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F-Funk
Rocco Prestia Lyrics

No lyrics text found for this track.

The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos

Comments from YouTube:

Bassman 323

4y↑29

Legends never die! Rest in peace Rocco

Dan Harris

4y↑15

Rocco makes the impossible sound MORE than just impossible. It's improbable we will ever see his equal. I've watched dozens of videos and live sets with other bass players trying to imitate him. Its kind of sad and funny at the same time. Even if they play all the same notes that Rocco plays, it never works. They just can't get the feeling, or the subtle differences that Rocco puts into his musical framing -- and straight on into your emotional soul. I've tried to explain this strange and wonderful gift to many folks, who just seem to admire Rocco's technical skills as he connects the musical dots to keep TOP chugging along in their butt- kicking style. But Rocco has another role in the groove. The subtle pushes, bounces, tonal changes, micro-moments of silence, and so many other enhancements in his music weave through the TOP sound, and keep it on fire. A lot of bass players try it at home, but the matches won't stay lit.

al cambrola

2y↑2

The best bass player I've ever seen. RIP Rocco

Larry Cooper

7y↑27

Francis Rocco Prestia is a bassist that "GET IT". This man is a bass guitar genius.

Dana Dane

@Stephen Pruszenski No doubt about it. He is a "busy" player but in a way that always compliments the song. Doesn't feel the need to play a million notes up and down the fretboard if it's not called for. When it's very clear he can.

Dana Dane

2y↑1

I have to second this comment. He plays amazingly without showing off and throwing a bunch of junk that doesn't compliment the song.

Stephen Pruszenski

6y↑2

Larry Cooper Love it! Not a slap or a pop in site. Muting like the champ he is. A real rhythm guru.

Joena Brown

7y↑18

Francis "Rocco" Prestia was Awarded, " Life Achievement Award" by Bass Player Magazine on Oct. 24th, 2009. He's been with Tower of Power since he was 14 years old, years before the Band was called "Tower of Power" til today! He really was born to play Bass! 👌😁👍❤

Bill D

4y↑4

He was the reason for the TOP sound!!! R.I.P. God be with you

Steve Kyer

ROCCO, you will be sorely missed! Thank you for all the grooves!

Bill Brandine

4y↑2

Back in the day, if you could play What Is Hip? on bass, you could get into any band. That was the criteria between being ok/good and being excellent. Rocco was the coolest around.

Steven

4y↑1

An original member of the Motowns, Gotham City Crime Fighters and oh yes, Tower of Power.
God bless you Rocco for all you’ve done for us.

robert macauley

Really sad he's gone. Huge influence. R.I.P. Rocco, thanks for the music. On the video it looks like the lineup from 1991's Monster On A Leash era.

Richard Vasquez

5y↑4

Heyrocco I've always thought you were the baddest bass player anywhere anytime I love your style your Technique you you just kick ass bro you just kick ass over everybody I heard is as far as keeping busy man we have to tie your fingers together to stop you from being too busy but you're not too busy bro you're awesome keep it Rockin brother

LAMERFENER

Rest in peace, the legend. Im pretty sure you will play the best eminors wherever you go...

FunkyCosmicGirl

4y↑4

R.I.P. Rocco, you will truly be missed 😭❤

BKrieg8

The best.... this rhythm section shows up to the gig ON TIME! Funky as hell.

Ray Young

Absolutely NO wasted movement whatsoever!! Wonderful!

Michael Valadez

Rest in peace Rocco.The grove master.

Robert Oetojo

RIP ROCCO... HUMBLE..TALENTED..SKILL PLAYER

Marco Polo

6y↑63

"I just want to make the point that it's ok to be busy, as long as your not stepping on anyone's toes." -FRP

Vic Toza

@G Brandt Actually, Rocco said, "...just as long as you don't step on nobody's toes."

José Damián Bazaga Ruiz

3y↑1

lots of practical wisdom on that staying.

It is quite different to play a lot of notes (both fretted and ghosted) when somebody else is playing something than when there is free space.

Or playing the main melody along with the wind section all the time, or just playing it along on some specific and accentuated moments.

Actually the bassist can destroy a good session if he doesn't aply that piece of wisdom, "play it as much as you want as you do not step on somebody elses toes).

G Brandt

4y↑1

“As long as you don’t step on anyone’s toes” but sure

pingpongpung

*you're

Dana Dane

I like how matter of fact and straight to the point he is. As a consummate student of the bass I've come to realize that's essentially a bassist job.

IAN BARTLETT

4y↑1

RIP Rocco mate you were one of my idols.

newleaf9

Nice to see Russ Mckinnon on the drums right next to the Legend. Rocco is the funkiest bassist I heard.

riverman

Master of funk! RIP

PANTERA

9y↑25

Rocco is still the man...

Elia Gaitau

Rest in peace Funk Legend Rocco

Synthia

Realizing so much of what I love about Little Feat is Tower of Power and presumably Rocco. Had to come here to acknowledge Tower of Power's beautiful influence in my life to this day.

paco bru

4y↑1

He was playing with such an incredible high action😲

Lettuce

he played so hard that any lower and he would have gotten fret buzz, makes sense

DUGLUST

4y↑2

Rocco's Groove is the 8th wonder of the world

Tomás Beck Valdivia

5y↑3

this man is one of the funkiest human beigns ever

Doy Rayburn

Bought your sig bass before you passed brother. RIP. Thanks for all the jams.

chaz hogue

10y

How great would it be to see Dennis McMurrin playing with Rocco!

Crib Rebo

8y↑57

One of Jaco's influences.

Flavien Bonjean

Ok Nice

Evan J

9y↑3

Is it wrong of me to say that I love and respect everything these guys are doing and at the same time say that I really can't feel any of it? Like these guys are badass, they can all kick my ass but I don't find my soul on fire next to this.

ddrums001

Evan J because the original TOP rhythm section, Garibaldi, Conti and Thompson are definitely missing.

rantanen1

ofc it isnt wrong of you to say. theres loads of different kinds of music, to each their own.

Evan J

8y↑4

That's a good way to describe them. TOP are definitely musicians musicians pushing the very technical side of funk. The James Brown camp definitely illustrated the more raw, gritty approach (even though James fined his band for mistakes, haha!). Stevie's work in the mid to late 70's is about as refined as I can go before it starts to lose something for me.

I'm a sucker for intelligent simplicity. I love ambient subtleties, a good hook, a smooth swing, a tight interesting rhythm and a punchy, winding bass line all bathed in human imperfection. Diana Ross's "Reflections" or even Dusty Springfield's "Son of a Preacher Man" is a good example.

In more recent years, I've become a fan of the lesser known hip-hip movement (kind of the more substantial, more complicated, grittier, oozing soul side of the tepid top 40). The less materialistic, more poetic side, the side that was birthed from funk breakbeats and raps that go back as old as African tribes. The Bristol sound known as "Trip-Hop" qualifies for sure. The electronic movement over the last 20 years has become a source of interest for me as well a lot of artists off of Warp Records are beyond fantastic. It seems just below the bright shining "Coke Machine" on the pop surface today is a wealth of amazing new sounds. A lot of them harken back to the 70's.
Vulf Peck is a great example of guys younger than me rediscovering that deep, dirty soulful rhythm funk coupled with with the sparkling melodic hooks found in the late 70's and early 80's. Just today I Shazam'ed a few new ones: Mac Demarco, Connan Mockasin and Unknown Mortal Orchestra.

Thanks for the love on the bass side, I love great rhythm guitar players for sure. I love the great studio rats that played on all the great albums. My favorites are great songwriters, those great arrangers who have a sense for smart production and chord changes that don't follow your typical pop formula. Too much to mention there but in general, the visionaries. People like David Byrne, Paul Simon, Brian Wilson and Al Green/Willie Mitchell, I mean if you listen to "Let's Stay Together" it's a very odd song but somehow it made the charts in a big way. Same with The Talking Heads and "Once in a Lifetime." I love stuff like that that appeals to art and pop universally. That's such hard work but those are the tunes that stand the test of time. Sorry for the book I just wrote but it's a subject I'm passionate about.

Evan J

@Crocodile Avoider Oh no worries at all. You know, it's a tough threshold to describe in my personal tastes and I truly mean no offense to TOP, that goes double if you happen to be affiliated with them in any way. It's clear they are one of the most lasting and successful funk ensembles out there. For me, it's a case of each person of the band being so talented that it's hard to feel the song over the individuals. My ear tends to migrate to each musician. Everything is almost too pristine and therefore the songs tend to not stick as hard in my head. I find my personal ear craving something a bit more loose and organic. A great historical example is "Just Kissed My Baby" -- a very stripped down song but extremely memorable. A more modern example is that "drunk" behind the beat sound D'Angelo put together 16 years ago with Pino and ?uest. Such a brilliant way to find a true human feel in the world of Soul. In the school of overplaying, Medeski Martin Wood is a good example of making a lot sound interesting and organic. As a bass player, my challenge is always to go towards what's good for the song verses what I actually can play. In my opinion, no one balanced both better than James Jamerson -- but man that's a hard level to get to and it requires a drummer, or drummers in the case of Motown that are willing to have that push/pull. So in the end, for me, TOP is a little too pristine, too polished but what doesn't make them right for me is exactly what makes them right for so many others. That said, Rocco has one hell of a right hand/left hand muting technique and I've spent many a year building up that stamina to be able to get such thick, percussive notes as he has in my personal bag of tricks.

3 More Replies...

Mopeds

Even his voice has the funk

Bryan Pabustan

4y↑40

R.I.P. Rocco

delfina moreyra

10y

rocco.. qué genio por dios..

Stephen Pruszenski

One of the best in history and he didn't slap a note. Well, maybe 2 or 3. 😆😃

Enzo Smith

The King of pumpin' bass funk !! Genius. And NO he was NOT too busy, cause the man was in da pocket hugh deeg?

Sonny Fales

6y↑6

Man!! This dude sounds like an original Steven Seagal ..

billyzoom1

8y↑1

TOP are incredible, and Rocco is indispensable to their style. Just an incredible bassist. I've been a huge fan forever, but this lineup is very weak. It's about as unfunky as I've ever heard them...the vocalist is not soulful and is extremely unsuited to this music, the guitarist is wheedly wheedly, and the funk ain't flowin like it should. If you think this is funky, it'll blow your mind when you see them at their best. Rocco and Garibaldi are a legendary rhythm section.

Castle

4y↑1

I didnt know Chuck Norris was a talented bassist amongst other things

Giulio Zambelli

4y↑3

RIP Rocco Prestia

Rogue Cheddar

Rocco and Dave Garibaldi, akways tighter than a gnat's ass stretched over a boxcar. If your feet weren't tapping, better check yourself, you're probably dead. I've missed him the last couple of times TOP had come around up here in New Hampshire, I knew things weren't good. RIP Rocco.

J. Smith

And where can I find the rest of this lesson?

Bass Wanderer

This has to be the worst damn year ever. R.i.p. and rest well Francis Rocco Prestia

MARCO ANTONIO RAFAEL AMARO CUÉLLAR

Rocco,......Rest in Peace.....in Funk Heven

Frapzoid

4y↑1

Rocco and Jaco... The best Bass players ever.

gary melnyk

And Foley. Don’t forget Foley!

zdogg8

Memory Eternal dear Rocco.

Daniel Sierra

10y

Rocco: esto es groove!!!

Negative Positive

8y↑3

Guitar players gotta go. Kick rocks...

N8oR

4y↑1

RIP Rocco

Joel Jack

R.I.P. Roco !!

Guy Moore

RIP Rocco...

Volvox

3:53 Genius!! :O

Hengky Bangun

it's very good

Tunahan

rest in peace.

Robert Oetojo

amazing tight and so clear every details THE BEST IN THE WORLD.. NO2 ..BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS... NO3.. CHICAGO...NO4..EARTH WIND AND FIRE.

deden bass

Awesome .. Success and GBU ALWAYS

Nicolas ZYX

R.I.P. Rocco

板垣英二

R.I.P. Rocco

JamFanatics

7y↑12

this is like an ad for one of those old vhs dating services

El Dorado

R.I.P. Rocco Prestia

howahya

11y

From 2:30! Whoa! Cheers for posting.

jubeji100

...sitting on the left side of God...outstanding left hand playing...im sad....

Charles Urich

10y↑22

bring back the tucking shirt into black jeans style

Robert Hudson

You were never a soloist, you just Soloed all the time. R.I.P. Rocco Prestia.

Robert Dowler

Check out his CD, Everybody On The Bus, Enjoy !

G Brandt

4y↑2

he's undressing me with his eyes
and his voice

porkyo123

Hate the new Tower Of Power! 70's were the best! Bassist is the best for this style or this band. He has it down up.

Account 2

6y↑1

What's the name of the kryboardist at 0:46

Hector Navarrete

7y↑1

THE PORNO THING IS SO F... TRUE ¡¡¡¡ JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA

Stefano Castellani

4y↑1

R.I.P.

waldodge

6y↑3

"OK here's a G" - yeah you mate!

Tommy G. Bass

❤️😔

The Overlord Of Procrastination - strange music.

That finished at a frustrating point...

H.c. De Wid

I still got this video, on VHS, it was not his thing, he was no teacher he was Rocco find out

H.c. De Wid

but now he is in the greatest soulnand on earth, leave the planet , and jamm in the hall with the greatest , god bless his soul, francis rocco prestia

高炜婷

R.I.P

しま

R.I.P

倉岡義幸

R.I.P

simes205

RIP

jim smith

oh and one note samba was one note.. did well too

Laura K. Bohn Fine Art

Good tips here too!

szrnkabela

8:34 Dean Town - The Origin

J. Smith

Who's on keys?

Ouahib HDJ 80

4y↑1

Rip Francis.....Wich bass is it ?

Zeke Schriver

3y↑1

Fernandes Gravity 5

Roland edrummer

Is that an Ibanez?

Jason Rosner- Bass

John Steed its a Fernandez - I think he was an endorsee with the company at that time ( I may be wrong )

Larry Rivers

Perfect bass ,, and drums ,,but that organ is not what is hip..if you know what I mean .just to much ..

Joel Maldonado

10y↑7

dave weckl on keyboards????????? jajajajajajaja

Troy Evitt

Live, From Beautiful Downtown (your city here), it's the (host's name) Show! Tonight's Guests: The guy that invented the hammer. Gas Station Sushi You Can Make at Home and We'll get some Summer Sightseeing Tips For Your Broke Ass from City Events Director (your city events director here).

Wil Sargisson

9y↑2

It's not quite grooving like it was in the early and mid 70s. The drummer is no Garibaldi, and the organ player is no Chester Thompson. That organ clone is pretty arse, too. Still cool though

ddrums001

Yea I hear you. It’s like drummer Russ McKinnon is trying to hard to be funky like Garibaldi.

Account 2

Wil Sargisson if youre talking about the guy shown at :46, what's his name?

maipurojazz35

Adiós amigo!!

Paulo Rodr

9y↑3

whats the name of the first song????

skidmojo

@Paulo Rodr release it by prince

Paulo Rodr

Thanks bro!!!

Wil Sargisson

9y↑4

@Paulo Rodr Squib Cakes.

Unkle Don

Play thank funky music whitw boy

Jacob Lawrence

8:38 Dean Town? lol

jim smith

we wanted to be you

dooberheim

Look up Wilbur Bascomb. Much the same style, and probably better>

DK

allrequiredfields

10y↑1

Wow that guitar tone is horribly dated. Rocco sounds great though.

Dominic Giglio

Well it's from the 80s. Soooo...there's that. Hahahahaha ;)

Marcus Vinnas

8y↑1

+allrequiredfields wrong gtr and tone as well

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