Sly and the family stone

The trumpeter had been suffering from cancer

Sly And The Family Stone are to be the subject of a multi-disc retrospective box set later this year, announces Legacy Recordings, the back-catalogue division of Sony. Sly Stone - who turns 70 on March 15 month - has been chosen by Legacy as their 'Artist Of The Month'. The program was started earlier this year by Legacy and has so far been used to honor artists on significant birthdays. Janis Joplin received the honor in January when she would have turned 70 and Nina Simone received it in February when she would have turned 80.

At nine o'clock, the omens are not great. Sly And The Family Stone are meant to be starting their headlining set right now, and the strict curfew on this inner-city festival is 10.30. On the main stage, though, Chris Stein has decided to add a five-minute guitar solo to "Rapture", while Debbie Harry looks on with a sort of professional vapidity. Blondie, in all their lumpen, functional weariness, aren't going to be finished any time soon.

At nine o'clock, the omens are not great. Sly And The Family Stone are meant to be starting their headlining set right now, and the strict curfew on this inner-city festival is 10.30. On the main stage, though, Chris Stein has decided to add a five-minute guitar solo to "Rapture", while Debbie Harry looks on with a sort of professional vapidity. Blondie, in all their lumpen, functional weariness, aren't going to be finished any time soon.

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