Deadsplinter Up! All Night: A chance meeting

In 1965, Seventeen-year-old Ricky Matthews (aka Rick James) fled to Toronto as he was AWOL from the Navy.
It was there that he was introduced to Neil Young and Bruce Palmer, and they formed a band called The Mynah Birds.
This song was to be the first release on their Motown album, but the Navy caught up with Ricky before the album was completed.
I’ve often wondered if I would be able to recognize Rick James’ voice if I did not know the backstory, and if I am being honest, I don’t think I would be able to. James’ voice had not matured yet and it lacked the fullness and depth that would enable him to go on to become a R&B superstar.

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18 Comments

  1. He could “Meet me there”, Nick Mulvey.

  2. Jerry Jeff Walker met a street performer in a New Orleans drunk tank. They spent the night talking and the rest, as they say, is history.

    Mr. Bojangles

  3. yeah… im pretty sure im only recognizing rick there coz you told me
    oh well… here… have one of little me favouritest ever songs… and probably the reason i have a thing for good bass riffs to this day


    (course…big me still thinks this is one of the bestiest songs ever)

  4. I freakin’ love this. It’s like if Avril Lavigne fronted a djent band:

  5. I’m going off theme tonight since happy hour started early when a buddy came over in need of some beers. It’s Aloha Friday people, go get drunk!

    • the start of that took me straight here


      wich is uhhhh… something else entirely
      (works for me on me friday night tho)

      • That’s super funny because one of the guys in that video is Sonny Garcia who is in the Hui and an ass kicker! You definitely don’t want to fuck w/ those guys and the only reason I could surf the spots in that video as a kid was because I could name drop some of the “Hui” members. Hawaii is like fucking Italy for mob stuff back in the day, now less so, at least in the open.

        • lol hell of a coinkadink
          tbh nowadays i dont want to fuck with anybody
          i wouldnt know about surf spots in hawai tho.. bit of a ways a way for me
          i’m just an angry welder with a very large wrench
          (i used to deal… this is my new life on the straight and narrow)

          • Life in Hawaii is like the Kevin Bacon game, you can connect anyone in a few names if u have been there awhile.

            • turns out life in hawai/the bacon game is everywhere if you deal
              it was just a few mates when i started…
              got out of hand fast
              but yeah… i know what you mean..i grew up in the sticks…everyone knows everyone

  6. …arguably an unimaginative pick*…but…rick james it is
    *[mine that is…]

  7. Thin Lizzy – Johnny the Fox meets Jimmy the Weed:

    tbh though, when I first read the title my mind went here:


    The Hobbit – The Desolation of Smaug – The Meeting at the Prancing Pony

  8. I miss Chapelle .Show!

  9. As long as we’re leaving it to chance…

  10. Chance Meeting – Bryan Ferry (Roxy Music)

  11. After Rick James “I’m the Navy, Bitch!” arrest, Neil Young and Bruce Palmer left Toronto for LA in the hopes of meeting Stephen Stills who they worked with before. They searched for him in vain for a week and decided to leave for SF. Stuck in traffic they were spotted by Stills (because Young was driving a big Hearse.) Hence Buffalo Springfield was born.

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