Questlove Instagram – Wow I can’t believe @patricia.adores.prince found this mythical legendary flier of a show I heard about that actually goes down in history. This show is crucial. Before he died Ronald Bell of K&TG shared a story about hearing “I Wanna Be Your Lover” for the first time at this particular venue Gauging the audience reaction he knew this song was an immediate hit——and as with most craftsmen: you hear a song, you study the elements, you recreate it, you dismantle it and rebuild it into your own. So he notated the chords & rhythm on staff paper, stared at it….& does what most songwriters do: plays the chords BACKWARDS. Figures out a rhythm that fits. He gives birth to their biggest song: Celebration. But it’s a groove, not a complete song just yet. (he now needs a bridge but has no ideas) On top of the piano is a Billboard Magazine. He opens to the top 100 pop hits to see what song his band would resonate with. It just so happens that the number 5 song in the country was the red hot “Rock With You” (MJ’s “Off The Wall” lp was burning up the world—-so he takes what he feels is the best part of the song (the verse “girl close your eyes let the rhythm get into you”)——grabs those chords —-transposes to a lower key to fit his reverse “Rovel Rouy Eb Annaw I” groove and now he adds the words (“it’s time to come together it’s up to you, so what’s your pleasuaaaagggghh??!”) & there it is: Prince first hit backwards & Michael Jackson’s hit that proves he won’t be a one hit comeback artist is how we got the inescapable “Celebration” by @koolandthegang. Wow!