Sly & the Family Stone

There’s a Riot Goin’ On

First released1971

There's a Riot Goin' On was recorded primarily at Record Plant Studios in Sausalito, California between 1971 and 1972, with Sly Stone serving as the primary producer and creative force behind the album. The recording process was notably fragmented and unconventional, with Sly working sporadically and often recording himself playing multiple instruments rather than collaborating with full band arrangements like on previous albums. Engineer Graham Nash and others documented the sessions, which reflected the turbulent period in Sly's personal life and the social upheaval of early 1970s America. The album featured innovative production techniques including heavy use of overdubbing, drum machines, and dense layering of vocals and instrumentation that departed significantly from the live, energetic sound of Sly & the Family Stone's earlier work. Released in November 1971, the album marked a darker, more introspective artistic direction and achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success despite its unconventional recording approach.