Graham Central Station!

We were working in Boulder, Colorado at Talogies, next to Colorado State. It was wild! This was one of my first gigs and I was at Talogies for five weeks which meant that I would have a chance to work with all the bands that came through during that time. And there were many: Average White Band, Albert Brooks and, of course, Graham Central Station.

Graham Central Station The Night

When Graham Central Station arrived at the club it was about an hour before I went on. There were so many men and women in the band that they took over the dressing room and I left them alone. I did peak through the door once in a while and I could see that the leader of this funk band, Larry Graham, was as sick as a dog and could hardly stand without assistance.

Graham Central Station The Show

I had a lot of hecklers that night and some of them were very funny, I have to admit. There was one black kid in the back that was very finny with his heckles. I thought to myself that this kid should get into comedy. As a matter of fact he did and years later I met Franklin Ajahe. But, these people were there to hear Funk not comedy. But, I did the best I could and managed to pull the show out of the dumper and get some laughs.

Graham Central Station Larry Graham

After my show there was a forty-minute intermission. This happens, in clubs, so that the club owner could sell more booze. It really has nothing to do with the performers! Awhile I was waiting around I again peaked into the dresing room to see Larry Graham, still slumped over in his chair, drinking from a brandy bottle. I also saw one of his women giving him lines of cocaine. Something I had not done yet. Hey, the show must go on and did. When the intermission was over Larry Graham had gotten his act together and Graham central Station began to chug, chug, chug. Although Larry Graham was a little weak around the knees the band did a great show and a good time was had by all.

Graham Central Station Biography

An exuberant mid-'70s funk group, Larry Graham Central Station made some fine singles for Warner Bros. Former Sly & the Family Stone bassist Larry Graham renamed Hot Chocolate (not the British group) Larry Graham Central Station after he moved from producing the group to playing with it. The group included Larry Graham, guitarist David Vega, keyboardists Robert Sam and Hershall Kennedy, percussionist Patryce Banks, and drummer Willy Sparks. They utilized the identical funk cum rock and soul formula of Sly, though in not quite as imaginative a fashion. Their debut single, "Can You Handle It," reached number nine on the R&B charts, and they landed a number one record in 1975 with "Your Love." They recorded as Larry Graham Central Station from 1974 to 1977, then as Larry Graham & Graham Central Station in 1978, and during their final year were called Larry Graham with Graham Central.