Rufus, the Funk band

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

I actually really like this song -

I wanted to start a new thread that is a more dignified discussion of this band since the other thread was started as a ruse to mock a certain poster here at PE

ok, so for those who are interested, that video was made after the implosion of the first Rufus. This song is from their 2nd album, made with the first incarnation of the band, but the musicians lip-syncing the song are the 2nd incarnation of the band (only the right side Keyboard player, Chaka and the drummer are left from the band who recorded the song) with 3 new members.

It's alright though, since the first Rufus (of the first 2 albums) wasn't that great. Tell Me Something Good was arguably their best song... they were an all white band (except for Chaka) which doesn't really mean anything of substance. They just weren't as musically interesting as Rufus II who recorded the 3rd album, Rufusized.

[Vic2012]

Never owned anything by them but very familiar with the radio hits. Chaka Khan is a hell of a talent.

[florentine pogen]

It's their best song because Stevie Wonder wrote it.

[bob_32_116]

I don't know much about Rufus except for that one song - though I did see them perform at Elton John's 1975 Wembley concert.

Rufus is also the name of a current Australian band, and I'm sure I have heard of at least one other Rufus. Seems to be a popular name.

[profusion]

I'm a huge fan of Rufus. I also like Chaka's early solo albums, but they're more straight-ahead than the Rufus albums.

I'm more a fan of the "2nd incarnation" of the band with Tony Maiden on guitar and Bobby Watson on bass. The only problem with that version is that the music became more heavily orchestrated and less "band-oriented" as they went on. That said, even their 1979 disco album Masterjam is a favorite of mine.

Also, I'd say that "Tell Me Something Good" is nowhere near being their best song. This is probably the most amazing thing they ever did:

[Vic2012]

First time I heard this song I thought it was Chaka solo. It's pure 80s, synth-pop, but for some reason I'm strangely into it .

[Blah_Blah_Woof_Woof]

Street Player is a great album. Chaka can sing anything and make it sound good but the material on this record is beautiful.
Master Jam is pretty dang good, too. It's got the Quincy big production that made Michael Jackson a mega-star.

[JJ88]

'Ain't Nobody' is what they are best known for here. Chaka Khan had quite a few songs in her own right though- 'I'm Every Woman', 'I Feel For You' etc- that I still hear around quite regularly.

[Vic2012]

Chaka Khan made her living in the UK for many years. Not sure if she still lives there. She did a lot of session work for the likes of Steve Winwood (Higher Love wouldn't be the same song without Chaka singing background), Eric Clapton, and God knows who else.

[bob_32_116]

Chaka Khan made her living in the UK for many years. Not sure if she still lives there. She did a lot of session work for the likes of Steve Winwood (Higher Love wouldn't be the same song without Chaka singing background), Eric Clapton, and God knows who else.

...not to mention a certain Rick Wakeman.

[bRETT]

Chaka Khan made her living in the UK for many years. Not sure if she still lives there. She did a lot of session work for the likes of Steve Winwood (Higher Love wouldn't be the same song without Chaka singing background), Eric Clapton, and God knows who else.

And Chicago (who worked a lot with Rufus' keyboardist David Wolinsky).

[Vic2012]

Played "Ain't Nobody" on the jukebox. It has become an earworm.

[Shadow]

I could swear I saw Rufus with Chaka on the Midnight Special wearing a fishnet top, but I can't find that video anywhere.

[Vic2012]

We need that picture Ed. NOW!

[Shadow]

We need that picture Ed. NOW!

It's in my head right now.

[Dave (in MA)]

How about on Soul Train in a fur bra?
(and a caeserean scar)

[pb2015]

And Chicago (who worked a lot with Rufus' keyboardist David Wolinsky).

True. In fact Chicago's infamous disco song "Street Player" (one of a handful of their songs cowritten by Danny Seraphine and Hawk Wolinski) was also the title song of one of Rufus's albums.

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

I'd say that "Tell Me Something Good" is nowhere near being their best song.

sorry if I was misunderstood... it's the best song from Rufus 1.0

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

I'm more a fan of the "2nd incarnation" of the band with Tony Maiden on guitar and Bobby Watson on bass.

after doing my personal digital remasters of the first 4 albums, I have to agree that Rufus 2.0 is better than the original band. Having gone thru every song with a fine toothed comb I actually think their 3rd album Rufusized is just slightly better than the 4th album. Theres a tune that's 3 minutes long and as Prog-y as all get-out with a cool 9/4 change in it

[profusion]

sorry if I was misunderstood... it's the best song from Rufus 1.0

Their version of "Love The One You're With" from the first album might be my favorite song from that incarnation of Rufus. In looking back, that version of the band was really only let down by the songs where they let the keyboardist sing. If you stick to the Chaka songs, they were pretty great.

after doing my personal digital remasters of the first 4 albums, I have to agree that Rufus 2.0 is better than the original band. Having gone thru every song with a fine toothed comb I actually think their 3rd album Rufusized is just slightly better than the 4th album. Theres a tune that's 3 minutes long and as Prog-y as all get-out with a cool 9/4 change in it

Rufusized is probably the one I come back to the most. That one and the follow-up were probably the best overall albums they did. I occasionally would put Ask Rufus ahead of either of them, but it's a little ballad-heavy for regular listening.

I managed to get Japanese mini-sleeve reissues of all of the Rufus albums up through Masterjam. I've never bothered with the live album (which I really need to get), and Camouflage from 1981 was only released on CD in a limited-run Japanese mini-sleeve that is very expensive and difficult to obtain--it's a mediocre album that isn't worth it.

Has anyone heard the three albums that Rufus made without Chaka after she began doing solo albums? They've almost completely disappeared down the memory hole. No CD releases or even YouTube vinyl rips to be found.