JB – Godfathers
And what?s this business about The Godfather of Soul? Let?s see, godfathers in the traditional sense of the word are male friends or relatives of the parents, who are generally pretty up for being a godfather at the start – considerable enthusiasm for the role, gift-giving etc. But they soon recede into insignificance, having little or no relevance and certainly not providing anything like the top-notch offerings from the days of the Christening.
In the criminal underworld sense of the word, a godfather is a nasty piece of work who oversees drugs and violence without getting involved himself, making it difficult for the authorities to bring him to account. So on both counts, this seems a pretty appropriate moniker for JB, except he forgot about giving high quality gifts at the beginning of his career, and slipped up by giving the cops enough to sling him in jail.
And, by the way, what about that fucking appalling indie band, The Godfathers. They were shit. Not James Brown?s fault – but I blame him anyway?