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Artist description
Meet Malcolm Marshall: dreamer, drifter, self-anointed long lost son of Bootsy Collins. Malcolm’s Star People have invaded to take Soul music to a funkier level.
Born in San Francisco during the dawn of the P-Funk era, Malcolm pays musical homage to the funkateers and their offspring. One minute, he mimics Bootsy Collins’s wobbly voice, frolicking over the bars. The next minute, he’s as coy as Prince, whispering sweet erotica in our ears.
Malcolm caught the Funk bug at an early age, watching Rosie Gaines sing lead in his father’s band. He penned his first song in the 8th grade, which his teacher promptly confiscated. In high school, Malcolm formed several experimental bands and honed his beat-making skills by making “pause mixes” with a tape player. “I was a nerd for deejaying”, Malcolm says.
After studying music engineering at San Francisco State University, Malcolm spent his post-college years boho style, playing gigs and traveling around with no real place to call home. As the turntablist for the now-defunct band, Keeprs of Tym (Keepers of Time), he toured London and Paris before going solo.
In the Bay Area, where music and politics are closely connected, Malcolm organized events against California Propositions 187 and 209. He’s also opened shows for Speech (Arrested Development) and KRS-1.
Malcolm’s latest album, Star People, is a menagerie of funk guitar, jazzy piano riffs, heavy hip-hop beats, libido-driven limericks, and a dash of electronica. The result is eclectic. Think Dirty Mind meets Mothership Connection with Biz Markie on the turntables.
Star People’s producers include Kyle Murdock, known for his production of the Washington, DC duo Crossrhodes, and K’Alyn, a DC-based singer and guitarist who has toured with Meshell Ndegocello.
“Revolution Tym” captures the essence of Parliament-Funkadelic-- political commentary masked in party music. In the spirit of Prince, who could never resist a dangerous woman (“Little Red Corvette”, “Darling Nikki”), Malcolm presents “Freak of Funk”. The seductive ballad “Love with U” has “a little porn in it”, Malcolm says of his feverish macking over a languid melody. “The Truth” features an appearance by emerging neo-soul troubadour Raheem DeVaughn.
Malcolm offers poignant commentary on the music biz with “MJ Speaks”, a sound byte taken from Michael Jackson’s record industry bashfest. “People are starting to realize that damage is being done to music by corporate control”, Malcolm says. “Everybody already knows it, but here’s the top artist of all time saying it.”
Malcolm has become a master of the unorthodox, adding a little humor and eccentricity to his music on purpose to counterbalance the so-called “mainstream”. “Today there’s phrases and little things you could say, and you know it’s going to work”, he says. I try not to use those.” “The right to do something different than what’s on the radio 24-7 has to be represented.”
If you’re tired of being force fed music by the powers that be, get ready for Star People: a glimpse of pure, untainted music from the soul of a maverick. “I’ve been told that I try to be different for difference’s sake”, Malcolm says. “That’s probably true.”
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Musical Influences
Miles Davis, Prince, Bootsy, Cameo, Q-TIP, Lenny Kravitz, KRS ONE, Arrested Develpment |
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Instruments
turntable, ASR-10 |
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Albums
Meeting in the Moonlight, Star People |
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Location
Washington, DC - USA |
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