We Ain’t Funkin’ Now (R.I.P Louis Johnson)
At a very early age, my first chosen musical instrument was the guitar. As I grew older, my love switched to the bass guitar. I learned my trade by mimicking the likes of Aaron Mills (Cameo), Mark Adams (Slave), Bernard Edwards (Chic), Bootsy Collins and Nathan East. However, without doubt my number one influence was Louis Johnson, one half of the legendary duo, Brothers Johnson.
I spent many a night learning the slap and pluck technique from the songs he played on such as ‘Aint’ We Funkin Now’, and ‘Stomp’. When it came to taking my bass guitar solos in the bands I played in, I pretty much regurgitated the Louis Johnson stuff, not a single note was original, all Louis! A particular favourite bassline of mine was Michael Jackson’s ‘Get On The Floor’, of which Michael said he heard Louis play the bassline and he begged him to let him go and write a song to it.
On the sad news of the passing of ‘Thunder Thumbs’ at the ‘gone-too-soon’ age of 60, I simply had to drop a few lines. We ain’t funkin’ now because the world has lost a musical legend, maybe not one many might be aware of but one which i’m sure fellow bass players would agree with me is one of the all time greats. You don’t get to work over and over with Quincy Jones if you haven’t got ‘special’ in your bones. As we lose yet another one of my heroes, all i’d like to say is rest in peace, thanks for the funk and most of all for the slap, King Louis the 4th – one for each string. I salute you.
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Shack…I am so sorry to hear this. May his Soul R.I.P.
Just wanted to add that every word you say here is true. I was there many years when you honed your genius.
I know what Louis Johnson meant to you…and to the rest of us in our little band so many years ago. Without that hypnotic ‘Stomp’ bassline, where could our groove beginnings have come from?
Thanks for this great article…as always.
Louis Johnson, R.I.P.
Nice one Kazir, all our heroes are going. Very soon, it’ll just be us left, lol.
Wow this is Quite sad for someone so young and Talented yeah Get on the floor was a great funky track but its the fact also he was on albums the generated millions of dollars an innovator he will be missed
Yeah I remember Also I wanted to have a Brothers Johnson Hair cut in fact I m sure I got one, not only that he was a handsome man plus Aint we funking now, what a Bass line. Louis Johnson RIP
The brilliance of the man, is unassailable, his noise, was indescribable; but infectious, Shack E speaks truth, of the true bassman, bar 1, to me, but my soul, truly inspired by this man and his bass, his language, always, with tremendous pace, totally original, no one could race, you see, I was inspired by a student of this master, unique and tenacious; in his pace, impatient, always but I took his pace, I feel you Shack E, he truly played with unrivaled grace, rest in peace, Louis Johnson; but not his sound, nor his bass.
R
Shackzilla u nuh d man got me into the bass full time as that was all I wanted to do…..play the bass. Rest In Peace King Louise the 4th.