SKU: 64700949234

Function Underground (LP w/ Booklet)

Sale price$20.68 Regular price$22.98
Save 10%

Pay in installments of $5.75 with ShopPay, AfterPay and Klarna

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Aug 3 - Aug 8

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

Function Underground (LP w/ Booklet)14 tracks by Jimi Macon, Black Maffia, Blacklites and more, many reissued for the first time. Includes a 16 page booklet with extensive notes on an overlooked and important portion of rock n rolls history & a Download card to WAV files of the full album. Nearly everyone in the world can rattle off the great African American musical forms. Jazz, blues, R&B, soul, hip hop, house, gospel. One influential genre is always left off of the list: a folk music

14 tracks by Jimi Macon, Black Maffia, Blacklites and more, many reissued for the first time. Includes a 16 page booklet with extensive notes on an overlooked and important portion of rock n rolls history & a Download card to WAV files of the full album.

Nearly everyone in the world can rattle off the great African-American musical forms. Jazz, blues, R&B, soul, hip-hop, house, gospel. One influential genre is always left off of the list: a folk music known as rock n roll. Rock n roll was a term originally coined to market the white-friendly version of a genre that already existed; prior to 1965, the line between rock n roll and R&B was thin: Ike Turner recorded and released Rocket 88 in 1951 and, while its Chess Records release reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart, it is regarded by many as the first rock n roll record.

The Great Divide between R&B and rock n roll came after the Beatles and the British Invasion decimated the Top 40 chart in 1964. Simultaneously, R&B entered a new phase, soon to be labeled soul, which upped the musics gospel quotient and turned its frantic twang. So somewhere in the mid to late-1960s, rock n roll became perceived as something for the Caucasian kids. When Jimi Hendrix and Arthur Lee made the scene, they were said to be black musicians entering into a white world. While that couldnt be farther from the truth, that false dichotomy has existed in Americas popular conscious ever since, to the point where the idea of a black rock musician is on the level with the idea of a black cowboy.

In the mid-1960s, funk replaced soul as the rhythm that was going to move the world. We know all its progenitor - James Brown, The Meters, Kool & The Gang - and their innovations: the syncopated, 4/4 dance between the bass and drums, horns repurposed as percussion, chicken-scratch and wah-wah guitar. We can trace where they came from. But there is one crucial funk influence that no one seems to want to acknowledge – a devil-may-care attitude we can attribute to rock n roll. Its not a stretch to say that funk is the African-American answer to psychedelia and hard rock rolled into one.

The idea of progressivism that took over rock music after psychedelias heyday in the late 1960s belatedly spilled over to funk. In the early 1970s, as the underground/psychedelic fire burnt out in the white rock world, it roared to a blaze in the black musical community. Nearly every American city with a large black population boasted self-contained funk bands that didnt consider themselves simply revues or backup groups, but rather fully-operational ensembles In these bands, everything from composing, arranging, record production and distribution, was handled in house by band members. These are the bands whose music comprises this anthology, and while theyre all different, theyre unique in one way: they kept their ears open for new developments in funk and rock music.

This anthology presents earnest questions as to why we know so little about these bands and the movement of which they were a part. While we dont anticipate that well ever find a definitive answer as to what these ensembles true goals were, then, we do know that they took their charges seriously. And they knew they were onto something different, something that, though only they and their immediate kin might recognize it, was more interesting than the status quo. Function Underground shines light on an important and overlooked part of rock n rolls history and talented ensembles that toiled in the shadows, derided by their peers.

Do you realize that Hendrix was dead before most black people in America knew he was a black man? Ebony Rhythm Band drummer Matthew Watson questions rhetorically. We was scorned. In that era, everybody else in the black community was wearing three-piece suits, processes and Afro wigs and that shit. We was the first guys to wear bell bottoms. The first guys to wear big hats. We were off into a whole other thing.

Tracklist:

A1 1984– There's A Wrinkle In Our Time
A2 Purple Snow– Down By The River
A3 Jimi Macon*– Jimi's Guitar Raps With The Bass
A4 Creations Unlimited– Corruption Is The Thing
A5 We The People)– Function Underground
A6 Michael Liggins And The Super Souls– Loaded Back
A7 Stone Coal White– Stone Coal White
B1 Black Lites– BL Movement
B2 Ebony Rhythm Band– Drugs Ain't Cool
B3 Cisneros And Garza Group– I'm A Man
B4 L.A. Carnival– Blind Man (45 Version)
B5 The Revolution – The Siesta Is Over
B6 The Black Conspirators– Just Gotta Be Free
B7 Black Maffia– I Wanna Take You Higher

Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 64700949234

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.0 ★★★★★
Based on 25 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
H
Verified Purchase
Hayden Lauren Bennett
Lexington, US
★★★★★ 5
Very convenient, soft, comfortable and does its job.
Size: 3 Pairs - Gray, Green, Pink
As a first responder being on your feet consistently in heavy boots really takes a toll. I buy new soles for my boots and noticed the inconsistency balance from heel to toe which caused cracked and dry heels. I was desperate to find an immediate solution and saw these. Received all the socks individually wrapped, I am a size 5 1/2 to 6 in women’s shoes and they fit so snuggly. They are convenient, they fit under my work socks due to them only covering a portion of the foot and heel, the inside where the heel is a soft rubber material that helps keeps it in place, as well as if you use ointment or oils. The socks are soft and very comfortable that at the end of the day you forget you are wearing them. They are also washable both in the washer or hand washed and it doesn’t affect the rubber material. Highly recommend especially after a foot spa day.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2025
A
Verified Purchase
Amazon Customer
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 5
Perfect!
Size: 3 Pairs - Gray, Green, Pink
When my heel skin started cracking, I of course found the internet hacks that went along the lines of put some moisturizing something (cream, Vaseline) on your feet and put socks on and go to sleep. Somehow many issues. While putting on the socks, I already wiped off the moisturizer. It feels terrible. My sleeping self hates socks apparently! I always kick them off, the socks are covered in moisturizer, and it’s all over my blanket. Yuck! So when I found these socks I was unsure but willing to try. These are exactly what I needed! They have this gel-y coating inside that does not absorb the moisturizer, so it actually gets absorbed into your skin. They are snug without cutting off circulation, and along with kerasal, my heels are being healed! Could not recommend enough.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2024
J
Verified Purchase
jules
Grantham, US
★★★★★ 4
They keep sheets from getting greasy.
Size: 3 Pairs - Gray
These are good. I like that I can put lotion on my heels when I go to bed and not get my sheets greasy. They do a good job on that and a pretty good job keeping the moisturizer on. Since the toes are open, they aren’t hot. The gel doesn’t seem to do anything, though.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2026
K
Verified Purchase
Keri
Bozeman, US
★★★★★ 5
Impressive
Size: 3 Pairs - Gray, Green, Pink
These socks are so cool and I have used them every night for a week and can see a difference. I am using them with the gold bond heel lotion.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2026
D
Verified Purchase
dipesh patel
Houston, US
★★★★★ 5
Very comfortable
Size: 3 Pairs - Gray, Green, Pink
This Heel crack socks are a practical and effective solution for managing dry, cracked heels. They offer a combination of comfort, hydration, and support that many users find beneficial. Although they might not be a miracle cure for everyone, their ease of use and noticeable results make them a worthwhile investment for those looking to improve their foot health. If you’re dealing with persistent heel dryness or cracks, giving these socks a try could be a step towards smoother, more comfortable feet.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2024

recommand products