Super Freak Live 1982

Rick James was in the midst of a pop culture comeback when he died in 2004 at age 56. He appeared as himself in hilarious sketches on comedian Dave Chappelle's hit Comedy Central television series Chappelle's Show, and Chappelle-as-James' "I'm Rick James, bitch!" line became a national catch phrase. The R&B and "punk funk" singer/songwriter/bassist/keyboardist/guitarist died of a heart attack, and the autopsy found several drugs in his system, including cocaine. He served more than two years in prison in the 1990s for crack-fueled, scuzzy, inexcusable assaults on women and had vowed to remain clean after his release. Fortunately, the 2005 DVD Super Freak Live 1982 captures James at his creative prime, before his downfall. Riding high (literally) on the huge U.S. crossover success of Street Songs and Throwin' Down and the hits "Super Freak" and "Give It to Me Baby," the boisterous Super Freak Live 1982 was recorded at James' first-ever European performance at Grugahalle in Essen, Germany, on April 3, 1982, for the Rockpalast television show. Backed by the Stone City Band, James puts on an entertaining show -- rife with his trademark marijuana references and lewd gestures -- for what appears to be a primarily white audience. While his flashy showmanship owes a clear debt to R&B legends Earth, Wind & Fire and Sly & the Family Stone, musically speaking James is arguably a rocker at heart; in fact, lead guitarist Tom McDermott plays and looks like the star of a Sunset Strip metal band. "Ghetto Life," "Big Time," "All Day All Night," "Freaky," "Fire It Up," and "Love Gun" are an impressive opening string of songs. "Big Day" is an interesting, lengthy ballad. During the middle of the slinky ganja ode "Mary Jane," James dedicates the rest of the set to reggae superstar/weed enthusiast Bob Marley, and "Mary Jane March" includes the operatic refrain "We love to smoke the reefer." The regular set ends with the killer grooves of "You and I" and "Give It to Me Baby." The encore of "Super Freak" predictably turns into an all-out jam. ~ Bret Adams|