from the 12” single, Mountain Records, 1983While many bands who signed with independent labels have enjoyed large-scale success in the rock-n-roll landscape, the same has generally not been true for funk crews, and where DIY rock bands & labels actually increased their reputations by resisting the corporate empire, most of the small funk bands & labels out there proved unable to compete against the financial backing and prowess of the majors. Perhaps this has more to do with the intended audience (i.e. rocks fans being accustomed to digging through the underground for the next big thing, funk fans historically looking to the radio first & foremost), but the reality is that while loads of indie rockers have ascended the ladder of public achievement, often becoming as famous as their major-label peers, throngs of able funkateers have been wholly forgotten by the masses. Sadly, this pattern held true for bassist Aaron Broomfield and his siblings, who even went so far as to open their own record label (the Mountain records of this release); growing up in Miami Beach, Florida imbued Aaron with a real forward-leaning sense of funk, being told by numerous labels and radio station managers that his tunes were too progressive. In actuality, the wax he cut with his brothers & sisters (initially as Broomfield Corporate Jam, then just under Aaron’s name) is some of the dankest space boogie this side of Mars, easily right up there with the kind of stuff Zapp and Mtume were doing around this time. Aaron did an interview with danceclassics.net a few years back and closed by saying this, “…let your minds and your hearts be forever open…these are challenging and stressful times we are living in today, may all of you find truth and happiness in your daily lives…I hope my music will lift your spirit and awareness, and inspire you to do good things for yourself and humanity…” Word!
