Two Sides of Lunar Funk via Detroit

• Listen to these songs on youtube: Slip The Dummer One, Mr. Penguin
• Listen to these 45s in a Spotify playlist here with other 45s from the blog (though note, spotify doesn’t have all / many of the songs featured on the site so some playlists may be incomplete or feature slightly different versions than the original 45s I’m referring to here.
• Download the songs by clicking the titles above

Formed in 1968 the Fabulous Counts were a hard hitting, funky Detroit ensemble.  Their first records were on the Ollie McLaughlin label Moira including their hit “Get Down People” with the compellingly named b-side, “Lunar Funk.”  After one full length that was released on Cotillion (which distributed a lot of McLaughlin’s labels), The Fabulous Counts, in 1970, left for the supposed greener pastures of one of Detroit’s many other labels, Westbound.

While at Westbound the newly abbreviated Counts released one LP Rhythm Changes in 1971.  Feeling left out of the spotlight which was shining brightly on label mates Ohio Players and Funkadelic, the Counts put out today’s 45′s under the name “Lunar Funk” a call-back to their hit single “Get Down People.”  Mr. Penguin and Slip The Drummer one (along with the B-side’s of both records) are killer groove heavy funk.  While you don’t get much funkier and flashier thank Ohio Players and Funkadelic, I can appreciate the frustration of feeling over-looked.  These guys could play but also knew how to keep it simple and heavy.  

After their brief dalliance with Bell on these singles – no LP was ever released- most of the group relocated to Atlanta and Aware Records where they continued to release music including the sick 45 “Funk Pump” which along with the melody for “Miss You” by the Rolling Stones, is almost always playing in my head.

Hope you enjoyed today’s sides and dig into more of the Counts music!

Till the next go-round,

-George / Snack Attack

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