So I turned to the original punk-funkers ESG.
ESG (Emerald, Sapphire and Gold) are a family affair, originally just the Scroggins sisters who were given instruments by their musical parents to keep them off the South Bronx streets, later drafting in family friends and when they had reached the right age, daughters and nieces.
ESG were so ahead of their time, illustrated by amount of times they've been sampled. Two anthologies on Soul Jazz and last year's greatest hits on Fire Records further hammers home the point.
They played at the opening of The Hacienda. They were a favourite of Larry Levan. They even appeared in the now forgotten 1989 Nicolas Cage psychological horror movie Vampire's Kiss.
They are an essential band.
