark themes, it reached No.1 and is regarded as one of the greatest albums of the decade.
Subsequent albums, such as Fresh (1973) and Small Talk (1974), were released to mixed reviews and poor sales, partly due to the absence of Graham and Sly's worsening cocaine habit. Fresh is now considered as an important album in the development of funk, while their work overall is regarded as highly influential for artists such as Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Michael Jackson. Eventually the band fizzled out as members became increasingly frustrated with Sly's erratic and unreliable behaviour, and bookings for live shows dried up. Officially splitting in 1975, some of the key members have since reformed and were touring Europe with Sly in 2007.
