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 RIP
CG Colemen - The Most Unknown?
article
0115 added
09.08.06 words Chris Byrne
technical:
QED
 I sit here in front of my computer listening to the atmospheric ‘drumfunk’ of Alaska (a.k.a.
Paradox)’s song ‘Ancestral’. The song uses a chopped-up drum loop from The Winston’s song ‘Amen Brother’. It is
surely the most sampled song of all time. It is best known in hip hop circles as the drum loop in ‘Straight
Outta Compton’ by NWA.
It is reported in the Wikipedia that the first hip-hop producer to “dismember” the drum beats of the
Amen break and chop them into a new pattern was Mr Mixx of 2 Live Crew on their 1987 song "Feel Alright
Ya'll" from the “Move Somethin” album.
Earlier this year a man died in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the drummer on ‘Amen Brother’. His name
was Gregory Sylvester (G.C) Coleman. And nobody really seems to know much about him! Did he ever earn a
penny from the (surely) tens of thousands of songs that sampled him thumping those drums in that room
with those special acoustics with those mics set up in that magical way that day?
I made some net investigations as to whether he was dead or alive a while back which did not
lead anywhere. One contact that earlier had seemed to be promising sent me a copy of Mr Coleman’s
funeral programme earlier this year.
G.C Coleman was born in September 1944, one of five brothers and sisters. He was a member of the
Mount Calvary Baptist Church and graduated from Armstrong High School in Richmond in 1962. While in high
school, he was a dynamic drum major for the school band. While in high school he formed his own band, called
GC Coleman and the Soul Twisters. He later drummed for the Marvelettes of Motown, Otis Redding as well
as Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions. He loved to dance and was known for his laughter and sharp dressing.
 Gregory later moved to Washington DC where he joined The Winstons. They had a big hit with the MOR
soul single ‘Color Him Father’ in 1969 (which won them a Grammy for best R&B song). The b-side of the
single was a cover of the gospel song ‘Amen’ (renamed ‘Amen Brother’). The album which followed sold 2 million copies.
Gregory then moved to Atlanta where he played with the Georgia Power Band and recorded with Brick.
He was twice married and leaves a daughter and stepdaughter.
I think that when people say that drum and bass is a totally British genre of music, it is a real insult
to the work and memory of GC and his funky drumming peers…
-
Chris Byrne
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