Synopsis

Bootsy Collins performs "I'd Rather Be With You" with Bootsy's Rubber Band in a vintage concert clip from Houston's Summit in 1976. The performance begins as a relaxed funk ballad, with Collins handling lead vocals and bass while the band settles into the groove. As the song develops, the frontman shifts the focus toward his instrument, inviting the audience into an extended "space bass" showcase. The footage captures Collins' flamboyant stage presence, tight ensemble, and the crowd's growing response to the performance.

Factoids & Trivia

• The circulating video is live footage from Bootsy's Rubber Band's Houston performance at the Summit in October 1976, rather than a conventional narrative music video.

• "I'd Rather Be With You" appeared on the band's debut album, "Stretchin' Out in Bootsy's Rubber Band," released in 1976 through Warner Bros.

• The song was co-written by William "Bootsy" Collins, George Clinton, and Gary Cooper.

• The single reached No. 25 on Billboard's R&B chart in 1976.

• The performance is especially remembered for Collins' extended bass feature, introduced with his invitation to play the "space bass."

• The song gained a new audience after appearing on the soundtrack to John Singleton's 2001 film "Baby Boy."

• The track has remained an important reference point in funk and hip-hop culture, including its use in later songs such as Adina Howard's "Freak Like Me" and Childish Gambino's "Redbone."