Kool & The Gang • “Hollywood Swinging” • LIVE 1973 [Reelin' In The Years Archive]

[@josephedric4081]

Can't believe that all of them have passed on, except for Robert 'Kool' Bell.

[@KniffoBerlin]

But they can be proud of what they have achieved in their lives.

[@jasonfrodoman1316]

I was 13 in 73. So glad to have gown up in a time where music was the real deal. All the fantastic artists we had back then. And the pleasure of staying up late to catch the Midnight Special and Don Kircshners Rock Concert.

[@kool-808]

So you were born in 1960???

[@jasonfrodoman1316]

@@kool-808 correct

[@kool-808]

⁠@@jasonfrodoman1316 wow, close to Randy Jackson's year being 61, Randy was talented writing Shake Your Body, very talented multi instrumentalist brother

[@kool-808]

@@jasonfrodoman1316 Amazing.

[@Hillers62]

Here is the beginning of an iconic group...you are seeing the birth of of a legendary band!!!!

[@thomasgregg3448]

thumbs up to Ricky west r.i.p

[@alandthekidd]

Beautiful performance vid, started out with a medley intro to Higher Plane, I was back stage behind Ricky Westerfield when I saw this lineup in 74 at the old Presidential Arms club in DC w my cousins band and four other bands opening. A night I'll never forget.

[@kool-808]

Ricky seemed like a cool guy, though I wouldn't know seeing as there's no existing footage of this brother even talking but was he a cool and chill guy?

[@travesotom6890]

This is a iconic 70s funk jam one of my favorites from Kool N the Gang absolute banger 🤩😎

[@SoulStyle...]

DAMN! This performance is OFF THE HOOK!!! SO FKN DOPE!!! 🎼💯👍🏼

[@romeysiamese6662]

So much better than today.

[@I_Love_my_adblock4408]

Thank you for sharing! I'm so glad to have been raised on this good music. I still have the 45 of this song.

[@cotontzu1661]

Me too!!

[@Fairdd]

Such incredible artists... all of them. Love Ronald Bell on sax.

[@nanchanger]

Legendary.

[@lifeworksndhenterprisesllc6597]

Happy birthday 🎂 Robert Kool bell. Love your band since'69 And saw your show twice In Tuskegee and you for the same vibe like it was back then. I love who's gonna carry the weight And x-rated movie. I love over too hot and ladies night .thanks for keeping the funk bands alive.

[@pamelawalton1318]

Loved this song

[@tdr1967]

When they were funky!!

[@MissJackieM]

Wow . Looking at this makes me realize that there are only two members still here : Robert Kool Bell and George Brown.

[@toddmitchell7701]

You right

[@leonguisburg413]

Time marches on---but it's sad to know Dennis, Khaalis Clifford, Spike, Claydes, Otha, Rick & Woody---8 of the original funk unit are gone. I'm just partial to the early to mid seventies line-up

[@dlonra65]

Sadly George Brown is gone too. Only one left is Kool

[@jeffrailey]

R.I.P. Dennis “Dee Tee” Thomas, Ronald “Khalis” Bell, Robert “Spike” Mickens, Ricky West. 🥊🥊🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾💖✝️

[@kool-808]

@@leonguisburg413 Yeah but Ricky was the only one to die young, heard he got addicted to drugs. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes, Ricky could've lived to be a sweet elderly man with wisdom but instead he died at a young age. They quite literally have erased his whole personal information and history, you practically know NOTHING about Mr. Ricky West, there isn't a lot of existing pictures of him other than the ones where he's with Kool & the Gang but there's no picture of the man individually, there isn't even any footage of him talking other than singing, but a singing voice and a talking voice is different.

[@unique74muzik]

0:02 Funky in that pocket!! Higher Ground!!! 💪 🔥

[@Hailey_0125]

I lake Kool good remember

[@davidval7188]

So good thanks

[@mikeo8890]

Raw!!!!

[@marvinhagler4721]

LOVE THIS...

[@stephenjstclair]

Kool!

[@ulysses8785]

Thank you!

[@kinggeefunk]

That was Dope!

[@carloslozada470]

The best

[@MrKingalow]

In my mind, I'm in audience with a 70's Vancouver Canucks jersey on. I love it!

[@berhanwar]

Rare video footage of Ricky West

[@justinbligh]

True! Extremely underrated artist. There’s no really information on the guy unfortunately. He apparently passed away in 1985, but there’s no information on his cause of death.

[@kool-808]

No footage of him talking unfortunately

[@soulstalgiarecords77740]

When J.T. came on the scene, the Band Became A Supernova Force.

[@leonguisburg413]

But no longer the Funk powerhouse

[@jonmacie7581]

Actually not. Just the opposite occured and the BAND was dissapated. By 1984, they were gone.

[@troyjones2358]

Not really.

[@johnrush9533]

Say what? Not even close! 🤔

[@charlesbrazell2136]

@@leonguisburg413 No offense to Mr. Taylor who was a very fine singer, but at the time he got with them and they started making their music Disco, they went backwards; they made more money than they ever had before in their careers, but like you said, they lost the funk, and I always wondered why they made the decision to go, musically speaking, backwards. 10-31-24.

[@enepeaene]

this is pure gold

[@johnhenningfield4360]

Spike had a good laugh when Otha & Khalis missed their steps 🤣, that happens in every band

[@samuelalridge3718]

💥💥💥🤘🏿🤘🏿🤘🏿

[@Dahverin-kk4on]

That song before Hollywood Swinging is Higher Plane

[@charlesbrazell2136]

This sounds like the version from the lp, "Love And Understanding"-I never cared for this version-loved the original, from the lp, " Wild And Peaceful"-hope I can find them doing a live version like they did on that album. 10-31-24.

[@Carolyn713]

I SEE MY FAVORITE GUY DT AND KOOL. ALSO SPIKE. OTHERS I DON’T KNOW.

[@sirlordford]

This performance seems somewhat subdued. Can only suspect because of the audience.

[@erickthefantabulous1]

I'm gonna have to Google this I don't think they're in the rock & roll hall of fame yet which is a Travesty if they're not there transition from the seventies to the eighties was seamless

[@nytony748]

As of 2024, they're not in the The Rock and Roll Hall of fame!!!. It's a damn shame!!!

[@nytony748]

Thank you for sharing! My favorite all time band! Do you have any more Kool & The Gang footage?

[@garysmith8073]

I can't believe they walked out with their horns and didn't have stands. They layed their horns on the floor.

[@dlonra65]

Thanks for posting this. But this was not 1973. Otha Nash was not in the band then and Higher Plane came out at least a year later. 1973 was the year Wild and Peaceful album was released

[@charlesbrazell2136]

You're right! 10-31-24.

[@AnyRight-jm4rd]

When did they add the other brother that did alot of the music in the 80s?

[@forgottenuploads]

GTA: San Andreas vibes

[@jmarvosa6x3]

& You know that!!

[@michaelwyckoff8121]

No JT back then

[@cozmowiz5593]

NOTE: How back then we were Beautiful Black People as opposed to today where our own refer to us as Ninjas. Thats why I am select on my hip hop. Men of a certain time respect fellow black folks and would never call them the N word like today.

[@oldschoolhip-hopheadriorea9178]

REQUEST: RIO

[@gregsz1ful]

Honestly great. Is Kool on keyboard or what ? Need help.

[@thierryliondjo7130]

Kool is on bass...on keys it's Ricky west

[@gregsz1ful]

@@thierryliondjo7130 Hey thanks !!!

[@knightd12]

Who are these people? I thought the original members were still together in 73.

[@lifeworksndhenterprisesllc6597]

You tell me, I see the same guys at Tuskegee's Civic center three years ago. Happ birthday to Robert "kool'"bell 🎂🎂🎂🍷🍾🍺🍹🍸🥂

[@markusjahn9859]

@@lifeworksndhenterprisesllc6597 From left: Ricky West, Ronald (Khalis) Bell, Otha Nash, Funky George Brown, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Dennis "D.T." Thomas, Robert "Kool" Bell & Charles Smith

[@robertbright2057]

These are the original members with the addition of Bro. Otha Nash on trombone.

[@xeropunt5749]

This is the original group. They morphed later. Check out their first album. 69/70 ish.

[@nytony748]

These are the original members since the the 60's.

[@Kenny-ko4hj]

P. Diddy??? This is music....ya!