The back of the record reads: “Dedicated to all the beautiful brown people everywhere…our statement is heavy.”
Released in 1979, Lowrider Ball Live is an album of live events that took place in San Jose, California in the mid-to-late ‘70s. These “balls” gathered more than 100 car-clubs throughout the country, celebrating cars and music, and calling for an end to violence and drugs that plagued the community. It was held at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, a spot that today holds flea markets and tradeshows (and where the new 49ers’ stadium is in consideration to be built).
This record is especially meaningful for two reasons: 1) It features a rare version of the Mary Wells’ jam, “You Beat Me To The Punch”. It’s a clean live recording and totally kills. The other standout, “Brothers And Sisters Lowriding Around”, written and performed by The San Jose Lowrider Band, starts with a skit about police harassment before leaning into a huge bassline. I dig the fact that the one (known) recording by cats who called themselves “The San Jose Lowrider Band” is a straight funk song. And 2) NERDTORIOUS is based in the South Bay Area, Santa Clara/San Jose to be exact, two places that aren’t exactly synonymous with funk and soul. This right here is local history. And it’s funky. Hear the liveliness:
CLICK TO HEAR: MARY WELLS’ “YOU BEAT ME TO THE PUNCH (RARE LIVE VERSION)”
CLICK TO HEAR: “BROTHERS AND SISTERS LOWRIDING AROUND” BY THE SAN JOSE LOWRIDER BAND
So excellent! Interesting history too, thanks! Cheers from the UK!
LikeLike
word! this is great! im a bit sad that gatherings of sort no longer exist in san jose. if they did, the sjpd would have to expand its cholo task force…. great story! thanks!
LikeLike
Thanks for the great songs. Wouldn’t break my heart to hear the whole album if you have it. Nice site. Good luck.
LikeLike
I did a short bio on this on soulstrut a while back. My parents and my aunt Lisa (rip) went to this event. This is down the way from my house where my wife and I live. A great place and they still have car shows there, but not like it used to be back in the day.
I miss the days of the weekend, being a kid and going to functions like this. Even though things (at least from what I remember, things did not fly off the hook much) Usualy it was some dispute over someones “old lady ehh” or someone messing with a car.. but for the most part..it was chill as hell. I want to revive things like this again.Maybe someday in the near.
Both great tracks but, the track by The Sity Stroke “One Day At Time” , is a dope track!!!!
My copy was handed down to me from my mom and even though it is beat to shit and I had a spare awhile back(sealed too and gave it to Justin Torres), I kept mine, due to the fact that Not only were they there, but it is a piece of family history.
Funny thing, I was just talking to a homie about this record today :)
Thanks for making my evening folks!
LikeLike
Fucking Age, I should’ve known you (of all cats in the area) would already be up on this! And yeah, “One Day At A Time” is mad dope too. Talk soon!
LikeLike
I let my friend borrow this & never got it back! You wouldn’t be him now would you? Thanks for sharing the tracks. This record was handed down to me & I never actually got to hear it, so I let me friend borrow it to put on CD (don’t think he ever put it on CD). Well I’d rather listen to a Mary Wells CD any way. Anything else special about this thing? I know it went down at the fair grounds, but are they really considering putting the 49ers there? I always heard it was in Santa Clara that they were thinking of.
LikeLike
HEY- HEY, WELL YA I CAME ACROSS THIS ALBUM, AND I THINK IT’S THE COOLEST THING EVER!!! I DO REMEMBER THESE GOOD OL DAYS!!!! THANKS S.T. FROM SJ CALI
LikeLike
2014: I’ve been looking for this for so long! Great to hear good comments. Sure would like to do it again! I can still get it on!
Glen Kelley, drummer, Sity Stroke. I need a copy of this. Drummerboyglen@yahoo.com Down in San Diego.
LikeLike