Funk legend Earth, Wind & Fire talks ‘Now, Then & Forever’

Earth, Wind & Fire is widely considered one of the most iconic and influential bands in American music history. The group made its debut in 1969 and later became pioneers in fusing elements of R&B, funk and disco to create one of the most distinctive sounds of that era.

Four decades later, the members of Earth, Wind & Fire are still creating music together and looking to prove that they know how to stay relevant in today’s music scene. Along with the release of their upcoming 20th studio album, Earth, Wind & Fire members Verdine White, Philip Bailey and Ralph Johnson have been invited to Seoul to perform as one of this year’s headline acts at the annual Super Sonic two-day rock music festival on Aug. 14 at the Olympic Park in Seoul.

“Well, we are very pleased to be invited to play at this year’s Super Sonic festival,” said Johnson, in an email interview with The Korea Herald. “The Korean audience members are always so full of energy, they sing along when we play and we heard there are a lot of true fans out there.”

During the ’70s and ’80s in the U.S., Earth, Wind & Fire was one of the biggest names in music, producing countless hits over the years including “Shining Star,” “September,” “Boogie Wonderland” and “Let’s Groove.” The band has won six Grammy Awards and has been inducted into both The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and The Songwriter’s Hall of Fame for its many contributions to popular music.

“We have a very multicultural feel and that’s because we have a lot of interest in other cultures. Whenever we go on tour overseas, we try our best to learn about the people and about the culture and we also make an effort to create the best atmosphere,” said White. “This is what inspires our music and how it keeps us connected.”

Despite having been in the game for so long, the members said it was their music’s diverse flavors that had been their key to success, as well as to remaining trendy in the quickly evolving music world without having to alter the core of their distinctive sound.

“Although over the years we have gone through many member changes and changes in our techniques, the concepts and ideas behind our music have not changed,” said Bailey. “We are doing the same R&B, jazz, Afro-Cuban, Latin and other diverse genres that we are known for, and I think our inclusion of a wide range of genres is why our music hasn’t needed a big change.”

Earth, Wind & Fire is set to release its first set of new songs in almost 10 years. The band’s highly anticipated new album, titled “Now, Then & Forever,” is scheduled to be unveiled worldwide on Sept. 10.

“It’s been eight years,” said White. “Probably similar to what people may expect, the songs will be full of excitement and of course, funk.”

“The album is all about where we are now, where we have been and how, even when we disappear from this Earth, our music will live on forever,” said Johnson.

By Julie Jackson (juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)