Cleopatra Records have set an August 16, 2011 release date for Sly Stone's first new album since 1982.
I'm Back! Family & Friends is an 11-track celebration of Sly's best-loved hits featuring guest appearances by music legends.

Classics from "Everyday People" and "Family Affair" to "Dance to the Music" and "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" are given updates, sounding fresh and continually meaningful, while retaining the patented Stone rock-funk infusion. Adding to the interpretations are contributions from icons Ray Manzarek, Bootsy Collins, Johnny Winter, Jeff Beck, Ann Wilson and more. The album is topped off with three previously unreleased tracks, including Sly's take on the traditional "His Eye Is On The Sparrow." The CD version also adds three club mixes. I'M BACK! FAMILY & FRIENDS was produced by Jurgen Engler, Chris Leitz and Sly Stone.

"It was an honor and a pleasure to work with a legend. We think that these reinterpreted musical masterpieces, and the contributions of so many icons, makes a terrific new album and we are thrilled with the final product!" said Brian Perera, Founder and President of Cleopatra Records.

In 1967, Sly and the Family Stone changed the look and sound of music as one of the first interracial, mixed gender bands that dared to fuse rock 'n' roll, R&B, jazz and soul. This new funk sound kept people on their feet, but the lyrics promoting peace and love and universal consciousness kept them thinking. That powerful combination has made Sly Stone an innovator, influencer and an artist with never-ending relevance.

Sly has been sampled by modern artists such as Janet Jackson, Beastie Boys, Kid Rock, Ice Cube and Public Enemy. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 1992, and is the recipient of the 2002 R&B Foundation Pioneer Award.

I'M BACK! Family & FRIENDS will be available on iTunes, amazon.com, and at your favorite record store.

I'M BACK! FAMILY & FRIENDS TRACK LIST:


1. Dance To The Music feat. Ray Manzarek (The Doors)
2. Everyday People feat. Ann Wilson (Heart)
3. Family Affair
4. Stand! feat. Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge/Rod Stewart) & Ernie Watts (Frank Zappa/The Rolling
Stones)
5. Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) feat. Johnny Winter
6. (I Want To Take You) Higher feat. Jeff Beck
7. Hot Fun In The Summertime feat. Bootsy Collins
8. Dance To The Music (Extended Mix)
9. Plain Jane
10. His Eye Is On The Sparrow
11. Get Away

BONUS MIXES [CD ONLY]

12. Dance To The Music (Club Mix)
13. Family Affair (Dubstep Mix)
14. Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) (Electro Club Mix)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057JWWFU/?tag=imwan-20

3 previously unreleased tracks, not saying when they were recorded.

i'm going to assume there is nothing new on this, so..... sly is worse than pete townsend, 29 years and can't write 1 new song!

My impression is that these are re-recordings, though the wording is a little vague.

This has the makings of being a musical disaster.

The Cleopatra label is always a little bit iffy...

To say the least!

I'm actually curious with names like Beck, Winter & Wilson involved.

This isn't an album of new material. It doesn't even look like the performances will be by Sly. I don't think he's back.

I saw him at Coachella in 2010. He is far from back.

It appears to be an album of remakes of his old stuff, featuring other artists as guest stars. Same formula used by Sinatra and Ray Charles in their declining years.

I guess I'll be the guinea pig on this one (got a promo today). The remakes copy the original arrangements slavishly. Even so, the guest appearances all add a little something to the mix--it's fun to hear Ray Manzarek launch into the riff from "Light My Fire" in response to the "you might like to hear my organ" exhortation on "Dance to the Music," and I woulda bought this just for Ann Wilson anyway. The liner notes are pretty disingenuous about how involved Sly was on this project, but interestingly pull no punches about how difficult he is to work with. And the 3 outtakes (or whatever they are) are all surprisingly good. On the other hand, the bonus remixes are a waste of time.