legendary funk act ohio players drummer james “diamond” williams opens up about his band’s legacy and the future of funk

There are few artists who have made as big a mark on music as The Ohio Players. Starting in 1959, the band evolved from their R&B roots to become a pioneer of funk. Their 70’s run of hits included classics like “Love Rollercoaster,” “Funky Worm,” and “Fire,” but the band cemented their immortality in the early days of hip-hop, when their beats were mined to form the backbone of the movement. Even if you’ve never heard a record by The Ohio Players, in 2017 it’s almost impossible that you haven’t heard them—drummer James “Diamond” Williams in particular. Though the group stopped recording in the late 80’s, they never stopped playing live. This past year, they went back into the studio for the first time in 30 years to record Reset. We recently got the opportunity to talk to Diamond about his legacy and resetting the music scene.

What were you trying to reset with this new record?

We’re trying to hit the reset button on live performance, live recording. And ahere’s a bit of political connotation in reset. People need to hit a reset button in a lot of things; in truth and in honesty. Putting things back, and when I say back I mean forward. I have have compared this album that we’re working on—hopefully-to the Marvin Gaye What’s Going On album. Talking about the things that were going on in the world and looking at things how they are. That’s what we’ve always done as The Ohio Players. We’ve always had period piece albums a I call them. Skin Tight was one of them. Honey was another. Fire was another. Contradiction was another. This album, Reset is a period piece for us.

There’s definitely a lot of similarities between the Trump era and the Nixon era. Do you feel like the world is ripe for the same musical revolution you were a part of back in the day?

I do. And I compare that with what is mechanically being used today; people sampling and using tracks and such things as auto-tune to sing. In comparison with bands going back and playing and singing everything live. It’s a funny thing, when in the 70’s and 60’s music was performed by people. Aretha Franklin didn’t have auto-tune. Stevie Wonder didn’t have auto-tune. Marvin Gaye didn’t have auto-tune. Coincidentally, the had talent.

Now that’s not to say that the people who use such things don’t have talent. I’m not saying that for one minute. I totally respect automation and how it’s been able to move certain industries along. Being a drummer, I was the first one that they picked on with this automation thing cause they worked on drum machines first. That’s the first thing they tried. But nothing replaces a real drummer. You can tell it in the music. So it’s about hitting a reset on all of this stuff. Let’s hit a reset

Well it’s funny you mention sampling. I believe it’s you guys, George Clinton and James Brown are the most sampled artists in history. Have there been any songs that sampled you that you really liked?

Oh my. Well, most of it. They say any time someone mimics you or does something you’ve done before is just the highest form of flattery, and we have been flattered in a lot of instances—and paid too, as a matter of fact. But all of it I’ve liked. Some of it I’ve had a little disagreement. When Snoop did his thing with the “I Want To Be Free” solo, I wanted to call Snoop up and say “Snoop, you should have called me. You wouldn’t have had to go through that publishing situation. I play that solo the that way every night!”

He could have called me, we could have had the band come in there and we could have made the track differently. He used the “I Want To Be Free.” We could have published something else. I could have played that same 4 bar solo as I do every night and we could have done something else with it. I could have played another 4 bar solo. Why didn’t you call us? Things like that. When these rappers, they snatch some of our stuff and use a 4 bar turnaround or whatever whatever, they could have called The Ohio Players and done something on the collaborative side.

Are there any kids that are sampling your work or inspired by your work that you would want to work with? If you put out a record with a bunch of rappers as guest artists, who are the artists out there that you’d want to work with?

It would be too many numerous to mention. There are so many rappers out there I’d hate to leave anybody out. But I’ll tell you what, Jay Z and what Jay Z’s doing; I’d love to work with Jay Z. Some of the rappers I really like aren’t around anymore. I thought that Tupac was so gifted and talented. It was just stupid ridiculous what Tupac was doing. And Biggie likewise. I thought those boys were very talented in what they did. We’re willing to work with any and all.

On the new record, do you have any collaborations? Or is it all original members?

We have four original members within the band. It’s an eleven piece band on stage. Doing sell-outs everywhere we perform.We performed at LA last weekend, we had 300,000 at the taste of LA. So the band is doing quite well. We have 4 original members Billy Beck, Chet, Robert Jones Kuumba, and myself. We’re ready to go.

You guys were always more of a collaborative band, how do the new members fit into the old chemistry? Do you have to teach them how to sit in the pocket? Or do they come in already knowing how to be an Ohio Player?

We have added a couple guitar players over the last 3 or 4 years. Everybody else that’s been in the band has been in the band has been in there for over 20 years. I’ve been in the band 45 years. Most of the guys have been in the band over 30 years. There’s nobody that we’re bringing in new. I brought in a couple of guitar players. One of which is from Dayton, Ohio, Chris Bowman. The other one is from Youngstown, where Billy Beck is from. His name is Edward Rick Ward. They came in the band 3 or 4 years ago. Chris Bowman is the lead guitar player doing the solo work on Reset. Those guys have come in and made their way. When it’s a good fit, it’s a good fit. If it’s not a good fit, Nathan, I fire them!

When you were 25 and making those first records did you think you’d still be out there on the road doing those songs in your 60’s?4

Not for one moment! When I was 25, 26 years old I ran into the drummer who was Gladys Night’s music director at the time. I said “how old are you?” And he said 39, and I said to myself “there’s no way I’ll be on the road doing this at 39.” Here I look back—last year was 67! Are you kidding me? I have passed 39 by a few years! I always thought I’d go into law or I’ll go into another area, be a professional somewhere else. This music thing is great, but tiny did I now that I’d still be around and having a great time.

These last few years out on the road has been absolutely marvelous. We did the Hollywood Bowl twice in the last 3 years. We didn’t even do it in the 70’s! They said we stole the night. I think we stole the night, cause we’re just that way. This year has been the only year in 45 years that people are booking this band for next year before we’re even out of there. They’re calling back saying “I need to book this band next year, how much does it cost?”

Damn! I feel like a lot of bands from the 70’s have that point where they’re seeing diminishing returns. There’s not a lot of bands that are still moving and growing at this point in their careers.

I tell you another thing. There aren’t a lot of other artists that are playing everything live on stage every night. The Ohio Players play and sing everything live on stage. There’s not a band in the world playing The Ohio Players’ music better than The Ohio Players.

Well that’s for damn sure. What do you think it is about your music—and about funk globally—that’s survived the test of time?

I think it has to do a lot to do with the subject matter and the musicality; the way the songs were written and the way the songs feel. You’re not going to get the same feeling from a machine as you do a person. It’s impossible. It’s like nobody’s perfect in life, and machines have too much perfection. You can’t put a spirit in a machine. But every time you put a band together in a studio, those spirits from that band go on that recording. That cannot be duplicated. A lot has to do with that. A lot has to do with the fact that during that period of time there were just incredible songs being written. We just tried to hang on there and write good music. Out of all the millions of songs that have been written, to have your music still being played after 45 years is quite an accomplishment.

Oh for sure, I mean I think that’s the goal of basically every artist ever.

And then to be able to listen to it, and play it! This is a new record. And we have a number of new records already in the barrels ready to download. We want to introduce this band back to recording. To hit a reset button and let people know we’re still here and we’re still capable of writing hit records. We hope this is one of them.