Sly's first recordings were made at the age of four in 1948 (real name Sylvester Stewart), when as a child prodigy he drummed and played guitars on a single released by his family's group The Stewart Four. At high school he was in harmony group the Vicanes, but by the 60's he was performing at clubs in the North Beach area of San Francisco.
Learning his trade in many bands throughout the decade, the occasional Sly release appeared such as 'Long Time Away' (credited to Sylvester Stewart). He also worked as a DJ at stations in the San Francisco area, and joined Autumn Records as a songwriter/house producer, where his own releases failed but Beau Brummels, The Tikis and the Mojo Men benefitted from his production.
The 1966 version of the group was originally called the Stoners, but in 1967 Sly and the Family Stone released their debut single 'I Ain't Got Nobody' on the Loadstone label and were subsequently signed to Epic, where they released their first album, 'A Whole New Thing'. Success eluded them until a year later when 'Dance to the Music' and 'Everyday People' hit the US top 10. The albums 'Dance To the Music' and 'Life' kept up the momentum, but it was 'Stand' in 1969 that finally displayed Sly's full potential. Two million copies worldwide were sold, and tracks like 'I Want to Take You Higher' captured the zeitgeist perfectly with the mixture of doo-wop, soul, funk and the San Francisco psychedelic rock sound. This was cemented by an appearance at the Woodstock festival that is memorable for its energy amongst all the pedestrian performances of more established artists. The album also displayed a new side to Sly with more politically motivated lyrics, such as the often covered track 'Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey'.
1970 began optimistically, but Sly's drug intake started taking it's toll and Sly began a trend of failing to appear for concert bookings, and many that he did attend were of disappointing quality. The next album, 'There's A Riot Goin' On' took on a darker sound but was equally as influential for it's revolutionary outlook and continuing musical experimentation. The legendary single, 'Family Affair' has influenced R & B ever since it's release, and other tracks such as 'Running Away' were deceptively joyful musically whilst offering lyrics of confusion and alienation. The album again caught the mood of the underground with lyrics indicating an interest in the ideals of the Black Panther movement.
All subsequent releases offered a diminished focus of Sly's talents, beginning with 1973's 'Fresh', and most band members jumped ship over the following years. By the time disco arrived in the late 70's, Sly had become gripped by drug addiction and it's accompanying paranoia, which led to many unsavoury moments involving gangs (linked to Sly's dealers, unsurprisingly) threatening those inside the band's entourage over imagined conspiracies.
Sly has rarely appeared in public over the last 20 years, constantly fuelling rumours that he has become a shell of his former self after the years of drug abuse.
There are few artists who have emerged from an R & B background and found success in the rock mainstream, but Sly & the Family Stone are up there with Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley in this respect. The vast reach of Sly's influence is beyond doubt, with anyone from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mary J. Blige, Arrested Development, Lenny Kravitz and more obviously Prince showing heavy influences of Sly's best output.
IF YOU LIKE THESE, YOU'LL LIKE SLY & THE FAMILY STONE: Prince, George Clinton, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Public Enemy, Lenny Kravitz, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Miles Davis, Parliament, Funkadelic, The Meters, Bobby Womack, Earth Wind & Fire, The Isley Brothers, Luscious Jackson, The Beastie Boys.