Live It Up

Released in 1974 on their T-Neck label, Live It Up is a cornerstone of The Isley Brothers' '3+3' era, following the massive success of its predecessor. This album solidified the lineup of the three original brothers (Ronald, Rudolph, and O'Kelly) with the younger generation (Ernie, Marvin, and brother-in-law Chris Jasper). Sonically, it is defined by the integration of Ernie Isley's aggressive, fuzz-tone guitar work into a sophisticated soul framework. The album features a mix of high-energy funk originals and soulful interpretations, notably their cover of Todd Rundgren's 'Hello It's Me'. The record was a commercial success, reaching the top of the R&B charts and the top 20 of the Billboard 200. It represents a pivotal moment where the band moved away from their Motown roots into a self-contained, genre-blurring powerhouse that influenced decades of R&B, rock, and hip-hop sampling.