Funk/Soul Album Sees Re-Release

Mike Lundy's 1979 album is re-released this week Roger Bong Photo

Mike Lundy’s 1979 album is re-released this week
Roger Bong Photo

Nov. 28 is a very important date. It marks the release of the very first LP on my record label Aloha Got Soul.

We’ve put a lot of work into this album: the official re-release of Mike Lundy’s 1980 Hawaiian funk/soul masterpiece, The Rhythm Of Life. I’m both extremely excited and humbled that we’ve reached this point in the year since launching the label. The Rhythm Of Life will be available digitally Nov. 28, with CD and vinyl arriving in December.

Mike and I chose Nov. 28 as the official release date because we were both born on this day. When I first met Mike in 2013, I had spent a lot of time researching whatever I could about his music. I came across an interview he did with a Japanese record label called Cool Sound where he divulged being born on Nov. 28. Same birthday as me! So at our very first meeting two years back, one of the ice breakers I used was, “Hey, you wouldn’t believe it, but …”

Two beings born on the same day, separated by decades, coming together because of a love for music to create a project where a long-forgotten album can once again be heard (and this time by the entire world, thanks to the power of the Internet) — I can’t thank the universe enough for this. Our friendship feels less like coincidence and much more like fate.

But enough with the mushy stuff. This album originally was recorded in Honolulu in 1979. It’s a monster of an LP that has few peers in the local music scene. Highlight tracks include Love One Another, Progress and The Rhythm Of Life. Inspired by bands like Tower of Power and Earth, Wind & Fire, the music on this album claims its identity in the funk-and-soul spectrum with inventive arrangements, clever rhythms and a timeless quality that transcends the notion of what music from Hawaii should sound like.

That’s one goal I hope to achieve with every Aloha Got Soul release: to help expand the perception of what music made in Hawaii is. Hawaii is filled with all kinds of artists from all varieties of backgrounds and inspirations — and therefore all kinds of original music can be created in our islands, from bluegrass to opera, and new age to disco.

There have been many challenges along the way, especially with the vinyl. You can stream The Rhythm Of Life on Spotify right now, or download the album from iTunes or Band-camp or any digital platform of your choice. But … the vinyl isn’t ready yet. It’s been delayed at the pressing plant longer than expected. The reason is, manufacturing a record is a delicate process and one misstep in the chain can push the project back to the starting point.

Instead of fretting over the delay, we’re going to continue to ensure that this 35-year-old masterpiece gets the best possible re-release treatment on vinyl — even if it takes just a little more time. Because putting it back out on vinyl means giving it a renewed chance at lasting another 35 years and beyond.

To listen to Mike Lundy’s The Rhythm Of Life, visit alohagotsoul.bandcamp.com.