Describe for me your friendship and musical brotherhood with bassist Francis Rocco Prestia because you two were a special drum and bass lock. Doc: I had been thinking: what is hip? In this article, we'll be looking at each of these marcus scott leaves tower of power in detail. At 16, I really got turned onto Soul music which became my passion. is the city's financial engine and it is sputtering. What made you fall in love with Black music? Weve had horrific things happen. Now we have Marc Van Wageningen we call him Marc V.W. Im in the process of mixing our 50th anniversary DVD documentary and Marc plays on 90% of it. Scott: Tower of Power has . He was Czechoslovakian on his fathers side and my mother was English and Scottish. I was already working on this project, but I had to put it on hold because once I got into Tower of Power, I immediately started touring and then recording the latest Tower album, The Soul Side of Town. It was all a fusion we just werent calling it that at the time. The band became more funk-oriented, and Williams' falsetto vocals became a signature of the new sound. This docket was last retrieved on April 5, 2021. Friends, colleagues and fans of the Tower of Power musicians hit by a train two weeks ago in Oakland -- drummer David Garibaldi (fifth from the left) and bassist Mark Van Wageningen (not pictured) -- have come out in force to raise money for their medical expenses. Memphis-born and bred Marcus Scott was indoctrinated three years ago as the new frontman and lead singer of the legendary R&B band Tower of Power, which is still making records and performing to sold-out crowds around the world after 50 years. My second favorite artist to work with was Huey Lewis. The album reached the Top 20 on the R&B charts and included the hit single, "Darlin' I Think About You." He said, I want to write a song called What is Hip. I said, Well, what do you mean by that? He said, Everybody wants to be hip but as soon as you latch onto whatever the current trend is, its no longer hip! We finished it up and there was a song out by Freddie King called Goin Down that had a 16th note bass line that was really cool. Im gonna do it! So, we brought him in. I was having drug problems with a couple of those guysso Willie and Skip went out but I let Rick stay. Scott: I was so thrilled when you came back because I was too young to catch you in the early `70s heyday. So I said, Lets just make the music weve been making. As soon as we did that, things started to get better.. I was out for 18 years. What do you think about helping me to finish it? Joe goes, Thats a big project. It became the way that we approached all songs. Emilio: I had to take him off of the road because he kept breaking down. It keeps changing. Now, he's striking out on his own with a new solo album, Back 2 Da Soul. My dad had tuberculosis as a young man and had to be in a sanitorium for a long time. They are family. Im very proud of that! How long has it been since May started off this cold in Bay Area? The guitar player is mixing it. We were exposed to all of this stuff all the time. When I was young, we lived next door to Les Paul (the famed guitarist/inventor) and his first wife on Curson Avenue off Sunset. Scott continued to release albums throughout the 1980s and 1990s. CDs were co-produced by you with Joe Vannelli who is known for making great sounding records. Tower of Power lead singer, Rick Stevens, is arrested on Feb. 19, 1976 for multiple murders committed in Boulder Creek and San Jose. It was already creating a lot of division within us, the music and our ability to create. This fascination evolved into an insatiable desire to entertain and capture the hearts of audiences everywhere. Back 2 Da Soul was born out Scotts love of classic Memphis soul music, a passion he bonded with Sweetwater Founder and CEO Chuck Surack, and Hornsby over when the three met after a Tower of Power performance in Fort Wayne. We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. Doc: Yeah! Then when Tower of Power came along, I had something into really sink into. So, I wanted to play Rhythm & Blues. Bill Graham (concert promoter/music impresario) had a lot to do with that. Cant fill the gap / Thats just where its at / Dealing with the plague / We dont know / Just how it should go / Solutions mighty vague / Feelin oppressed, completely distressed / Just cant change the news / Cant let it bring us down / Lets change our point of view. He was the one who said, Knock yourself out and On the serious side, which both gave me concepts to create a song. In the chat below, he discusses the broad range of styles that inform his playing, leaving and returning to the band four times, his relationship with former T.O.P. As primary lyricist and baritone sax man, Doc has been at the very foundation of the band musically (at the bottom end of the horns tonal register) and philosophically (kickin low end theory that led to he and leader Emilio Castillos creative entrepreneurship as songwriters). His playing was great. Thank God for YouTube. My father, Dr. Edward Kupka, was a medical doctor but a fan of classical music to the max. I like melodies. Thats alright. Then we brought in Chester Thompson on organ. Pro Sound News recently spoke to Scott about the soul of Memphis and the importance of live presence in recording studios. Once again, God blessed us with another wonderful singer. Electrifying. I remember one time I was doing something stupid and all of a sudden, I thought about my dad. It didnt make sense to me for us to have a distinctive arrangement of a Temptations song than a song we put together. Scott: Please share some details about the lyrical development of What is Hip.. Everybody just enjoyed what they were hearing and what they were playing. The hole in the tail is so that the APU can unobtrusively generate power to help planes take off and fly. David: Yes. Emilio: Weve had a lot of great players, singers, managers, crew people a ton of alumni. My relationships from that period of time still exist today because of our shared experience and because of that time. The reasons for his departure are unclear, but it is likely that Scott was unhappy with the band's musical direction. I love him with all my heart. It is difficult to pinpoint a single reason for his departure; rather, it was a combination of several factors. Scott was replaced by lead singer Lenny Williams. As a young boy, Scott would sit with his ears glued to the radio, mimicking every sound he heard. When it was over, David walked up to me with tears in his eyes and said, I always dreamed it could be this way.. How did you connect with Joe? I wanted to be in a Rock and Roll band. Then along came the Seawind Horns which, thanks to Quincy Jones, became the next popular sound for horns in the studio. San Francisco, CA - When Tower of Power made the announcement that lead singer Rick Stevens would be replaced circa late 1972 by a then unknown Lenny Williams, the then still in it's adolescent years Tower of Power fan base freaked out, "You can't replace Rick." This fascination evolved into an insatiable desire to entertain and capture the hearts of audiences everywhere. E-mail: avaziri@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MusicSF, Tower of Power: 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, June 1-2. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Tower of Power continued to enjoy success with hits like "What Is Hip?" All information published on this website is provided in good faith and for general use only. One passenger survives the ordeal but can't provide any answers. I wasnt perfectbut I was back playing this music again. A window in a plane is designed so that part of the pressure differential created by being in the air can escape. wine startup leaves customers with thousands of S.F. I remember Tower of Power had a trip to New York City to play the Fillmore East. The reasons for his departure are unclear, but it is likely that Scott was unhappy with the band's musical direction. I dabbled in it as well. My wife had to help me do everything. That is the great factor that every artist must have. A person would freeze to death within a few seconds if they fell off a 40,000 foot long plane without any protection. A more recent docket listing The DVD is recommended since the visuals are key to enjoying the band's frisky dance steps and overall joy these guys are having, even if the editing is a little on the caffeinated side. In the meantime, though they have been sidelined from the road due to the COVID-19 pandemic (as all creatives have been), they still have a brand-new album that they are virtually promoting entitled Step Up (Mack Avenue Records). It was his stamina that was waning. Emilio: Weve asked Lenny to come back and do different things with us We actually did a gig in Hayward, CA where the promoter got him to sit in with us for about 6 songs in our set. R&B to him was like rap is to some parents now. King Curtis (was murdered) not that long thereafter so it was a real honor to be there. As a young boy, he would sit with his ears glued to the radio, mimicking every sound he heard. Hes my best friend even today. The group lost another longtime family member, trumpet player Mic Gillette, who died suddenly of a heart attack in 2016. He came up to us after the show and said, I really like that James Brown song! That was the nicest compliment we ever got as far as Im concerned. When the sound of the pop charts shifted, the band temporarily lost its footing, hitting a low point with the 1979s disco driven Back on the Streets, which was recorded for Columbia. As a young boy, he would sit with his ears glued to the radio, mimicking every sound he heard. Emilio Castillo: God did it and I just showed up! I started the band firstthen learned how to play! I had broken bones, a traumatic brain injury, couldnt walk or feed myself and, realistically, I didnt know what to expect. He invited me to come hang out and wanted me to work on a solo project that Doc was doing. . Jacques Sonyieux talks with vocalist Marcus Scott about his new solo album, Back 2 Da Soul, creating a sonic palette, and what it was like to become the new frontman for Tower of Power. It was beyond anything Id ever felt or experienced, Garibaldi said. After being home about a month, I got up one morning and was able to put my pants on by myself. A lot of unique players in a lot of unique bands. These three words exemplify the sound of "Memphis Music Maven", Marcus Scott. I loved the drum set. David Garibaldi is one of the most imitated and influential drummers in 70s Soul who inspired many across the board in music including Prince and Morris Day. David Garibaldi: Coming up, my parents had me learn piano and theory. Scott was replaced by lead singer Lenny Williams.Tower of Power's sound changed significantly after Scott's departure. I saw that there was no more dope and everybody was really friendly. The musicianship in this band is off the chain, Castillo said. Back then his name was Frank Houghton. So, I just started doing gigs with the band. They were a very good band. Contact him via: [emailprotected]). They could have chosen any one of them and I would have been good. A subscription to PACER is required. So, God blessed me with another fabulous player. What happened? It is possible that some people did not watch all of the episodes, as installments may be spaced out over consecutive days. The last time he was out for 18 years. He and (bassist) Paul Jackson were already playing together. When it came to the horns, we would do a head chart. We always played with each horn playing into his own microphone. David: I was 23 when I joined Tower. Thats when I met Mike who was just a couple years older. I didnt want a separate track of me recording to music being played backI wanted all of us to be in the room at the same time, where the drummer counts it off. I wrote to the demo. They both suffered serious injuries but have since returned to the lineup. Emilio: That was Docs idea. That lasted for about a month. As of now, it is difficult to predict the network's decision given the show's international appeal. My dad always loved me and was really supportive. Additionally, he was homesick; he missed his family and friends back home. In December 1974, Marcus Scott announced his departure from Tower of Power. Doc: Our singer Rick Stevens gave me that nickname around the time of the Bump City album. So, every time I came back to Tower of Power, thered still be dope and weirdness going on. In 1968 its one thing, in 1972 its another. Hed run out of gas It was difficult for him to accept at first but after being off the road for a couple of months, he called me and said, I aint mad no more, man. In the beginning, my brother and I started a band. There is a track called Just Fine and I always describe the song as if I were a preacher trying to convince his fiance or future wife that she will be just fine. As the leader and heartbeat of Tower of Power, singer/saxophonist/songwriter Emilio Castillo has weathered many personal and professional storms to present authentic Soul music to generations of appreciative audiences. In December 1974, Marcus Scott announced his departure from Tower of Power. I heard the band (then The Motowns) and told him they were pretty good but could use some bottom in the horns. needs these 5 sites to thrive so the city can recover. That voice will be recognized by the city of Oakland with a Tower of Power Day celebration on the steps of City Hall at noon on Thursday, May 31, followed by a pair of homecoming shows at the Fox Theater on Friday and Saturday, June 1-2. Emilio: I remember Seawind opening for us in Hawaii when they were still known as Ox! Born and raised in a city that is well known for world class soul music, Marcus Scott is the real deal. Whats hip today might become pass. That line was the glue that put that song together. The guys got 9 lives! I understand that hes recording a solo record now. Besides, who wants to be a cover band for your whole career anyway? Beyond the musicianship, hip arrangements and obscure covers they were doing, Roccos sound was a really big part of their unique sound in the bottom. If an airplane broke up in mid air, passengers would have trouble breathing due to the low oxygen levels at that altitude. He had an album with the Impressions called This Is My Country. Im gonna push and make it as great as I can. From co-writing nearly all of the bands classic songs with partner Stephen Doc Kupka to monitoring the turnstile of musicians and especially singers that have come through T.O.P., he is a tireless soldier of Soul who stands proud to fan the flame of T.O.P.s mighty legacy. You dont just play beats. Did you study other instruments? I noticed that when I would play on my cymbals, he would play a light legato soundbut if I played on my hi hat, he would tighten it up so it was really percussive. After the military, I decided to devote all of my energy to drum set, but all of that early training really helped me. This week marks the 50th anniversary of the formation of Tower of Power. Soulful. We have our own voice. The band became more funk-oriented, and Williams' falsetto vocals became a signature of the new sound. We couldnt afford it anymore. It was January then. I told the guys, Lets just go back to doing it the way we do it: writing songs, trying them out on the audience then keep perfecting them. We became passionate about making music our way. Would you like to come back to the band? Theyd never asked me beforeso I thought Id give it a try. Between the two of us, I think we made two of the greatest records of Tower of Powers career. According to Peacock, they took cues from classic psychological thrillers like Strangers on a Train and Deception while telling their story in an episodic format that allows viewers to invest in each individual character. Marcus Scott has an interesting voice, sometimes gravelly, other times sounds like Sam Cooke, and even John Legend (a little). Signing to Warner Bros. for 1972s Bump City, the multiethnic group had a spectacular run with uninhibited, brass-heavy releases like 1973s Tower of Power, 1974s Back to Oakland and 1975s Urban Renewal, all prominently featuring iconic imagery of the bands hometown. Political chaos has erupted in this Peninsula city over one issue: Housing, Steph Curry adds to his Warriors legend by lighting up Kings for 50. We decided I would do just one tour to see if we stull liked each other. Scott: Tower of Power has always been a racially integrated band with a melting pot of cultures running through it. Doc: Once again, Black music was the music that lit me up, but I like the Great American Songbook, too. So, all of the players were already mixing. They had already tried out some trombone players from the marching band that didnt work out no Soul in the music. But horn sections? It was a mix of things that we all wanted to incorporate into our playing, So, thats how all of these multi-headed players evolved. Disclaimer: Justia Dockets & Filings provides public litigation records from the federal appellate and district courts. Hed have to go to the hospital and wed have to fly in somebody to sit in on bass. Tower of Power is an American R&B and funk based band and horn section, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing since 1968. We were walking out of rehearsals with our minds blown because it sounded so cool and differentand it was working. Eric Clapton: Basically because Jack White was so into his volume, he didn't want to listen to any suggestions from the other band members. He had been doing charts for high school stage band quite advanced for a kid his age.

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