Charles Bradley

changes

Today most of the mainstream music lacks substance and distribute noise pollution with absent minded lyrics. But ever so often you hear something that catches the core within, makes you feel the music and experience the emotions that made these songs see the light of day. Sometimes its individuals make you feel good to the bone. When you welcome Charles Bradley’s presence he transmits love, honesty and passion in a very humble and sweet way, that it almost hurts..
Charles Bradley is true musician, that captivates with a talent that transcends through the modulated grooves on each of his vinyl records. He has had the spotlight on him for impersonating James Brown for years under the name "Black Velvet”, but finally at the age of 62 Charles was able to grace us with his debut album “No Time For Dreaming” backed by the great Menahan Street Band thanks to Daptone Records. The 2011 documentary "Soul of America” came out around the same time and ever since we looked forward to seeing this man live. As his third studio LP “Changes” is coming out, we had the chance to sit down with Charles and everything we imagined was reflected in the eyes of this great man. Listen to Charles and let your soul feel again.

> Changes
For the new album Tom Brenneck asked me to sing the song “Changes”. Wow! I didn’t even know who that guy was.. and told Tom, that I’m not sure about that. He suggested to sing it line by line, but I didn’t really wanna learn it. I got more interested in that song, when my Mama was really sick and she called me to her room. She asked me: “Charles, what are you going to do, when I leave you?” and I replied: “Mom, what are you talking about? I don’t wanna hear that.” “Mom is tired son, what are you going to do?”  I knew she was sick and it wasn’t going to heal regardless of what they tried. I said: “Mom, please be with me. I’m making my music and I will get you the most beautiful house, you ever laid in. You’ll have people coming to you and doing things for you for a change. You took care of people in hospitals all your life. Now it’s your turn. Don’t leave me, give me at least five more years of your life.” She answered: “Son, mom is tired!” So I went downstairs to sleep. Later on, my niece came running and said “Uncle Charles, come upstairs, she is not breathing” So I ran upstairs and saw it in her eyes, that she was gone. I said: “Mom, don’t leave me!” And the lines of the song came straight to my mind: 
“It took so long to realize, 
I can still hear her last goodbye,
but now all my days have turned to tears 
and I wish, that I can go back and change the years”


And now, when I get on the stage it’s going to be a show, because I’m giving this song to my mom! 
Ozzy Osbourne had his own reasons to sing this song, but I had to take it to my own and dedicate it to her! When my mom caught the greyhound bus and came all the way to San Francisco to see me. She said: “Son, I just wanna learn to know you.” I was living in a corner room in a hotel and the landlord said: “Charles Bradley, your mother is downstairs.” I couldn’t believe it. “Is her name Inez Welsh? She is downstairs.” She just came to see me and wanted to talk. We hugged and started bonding. After catching up and enjoying half of a watermelon, I said let’s go out to the amusement fair. My baby sister was with her as well and acted strange. Then my mom didn’t feel good and ten minutes later I threw up. So we went back home, put the TV on and it said: “Don’t eat watermelon, they are treated with pesticides!” And I said: “Oh my god, that’s what it is” and we all started laughing. She said: “Son, please come back home and give me my last days to learn to know you. I knew, that you were a sweet child, because you were always straying on your own and not following your brothers..” Back then I said: “Look I’m going on my own, follow my own dreams and hitchhiked from state to state.”

> Grandma’s influence
Everything she taught me lies in my soul, because she was the real one, you know. We used to call her Anne Della. She was in slavery and used to tell me things when I was six years old. I didn’t really understand what she was talking about. But I remember some thing she told me like: ”You don’t know how it feels coming from Africa on a ship. If you get sick, they will just though you over board. So you can’t tell ‘em or let them feel, that you are sick.” 
You know, when I talk to other people in the states, they always blame everybody else, than themselves. Do you know what happened in Africa? Do you know why a lot of us being slaved? The tribe kings sold us to the white men. You have to go back in history. Excuse my expression, but they call me an ass kisser. That’s ok, if you wanna call me that. You know, love has to begin some place. I take all my hurt, pain and experiences I’ve been through, rejuvenate it and turn it into love. I show people who I wanna be, not reflecting the hate I’m carrying all my life, that’s too much baggage on me! So I’m gonna let it go and rather preach the love. Stop calling me this or that. We are coming from the same robe. You see the anger and you’re still angry.. I got to find the love in me. I wanna be a different person to try to make a difference! That’s what I do.


> Charles’ Fashion
Look at these pants. They come from a whole suit which had a beautiful king tux on the back. I remade the outfit for a show and during the show, I took off the jacket and next thing I knew it was gone. Every time I make clothes and really take my time to sass it up, somebody is gonna like it more than I do. But I can’t find the material of these pants anymore. 

> Is it Lame’?
Yes, I went even down to the store on 38th Street in Manhattan, which sells only fabrics. But I can’t find it. 
There was this royal blue suit that I had. Sometimes I lay back in the bed and I see visions. But if you don’t capture them, they fade away. Sometimes I get up and draw it. I really remembered that royal blue suit. That was the most gorgeous suit I ever had. I had it about three years ago and only wore it for the beginning of one show and then again it was gone, when I came back.
I always look for rare materials at thrift shops. I may see a very rare and distinguished material, I"ll cut it up and re-design it with something else. You have to use your imagination. We all have different gifts inside of us. It’s real, when you see something inside yourself. 
I used to go to these art fairs and find real nice materials once they wanted 2000 dollars for that and I said shoot. But I studied the way it was done and took the inspiration. (‘Mhhh, if I cut this up like that, I could re-do that. Ok, thank you!’) I come from a family, that couldn’t afford a lot of things. So you had to improvise and learn how to do it.

> Following his own voice
I have to give it to Tom again, because I’ve been impersonating James Brown for almost all of my life. Tom said to me: “I wanna see you doing your thing!” I know 58 songs of James Brown and nobody wants me to stop being James Brown. James Brown & Diana Ross taught me how to be the best on the stage. If you watched these two artists coming on stage, they always gave you something glamorous to look at!

As a kid somebody came up to me and said: “Of all your brothers and sisters, you are the ugliest in the family!” That always hurt me. So every time I get dressed for the stage I try to find something that gives me that appearance when I look to the mirror and say: "Ah, that looks good!" 

Unfortunately, we had to wrap up this very personal interview with Charles way too early as he had to follow up a live radio interview. But we couldn’t leave him, without giving him the holy Palo Santo Wood. His reaction was super sweet and we witnessed Charles jumping up and down of joy like a kid: “Oh, that’s my favorite! I got the cologne.. I burn this everyday at home.” Big hugs to a beautiful soul.

itv & images by jk & marchi marchell