Graham Central Station (album)
Encyclopedia
Graham Central Station is debut selt titled album by former Sly & the Family Stone
bass player Larry Graham
new band, "Graham Central Station
".
quit Sly & the Family Stone
because of tension between Larry and group leader Sly Stone
. After agreeing to produce a band named Hot Chocolate (not to be confused with British pop band Hot Chocolate, he decided to join the band and renamed them Graham Central Station
in 1973.
charts while single, "Can You Handle It?" paked at number nine on the Billboard Soul Singles
chart.
except where indicated
Sly & the Family Stone
Sly and the Family Stone were an American rock, funk, and soul band from San Francisco, California. Active from 1966 to 1983, the band was pivotal in the development of soul, funk, and psychedelic music...
bass player Larry Graham
Larry Graham
Larry Graham, Jr. is an African American bass guitar player, both with the popular and influential psychedelic soul/funk band Sly & the Family Stone, and as the founder and frontman of Graham Central Station...
new band, "Graham Central Station
Graham Central Station
Graham Central Station is a funk band named after founder Larry Graham . The name is a pun on New York City's Grand Central Terminal, often incorrectly called Grand Central Station....
".
Background
In late 1972, Larry GrahamLarry Graham
Larry Graham, Jr. is an African American bass guitar player, both with the popular and influential psychedelic soul/funk band Sly & the Family Stone, and as the founder and frontman of Graham Central Station...
quit Sly & the Family Stone
Sly & the Family Stone
Sly and the Family Stone were an American rock, funk, and soul band from San Francisco, California. Active from 1966 to 1983, the band was pivotal in the development of soul, funk, and psychedelic music...
because of tension between Larry and group leader Sly Stone
Sly Stone
Sly Stone is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, most famous for his role as frontman for Sly & the Family Stone, a band which played a critical role in the development of soul, funk and psychedelia in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1993, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of...
. After agreeing to produce a band named Hot Chocolate (not to be confused with British pop band Hot Chocolate, he decided to join the band and renamed them Graham Central Station
Graham Central Station
Graham Central Station is a funk band named after founder Larry Graham . The name is a pun on New York City's Grand Central Terminal, often incorrectly called Grand Central Station....
in 1973.
Reception
Released in 1974, the album peaked at number twenty on the Billboard Top Soul AlbumsTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
charts while single, "Can You Handle It?" paked at number nine on the Billboard Soul Singles
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart.
Track listing
All songs written by Larry GrahamLarry Graham
Larry Graham, Jr. is an African American bass guitar player, both with the popular and influential psychedelic soul/funk band Sly & the Family Stone, and as the founder and frontman of Graham Central Station...
except where indicated
- We've Been Waiting - (Jerry Weaver, Poesie Knight) 0:58
- It Ain't No Fun To Me - (Al GreenAl GreenAlbert Greene , better known as Al Green, is an American gospel and soul music singer. He reached the peak of his popularity in the 1970s, with hit singles such as "You Oughta Be With Me", "I'm Still In Love With You", "Love and Happiness", and "Let's Stay Together"...
) 5:11 - Hair 4:55
- We Be's Gettin' Down 4:42
- Tell Me What It Is 5:56
- Can You Handle It? 5:12
- People - (Freddie StoneFreddie StoneFreddie Stone is an African-American musician, best known for his role as co-founder, guitarist, and vocalist in the band Sly & The Family Stone, the frontman for which was his brother Sly Stone...
) 4:30 - Why? 3:37
- Ghetto 4:24
Personnel
- Larry GrahamLarry GrahamLarry Graham, Jr. is an African American bass guitar player, both with the popular and influential psychedelic soul/funk band Sly & the Family Stone, and as the founder and frontman of Graham Central Station...
- Bass, Guitar, Piano, Keyboards, Drums, Lead and Backing Vocals - Freddie StoneFreddie StoneFreddie Stone is an African-American musician, best known for his role as co-founder, guitarist, and vocalist in the band Sly & The Family Stone, the frontman for which was his brother Sly Stone...
- Guitar - Hershall Happiness Kennedy - Clavinet, Trumpet
- Willie Wild Sparks - Drums
- David Dynamite Vega - Guitar
- Robert Butch Sam - Piano, Organ
- P. Caboose - Tenor Saxophone
- Patrice Chocolate Banks - Vocals, Drum Programming
- Milt Holland - Percussion
- Lenny WilliamsLenny WilliamsLeonard Charles "Lenny" Williams is an American singer known for his work in the R&B and soul music genres. During the 1970s, he was the lead vocalist for Tower of Power...
- Vocals
Charts
| Chart (1974) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Pop Albums Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
48 |
| Billboard Top Soul Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
20 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Pop Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Soul Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
|||
| 1974 | "Can You Handle It?" | 49 | 9 | |