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Vinyl Details
Kool & The Gang
Emergency
Kool & The Gang - Emergency - 1984 - VG+ - Ultrasonic Clean - The record has been cleaned using ultrasonic technology and is a little rough, in VG+ condition. The cover is crisp, only a VG+ because of age and/or tag residue or writing!
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Kool & The Gang
Kool & the Gang was established in the mid-1960s by Robert "Kool" Bell, his brother Ronald Bell, and a group of their teenage friends from New Jersey, originally under the name the Jazziacs. Initially, the band focused on traditional jazz, performing at various regional venues for several years. Over time, they began to evolve their sound, integrating the emerging funk influences of artists like Sly and the Family Stone and James Brown. In the early 1970s, they signed with the De-Lite label, gradually building a dedicated national audience, particularly with their 1971 release, Live at the Sex Machine.
The band's popularity surged in 1974 with the release of Wild and Peaceful, an album characterized by its raw energy and infectious sound. This project produced three major hits: "Funky Stuff," "Hollywood Swinging," and "Jungle Boogie," all of which showcased impressive instrumentation and lively vocal delivery. However, the group's ascent to fame was short-lived, as their rough sound became less relevant amid the polished, dance-oriented music that began to dominate the radio in the late 1970s.
By 1979, Kool & the Gang was struggling to maintain their presence in the music scene. To revitalize their career, they brought in lead vocalist James J.T. Taylor and producer Eumir Deodato to create a more polished dance album titled Ladies Night. Deodato's production softened the group's jazz influences, resulting in a commercially successful release that featured Taylor's captivating tenor voice. The album produced two significant hits: the title track "Ladies Night" and the midtempo song "Too Hot." This marked the beginning of an impressive streak of top-10 pop and soul hits, establishing Kool & the Gang as the top-selling soul group of the 1980s.
Following Ladies Night, the group achieved even greater success with the album Celebration, whose title track became an anthem for numerous sports teams during the decade and remains one of the most-played songs over the past 25 years. The subsequent five years were marked by a series of hits, including "Misled," "Cherish," "Take My Heart," "Joanna," "Fresh," and "Let's Go Dancin'." While some of their music, such as "Get Down On It," veered into a lighter, more playful territory, Kool & the Gang consistently delivered a catalog of enjoyable and well-executed tracks, both during Deodato's production tenure and after they assumed production responsibilities in 1983. Their 1987 album, Forever, was another hit, although it also hinted at a growing formulaic quality in the sound that had initially revitalized their career.
In 1987, Taylor departed from the group to pursue a solo career, achieving moderate success, including a notable duet with Regina Belle titled "All I Want Is Forever." Kool & the Gang continued as a group but did not achieve further chart success. They spent the following decade performing on the oldies circuit until Taylor rejoined the band for a 1996 reunion tour and the release of the album State of Affairs, which was well received but overlooked by both Pop and Soul radio.
Today, Kool & the Gang consists of a quintet featuring original members Robert "Kool" Bell, Ronald Bell (Khalis Bayyan), George Brown, Dennis Thomas, and Charles Smith. The group continues to tour internationally, enjoying a particularly strong following in Asia. J.T. Taylor remains active in his solo career, albeit with limited success.
Description
Kool & The Gang - Emergency - 1984 - VG+ - Ultrasonic Clean - The record has been cleaned using ultrasonic technology and is a little rough, in VG+ condition. The cover is crisp, only a VG+ because of age and/or tag residue or writing!
- Record was initially cleaned manually, then ultrasonically cleaned with iSonic Ultrasonic Cleaning prior to grading
- Records are packaged with a poly outer sleeve, the LP is placed in a fresh white inner sleeve directly after cleaning, (we include the accompanying sleeve, we send you both), separate from the cover to protect the seams during shipment, and of course, shipped within thick cardboard insert pads in a thick cardboard record mailer.
- We offer discounted shipping on multiple records: calculated shipping for the first one and $2 for each additional one. International Buyers, please read International Buyers paragraph below.
SRO Records Record Grading Guide:
SEALED/Mint:
Vinyl: Assumed mint, unverified until opened.
Sleeve: Visible through shrink wrap, graded as above.
NM (Near Mint):
Vinyl: Nearly flawless, with possible minor scuffs or hairlines only visible under strong light.
Sleeve: Appears new, as if freshly printed.
EX (Excellent):
Vinyl: Bright, with minor surface wear and hairlines, not affecting play.
Sleeve: May have faint creases or abrasions, but artwork is clean.
VG+ (Very Good Plus):
Vinyl: Obvious wear, scuffs and hairlines, plays with some noise but no major sound issues.
Sleeve: Worn with creases, noticeable wear, acid deterioration, corner dings, chipping, and possible seam wear.
Here's the typical SRO Records line in the sand. Anything below VG+, unless it's rare, unusual or just awesome, we're NOT going to sell online, much less go through the hassle of an ultrasonic cleaning, we're going to put it in one of many $10 Record boxes that we sell at Record Conventions and events. Some will wind up in the $1 Box, just to get it back out into the world for someone to enjoy or make a planter out of.
VG (Very Good):
Vinyl: Dull appearance with many hairlines and scuffs, somehow plays with persistent noise but no skips.
Sleeve: Worn with possible seam splits and moderate ring wear.
G+ (Good Plus):
Vinyl: Numerous marks and scratches, plays with significant noise but music usually overpowers flaws.
Sleeve: Rough appearance with possible seam splits and water damage.
G (Good):
Vinyl: Copious unforgettable marks, probably a skip or jump.
Sleeve: Heavy ring wear and damage, likely large seam splits or water damage.
F (Fair):
Vinyl: It's round with nearly infinite damage, skipper gonna skip
Sleeve: It's basically what's left of the sleeve for the album
International Buyers: We charge $7 for the first record and $2 a record thereafter for Domestic Shipping in the continental United States. This only includes shipping to the International hub here in the United States. Please carefully review the total shipping and VAT charges for your order before committing to a purchase, which will be different from what we are able to view or control on the US eBay site.
SRO Records Office
Record Testing Equipment:
Turntable:
Yamaha Direct Drive YP-D6
Ortofon VMS 20 E Mk II Cartridge
Amplification:
Yamaha Natural Sound Receiver
Speakers:
JBL 4312 Studio
We're Not Happy Until You're Not Happy Dept.
We kid! Since 1983, we simply don't exist without happy customers; we offer hassle-free returns on all vinyl LP record album purchase that are returned in the exact condition they were sent. We cannot accept returns on factory sealed/mint new/unopened lp albums that have been opened. Please send us a message if you have any questions, concerns, or issues with your purchase; please do not open a return or an eBay case without contacting us first, we will make it right!
We are professional, quite reasonable to a fault and are ALWAYS willing to work to resolve any issue with a purchase!
Thank you for buying from SRO Records! You can catch us at the Spring and Fall Austin Record Convention, many Austin popups, so drop by and say hello to Gabi and Jeff!