RIP, Isaac Hayes, 1942-2008.
A light has just gone out. The father of "urban" and "cool" has left the music stage. Don't bother me with hip-hop or urban contemporary, the Man who invented Shaft invented Urban Cool, which started all of that. That was Mister Hayes.
I was at war then, and when I needed Cool, it was Isaac Hayes that I fired up on my cassette deck, or maybe on A-Farts, whose DJs also thought he defined Cool.
No, I don't happen to think that anyone ever defined it any better since, thank you very much. Actually, I think Cool has devolved down into another excuse for inhumanity and insanity, none of which is Isaac Hayes' doing.
When I get to where you are, Mister Hayes, playing that Heavenly harp, I just know that you will have managed to give that instrument a new sound, and I can't wait to hear it.
So long, bro. You helped me get through MY first war. I envy you being done with all of yours.