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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=795&e=1&u=/eo/20040806/en_music_eo/14666

Entertainment - E! Online

"Super Freak" Rick James Dead

1 hour, 46 minutes ago

By Joal Ryan

Rick James lived the rock 'n' roll life to excess--right up until he faced a life sentence in prison.

The influential but troubled funkmeister, known for his 1981 hit "Super Freak (Part 1)" and a two-year stint in prison on cocaine-fueled assaults, was found dead of apparent natural causes at 9:45 a.m. Friday morning in his Los Angeles home. He was 56. The rocker and producer had been busy of late, working on a new album, and an autobiography to be called Memoirs of a Super Freak. Comic Dave Chappelle was in talks to portray James in a planned biopic based on the book, the Hollywood Reporter said in June.

Last month, James told BET.com that the new album would feature as many as 30 songs.

"Music is a universal language, every color, every creed, every race," James told the Website. "I want everybody to enjoy my [stuff]."

In June, he was presented with ASCAP's Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award, credited by the organization for being the father of "punk-funk" in hits such as "Mary Jane," "Give It to Me Baby" and his signature tune, "Super Freak."

In 1998, James suffered a stroke, which his management blamed on "rock 'n' roll neck," or blood vessels weakened as the result of too much neck-bobbing during shows.

That year James also underwent hip-replacement surgery. That injury was blamed on years of performing--as well as years of substance abuse.

It was cocaine that landed James in his most serious trouble.

In 1991, he was arrested for singeing a woman with a hot crack pipe. In 1992, while out on bail, he was arrested for beating up another woman at a West Hollywood hotel.

In 1993, he was convicted of assault in the two arrests, but he was cleared of a torture charge in the crack-pipe incident that could have put him behind bars for the rest of his life.

Born Feb. 1, 1948, in Buffalo, New York, James' other hits include "You and I" and "Mary Jane."

Who recalls James and Neil Young together? Was it the Mynah Birds or something like that?

Wow. He was young.

He always looked great with his white 4003.

"Give it to me..."

Stan, you are correct. Rick James (then Ricky Matthews, his real name) and Neil Young were in the Mynah Birds between April 65 and March of 66 together. Then Young left with bassest Bruce Palmer to join forces with Ritchie Furay, Steve Stills and Dewey Martin to form The Buffalo Springfield in April 66.
Rick James spent alot of time in Toronto's Yorkville scene during the 60's playing in bands.
But then so did alot of other famous people.

JC

I never knew he was from where I'm from.
My dad is one year older. I should check out his old yearbooks to see if he went to school with him.

It's too bad. 56 is still a relatively young age, IMHO.

His real name was James Johnson...

http://www.rickjames.com/original/bio1.html

My dad told me that he didn't attend school with him, but he recently worked with a mechanic who just happens to live next door to Rick James. People at his work always teased him about it. "Did you invite Rick James over for your party on Saturday?"
I just happened to buy a Rick James LP at a garage sale for a dollar.
It's the one with the picture in John Cyg's post. (Street Songs, I think it's called.) The album looks like it's been well taken care of.

Sorry, but the Rickenbacker bass on the above album cover is a 4001, not a 4003.
As for the white Rickenbacker on the above shot of Rick James, clearly it is a different, older bass, and it's no 4003 model either.

One of his albums also had an Azureglo 4001 on the cover. I'm not familiar with a lot of his stuff but Superfreak had a great bass sound on it, nice and punchy.

My mistake