Search results for harmonies
1038, 
02:36, 
2008-04-17 15:09:52 Description: The Temptations (often abbreviated as "The Tempts" or "The Temps") are an American Motown singing group whose repertoire has included doo-wop, soul, psychedelia, funk, disco, (More) The Temptations (often abbreviated as "The Tempts" or "The Temps") are an American Motown singing group whose repertoire has included doo-wop, soul, psychedelia, funk, disco, R&B, and adult contemporary. Formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1960 as The Elgins, the Temptations have always featured five African American male vocalists/dancers. The group, known for its recognizable choreography, distinct harmonies, and onstage suits, has been said to be as influential to soul as the Beatles are to rock.[1] Having sold an estimated 22 million albums by 1982,[2] The Temptations are one of the most successful groups in music history[3] and were the definitive male vocal group of the 1960s.[4] In addition, they have the second-longest tenure on Motown (behind Stevie Wonder), as they were with the label for a total of 40 years: 16 years from 1961 to 1977, and 24 more from 1980 to 2004 (from 1977 to 1980, they were signed to Atlantic Records). As of 2007, the Temptations continue to perform and record for Universal Records with only one original member, founder Otis Williams, in its lineup. The original group included members of two local Detroit vocal groups: The Distants, which featured second tenor/baritone Otis Williams, first tenor Elbridge "Al" Bryant and bass Melvin Franklin; and first tenor/falsetto Eddie Kendricks and second tenor/baritone Paul Williams (no relation to Otis) from The Primes. Among the most notable future Temptations were lead singers David Ruffin and Dennis Edwards (both of whom became successful Motown solo artists after leaving the group), Richard Street (another former Distant), Damon Harris, Ron Tyson, Ali-Ollie Woodson, Theo Peoples, and G.C. Cameron. Like its sister female group, the Supremes, the Temptations' lineup has changed frequently over the years. Over the course of their career, the Temptations have released four Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles and 14 Billboard R&B number-one singles. Their material has earned them three Grammy Awards, while two more awards were conferred upon the songwriters and producers who crafted their 1972 hit "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". History The Primes Childhood friends Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Kel Osbourne, and Wiley Waller formed a doo-wop group called the Cavaliers in their hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, in 1955.[5] Reduced to a trio after Waller left the group in 1957, Kendricks, Williams, and Osbourne left Birmingham in order to break into the music business. After first moving to Cleveland, they settled in Detroit. The Primes, as the doo-wop trio was now called, were well-known around Detroit for their meticulous performances.[6] Group manager Milton Jenkins even created a sister group for the Primes called the Primettes, recruiting Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diane (later Diana) Ross, and Betty McGlown for the spin-off act.[5] The Distants Otis Williams had moved from his native Texarkana, Texas to Detroit as a young boy, to live with his mother.[7] By 1958, he was the leader of Otis Williams & the Siberians, a doo-wop group that included Williams, his friend Elbridge "Al" Bryant, James "Pee-Wee" Crawford, Vernard Plain, and Arthur Walton.[8] This quintet recorded the single "Pecos Kid" backed with "All of My Life" for a label run by local radio deejay Senator Bristol Bryant.[8] The single never took off outside the local Detroit market, and the Siberians changed their name to The El Domingoes shortly afterward.[5] At this time, more changes took place. Montgomery, Alabama native Melvin Franklin replaced Arthur Walton as the bass singer, and Franklin's cousin Richard Street replaced Vernard Plain as lead singer.[9] The group soon signed with Northern Records, run by Johnnie Mae Matthews, who renamed the group The Distants. The Distants recorded two singles for Northern, "Come On" (1959, featuring additional background vocals by the Andantes), and "Alright" (1960).[9] Between these two releases, Albert "Mooch" Harrell replaced Pee-Wee Crawford.[9] "Come On" was a local hit for the Distants, and the Warwick label picked the record up for national distribution.[9] After the release of "Alright", Matthews appointed Williams the group leader, and the group was renamed Otis Williams & the Distants.[10] [edit] Influences and colleagues The Primes and the Distants were but two of dozens of local male vocal acts, the most famous of which was the Miracles, led by Smokey Robinson. The Miracles were known for their stage show, and their pop success was something for which both groups strived.[11] Other important inspirations included the Cadillacs, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, the Drifters, and the Isley Brothers.[12] The various members of The Primes and the Distants who would later become part of the Temptations met a number of their later Motown bandmates, labelmates, and producers during the early part of their careers. Melvin Franklin had been a member of the recording group the Voice Masters, which also included among its ranks Lamont Dozier and David Ruffin.[9] The musicians at the recording session for the Distants' "Come On" included James Jamerson on bass; the Andantes on background vocals; and Norman Whitfield on tambourine.[9] A promotional image of the original early 1960s Temptations lineup. Clockwise from top right: Otis Williams, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, and Elbridge "Al" Bryant. [edit] Forming the Temptations Although "Come On" was a local success in the Detroit area, the Distants never saw much of their share from the record sales, and the second single was not as successful. After receiving an offer from Berry Gordy of Motown Records, the group got out of its contract with Matthews and left Northern. At the same time, it lost Mooch Harrell, Richard Street, and the rights to use its name. Street would front a new group of Distants for the local Thelma label during the early 1960s. The Distants were acquainted with the Primes, as both groups made the same rounds to local record hops, talent shows, and concerts. The two groups were friendly rivals. The Primes disbanded in 1960 when Kel Osbourne moved to California, and Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams returned to Alabama. While in Detroit visiting relatives, Kendricks called Otis Williams who, needing two more members for an audition for Gordy, offered Kendricks a place in the Distants. Kendricks agreed, with one condition -- that he could bring Paul Williams with him. Otis Williams agreed, and Kendricks and Paul Williams moved back to Detroit to join the group. The new lineup of Otis Williams, Franklin, Bryant, Kendricks, and Paul Williams took on the name The Elgins and auditioned for Motown in March 1961. Gordy agreed to sign the group to his Miracle Records imprint, but discovered just before signing that there was already a singing group called the Elgins. The quintet quickly began tossing about ideas for a new name on the steps of Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. headquarters. On a suggestion from Miracle Records employee Billy Mitchell and Otis Williams, The Temptations became the group's new moniker. The "Elgins" name would re-surface at Motown in 1965, when Gordy renamed a quartet called The Downbeats as The Elgins. The Temptations released two singles on Miracle, "Oh Mother of Mine" and "Check Yourself", before it was closed and merged with the Gordy label (to avoid confusion with the Miracles singing group). All seven of the Temptations' singles released between 1961 and 1963 failed to make it onto the U.S. pop singles charts; the 1962 single "Dream Come True" made it to number 22 on the R&B chart. Paul Williams and Kendricks split most of the leads during this period, with Bryant, Otis Williams, and Franklin occasionally singing lead. Many songwriter and producer teams had been trying to craft a hit for the Temptations, including Berry Gordy, Mickey Stevenson, Clarence Paul, and Norman Whitfield. Gordy had in fact written the song "Do You Love Me" for The Temptations in 1961, but when he was unable to get ahold of the group, he recorded the song with the Contours instead. Miracles lead singer/songwriter/producer Smokey Robinson produced his first Temptations single, the Paul Williams-led "I Want a Love I Can See", in 1963, and proved to have the best rapport with the group. Elbridge Bryant, who preferred his day job as a milkman to performing, soon became restless and uncooperative. After a performance at the 1963 Motown company Christmas party, Bryant was fired from the group. His replacement was Meridian, Mississippi native David Ruffin, younger brother of Motown artist Jimmy Ruffin. Though both Ruffin brothers were considered, David was given an edge over Jimmy thanks to his performance skills, which David displayed when he joined the Temptations on-stage during a local Detroit performance earlier that year.[13] The "Classic Five" lineup of the Temptations, circa 1965. Left to right: Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, Paul Williams, and David Ruffin. The "Classic Five" era In January 1964,Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Bobby Rogers co-wrote and produced "The Way You Do the Things You Do" with Kendricks on lead; the single became the Temptations' first Top 20 hit that April. While traveling as part of Motown's Motortown Revue later that year, Robinson and fellow Miracle Ronnie White wrote a song for the emotive Ruffin to sing lead on, which the group recorded in the fall of 1964. Released as a single on December 24, 1964, "My Girl", became the Temptations' first number-one pop hit in March 1965, and is their signature song to this day. David Ruffin's emergence as lead singer gave way to the Temptations' most successful period, today referred to as the "Classic Five" era, during which Ruffin, Kendricks, Franklin, Otis Williams, and Paul Williams recorded many of the group's most familiar hits. After the success of "My Girl", Ruffin sang lead on the next three Temptations singles: "It's Growing", "Since I Lost My Baby" and "My Baby", all of which made it to the Top 20 in 1965. The b-side to "My Baby", "Dont Look Back", featured a lead from Paul Williams, and was a sleeper hit on the R&B charts. In 1966, Norman Whitfield became the Temptations' new main producer, after his "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" performed better than Robinson's "Get Ready" on the U.S. pop charts. Whitfield began pushing the group away from Robinson's ballad-based production towards a harder-edged and brass-heavy soul sound reminiscent of the work of James Brown. Nearly all of the pre-1968 Whitfield-produced Temptations singles featured David Ruffin on lead vocals, including the R&B number-one/pop Top 10 hits "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" and "(I Know) I'm Losing You". Other singles from this period included "You're My Everything", on which Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin share lead vocals, and "All I Need", produced by Whitfield's protg Frank Wilson. Whitfield's writing partners during this period included Roger Penzabene, Temptations road show manager/guitarist Cornelius Grant, and Edward Holland, Jr.. After Eddie Holland left Motown with the rest of the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting/production team in 1967, Barrett Strong (who sang Motown's first hit, 1960's "Money (That's What I Want)") began working with Whitfield and Penzabene on Temptations material. Two of Whitfield/Strong/Penzabene's collaborations, "I Wish It Would Rain" and "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)", became hits in 1968. Strong became Whitfield's sole collaborator after Penzabene's suicide in December 1967. Exit David Ruffin Between 1964 and 1968, the Temptations went from unknown hopefuls to international stars. The group appeared frequently on television shows such as American Bandstand and The Ed Sullivan Show, and catered to middle America with a pop standards album (The Temptations in a Mellow Mood, 1967) and performances at the Copacabana in New York City and other such supper clubs. Outside of music, the Temptations were made honorary members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Initially laid back and even-keeled, by 1967 David Ruffin felt that he was almost single-handedly responsible for the group's success. He demanded special treatment, riding to and from gigs in a private mink-lined limousine with his then-girlfriend, singer Tammi Terrell (known for her duets with Marvin Gaye), instead of in the group limousine the other four Temptations used. Ruffin missed a number of rehearsals, concerts, and group meetings; and began regularly using cocaine. After seeing how Motown had made Diana Ross the focus of the Supremes by renaming the group Diana Ross & the Supremes, Ruffin demanded that his group be renamed, as well -- to David Ruffin & the Temptations. Additionally, Ruffin was demanding an accounting of the Temptations' earnings, which caused friction between him and Berry Gordy. There was general agreement among the rest of group that Ruffin needed to be replaced. Otis Williams insists that Ruffin was given fair warning that if he did not change his attitude he would be fired. When Ruffin missed a June 1968 engagement at a Cleveland supper club in order to attend a show by his new girlfriend (Dean Martin's daughter Gail), it was decided that he had crossed the line. The other four Temptations drew up legal documentation firing Ruffin from the group, and Dennis Edwards, formerly of the Contours, was hired to replace him. Edwards and Ruffin were good friends, and Ruffin at first went along with the changing of the guard. After a short time, however, Ruffin began turning up at Temptations shows, jumping onstage during performances of the songs he once sang lead on and stealing the spotlight. The audiences were delighted, but the Temptations and Motown were frustrated and embarrassed. Extra security guards were hired to prevent Ruffin from attending other Temptations' performances. Ruffin sued Motown in October 1968, seeking a release from the label, and Motown settled by offering Ruffin a solo recording deal. Beginning in 1968, Berry Gordy commissioned a number of collaborations for the Temptations with Diana Ross & the Supremes. The results included a joint tour, two studio albums (Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations, which featured the number-two hit single "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", and Together), and two NBC television specials, TCB (aired December 9, 1968) and G.I.T. on Broadway (aired November 12, 1969). The tracks for Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations included Dennis Edwards' first studio recordings with the Temptations. Psychedelic soul Dennis Edwards' addition to the Temptations coincided with producer Norman Whitfield's adoption of a new sound for the group. In the fall of 1968, Whitfield began producing psychedelic-based material for the Temptations, derived primarily from the sound of funk band Sly & the Family Stone. This new style, which debuted with the Top 10 hit single "Cloud Nine" in October 1968, was a marked departure from the David Ruffin-era ballads. The instrumentation was funkier, the beat was hard-driving, and all five Temptations traded lead vocals, similar to Sly & the Family Stone. "Cloud Nine", the centerpiece of the group's landmark Cloud Nine LP, was a Top 10 hit and won Motown its first Grammy Award, for Best R&B Vocal Group Performance of 1969. The blending of the Motown sound and psychedelic rock sound resulted in a new subgenre of music called "psychedelic soul", also evident in the work of Diana Ross and the Supremes ("Reflections", "Love Child"), Marvin Gaye's version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", and the music of the Fifth Dimension and War. More Temptations psychedelic soul singles would follow in 1969 and 1970, among them "Runaway Child, Running Wild" (a number-one R&B hit), "I Can't Get Next to You" (a number-one pop hit), "Psychedelic Shack" , "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)", and "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World)". Exit Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams During the late-1960s, Paul Williams' physical and mental health began to decline sharply. Williams suffered from both depression and sickle-cell disease, and also developed alcoholism, all of which made it hard for him to continue performing. Oxygen tanks were kept in the wings of performance venue stages for Williams, and the other four Temptations made valiant efforts to raid and drain his alcohol stashes. By 1969, former Distant Richard Street, now lead singer of Motown act The Monitors, was touring with the group as a backup replacement for Williams. For most shows, Street would sing Williams' parts (save for his solo numbers) from offstage behind a curtain, while Williams danced and lip-synched onstage. At other shows, and during most of the second half of 1970, Street took Williams' place onstage. As Paul Williams' health failed, Eddie Kendricks became detached from the group. He regularly picked fights with Otis Williams and Melvin Franklin over the group's leadership. In addition, Kendricks was uncomfortable with the psychedelic soul material the group was now performing, preferring the ballad material from the earlier days. Kendricks rekindled his friendship with David Ruffin, who persuaded him to quit the Temptations and go solo. After another confrontation between himself, Otis Williams, and Franklin during a November 1970 Copacabana engagement, Kendricks walked out in-between shows and did not return. Both Franklin and Otis Williams agreed at this time that Kendricks would be leaving the group. Before Kendricks officially left the Temptations, he and Paul Williams recorded the lead vocals for "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)", a lush, wistful ballad that became Kendricks' Temptations swan song. Released as a single in January 1971, "Just My Imagination" began steadily climbing the U.S. pop singles chart. By the time "Just My Imagination" hit number-one in March, Kendricks had negotiated his release from the group and signed a solo deal with Motown's Tamla imprint. Kendricks' original replacement was Ricky Owens, from the Los Angeles-based vocal group the Vibrations. However, Owens gave poorly-received performances during the few shows he performed with the group, and he was dropped after only a few weeks. During most of the spring of 1971, the Temptations remained a quartet, and re-recorded the single "It's Summer" without a fifth member. In April, Paul Williams quit the Temptations, after a medical declaration that he was unable to continue performing. Richard Street officially took his place, while Williams remained on the group's payroll as an advisor and choreographer. After Williams had recovered enough to perform again, Motown made plans for a Paul Williams solo career, but he died at age 34 in Detroit on August 17, 1973. Williams' death was ruled a suicide. The Temptations in the early 1970s By May, The Temptations had found a permanent replacement first tenor in twenty-year-old Baltimore native Damon Harris. Otis Williams, Edwards, Franklin, Street, and Harris continued recording and performing, and Norman Whitfield continued producing hits for them. Among these were Top 40 hits such as "Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)" (1971), a message from the Temptations to the estranged David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks, and "Take a Look Around" (1972). The fall of 1972 saw the release of Whitfield's magnum opus, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". Originally a three-minute record written and produced for the Undisputed Truth, Whitfield took the sombre tune and created a sprawling, dramatic eleven and -minute version for the Temptations. An edited seven-minute version was released as a single in September 1972, hitting number-one on the pop charts and number-five on the R&B charts. In 1973, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" won the Temptations their second Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Group. Whitfield and arranger/conductor Paul Riser won the award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance with the instrumental version of "Papa" on the single's b-side, and Whitfield and Barrett Strong won the songwriters' Grammy for Best R&B Song. After "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", Whitfield stopped working with Barrett Strong, and began writing the Temptations' material on his own. The success of "Papa" led Whitfield to create more elongated, operatic pieces, including the Top 40 hit "Masterpiece" (1973) and several of the tracks on the resulting Masterpiece album. Tensions developed between Whitfield and the group, who found Whitfield arrogant and difficult to work with. The group cited his habitual tardiness, his emphasis of the instrumental tracks over the vocals on many of his productions, and the declining singles and albums sales as other sources of conflict. Otis Williams complained about Whitfield's actions and the Temptations' stagnant sales to Berry Gordy, who intervened and reassigned them to Jeffrey Bowen, co-producer of the 1967 In a Mellow Mood album. The final Norman Whitfield-produced Temptations album, 1990, was released in late 1973, and included the Top 30 single "Let Your Hair Down". Whitfield left Motown shortly afterwards, and in 1975 established Whitfield Records, taking with him the Undisputed Truth, Willie Hutch, and Rose Royce, who performed the instrumental track for "Let Your Hair Down". Dry spell Bowen's first LP with the Temptations was January 1975's A Song for You, which included a cover of the titular Leon Russell tune (popularized with soul audiences by Donny Hathaway), along with the pop Top 40/R&B number-one hits "Happy People" (featuring the Commodores as the instrumentalists) and "Shakey Ground" (featuring instrumentation by Funkadelic's Eddie Hazel and Billy Bass Nelson), and "Glasshouse", the group's final Top 40 Pop hit. Damon Harris was fired from the group during the recording of A Song for You, as his behavior and work ethic were deemed unprofessional.[14] His replacement was Washington, D.C. native Glenn Leonard, formerly of the Unifics.[15] A number of producers, including Bowen, Brian Holland, James Carmichael, and even the Temptations themselves tried producing hits for the next three LPs, House Party (November 1975), Wings of Love (March 1976), and The Temptations Do the Temptations (August 1976). None of these recordings were as commercially successful as A Song for You, and none of their singles entered the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40.[16] As time progressed, Bowen pushed Dennis Edwards further to the front. This was evident in on Wings of Love, which features Edwards' voice more prominently than the other Temptations' backing vocals.[17] Otis Williams felt that this was hurting the group, and after The Temptations Do the Temptations was recorded in 1976, Edwards was fired from the group.[18] His replacement was Louis Price. The Temptations left Motown for Atlantic Records, citing Motown's inattention as the reason for their declining sales and popularity.[19] However, the group's releases on Atlantic -- Hear to Tempt You (1977), Bare Back (1978), and their associated singles -- failed to perform better than their last handful of Motown singles, and in 1979 Atlantic released the group from its contract.[17] Shortly afterwards, the Temptations met with Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy, and the group re-signed with Motown in 1980.[20] ] Return to Motown and Reunion Upon the return to Motown, Louis Price departed from the group and joined the Drifters. Dennis Edwards, who had been inactive for the previous three years despite remaining with Motown as a solo act, returned to the lineup. Berry Gordy co-wrote and produced the Temptations' first single under the new contract, "Power", from the album of the same name. "Power" missed the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40, but hit number 11 on the R&B charts. Two years of underperforming singles and albums followed, including an eponymous album with Philadelphia-based producer Thom Bell, until Motown began planning a Temptations reunion tour in 1982. Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin agreed to rejoin the group for the Reunion album and tour. Melvin Franklin's nephew, Motown funk star Rick James (who had previously used the Temptations as backup vocalists on his 1981 hit "Super Freak"), wrote, produced, and guested on the Reunion album's lead single, "Standing on the Top", which featured Ruffin, Kendricks, and Edwards on lead. The single went to number-six on the R&B charts. While the ensuing Reunion tour with all seven Temptations (Ruffin, Kendricks, Otis Williams, Franklin, Edwards, Richard Street, and Glenn Leonard) was financially successful, it ended up being a stressful venture: Kendricks' voice had weakened after decades of chain smoking, and Ruffin, still addicted to drugs, missed a number of the performances. At the conclusion of the Reunion tour, Ruffin and Kendricks were fired, and they began touring and performing together as a duo. One more album, Surface Thrills, was released in 1983. It featured a sharp departure in the group's sound by incorporating elements of then-current rock. Following its release, Glenn Leonard left and was replaced by Ron Tyson. Tyson had been a songwriter at Atlantic during the Temptations' time there, and co-wrote several songs on the album Hear To Tempt You. [edit] From the 1980s to the 1990s By this time, the Temptations' releases were no longer performing well on the pop charts, though they sometimes made the R&B Top 20. "Love on My Mind Tonight", a single from Surface Thrills, made it to number 17. "Sail Away", produced by a returning Norman Whitfield and featuring Ron Tyson's first lead vocal, peaked at number 13. Dennis Edwards was again fired in 1984, this time for missing rehearsals, or showing up hungover. He attempted a second solo career, and his place was taken by Ali-Ollie Woodson, who had been a potential candidate to replace Edwards back in 1977. The album Back to Basics was released; it was the first album featuring Ron Tyson, and featured one track with Woodson, "Stop the World Right Here (I Wanna Get Off)". Woodson's first lead on a single was 1984's "Treat Her Like a Lady", co-written by himself and Otis Williams, and co-produced by Al McKay and Ralph Johnson, formerly of Earth, Wind and Fire. The single became their biggest success on R&B radio in some time, reaching number-two on the R&B charts, and just missing the Pop Top 40. The group experienced similar success the following year with the single "Lady Soul", another Top 5 R&B smash. On July 13th 1985, Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin would achieve "World comeback" recognition for their performances with Pop/Rock superstars Daryl Hall and John Oates(Hall and Oates) in a performance given at the "Live Aid" concert in Philadelphia televised world wide. The segment with Kendricks and Ruffin included a Medley of "Get ready/The way you do the things you do/My Girl. The combination of Hall, Oates, Ruffin and Kendricks went on to perform the resurrected Hall and Oates hit (made popular by the English artist Paul Young), "Every time you go away". This was the exact performance the singing quartet had just recorded live in a sold out performance for the "reopening" of the historic Apollo Theater. The medley recorded on "Live at the Apollo" for RCA, became a top 20 hit on the pop charts. Ollie Woodson remained with the Temptations until 1987, when he was fired and replaced by an again-returning Dennis Edwards. The group recorded one album during Edwards' third tenure, Together Again, released in late 1987. The following year, Otis Williams published his autobiography, Temptations, co-written with Patricia Romanowski, chronicling the careers of the group from the Primes/Distants days to the present, and focusing on the lives of Williams and Melvin Franklin. An updated version of the book was published in 2002. Edwards was fired for the third and final time in late 1989, with Woodson re-joining the lineup. Also that year, the Temptations were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, honoring Edwards, Franklin, Otis Williams, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks (now performing as "Eddie Kendrick"), and, posthumously, Paul Williams. Most of the Temptations, present and former, showed no ill feelings towards each other, although Otis Williams reported that Kendricks would not speak to him during the ceremony. [21] The Temptations ended their induction with Paul Willaims' signature song, "Don't Look Back", dedicated to his memory. After reuniting at the induction ceremony, Edwards, Ruffin, and Kendrick made plans to tour and record as "Ruffin/Kendrick/Edwards, Former Leads of The Temptations". The tour was carried out, much to the chagrin of Otis Williams and Motown, but production on an album was terminated when Ruffin, age 50, died on June 1, 1991 in Philadelphia after a drug overdose. Kendrick was diagnosed with lung cancer but continued to perform; he died on October 5, 1992 at the age of 52, in his native Birmingham. The Temptations in the 1990s From the 1990s on, the Temptations' lineup began to change more frequently than before. Richard Street missed a performance in 1992 after undergoing emergency surgery to remove kidney stones. Otis Williams was not aware of Street's surgery, and called him, angry about Street's absence. Street felt Williams was unsympathetic, and as a result, he left the group in 1993 after twenty-two years. His replacement was St. Louis native Theo Peoples. Two years later, Melvin Franklin was forced to stop performing because of failing health. He died on February 23, 1995 at the age of 52, after suffering a brain seizure. Ray Davis from Parliament/Funkadelic came on as new bass, and the group recorded the pop standards album For Lovers Only, which contained two tracks led by Melvin Franklin. Davis left shortly after completing the album, due to a throat cancer diagnosis. The group continued as a quartet for a short time, before recruiting bass Harry McGilberry, a former member of The Futures. For Lovers Only would also be the last for lead Ali-Ollie Woodson; he was released from the group in 1996 due to health problems, having suffered two battles with throat cancer. He was replaced by his fill-in from his first health concern, new member Terry Weeks. The new Temptations lineup, consisting of Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Theo Peoples, and newcomers Harry McGilberry and Terry Weeks, debuted at the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXII, which celebrated the 40th anniversary of Motown. In 1998, The Temptations released Phoenix Rising, their first million-selling album in over twenty years. The album was anchored by the Theo Peoples-led single "Stay", a number-one hit on the adult contemporary charts that featured a sample from The Temptations' "My Girl". During the recording of Phoenix Rising, however, Theo Peoples departed, and was replaced by Barrington "Bo" Henderson. The completed album features both Henderson and Peoples (who later joined the Four Tops) on different tracks. A scene from the 1998 Temptations NBC miniseries. The Temptations mini-series Main entry: The Temptations (miniseries). Nineteen ninety-eight also saw the debut of The Temptations, a four-hour television miniseries based on Otis Williams' Temptations autobiography. It was broadcast in two parts on NBC on November 1 and November 2, 1998. The miniseries was a ratings success and won an Emmy award for Best Direction; it was subsequently rerun on the VH-1 cable television network and released to VHS and DVD. Otis Williams' former wife Josephine, Melvin Franklin's mother Rose Franklin, and David Ruffin's family, jointly filed a lawsuit against Williams, Motown, de Passe Entertainment, Hallmark Entertainment, and NBC for a number of charges, including defamations of character. The judges ruled in favor of the defendants, and the ruling was upheld when the plaintiffs appealed in 2001. Williams later claimed that, although his book was used as the source material for the film, he did not have a great deal of control over how the material was presented. From 2000 to the present day The Temptations were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2001, their 2000 album Ear-Resistible won the group its third Grammy, this one for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance. Three classic Temptations songs, "My Girl", "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", are among The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. Bo Henderson was fired from the group in 2003, prompting a wrongful termination lawsuit [22]. His replacement was former Spinners lead G.C. Cameron. The lineup of Cameron, Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Harry McGilberry, and Terry Weeks recorded for a short time before Harry McGilberry was dismissed;[23] his replacement was former Spaniels bass Joe Herndon. McGilberry died on April 3, 2006, at age 56. The group's final Motown album, Legacy, was released in 2004. Later that year, The Temptations asked to be released from their Motown contract, and moved to another Universal Motown Records Group label, New Door Records. Their latest album, Reflections, was released on January 31, 2006, and contains covers of several popular Motown songs, including Diana Ross & the Supremes' "Reflections", the Miracles' "Ooo Baby Baby", Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing", and the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There".[24] The Temptations were nominated for the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance, for their version of Gaye's "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" from Reflections. G.C. Cameron left the group in June of 2007 to focus on his solo career.[25]. The current lineup is Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Terry Weeks, Joe Herndon, and new member Bruce Williamson. Splinter groups Several former Temptations continue to perform outside of the group in spin-off or offshoot acts. The most well known splinter was "Ruffin/Kendrick/Edwards: Former Leads of the Temptations", which featured the three former Temptations and three other members (David Sea, who'd been a consideration to replace Edwards in 1984, Nate Evans, a former member of The Impressions, and a female vocalist). Following David Ruffin's death, Dennis Edwards and Eddie Kendrick began touring as "The Temptations", still with David Sea and Nate Evans, and bringing in another former Temptation, Damon Harris. The group had different sixth vocalists at different times, including Charles Blackmon and Curtis Taylor.[26] This prompted a legal battle with Otis Williams. Following Kendrick's death, the group splintered: Dennis formed "Dennis Edwards and the Temptations Review," Damon formed "Damon Harris and the Temptations Review" (featuring future Temptation Joe Herndon), David Sea went on to a solo career[27], and Evans and Taylor formed a Temptations tribute band[28]. Dennis Edwards' group tours to this day. The group has appeared on several PBS music specials. The lineup is Edwards, David Sea (baritone, returning in 1999), Mike Patillo (bass since 1993), Chris Arnold (first tenor/falsetto, joined post-2000)[29], and another former Temptation, Ali-Ollie Woodson. Woodson previously fronted an act called Ali-Ollie Woodson & the Emperors of Soul--Emperors of Soul being the name of the 1994 Temptations boxed set. He replaced Bernard Gibson[30][31] in 2007; Gibson was an original 1993 addition, and was in the group for all of their PBS performances. Damon Harris split from his group in the late 1990s; the other four members then joined with another former Temptation, Glenn Leonard, to become "Glenn Leonard and the Temptations Experience." Joe Herndon left this group to join the Temptations[32] His spot was filled by former Temptations bass Ray Davis, and, following Davis' death on July 5, 2005, Harry McGilberry, another former Temptations bass (McGilberry died on April 3, 2006). Damon Harris would form a new group later, billed as "Damon Harris and the Temptations Tribute." Richard Street also leads a group, billed as "Richard Street" or "Richard Street's Temptations"[33]. Street is in the process of writing a book regarding his time with The Temptations entitled Ball of Confusion. If it is published, it will be the second autobiography regarding the group. [edit] Musical style The Temptations' songs depended upon the individual members' interaction as a group; unlike many other R&B groups, each member of the Temptations was a lead singer of some capacity. Although the group always had an appointed main lead singer who dominated most the lead vocals (from Paul Williams to David Ruffin, Dennis Edwards, and later singers such as Louis Price, Ali-Ollie Woodson, and Terry Weeks), that singer was never given more of a promotional push than the other members. Co-lead songs, with two or more of the singers sharing the lead vocals, are common in the Temptations catalog, particularly among the psychedelic-era recordings of the late 1960s/early 1970s The "Motown Sound" The group would alter their style several times over the years following their first Motown hit, adapting to the popular styles of the day while retaining their signature visual and vocal styles. The earliest Temptations recordings reflect the influence of producers Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson, featuring a blend of black rhythm and blues and white pop music that came to be later identified as the "Motown Sound". Backed by Motown's stalwart studio band, the Funk Brothers, pre-1966 Temptations recordings were built around songs (usually ballads like "My Girl") with simple, direct lyrics supported by an R&B rhythm section with orchestral strings and horns added for pop appeal. During this period, each recording usually featured only one lead singer, usually David Ruffin or Eddie Kendricks, although Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, and Otis Williams each had solo numbers of their own at various times. Like most Motown groups, melisma and other complicated vocalization techniques were eschewed by the Temptations for a more direct, yet obviously gospel-rooted vocal approach, to make the songs more palpable for white audiences. Creative control remained primarily in Smokey Robinson's hands, although the Temptations, most frequently Eddie Kendricks, periodically co-wrote some of their material. Kendricks also handled the vocal arrangements for all of the Temptations' material. In 1966, Norman Whitfield changed the group's dynamic, moving them away from the previous one lead singer model and adding elements derived from the rougher soul of artists like James Brown, Wilson Pickett, and the performers at Stax Records. Whitfield and his lyricists crafted Temptations songs with shifts of dynamics, syncopated horn stabs, and more intricate harmony arrangements which spotlighted each singer's unique vocal range. Onstage, this change was reflected in the group's use of a custom-made four-headed microphone, which allowed each member freedom to perform without having to all crowd around one or two microphones. Under Whitfield's control, the Temptations retained their white pop appeal, but also gained popularity amongst black audiences as well. Psychedelic and cinematic soul When David Ruffin was replaced by Dennis Edwards, and Sly and the Family Stone became popular, Whitfield again restructured the Temptations' sound, this time driving the group almost completely into a "psychedelic soul" sound. Recordings from this period (such as "Cloud Nine" and "Psychedelic Shack") featured echoed vocal tracks, distorted guitar lines with prominent use of the wah-wah pedal, hard-hitting drums, and various stereo effects and sound effects. The majority of these songs feature at least two lead singers; often, all five Temptations sang lead, trading bars a la the Family Stone. Dennis Edwards, whose vocal style had a rougher, more Southern-soul based sound than David Ruffin's, was featured prominently on most of these recordings. The lyrics for these songs, inspired heavily by Sly Stone's concurrent works, centered primarily around social issues such as integration, the Vietnam War, and self-consciousness. Ballads in the group's traditional style were still being recorded as b-sides and album fillers (the exception being "Just My Imagination"). Many of the psychedelic soul recordings were presented in extended-length mixes longer than the typical three-minute Motown song. Tracks such as the album version of "Run Away Child, Running Wild" from Cloud Nine, "Take a Stroll Thru Your Mind" from Psychedelic Shack, and "Smiling Faces Sometimes" from Sky's the Limit, all run at least eight minutes in length. Much of the running time for each song consists of instrumental passages without vocals, at Whitfield's insistence. The hit version of their smash 1972 single "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" was nearly seven minutes long, with an instrumental intro that was almost two minutes long -- a rarity for songs of that era. "Psychedelic soul" soon gave way to "cinematic soul": Long recordings with detailed orchestration and extended instrumental introductions and bridging passages, oten focusing on lyrics about the ghettos and inner cities of black America. These songs were heavily influenced by the work of singer/songwriters Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield. Unlike Hayes and Mayfield, the Temptations had no creative control over their recordings, and were not fond of the twelve and thirteen-minute long songs that Norman Whitfield was now producing for them. Whitfield's contributions were the focal point of Temptations albums such as Solid Rock, All Directions, and particularly Masterpiec. From funk to disco to adult contemporary After Whitfield was dismissed as the Temptations' producer in 1974, the group altered its sound to accommodate a balance of both up-tempo dance material and ballads. The vocal arrangements began to again focus primarily on one lead singer per track, although leads were still being periodically shared. In addition, the Temptations themselves, after fighting Motown and Berry Gordy for creative control, began to write and produce some of their material. From this point on, the Temptations focused almost exclusively on songs about romance; songs about social issues similar to the Whitfield-era recordings were periodically recorded as well. Mid-1970s Temptations recordings focused significantly on funk music influences from artists such as Parliament Funkadelic and Sly and the Family Stone; members of both acts contributed to Temptations material during this period. The group's ballads, reduced to filler material during much of the Whifield period, were restored to the lush sound of the earlier Smokey Robinson-produced hits. After a brief diversion into disco in the late-1970s, the Temptations settled into an adult contemporary-rooted form of R&B, a style in which they continue to record. As the ages of its members increased, the Temptations' live shows have focused on less intricate choreography, although dancing remains an important aspect of the group's act. Legacy and influence The Temptations, with their tailored suits and detailed choreography, set the bar for male soul and R&B groups. Before the Temptations became popular, most black vocal groups were rough, high-energy acts with rawer vocals and more improvisational dance movements. Only a few performers, including contemporaries Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, and the Four Tops, showed the refined style that would be popularized by the Temptations. Berry Gordy insisted his acts be equally appealing to white and black audiences, and employed a creative team to help tailor Motown talent for crossover success. Paul Williams and Motown choreographer Cholly Atkins created the Temptation's trademark precise and energetic, yet refined, dance steps. The most famous of these, the "Temptation Walk", or "Temptation Strut", was adapted from similar moves by the Flamingoes and the Vibrations. From those two sources, Paul Williams crafted the group's signature dance routine. During the 1960s and 1970s, a number of soul groups showed significant influence from the Temptations, among them the Delfonics, the Stylistics, George Clinton's original Parliaments, the Dramatics, and Motown labelmates the Jackson Five. These acts, and others, showed the influence of the Temptations in both their vocal performances and their onstage choreography. Several more recent soul and R&B vocal groups, including the Johnny Gill-led version of New Edition, Jodeci, BLACKstreet, Dru Hill, and, most notably, 1990s Motown act Boyz II Men, also showed significant influence from the Temptations. Temptations songs have been covered by scores of musicians, from R&B singers such as Luther Vandross ("Since I Lost My Baby"), to pop vocalists such as Bette Midler ("Just My Imagination"), to rock bands such as Rare Earth ("Get Ready"), Duran Duran ("Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)") and the Rolling Stones ("Ain't Too Proud to Beg"). In 1991, British singer Rod Stewart collaborated with the Temptations on the single "The Motown Song". The lives and careers of The Temptations were one of several inspirations for Robert Townsend's 1991 film about a 1960s Motown-esque male group, The Five Heartbeats. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked The Temptations #67 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[34] (Less)
Channel: 123video Rate it: Rate:
342, 03:11, 2008-04-17 15:10:22 Description: The Temptations (often abbreviated as "The Tempts" or "The Temps") are an American Motown singing group whose repertoire has included doo-wop, soul, psychedelia, funk, disco, (More) The Temptations (often abbreviated as "The Tempts" or "The Temps") are an American Motown singing group whose repertoire has included doo-wop, soul, psychedelia, funk, disco, R&B, and adult contemporary. Formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1960 as The Elgins, the Temptations have always featured five African American male vocalists/dancers. The group, known for its recognizable choreography, distinct harmonies, and onstage suits, has been said to be as influential to soul as the Beatles are to rock.[1] Having sold an estimated 22 million albums by 1982,[2] The Temptations are one of the most successful groups in music history[3] and were the definitive male vocal group of the 1960s.[4] In addition, they have the second-longest tenure on Motown (behind Stevie Wonder), as they were with the label for a total of 40 years: 16 years from 1961 to 1977, and 24 more from 1980 to 2004 (from 1977 to 1980, they were signed to Atlantic Records). As of 2007, the Temptations continue to perform and record for Universal Records with only one original member, founder Otis Williams, in its lineup. The original group included members of two local Detroit vocal groups: The Distants, which featured second tenor/baritone Otis Williams, first tenor Elbridge "Al" Bryant and bass Melvin Franklin; and first tenor/falsetto Eddie Kendricks and second tenor/baritone Paul Williams (no relation to Otis) from The Primes. Among the most notable future Temptations were lead singers David Ruffin and Dennis Edwards (both of whom became successful Motown solo artists after leaving the group), Richard Street (another former Distant), Damon Harris, Ron Tyson, Ali-Ollie Woodson, Theo Peoples, and G.C. Cameron. Like its sister female group, the Supremes, the Temptations' lineup has changed frequently over the years. Over the course of their career, the Temptations have released four Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles and 14 Billboard R&B number-one singles. Their material has earned them three Grammy Awards, while two more awards were conferred upon the songwriters and producers who crafted their 1972 hit "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". History The Primes Childhood friends Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Kel Osbourne, and Wiley Waller formed a doo-wop group called the Cavaliers in their hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, in 1955.[5] Reduced to a trio after Waller left the group in 1957, Kendricks, Williams, and Osbourne left Birmingham in order to break into the music business. After first moving to Cleveland, they settled in Detroit. The Primes, as the doo-wop trio was now called, were well-known around Detroit for their meticulous performances.[6] Group manager Milton Jenkins even created a sister group for the Primes called the Primettes, recruiting Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diane (later Diana) Ross, and Betty McGlown for the spin-off act.[5] The Distants Otis Williams had moved from his native Texarkana, Texas to Detroit as a young boy, to live with his mother.[7] By 1958, he was the leader of Otis Williams & the Siberians, a doo-wop group that included Williams, his friend Elbridge "Al" Bryant, James "Pee-Wee" Crawford, Vernard Plain, and Arthur Walton.[8] This quintet recorded the single "Pecos Kid" backed with "All of My Life" for a label run by local radio deejay Senator Bristol Bryant.[8] The single never took off outside the local Detroit market, and the Siberians changed their name to The El Domingoes shortly afterward.[5] At this time, more changes took place. Montgomery, Alabama native Melvin Franklin replaced Arthur Walton as the bass singer, and Franklin's cousin Richard Street replaced Vernard Plain as lead singer.[9] The group soon signed with Northern Records, run by Johnnie Mae Matthews, who renamed the group The Distants. The Distants recorded two singles for Northern, "Come On" (1959, featuring additional background vocals by the Andantes), and "Alright" (1960).[9] Between these two releases, Albert "Mooch" Harrell replaced Pee-Wee Crawford.[9] "Come On" was a local hit for the Distants, and the Warwick label picked the record up for national distribution.[9] After the release of "Alright", Matthews appointed Williams the group leader, and the group was renamed Otis Williams & the Distants.[10] [edit] Influences and colleagues The Primes and the Distants were but two of dozens of local male vocal acts, the most famous of which was the Miracles, led by Smokey Robinson. The Miracles were known for their stage show, and their pop success was something for which both groups strived.[11] Other important inspirations included the Cadillacs, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, the Drifters, and the Isley Brothers.[12] The various members of The Primes and the Distants who would later become part of the Temptations met a number of their later Motown bandmates, labelmates, and producers during the early part of their careers. Melvin Franklin had been a member of the recording group the Voice Masters, which also included among its ranks Lamont Dozier and David Ruffin.[9] The musicians at the recording session for the Distants' "Come On" included James Jamerson on bass; the Andantes on background vocals; and Norman Whitfield on tambourine.[9] A promotional image of the original early 1960s Temptations lineup. Clockwise from top right: Otis Williams, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, and Elbridge "Al" Bryant. [edit] Forming the Temptations Although "Come On" was a local success in the Detroit area, the Distants never saw much of their share from the record sales, and the second single was not as successful. After receiving an offer from Berry Gordy of Motown Records, the group got out of its contract with Matthews and left Northern. At the same time, it lost Mooch Harrell, Richard Street, and the rights to use its name. Street would front a new group of Distants for the local Thelma label during the early 1960s. The Distants were acquainted with the Primes, as both groups made the same rounds to local record hops, talent shows, and concerts. The two groups were friendly rivals. The Primes disbanded in 1960 when Kel Osbourne moved to California, and Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams returned to Alabama. While in Detroit visiting relatives, Kendricks called Otis Williams who, needing two more members for an audition for Gordy, offered Kendricks a place in the Distants. Kendricks agreed, with one condition -- that he could bring Paul Williams with him. Otis Williams agreed, and Kendricks and Paul Williams moved back to Detroit to join the group. The new lineup of Otis Williams, Franklin, Bryant, Kendricks, and Paul Williams took on the name The Elgins and auditioned for Motown in March 1961. Gordy agreed to sign the group to his Miracle Records imprint, but discovered just before signing that there was already a singing group called the Elgins. The quintet quickly began tossing about ideas for a new name on the steps of Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. headquarters. On a suggestion from Miracle Records employee Billy Mitchell and Otis Williams, The Temptations became the group's new moniker. The "Elgins" name would re-surface at Motown in 1965, when Gordy renamed a quartet called The Downbeats as The Elgins. The Temptations released two singles on Miracle, "Oh Mother of Mine" and "Check Yourself", before it was closed and merged with the Gordy label (to avoid confusion with the Miracles singing group). All seven of the Temptations' singles released between 1961 and 1963 failed to make it onto the U.S. pop singles charts; the 1962 single "Dream Come True" made it to number 22 on the R&B chart. Paul Williams and Kendricks split most of the leads during this period, with Bryant, Otis Williams, and Franklin occasionally singing lead. Many songwriter and producer teams had been trying to craft a hit for the Temptations, including Berry Gordy, Mickey Stevenson, Clarence Paul, and Norman Whitfield. Gordy had in fact written the song "Do You Love Me" for The Temptations in 1961, but when he was unable to get ahold of the group, he recorded the song with the Contours instead. Miracles lead singer/songwriter/producer Smokey Robinson produced his first Temptations single, the Paul Williams-led "I Want a Love I Can See", in 1963, and proved to have the best rapport with the group. Elbridge Bryant, who preferred his day job as a milkman to performing, soon became restless and uncooperative. After a performance at the 1963 Motown company Christmas party, Bryant was fired from the group. His replacement was Meridian, Mississippi native David Ruffin, younger brother of Motown artist Jimmy Ruffin. Though both Ruffin brothers were considered, David was given an edge over Jimmy thanks to his performance skills, which David displayed when he joined the Temptations on-stage during a local Detroit performance earlier that year.[13] The "Classic Five" lineup of the Temptations, circa 1965. Left to right: Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, Paul Williams, and David Ruffin. The "Classic Five" era In January 1964,Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Bobby Rogers co-wrote and produced "The Way You Do the Things You Do" with Kendricks on lead; the single became the Temptations' first Top 20 hit that April. While traveling as part of Motown's Motortown Revue later that year, Robinson and fellow Miracle Ronnie White wrote a song for the emotive Ruffin to sing lead on, which the group recorded in the fall of 1964. Released as a single on December 24, 1964, "My Girl", became the Temptations' first number-one pop hit in March 1965, and is their signature song to this day. David Ruffin's emergence as lead singer gave way to the Temptations' most successful period, today referred to as the "Classic Five" era, during which Ruffin, Kendricks, Franklin, Otis Williams, and Paul Williams recorded many of the group's most familiar hits. After the success of "My Girl", Ruffin sang lead on the next three Temptations singles: "It's Growing", "Since I Lost My Baby" and "My Baby", all of which made it to the Top 20 in 1965. The b-side to "My Baby", "Dont Look Back", featured a lead from Paul Williams, and was a sleeper hit on the R&B charts. In 1966, Norman Whitfield became the Temptations' new main producer, after his "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" performed better than Robinson's "Get Ready" on the U.S. pop charts. Whitfield began pushing the group away from Robinson's ballad-based production towards a harder-edged and brass-heavy soul sound reminiscent of the work of James Brown. Nearly all of the pre-1968 Whitfield-produced Temptations singles featured David Ruffin on lead vocals, including the R&B number-one/pop Top 10 hits "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" and "(I Know) I'm Losing You". Other singles from this period included "You're My Everything", on which Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin share lead vocals, and "All I Need", produced by Whitfield's protg Frank Wilson. Whitfield's writing partners during this period included Roger Penzabene, Temptations road show manager/guitarist Cornelius Grant, and Edward Holland, Jr.. After Eddie Holland left Motown with the rest of the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting/production team in 1967, Barrett Strong (who sang Motown's first hit, 1960's "Money (That's What I Want)") began working with Whitfield and Penzabene on Temptations material. Two of Whitfield/Strong/Penzabene's collaborations, "I Wish It Would Rain" and "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)", became hits in 1968. Strong became Whitfield's sole collaborator after Penzabene's suicide in December 1967. Exit David Ruffin Between 1964 and 1968, the Temptations went from unknown hopefuls to international stars. The group appeared frequently on television shows such as American Bandstand and The Ed Sullivan Show, and catered to middle America with a pop standards album (The Temptations in a Mellow Mood, 1967) and performances at the Copacabana in New York City and other such supper clubs. Outside of music, the Temptations were made honorary members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Initially laid back and even-keeled, by 1967 David Ruffin felt that he was almost single-handedly responsible for the group's success. He demanded special treatment, riding to and from gigs in a private mink-lined limousine with his then-girlfriend, singer Tammi Terrell (known for her duets with Marvin Gaye), instead of in the group limousine the other four Temptations used. Ruffin missed a number of rehearsals, concerts, and group meetings; and began regularly using cocaine. After seeing how Motown had made Diana Ross the focus of the Supremes by renaming the group Diana Ross & the Supremes, Ruffin demanded that his group be renamed, as well -- to David Ruffin & the Temptations. Additionally, Ruffin was demanding an accounting of the Temptations' earnings, which caused friction between him and Berry Gordy. There was general agreement among the rest of group that Ruffin needed to be replaced. Otis Williams insists that Ruffin was given fair warning that if he did not change his attitude he would be fired. When Ruffin missed a June 1968 engagement at a Cleveland supper club in order to attend a show by his new girlfriend (Dean Martin's daughter Gail), it was decided that he had crossed the line. The other four Temptations drew up legal documentation firing Ruffin from the group, and Dennis Edwards, formerly of the Contours, was hired to replace him. Edwards and Ruffin were good friends, and Ruffin at first went along with the changing of the guard. After a short time, however, Ruffin began turning up at Temptations shows, jumping onstage during performances of the songs he once sang lead on and stealing the spotlight. The audiences were delighted, but the Temptations and Motown were frustrated and embarrassed. Extra security guards were hired to prevent Ruffin from attending other Temptations' performances. Ruffin sued Motown in October 1968, seeking a release from the label, and Motown settled by offering Ruffin a solo recording deal. Beginning in 1968, Berry Gordy commissioned a number of collaborations for the Temptations with Diana Ross & the Supremes. The results included a joint tour, two studio albums (Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations, which featured the number-two hit single "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", and Together), and two NBC television specials, TCB (aired December 9, 1968) and G.I.T. on Broadway (aired November 12, 1969). The tracks for Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations included Dennis Edwards' first studio recordings with the Temptations. Psychedelic soul Dennis Edwards' addition to the Temptations coincided with producer Norman Whitfield's adoption of a new sound for the group. In the fall of 1968, Whitfield began producing psychedelic-based material for the Temptations, derived primarily from the sound of funk band Sly & the Family Stone. This new style, which debuted with the Top 10 hit single "Cloud Nine" in October 1968, was a marked departure from the David Ruffin-era ballads. The instrumentation was funkier, the beat was hard-driving, and all five Temptations traded lead vocals, similar to Sly & the Family Stone. "Cloud Nine", the centerpiece of the group's landmark Cloud Nine LP, was a Top 10 hit and won Motown its first Grammy Award, for Best R&B Vocal Group Performance of 1969. The blending of the Motown sound and psychedelic rock sound resulted in a new subgenre of music called "psychedelic soul", also evident in the work of Diana Ross and the Supremes ("Reflections", "Love Child"), Marvin Gaye's version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", and the music of the Fifth Dimension and War. More Temptations psychedelic soul singles would follow in 1969 and 1970, among them "Runaway Child, Running Wild" (a number-one R&B hit), "I Can't Get Next to You" (a number-one pop hit), "Psychedelic Shack" , "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)", and "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World)". Exit Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams During the late-1960s, Paul Williams' physical and mental health began to decline sharply. Williams suffered from both depression and sickle-cell disease, and also developed alcoholism, all of which made it hard for him to continue performing. Oxygen tanks were kept in the wings of performance venue stages for Williams, and the other four Temptations made valiant efforts to raid and drain his alcohol stashes. By 1969, former Distant Richard Street, now lead singer of Motown act The Monitors, was touring with the group as a backup replacement for Williams. For most shows, Street would sing Williams' parts (save for his solo numbers) from offstage behind a curtain, while Williams danced and lip-synched onstage. At other shows, and during most of the second half of 1970, Street took Williams' place onstage. As Paul Williams' health failed, Eddie Kendricks became detached from the group. He regularly picked fights with Otis Williams and Melvin Franklin over the group's leadership. In addition, Kendricks was uncomfortable with the psychedelic soul material the group was now performing, preferring the ballad material from the earlier days. Kendricks rekindled his friendship with David Ruffin, who persuaded him to quit the Temptations and go solo. After another confrontation between himself, Otis Williams, and Franklin during a November 1970 Copacabana engagement, Kendricks walked out in-between shows and did not return. Both Franklin and Otis Williams agreed at this time that Kendricks would be leaving the group. Before Kendricks officially left the Temptations, he and Paul Williams recorded the lead vocals for "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)", a lush, wistful ballad that became Kendricks' Temptations swan song. Released as a single in January 1971, "Just My Imagination" began steadily climbing the U.S. pop singles chart. By the time "Just My Imagination" hit number-one in March, Kendricks had negotiated his release from the group and signed a solo deal with Motown's Tamla imprint. Kendricks' original replacement was Ricky Owens, from the Los Angeles-based vocal group the Vibrations. However, Owens gave poorly-received performances during the few shows he performed with the group, and he was dropped after only a few weeks. During most of the spring of 1971, the Temptations remained a quartet, and re-recorded the single "It's Summer" without a fifth member. In April, Paul Williams quit the Temptations, after a medical declaration that he was unable to continue performing. Richard Street officially took his place, while Williams remained on the group's payroll as an advisor and choreographer. After Williams had recovered enough to perform again, Motown made plans for a Paul Williams solo career, but he died at age 34 in Detroit on August 17, 1973. Williams' death was ruled a suicide. The Temptations in the early 1970s By May, The Temptations had found a permanent replacement first tenor in twenty-year-old Baltimore native Damon Harris. Otis Williams, Edwards, Franklin, Street, and Harris continued recording and performing, and Norman Whitfield continued producing hits for them. Among these were Top 40 hits such as "Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)" (1971), a message from the Temptations to the estranged David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks, and "Take a Look Around" (1972). The fall of 1972 saw the release of Whitfield's magnum opus, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". Originally a three-minute record written and produced for the Undisputed Truth, Whitfield took the sombre tune and created a sprawling, dramatic eleven and -minute version for the Temptations. An edited seven-minute version was released as a single in September 1972, hitting number-one on the pop charts and number-five on the R&B charts. In 1973, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" won the Temptations their second Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Group. Whitfield and arranger/conductor Paul Riser won the award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance with the instrumental version of "Papa" on the single's b-side, and Whitfield and Barrett Strong won the songwriters' Grammy for Best R&B Song. After "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", Whitfield stopped working with Barrett Strong, and began writing the Temptations' material on his own. The success of "Papa" led Whitfield to create more elongated, operatic pieces, including the Top 40 hit "Masterpiece" (1973) and several of the tracks on the resulting Masterpiece album. Tensions developed between Whitfield and the group, who found Whitfield arrogant and difficult to work with. The group cited his habitual tardiness, his emphasis of the instrumental tracks over the vocals on many of his productions, and the declining singles and albums sales as other sources of conflict. Otis Williams complained about Whitfield's actions and the Temptations' stagnant sales to Berry Gordy, who intervened and reassigned them to Jeffrey Bowen, co-producer of the 1967 In a Mellow Mood album. The final Norman Whitfield-produced Temptations album, 1990, was released in late 1973, and included the Top 30 single "Let Your Hair Down". Whitfield left Motown shortly afterwards, and in 1975 established Whitfield Records, taking with him the Undisputed Truth, Willie Hutch, and Rose Royce, who performed the instrumental track for "Let Your Hair Down". Dry spell Bowen's first LP with the Temptations was January 1975's A Song for You, which included a cover of the titular Leon Russell tune (popularized with soul audiences by Donny Hathaway), along with the pop Top 40/R&B number-one hits "Happy People" (featuring the Commodores as the instrumentalists) and "Shakey Ground" (featuring instrumentation by Funkadelic's Eddie Hazel and Billy Bass Nelson), and "Glasshouse", the group's final Top 40 Pop hit. Damon Harris was fired from the group during the recording of A Song for You, as his behavior and work ethic were deemed unprofessional.[14] His replacement was Washington, D.C. native Glenn Leonard, formerly of the Unifics.[15] A number of producers, including Bowen, Brian Holland, James Carmichael, and even the Temptations themselves tried producing hits for the next three LPs, House Party (November 1975), Wings of Love (March 1976), and The Temptations Do the Temptations (August 1976). None of these recordings were as commercially successful as A Song for You, and none of their singles entered the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40.[16] As time progressed, Bowen pushed Dennis Edwards further to the front. This was evident in on Wings of Love, which features Edwards' voice more prominently than the other Temptations' backing vocals.[17] Otis Williams felt that this was hurting the group, and after The Temptations Do the Temptations was recorded in 1976, Edwards was fired from the group.[18] His replacement was Louis Price. The Temptations left Motown for Atlantic Records, citing Motown's inattention as the reason for their declining sales and popularity.[19] However, the group's releases on Atlantic -- Hear to Tempt You (1977), Bare Back (1978), and their associated singles -- failed to perform better than their last handful of Motown singles, and in 1979 Atlantic released the group from its contract.[17] Shortly afterwards, the Temptations met with Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy, and the group re-signed with Motown in 1980.[20] ] Return to Motown and Reunion Upon the return to Motown, Louis Price departed from the group and joined the Drifters. Dennis Edwards, who had been inactive for the previous three years despite remaining with Motown as a solo act, returned to the lineup. Berry Gordy co-wrote and produced the Temptations' first single under the new contract, "Power", from the album of the same name. "Power" missed the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40, but hit number 11 on the R&B charts. Two years of underperforming singles and albums followed, including an eponymous album with Philadelphia-based producer Thom Bell, until Motown began planning a Temptations reunion tour in 1982. Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin agreed to rejoin the group for the Reunion album and tour. Melvin Franklin's nephew, Motown funk star Rick James (who had previously used the Temptations as backup vocalists on his 1981 hit "Super Freak"), wrote, produced, and guested on the Reunion album's lead single, "Standing on the Top", which featured Ruffin, Kendricks, and Edwards on lead. The single went to number-six on the R&B charts. While the ensuing Reunion tour with all seven Temptations (Ruffin, Kendricks, Otis Williams, Franklin, Edwards, Richard Street, and Glenn Leonard) was financially successful, it ended up being a stressful venture: Kendricks' voice had weakened after decades of chain smoking, and Ruffin, still addicted to drugs, missed a number of the performances. At the conclusion of the Reunion tour, Ruffin and Kendricks were fired, and they began touring and performing together as a duo. One more album, Surface Thrills, was released in 1983. It featured a sharp departure in the group's sound by incorporating elements of then-current rock. Following its release, Glenn Leonard left and was replaced by Ron Tyson. Tyson had been a songwriter at Atlantic during the Temptations' time there, and co-wrote several songs on the album Hear To Tempt You. [edit] From the 1980s to the 1990s By this time, the Temptations' releases were no longer performing well on the pop charts, though they sometimes made the R&B Top 20. "Love on My Mind Tonight", a single from Surface Thrills, made it to number 17. "Sail Away", produced by a returning Norman Whitfield and featuring Ron Tyson's first lead vocal, peaked at number 13. Dennis Edwards was again fired in 1984, this time for missing rehearsals, or showing up hungover. He attempted a second solo career, and his place was taken by Ali-Ollie Woodson, who had been a potential candidate to replace Edwards back in 1977. The album Back to Basics was released; it was the first album featuring Ron Tyson, and featured one track with Woodson, "Stop the World Right Here (I Wanna Get Off)". Woodson's first lead on a single was 1984's "Treat Her Like a Lady", co-written by himself and Otis Williams, and co-produced by Al McKay and Ralph Johnson, formerly of Earth, Wind and Fire. The single became their biggest success on R&B radio in some time, reaching number-two on the R&B charts, and just missing the Pop Top 40. The group experienced similar success the following year with the single "Lady Soul", another Top 5 R&B smash. On July 13th 1985, Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin would achieve "World comeback" recognition for their performances with Pop/Rock superstars Daryl Hall and John Oates(Hall and Oates) in a performance given at the "Live Aid" concert in Philadelphia televised world wide. The segment with Kendricks and Ruffin included a Medley of "Get ready/The way you do the things you do/My Girl. The combination of Hall, Oates, Ruffin and Kendricks went on to perform the resurrected Hall and Oates hit (made popular by the English artist Paul Young), "Every time you go away". This was the exact performance the singing quartet had just recorded live in a sold out performance for the "reopening" of the historic Apollo Theater. The medley recorded on "Live at the Apollo" for RCA, became a top 20 hit on the pop charts. Ollie Woodson remained with the Temptations until 1987, when he was fired and replaced by an again-returning Dennis Edwards. The group recorded one album during Edwards' third tenure, Together Again, released in late 1987. The following year, Otis Williams published his autobiography, Temptations, co-written with Patricia Romanowski, chronicling the careers of the group from the Primes/Distants days to the present, and focusing on the lives of Williams and Melvin Franklin. An updated version of the book was published in 2002. Edwards was fired for the third and final time in late 1989, with Woodson re-joining the lineup. Also that year, the Temptations were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, honoring Edwards, Franklin, Otis Williams, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks (now performing as "Eddie Kendrick"), and, posthumously, Paul Williams. Most of the Temptations, present and former, showed no ill feelings towards each other, although Otis Williams reported that Kendricks would not speak to him during the ceremony. [21] The Temptations ended their induction with Paul Willaims' signature song, "Don't Look Back", dedicated to his memory. After reuniting at the induction ceremony, Edwards, Ruffin, and Kendrick made plans to tour and record as "Ruffin/Kendrick/Edwards, Former Leads of The Temptations". The tour was carried out, much to the chagrin of Otis Williams and Motown, but production on an album was terminated when Ruffin, age 50, died on June 1, 1991 in Philadelphia after a drug overdose. Kendrick was diagnosed with lung cancer but continued to perform; he died on October 5, 1992 at the age of 52, in his native Birmingham. The Temptations in the 1990s From the 1990s on, the Temptations' lineup began to change more frequently than before. Richard Street missed a performance in 1992 after undergoing emergency surgery to remove kidney stones. Otis Williams was not aware of Street's surgery, and called him, angry about Street's absence. Street felt Williams was unsympathetic, and as a result, he left the group in 1993 after twenty-two years. His replacement was St. Louis native Theo Peoples. Two years later, Melvin Franklin was forced to stop performing because of failing health. He died on February 23, 1995 at the age of 52, after suffering a brain seizure. Ray Davis from Parliament/Funkadelic came on as new bass, and the group recorded the pop standards album For Lovers Only, which contained two tracks led by Melvin Franklin. Davis left shortly after completing the album, due to a throat cancer diagnosis. The group continued as a quartet for a short time, before recruiting bass Harry McGilberry, a former member of The Futures. For Lovers Only would also be the last for lead Ali-Ollie Woodson; he was released from the group in 1996 due to health problems, having suffered two battles with throat cancer. He was replaced by his fill-in from his first health concern, new member Terry Weeks. The new Temptations lineup, consisting of Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Theo Peoples, and newcomers Harry McGilberry and Terry Weeks, debuted at the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXII, which celebrated the 40th anniversary of Motown. In 1998, The Temptations released Phoenix Rising, their first million-selling album in over twenty years. The album was anchored by the Theo Peoples-led single "Stay", a number-one hit on the adult contemporary charts that featured a sample from The Temptations' "My Girl". During the recording of Phoenix Rising, however, Theo Peoples departed, and was replaced by Barrington "Bo" Henderson. The completed album features both Henderson and Peoples (who later joined the Four Tops) on different tracks. A scene from the 1998 Temptations NBC miniseries. The Temptations mini-series Main entry: The Temptations (miniseries). Nineteen ninety-eight also saw the debut of The Temptations, a four-hour television miniseries based on Otis Williams' Temptations autobiography. It was broadcast in two parts on NBC on November 1 and November 2, 1998. The miniseries was a ratings success and won an Emmy award for Best Direction; it was subsequently rerun on the VH-1 cable television network and released to VHS and DVD. Otis Williams' former wife Josephine, Melvin Franklin's mother Rose Franklin, and David Ruffin's family, jointly filed a lawsuit against Williams, Motown, de Passe Entertainment, Hallmark Entertainment, and NBC for a number of charges, including defamations of character. The judges ruled in favor of the defendants, and the ruling was upheld when the plaintiffs appealed in 2001. Williams later claimed that, although his book was used as the source material for the film, he did not have a great deal of control over how the material was presented. From 2000 to the present day The Temptations were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2001, their 2000 album Ear-Resistible won the group its third Grammy, this one for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance. Three classic Temptations songs, "My Girl", "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", are among The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. Bo Henderson was fired from the group in 2003, prompting a wrongful termination lawsuit [22]. His replacement was former Spinners lead G.C. Cameron. The lineup of Cameron, Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Harry McGilberry, and Terry Weeks recorded for a short time before Harry McGilberry was dismissed;[23] his replacement was former Spaniels bass Joe Herndon. McGilberry died on April 3, 2006, at age 56. The group's final Motown album, Legacy, was released in 2004. Later that year, The Temptations asked to be released from their Motown contract, and moved to another Universal Motown Records Group label, New Door Records. Their latest album, Reflections, was released on January 31, 2006, and contains covers of several popular Motown songs, including Diana Ross & the Supremes' "Reflections", the Miracles' "Ooo Baby Baby", Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing", and the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There".[24] The Temptations were nominated for the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance, for their version of Gaye's "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" from Reflections. G.C. Cameron left the group in June of 2007 to focus on his solo career.[25]. The current lineup is Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Terry Weeks, Joe Herndon, and new member Bruce Williamson. Splinter groups Several former Temptations continue to perform outside of the group in spin-off or offshoot acts. The most well known splinter was "Ruffin/Kendrick/Edwards: Former Leads of the Temptations", which featured the three former Temptations and three other members (David Sea, who'd been a consideration to replace Edwards in 1984, Nate Evans, a former member of The Impressions, and a female vocalist). Following David Ruffin's death, Dennis Edwards and Eddie Kendrick began touring as "The Temptations", still with David Sea and Nate Evans, and bringing in another former Temptation, Damon Harris. The group had different sixth vocalists at different times, including Charles Blackmon and Curtis Taylor.[26] This prompted a legal battle with Otis Williams. Following Kendrick's death, the group splintered: Dennis formed "Dennis Edwards and the Temptations Review," Damon formed "Damon Harris and the Temptations Review" (featuring future Temptation Joe Herndon), David Sea went on to a solo career[27], and Evans and Taylor formed a Temptations tribute band[28]. Dennis Edwards' group tours to this day. The group has appeared on several PBS music specials. The lineup is Edwards, David Sea (baritone, returning in 1999), Mike Patillo (bass since 1993), Chris Arnold (first tenor/falsetto, joined post-2000)[29], and another former Temptation, Ali-Ollie Woodson. Woodson previously fronted an act called Ali-Ollie Woodson & the Emperors of Soul--Emperors of Soul being the name of the 1994 Temptations boxed set. He replaced Bernard Gibson[30][31] in 2007; Gibson was an original 1993 addition, and was in the group for all of their PBS performances. Damon Harris split from his group in the late 1990s; the other four members then joined with another former Temptation, Glenn Leonard, to become "Glenn Leonard and the Temptations Experience." Joe Herndon left this group to join the Temptations[32] His spot was filled by former Temptations bass Ray Davis, and, following Davis' death on July 5, 2005, Harry McGilberry, another former Temptations bass (McGilberry died on April 3, 2006). Damon Harris would form a new group later, billed as "Damon Harris and the Temptations Tribute." Richard Street also leads a group, billed as "Richard Street" or "Richard Street's Temptations"[33]. Street is in the process of writing a book regarding his time with The Temptations entitled Ball of Confusion. If it is published, it will be the second autobiography regarding the group. [edit] Musical style The Temptations' songs depended upon the individual members' interaction as a group; unlike many other R&B groups, each member of the Temptations was a lead singer of some capacity. Although the group always had an appointed main lead singer who dominated most the lead vocals (from Paul Williams to David Ruffin, Dennis Edwards, and later singers such as Louis Price, Ali-Ollie Woodson, and Terry Weeks), that singer was never given more of a promotional push than the other members. Co-lead songs, with two or more of the singers sharing the lead vocals, are common in the Temptations catalog, particularly among the psychedelic-era recordings of the late 1960s/early 1970s The "Motown Sound" The group would alter their style several times over the years following their first Motown hit, adapting to the popular styles of the day while retaining their signature visual and vocal styles. The earliest Temptations recordings reflect the influence of producers Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson, featuring a blend of black rhythm and blues and white pop music that came to be later identified as the "Motown Sound". Backed by Motown's stalwart studio band, the Funk Brothers, pre-1966 Temptations recordings were built around songs (usually ballads like "My Girl") with simple, direct lyrics supported by an R&B rhythm section with orchestral strings and horns added for pop appeal. During this period, each recording usually featured only one lead singer, usually David Ruffin or Eddie Kendricks, although Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, and Otis Williams each had solo numbers of their own at various times. Like most Motown groups, melisma and other complicated vocalization techniques were eschewed by the Temptations for a more direct, yet obviously gospel-rooted vocal approach, to make the songs more palpable for white audiences. Creative control remained primarily in Smokey Robinson's hands, although the Temptations, most frequently Eddie Kendricks, periodically co-wrote some of their material. Kendricks also handled the vocal arrangements for all of the Temptations' material. In 1966, Norman Whitfield changed the group's dynamic, moving them away from the previous one lead singer model and adding elements derived from the rougher soul of artists like James Brown, Wilson Pickett, and the performers at Stax Records. Whitfield and his lyricists crafted Temptations songs with shifts of dynamics, syncopated horn stabs, and more intricate harmony arrangements which spotlighted each singer's unique vocal range. Onstage, this change was reflected in the group's use of a custom-made four-headed microphone, which allowed each member freedom to perform without having to all crowd around one or two microphones. Under Whitfield's control, the Temptations retained their white pop appeal, but also gained popularity amongst black audiences as well. Psychedelic and cinematic soul When David Ruffin was replaced by Dennis Edwards, and Sly and the Family Stone became popular, Whitfield again restructured the Temptations' sound, this time driving the group almost completely into a "psychedelic soul" sound. Recordings from this period (such as "Cloud Nine" and "Psychedelic Shack") featured echoed vocal tracks, distorted guitar lines with prominent use of the wah-wah pedal, hard-hitting drums, and various stereo effects and sound effects. The majority of these songs feature at least two lead singers; often, all five Temptations sang lead, trading bars a la the Family Stone. Dennis Edwards, whose vocal style had a rougher, more Southern-soul based sound than David Ruffin's, was featured prominently on most of these recordings. The lyrics for these songs, inspired heavily by Sly Stone's concurrent works, centered primarily around social issues such as integration, the Vietnam War, and self-consciousness. Ballads in the group's traditional style were still being recorded as b-sides and album fillers (the exception being "Just My Imagination"). Many of the psychedelic soul recordings were presented in extended-length mixes longer than the typical three-minute Motown song. Tracks such as the album version of "Run Away Child, Running Wild" from Cloud Nine, "Take a Stroll Thru Your Mind" from Psychedelic Shack, and "Smiling Faces Sometimes" from Sky's the Limit, all run at least eight minutes in length. Much of the running time for each song consists of instrumental passages without vocals, at Whitfield's insistence. The hit version of their smash 1972 single "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" was nearly seven minutes long, with an instrumental intro that was almost two minutes long -- a rarity for songs of that era. "Psychedelic soul" soon gave way to "cinematic soul": Long recordings with detailed orchestration and extended instrumental introductions and bridging passages, oten focusing on lyrics about the ghettos and inner cities of black America. These songs were heavily influenced by the work of singer/songwriters Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield. Unlike Hayes and Mayfield, the Temptations had no creative control over their recordings, and were not fond of the twelve and thirteen-minute long songs that Norman Whitfield was now producing for them. Whitfield's contributions were the focal point of Temptations albums such as Solid Rock, All Directions, and particularly Masterpiec. From funk to disco to adult contemporary After Whitfield was dismissed as the Temptations' producer in 1974, the group altered its sound to accommodate a balance of both up-tempo dance material and ballads. The vocal arrangements began to again focus primarily on one lead singer per track, although leads were still being periodically shared. In addition, the Temptations themselves, after fighting Motown and Berry Gordy for creative control, began to write and produce some of their material. From this point on, the Temptations focused almost exclusively on songs about romance; songs about social issues similar to the Whitfield-era recordings were periodically recorded as well. Mid-1970s Temptations recordings focused significantly on funk music influences from artists such as Parliament Funkadelic and Sly and the Family Stone; members of both acts contributed to Temptations material during this period. The group's ballads, reduced to filler material during much of the Whifield period, were restored to the lush sound of the earlier Smokey Robinson-produced hits. After a brief diversion into disco in the late-1970s, the Temptations settled into an adult contemporary-rooted form of R&B, a style in which they continue to record. As the ages of its members increased, the Temptations' live shows have focused on less intricate choreography, although dancing remains an important aspect of the group's act. Legacy and influence The Temptations, with their tailored suits and detailed choreography, set the bar for male soul and R&B groups. Before the Temptations became popular, most black vocal groups were rough, high-energy acts with rawer vocals and more improvisational dance movements. Only a few performers, including contemporaries Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, and the Four Tops, showed the refined style that would be popularized by the Temptations. Berry Gordy insisted his acts be equally appealing to white and black audiences, and employed a creative team to help tailor Motown talent for crossover success. Paul Williams and Motown choreographer Cholly Atkins created the Temptation's trademark precise and energetic, yet refined, dance steps. The most famous of these, the "Temptation Walk", or "Temptation Strut", was adapted from similar moves by the Flamingoes and the Vibrations. From those two sources, Paul Williams crafted the group's signature dance routine. During the 1960s and 1970s, a number of soul groups showed significant influence from the Temptations, among them the Delfonics, the Stylistics, George Clinton's original Parliaments, the Dramatics, and Motown labelmates the Jackson Five. These acts, and others, showed the influence of the Temptations in both their vocal performances and their onstage choreography. Several more recent soul and R&B vocal groups, including the Johnny Gill-led version of New Edition, Jodeci, BLACKstreet, Dru Hill, and, most notably, 1990s Motown act Boyz II Men, also showed significant influence from the Temptations. Temptations songs have been covered by scores of musicians, from R&B singers such as Luther Vandross ("Since I Lost My Baby"), to pop vocalists such as Bette Midler ("Just My Imagination"), to rock bands such as Rare Earth ("Get Ready"), Duran Duran ("Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)") and the Rolling Stones ("Ain't Too Proud to Beg"). In 1991, British singer Rod Stewart collaborated with the Temptations on the single "The Motown Song". The lives and careers of The Temptations were one of several inspirations for Robert Townsend's 1991 film about a 1960s Motown-esque male group, The Five Heartbeats. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked The Temptations #67 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time (Less)
Channel: 123video Rate it: Rate:
240, 03:32, 2008-04-02 20:29:34 Description: Targeting Notes and Creating Harmonies Using MIDI - Jeff Dykhouse shows us how to use MIDI to tell Auto-Tune which notes to tune. In addition, you can use this technique to create harmonies. Antares A (More) Targeting Notes and Creating Harmonies Using MIDI - Jeff Dykhouse shows us how to use MIDI to tell Auto-Tune which notes to tune. In addition, you can use this technique to create harmonies. Antares A (Less)
Channel: youtube Rate it: Rate:
102, 02:07, 2008-04-17 15:09:59 Description: The Rockin' Berries were a beat group from Birmingham, England, formed in 1961. Career Despite a brace of UK Top 10 hits in the mid 1960s, the Rockin' Berries could make no inroads on (More) The Rockin' Berries were a beat group from Birmingham, England, formed in 1961. Career Despite a brace of UK Top 10 hits in the mid 1960s, the Rockin' Berries could make no inroads on the lucrative U.S. market, even at the height of the so-called ' British Invasion'. Much of their recordings were at the lighter edge of the British beat music boom. Their popular music was carefully composed by British and American songwriters, with catchy choruses and harmonies lifted straight from The Four Seasons and The Beach Boys repertoire. The Rockin' Berries themselves wrote virtually none of their own material, and this, combined with the kid glove approach, meant that they received little critical acclaim. Their best pop/rock outpourings were perfectly respectable, but poor management also veered them towards the 'all round entertainer' category. This led them to record some comedy songs that have dated badly, and further quickened their disappearance from the UK chart. The Rockin' Berries were formed in the early 1960s, when guitarist Chuck Botfield was performing with the Bobcats, a Birmingham band, at the Star-Club in Hamburg. Several Bobcats bobbed off to create their own band, and Botfield brought in some Birmingham born friends to regroup as the Rockin' Berries. Their strength lay in their vocal arrangements. Clive Lea led the rock and roll based material, whilst falsetto Geoff Turton steered their more noteworthy harmony filled work. Their recording career started with a couple of flop singles from Decca Records in 1963. They then signed with the Pye subsidiary, Piccadilly. Following a minor hit with a cover of The Shirelles' "I Didn't Mean to Hurt You," their cover of The Tokens' "He's in Town," from the songwriting team of Gerry Goffin and Carole King, took them to Number 3 in the UK Singles Chart, late in 1964. Another cover of an American record, this time of The Reflections' "Poor Man's Son," was their follow-up release. More downbeat even than "He's in Town," this reached Number 5. At around the same time, the Rockin' Berries' debut album, They're in Town was released. It contained a bizarre mixture of operatic ballads, R&B, pop-rock, comedy, and the German "Ich Liebe Dich" for good measure. Nevertheless it was a reasonable success, making Number 15 in the UK Albums Chart. However, their seeming versatility started to work against them. Their second album, Life Is Just a Bowl of Berries, was blighted by novelty and comedy tracks. They continued to record pop singles, including Goffin-King's "You're My Girl"; plus songs from British tunesmiths John Carter, Ken Lewis, and Perry Ford (who were also writing and recording hits as The Ivy League); and an obscure effort co-penned by Al Kooper, "The Water Is Over My Head". "You're My Girl" (like "He's in Town", a cover of a Tokens' hit) and "The Water Is Over My Head" were lowly placed hits in 1965, but after that there was no more chart success for the Berries. However The Rockin' Berries did appear in the music review film, Pop Gear, that same year. Rather oddly, they had a billing on the Royal Variety Performance on 19 November 1967, at the London Palladium. By 1968 Turton had left and briefly joined the Birmingham group Sight And Sound, but soon embarked on a solo career. Using the nom de plume of Jefferson, he secured a Top 30 place in the American Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1970 with "Baby Take Me in Your Arms". Yorkshire born singer/impressionist Terry Webster joined the Rockin' Berries in 1970, to replace Lea who left to start a solo career as an impressionist. Lea later joined local comedy group, The Black Abbotts, as replacement for Russ Abbott. Turton eventually rejoined his bandmates, who continued to play the cabaret circuit for years to come. By this time their act was more akin to The Barron Knights, and The Grumbleweeds in style and content. The Rockin' Berries continue to perform in cabaret as a music/comedy act, although drummer Terry Bond later moved into management. He was replaced by Keith Smart, previously from Roy Wood's chart-topping group Wizzard. [edit] Band personnel Roy Austin (born 27 December 1943, Birmingham) - Bassist (up to 1965) Clive Lea (born 16 February 1942, Birmingham) - Vocalist (up to 1967) Geoff Turton (born Geoffrey Turton, 11 March 1944, Birmingham) - Vocalist / Rhythm Guitarist (up to 1968) Terry Bond (born Terence Bond, 22 March 1943, Birmingham) - Drummer Chuck Botfield (born Bryan Charles Botfield, 11 November 1943, Birmingham) - Lead Guitarist Bobby Thompson - (born in 1942 in Liverpool) - ex Rory Storm and the Hurricanes - Bassist - (joined 1965) Rod Clarke - Bassist - (joined 1967) (Less)
Channel: 123video Rate it: Rate:
90, 03:00, 2008-04-17 15:11:02 Description: LINER NOTES FOR THE ASSOCIATION'S AND THEN...ALONG COMES THE ASSOCIATION By Richie Unterberger With the two smashes "Along Comes Mary" and "Cherish," the Association (More) LINER NOTES FOR THE ASSOCIATION'S AND THEN...ALONG COMES THE ASSOCIATION By Richie Unterberger With the two smashes "Along Comes Mary" and "Cherish," the Association became one of the hottest new bands of 1966, the singles charting at #7 and #1 respectively. It was no surprise that their debut album, featuring both of those songs, was also a big success, rising to #5 and remaining their highest-charting LP ever, with the exception of their Greatest Hits compilation. The record also gave the Association the chance to showcase their versatility on material penned by both group members and outside songwriters, their complex multi-part vocal harmonies being the greatest unifying factor. And Then...Along Comes the Association was actually preceded by a few singles as the group struggled to establish themselves as a commercial force. Covers of "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" and Bob Dylan's "One Too Many Mornings," both in 1965, were very much in the folk-rock style that had become a craze with the emergence of the Byrds and their chart-topping cover of Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" in the middle of that year. With "Along Comes Mary," the group moved toward a more pop-rock sound, aided by a dynamite tune from non-member Tandyn Almer, and a new producer, Curt Boettcher. Boettcher was himself making a transition from the folk scene, in which he'd performed as part of the Goldebriars (who released a couple of albums on Epic), to pop-rock. He was already familiar with the Association when he played on a demo of "Along Comes Mary" with the group's lead guitarist, Jules Alexander, who enthusiastically pitched the song to the rest of the band. "When we first started, Jules was not officially designated, but he was more or less the musical director," remembers rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Jim Yester. "'Cause he had been in a couple rock bands before, he had a lot better handle on harmonic structure, and was obviously the best guitar player. He, a lot of times, would line out vocal parts. He'd sit down and figure it out on the guitar and say, 'Okay, you sing this, you sing that.' And then we'd adapt it, and somebody'd say, 'Well, listen. How about this note instead?' But basically things started with Jules." When Alexander brought a tape of the demo of "Along Comes Mary" home, Jim continues, "He says, 'Listen to this song, we gotta try this.' And he said, 'Jim, why don't you sing it?' It was very casual. 'We need a high voice.' 'Cause on the demo, Curt sang it, and Curt's a real high tenor as well. I think the only thing that was roughly the same was that vamp line -- that was Tandyn's whole trip. That and the chord changes. But it was just one single voice." With its dynamic interplay between Yester's lead and the rest of the band's vocal harmonies, as well as an intriguing lyric that jammed about as many syllables as were possible to fit into individual lines of a pop song in 1966, the song took a few months to catch on nationally. By the time it did break into the Top Ten in the summer, And Then...Along Comes the Association was ready to capitalize on it. In fact, however, work on the tracks that ended up on the LP had begun some time before, when Boettcher produced five cuts with the group in Gary Paxton's Homewood Studios. Aside from "Along Comes Mary," these sessions yielded its B-side, "Your Own Love," and two other tracks that ended up on the album, "Remember" and "I'll Be Your Man" (the fifth, "Better Times," remained unissued until 2002). The Association's "One Too Many Mornings" single had been produced by Barry DeVorzon, the president of their label, Valiant Records. But as Yester explains, "After the thing with Barry producing didn't work out, we begged him to let our friend Curt produce us. And he finally condescended, but with the stipulation that we use some studio musicians. So we did a combination of studio musicians and us. But they did the basic tracks, and then we did a lot of the sweetening and the lead guitar stuff, things like that." As the Association's harmonies were along the lines of the sophisticated vocal arrangements used by Boettcher's former group the Goldebriars, and his future ensemble the Millennium, "it was a good match in that respect," concurs Jim. "We were very harmonically involved, and Curt was too. Also, he was very aware of the MFQ [the Modern Folk Quartet], which was my brother's [Jerry's] group. We were all into the MFQ; a lot of groups went to school on the MFQ in L.A. Everybody else made it, and they didn't. It's very bizarre." (Both 1960s albums by the Modern Folk Quartet, who also used sophisticated harmonies blending elements of pop, folk, and jazz, have also been reissued on CD by Collectors' Choice Music.) The decision to make "Along Comes Mary" the single was, in a sense, ordained. "There was three or four of us that were involved with [the religious faith] Subud at that time," says Yester. "Roger McGuinn was also in it, [and] Cyrus Faryar from the MFQ. We convinced the record company that we were gonna take the five songs we recorded, and the elders of Subud did this thing called testing, where you would tell them the name of a song, and then they would kind of meditate and tell you yay or nay. We did that, and the two strongest reactions we got were from 'Along Comes Mary' and 'Your Own Love.' Actually, 'Your Own Love' got the strongest reaction from them. That song I wrote after I was in Subud for a while, that's kind of where it was coming from, so for me, that's why that reaction was [so positive]. But that's why those two songs were the first release. Then we went back to the record company and said, 'Okay, these are the two.' And they said, 'Okay.'" To fill out the album, the group would record more material in a different studio, which like the first was run by noted producer, engineer, performer, songwriter, and general musical jack-of-all-trades Gary Paxton. "The first one [Homewood Studios], where we did the basics, the studio was an old garage, and the booth was in an old Greyhound bus," laughs Yester. "His second studio [G.S.P.], the studio was the downstairs, like the living room and dining room of a house, and the studio was in a bathroom upstairs. Very bizarre. But it had great sound." In addition, vocals were recorded at a more traditional Hollywood facility, Columbia Recording Studios. Among the top sessions musicians in the support cast were guitarist Mike Deasy (who'd go on to play on other Association albums, as well as writing a song on their Insight Out LP), bassist Jerry Scheff, and percussionists Jim Troxel and Toxey French, with Boettcher contributing tone generator/oscillator. "Curt was very into a lot of outside instruments, and we were very up for experimentation, so we used a lot of different things," remarks Yester. "In fact, we were one of the first to sync two four-tracks together to make an eight-track, using a VSO, variable speed oscillator, to match the speeds of the two tape machines. But by the time we went to finish the first album, Scully came out with the eight-track. When we were working at Columbia Studio A, that's what we were using." As for the material selected for the album, as Yester notes, "most of those songs we'd been doing in concert for about a year or so anyway." The Association LPs would feature a remarkably even spread of songwriting credits among the members, and all six save Brian Cole wrote or co-wrote material on And Then...Along Comes the Association. At this point Jules Alexander (then still performing under the name Gary Alexander, as he would until 1968) and singer-multi-instrumentalist Terry Kirkman "were probably a little more prolific," adds Jim. "But most of the time everybody had at least one or two songs on the album. We tried to have everybody included. We had a publishing deal where everybody shared in everybody else's publishing. It was very clever. We actually had [a] publishing deal before we had a record deal. Because we auditioned for Capitol, and they didn't sign us, but they wouldn't let us out of the building until we gave them a meeting with [the] head of their publishing. 'Cause they couldn't believe a group with six guys, and everybody wrote. And they were pretty decent songs." The group did cover a couple of songs from outside sources on the album. "Don't Blame It on Me" was written by brothers Don and Dick Addrisi, who penned the massive 1967 Association hit "Never My Love." "Blistered" (later a hit for Johnny Cash) came from Billy Ed Wheeler, also known for writing the folk-rock classic "High Flying Bird," co-writing the Kingston Trio's hit "The Reverend Mr. Black," and co-writing "Jackson" (hit duets for the teams of Johnny Cash & June Carter and Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood), as well as scoring a big country hit on his own with "Ode to the Little Brown Shack Out Back." The second big hit off the LP, however, would be a Terry Kirkman original, though it wasn't even planned as the follow-up to "Along Comes Mary." As Yester tells it, "We were going to release 'Enter the Young.' The version that I remember was a DJ from Ohio started playing 'Cherish' off of the album, and it went right up the charts in his area. Either the record company said, 'wait a minute, let's rethink this,' or the other version is, [Association manager Patrick] Colecchio convinced the record company to release 'Cherish' instead." It was a wise decision; on September 24, 1966, the single began a three-week run as the #1 song in the nation. By that time, surprisingly, the group had parted ways with Boettcher. "Towards the end of finishing up the album, he started like trying to put his stamp on us," recalls Yester. "The main reason we left and went with my brother [Jerry] for the second album was that we wanted to be who we were, and not who Curt wanted to be." The result was their second LP, Renaissance, and a story continued on the liner notes to that album, also reissued on CD by Collectors' Choice Music. -- Richie Unterberger (Less)
Channel: 123videoTags: A ASSOCIATION b bob dylan GO HOLLYWOOD MANY MORNINGS ONE THE TOO w THE ASSOCIATION: ONE TOO MANY MORNINGS: HOLLYWOOD A-GO-GO: (w/b: bob dylan)
Rate it: Rate:
88, 09:30, 2008-01-21 11:15:18 Description: Mahalia Jackson
born Oct. 26, 1911, New Orleans, La., U.S.
died Jan. 27, 1972, Evergreen Park, near Chicago, Ill.
Mahalia Jackson, 1961.
The Bettmann ArchiveAmerican gospel music singer, known (More) Mahalia Jackson
born Oct. 26, 1911, New Orleans, La., U.S.
died Jan. 27, 1972, Evergreen Park, near Chicago, Ill.
Mahalia Jackson, 1961.
The Bettmann ArchiveAmerican gospel music singer, known as the "Queen of Gospel Song."
Jackson was brought up in a strict religious atmosphere. Her father's family included several entertainers, but she was forced to confine her own musical activities to singing in the church choir and listening—surreptitiously—to recordings of Bessie Smith and Ida Cox as well as of Enrico Caruso. When she was 16 she went to Chicago and joined the Greater Salem Baptist Church choir, where her remarkable contralto voice soon led to her selection as a soloist.
Jackson first came to wide public attention in the 1930s, when she participated in a cross-country gospel tour singing such songs as "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" and "I Can Put My Trust in Jesus." In 1934 her first recording, "God Gonna Separate the Wheat from the Tares," was a success, leading to a series of other recordings. Jackson's first great hit (eight of her records were to sell more than a million copies each) was "Move on Up a Little Higher," which appeared in 1945. All the songs with which she was identified—including "I Believe," "Just over the Hill," "When I Wake Up in Glory," and "Just a Little While to Stay Here"—were gospel songs, with texts drawn from biblical themes and strongly influenced by the harmonies, rhythms, and emotional force of blues. Jackson refused to sing any but religious songs or indeed to sing at all in surroundings that she considered inappropriate. But she sang on the radio and on television and, starting in 1950, performed to overflow audiences in annual concerts at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Jackson was enormously popular abroad; her version of "Silent Night," for example, was one of the all-time best-selling records in Denmark. She made a notable appearance at the Newport (Rhode Island) Jazz Festival in 1957—in a program devoted entirely, at her request, to gospel songs—and she sang at the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy in January 1961. From 1955 she was active in the Civil Rights Movement. (Less)
Channel: youtubeTags: all between Dr faith God holiday in Jackson Jr King Luther Mahalia Martin peace races tolerance
Rate it: Rate:
85, 03:31, 2008-04-17 15:12:35 Description: The Flower Pot Men were a British pop group created in 1967, who enjoyed fleeting fame. The group's sound was characterised by rich, three-part vocal harmonies.+++++++++++++History The Flower (More) The Flower Pot Men were a British pop group created in 1967, who enjoyed fleeting fame. The group's sound was characterised by rich, three-part vocal harmonies.+++++++++++++History The Flower Pot Men were created as a result of the chart success of the single "Let's Go To San Francisco", written and recorded by songwriters John Carter and Ken Lewis (Carter-Lewis and the Southerners and The Ivy League, which had three UK top twenty hits previously). The duo licensed the recording to Deram Records which suddenly found itself with a full-fledged hit, but with no group to promote it. Carter and Lewis, having no interest in going on the road to promote the record, created the group from a hand-picked collective of recording studio session musicians and vocalists. They continued to write, record and produce all the subsequent recordings for the next three years until the project ended in 1970. The name was clearly derived from the children's show Flower Pot Men, with the obvious psychedelic era puns on flower power and "pot" (cannabis).+++++++++++Let's Go to San Francisco The band's most popular song remained "Let's Go To San Francisco." Some listeners at the time assumed that the song was either a pastiche of - or in some way inspired by - Scott McKenzie's "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" which was a hit earlier that summer - but the band have denied this. The topic of San Francisco was being discussed widely in UK in early 1967 because of British mass media coverage of the Haight-Ashbury hippie scene - and the Scott McKenzie single was certainly not the only place where the songwriters may have found inspiration to write a song about the new social developments in that city. The track reached Number 4 in the UK Singles Chart in 1967. It was their only appearance in that chart, earning them the unenviable title of one-hit wonder. Burrows and Shaw later surfaced in The First Class, whose sole Top 40 hit "Beach Baby" sounded similar; a harmony phrase shortly before the fadeout of this record references "Let's Go To San Francisco".++++++++++++++Personnel The complete line-up of The Flower Pot Men and Their Garden, as they were sometimes billed, was loosely based around the following: ▪ Tony Burrows: vocals - ex The Ivy League, later with White Plains, and The First Class ▪ Neil Landon: vocals (born Patrick Cahill, 26 July 1941, Kirdford, Sussex) ▪ Robin Shaw: vocals (born Robin Scrimshaw, 6 October 1943) - later with White Plains, and The First Class ▪ Pete Nelson: vocals (born Peter Lipscomb, 10 March 1945, London) - also later with White Plains ▪ Ged Peck: guitar (19 October 1947, West Hendon, London) ▪ Carlo Little: drums (born Carl O'Neil Little, 17 December 1938, Shepherd's Bush, West London - died 6 August 2005, Cleadon, County Durham). ▪ Nick Simper: bass ▪ Jon Lord: organ Singer Tony Burrows' voice is also heard on many UK hit singles of that era, such as, White Plains: "My Baby Loves Lovin'", Brotherhood of Man: "United We Stand", Edison Lighthouse: "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)", The First Class: "Beach Baby", The Pipkins: "Gimme Dat Ding" In 1968, Nick Simper and Jon Lord became founding members of the heavy metal rock band, Deep Purple. This connection was later lampooned in the fake rock documentary, Spinal Tap, whose fictional first hit was called "(Listen to the) Flower People", a reference to "Let's Go to San Francisco". (Less)
Channel: 123video Rate it: Rate:
81, 02:27, 2008-04-03 06:22:22 Description: Touch my Body is Mariah's new single from her album E=MC2 (available in stores april 24 2008). I know it's Mariah Carey, but I just wanted to do my little rendition...I had to sing this (More) Touch my Body is Mariah's new single from her album E=MC2 (available in stores april 24 2008). I know it's Mariah Carey, but I just wanted to do my little rendition...I had to sing this song! I recorded it the other day on the studio, and I added all the harmonies and doubles later. I wanted to make an actually video for the song but I didn't have my camara in there. I may still do a video later on...
Hope you like it !
PS: Thanks for watching and please leave a comment if you'd like (I always read them ;)
xoxo
Lydia
THE USE OF ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL IS USED UNDER THE GUIDELINES OF "FAIR USE" IN TITLE 17 § 107 OF THE UNITED STATES CODE. SUCH MATERIAL REMAINS THE COPYRIGHT OF THE ORIGINAL HOLDER AND IS USED HERE FOR THE PURPOSES OF EDUCATION, COMPARISON, AND CRITICISM ONLY.
NO INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT IS INTENDED.
Thank you for the 22 honors on 1st day!!
#2 - Most Discussed (Today) - Spain
#14 - Most Discussed (Today) - Music
#2 - Most Discussed (Today) - Music - Spain
#10 - Most Discussed (This Week) - Spain
#4 - Most Discussed (This Week) - Music - Spain
#91 - Most Discussed (This Month) - Spain
#31 - Most Discussed (This Month) - Music - Spain
#17 - Most Responded (Today) - Spain
#47 - Most Responded (This Week) - Spain
#43 - Most Viewed (Today) - Spain
#6 - Most Viewed (Today) - Music - Spain
#83 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Music - Spain
#19 - Top Favorites (Today) - Spain
#6 - Top Favorites (Today) - Music - Spain
#88 - Top Favorites (This Week) - Spain
#42 - Top Favorites (This Week) - Music - Spain
#5 - Top Rated (Today) - Spain
#39 - Top Rated (Today) - Music
#2 - Top Rated (Today) - Music - Spain
#14 - Top Rated (This Week) - Spain
#6 - Top Rated (This Week) - Music - Spain
#46 - Top Rated (This Month) - Music - Spain
Touch My Body Lyrics (Letra)
I know that you've been waiting for it
I'm waiting too
In my imagination I'd be all up on you
I know you got that fever for me 102
And boy I know I feel the same
My temperature's through the roof
If there's a camera up in here
Then it's gonna leave with me
When I do (I do)
If there's a camera up in here
Then I'd best not catch this flick
On YouTube (YouTube)
'Cause if you run your mouth and brag
About this secret rendezvous
I will hunt you down
'Cause they be all up in my business
Like a Wendy interview
But this is private
Between you and I
Touch my body
Put me on the floor
Wrestle me around
Play with me some more
Touch my body
Throw me on the bed
I just wanna make you feel
Like you never did.
Touch my body
Let me wrap my thighs
All around your waist
Just a little taste
Touch my body
Know you love my curves
Come on and give me what I deserve
And touch my body
Boy you can put me on you
Like a brand new white tee
I'll hug your body tighter
Than my favorite jeans
I want you to caress me
Like a tropical breeze
And float away with you
In the Caribbean Sea
If there's a camera up in here
Then it's gonna leave with me
When I do (I do)
If there's a camera up in here
Then I'd best not catch this flick
On YouTube (YouTube)
'Cause if you run your mouth and brag
About this secret rendezvous
I will hunt you down
'Cause they be all up in my business
Like a Wedding interview
But this is private
Between you and I
Touch my body
Put me on the floor
Wrestle me around
Play with me some more
Touch my body
Throw me on the bed
I just wanna make you feel
Like you never did.
Touch my body
Let me wrap my thighs
All around your waist
Just a little taste
Touch my body
Know you love my curves
Come on and give me what I deserve
And touch my body
--------------------------------------------------------------
" E=MC² " track list for "That Chick":
1. Migrate featuring T-Pain
2. Touch My Body
3. Cruise Control featuring Damian Marley
4. I Stay In Love
5. Side Effects featuring Young Jeezy
6. I'm That Chick
7. Love Story
8. I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time
9. Last Kiss
10. Thanx 4 Nothin'
11. O.O.C.
12. For The Record
13. Bye Bye
14. I Wish You Well
Touch My Body : awesome new single by Mariah Carey from her new album E=MC² out April 15th 2008
Congratulations Mariah for making Touch My Body your #18 number 1 in the billboard charts! U can get it (Like EXCLUSIVE) on iTunes & Amazon store.
Touch My Body Mariah Carey
Touch My Body Mariah Carey
Touch My Body Mariah Carey
Touch My Body Mariah Carey
Touch My Body Mariah Carey
E = M C 2 ² E= MC ² E= M C² E = M C2 E=MC2 E= M C 2 E = MC2 E= MC2 E =MC 2 E =MC²
Favorite artists:
Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Christina Aguilera, Shakira, Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston, Destiny's Child, Usher, R. Kelly, Fergie, Nelly Furtado, well and many more...
Interview America's Got Talent Britain's Got Talent Singing Song Concert MTV VH1 aol new rap rapping American Idol esmee Live Concert acapella instrumental favorite Musician Musical new single, brand new album, acoustic, piano. (Less)
Channel: youtubeTags: body bye carey chick e=mc2 extended live love mariah migrate my new recording singing story studio t4 that touch video
Rate it: Rate:
73, 03:04, 2008-04-17 15:10:18 Description: Freddie and the Dreamers were a British musical band who had a number of hit records between May 1963 and November 1965. Their act was based around the comic antics of the 5-foot-3-inch-tall (1.60m) (More) Freddie and the Dreamers were a British musical band who had a number of hit records between May 1963 and November 1965. Their act was based around the comic antics of the 5-foot-3-inch-tall (1.60m) Freddie Garrity, who was famous for bouncing around the stage with arms and legs flying.-----------------------UK history The band consisted of Freddie Garrity (born Manchester, Lancashire 14 November 1936 died 19 May 2006),[1] vocals, Roy Crewdson (born Manchester May 29, 1941 ), guitar, Derek Quinn (born Manchester May 24, 1942, ), guitar and harmonica, Peter Birrell (born Manchester May 9, 1941, ), bass, and Bernie Dwyer (born Manchester December 4, 1940, died December 4, 2002), drums. Although the band were grouped as a part of the Merseybeat sound phenomenon that The Beatles exploded around the world in the wake of Beatlemania, they came from Manchester, and were the first such non-Liverpool, non-Brian Epstein-managed band to break through in the UK. Prior to becoming a singer, Garrity worked as a milkman in Manchester. [2] They had four Top Ten UK hits: a cover of James Ray's hit "If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody", which reached number 3 in the charts in mid-1963, "I'm Telling You Now", (number 2 in August), "You Were Made For Me", (number 3 in November) and "I Understand", which hit the number 5 spot in November 1964. Super session guitarist Big Jim Sullivan played on a majority of the records most notably on "Over You", "I Understand", "A Little You", "Thou Shalt Not Steal", "Just For You" and best of all, a cover version of Paul Anka's "I Love You Baby". 1964 album You Were Made For Me, CD cover The group would appear on stage and perform pre-rehearsed, synchronised wacky dance routines. While it is refreshing to have a band that does not take itself seriously, their show was probably more suited for the seaside show at the end of the pier than for a rock festival.[citation needed] Their success was more down to image than music,[citation needed] with Freddie's Buddy Holly-on-speed stage persona, Pete's dropped jaw and Derek's sinister dark glasses. Freddie and the Dreamers could make hit records of songs that other "serious" bands had turned down as "unsuitable for beat groups" by infusing even the slightest of songs with pep-charged performances filled with their trademark humour and zest.[citation needed] "You Were Made for Me", which was turned down by The Searchers is an example of this. It would probably sound unberably twee if delivered by a more 'earnest' singer or band, but it became a memorable and likeable hit in the unpretentious hands of Freddie & co.[citation needed] Some of their Merseybeat styled records like "I Just Don't Understand" (a cover of Ann-Margret) compare well with the best of Merseybeat.[citation needed] The band did have musical ability, and at their peak of popularity were probably second only to the Beatles[citation needed] so far as fame is concerned. Although they did not play on all the records, The Dreamers showed themselves to be quite competent instrumentally and their vocal harmonies were quite clever. Anecdotally, their EMI A&R man, John Burgess noted when reviewing their audition of "If You Gotta...Somebody", he was considering rejecting them for one fault or another but ultimately discovered he couldn't get their rendition out of his head-the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.[citation needed] In the end success for the group was limited. Neither their music nor their stage act moved with the times, and they faded along with merseybeat. Although Freddie Garrity or Derek Quinn might contribute the odd co-written song, their inability to write their own material severely hobbled them. Despite Freddie's innocent novelty appeal, the Dreamers had a "wrong-side-of-the-law" look, a similar mix to that of their Merseybeat rivals Gerry & the Pacemakers, which made both groups looked older, "square" and past their sell-by date. This "mums and dads" appeal was a big contrast to image of The Beatles and the young and trendy beat combos starting to emerge, such as The Dave Clark Five, The Who, The Small Faces or The Kinks. Television shows such as Ready Steady Go! subtly stressed the point. Freddie and the Dreamers were also happy to appear on the popular BBC children's show Blue Peter. They did have the sense to move from mainstream rock and roll into children's entertainment, and were working in cabaret until their split up in 1968, thus extending their career a little longer than most other merseybeat groups. They appeared in four British films: "What a Crazy World" with singer Joe Brown, "Seaside Swingers", "Just for You" and "The Cuckoo Patrol". Between 1971 and 1973 Garrity and Birrell appeared in the UK ITV children's show Little Big Time, a zany music/talent/adventure show with audience participation [3]------------------US fame As their popularity declined in the UK, Freddie and the Dreamers enjoyed a brief spell of fame in America, riding the wave of the British Invasion when the American teen public was hungry for any British pop music. As happened with many British EMI groups at that time their recordings were refused by EMI's American arm Capitol Records, and the Dreamers' 1965 releases and re-releases appeared on assorted labels. They recorded on Capitol's new subsidiary Tower, and Philips' Mercury Records label. "I'm Telling You Now", which had been co-written by Garrity and Mitch Murray, reached Number 1 on the US charts in Spring 1965. They were the first of three consecuitve groups from Manchester to have Number 1 hits that spring, the others being Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders and Herman's Hermits. Their next biggest US hit was "Do the Freddie" at number 18, intended to inspire "The Freddie" (sic) as a dance craze. (The band's late 1965 album, Do the Freddie, even included diagrams from legendary dance instructor Arthur Murray on how to perform the routines exactly.) At their US peak, a TV series featuring the band and British actor Terry-Thomas was bruited but never came to fruition.------------------------Legacy In the 1980 Rolling Stone History of Rock & Roll, writer Lester Bangs paid tribute of a kind to the group: "... Freddie and the Dreamers [had] no masterpiece but a plentitude of talentless idiocy and enough persistence to get four albums and one film soundtrack released ... the Dreamers looked as thuggish as Freddie looked dippy ... Freddie and the Dreamers represented a triumph of rock as cretinous swill, and as such should be not only respected, but given their place in history." Freddie and the Dreamers had an unwitting role to play in rock history. In an interview, Paul McCartney said that the Freddie and the Dreamers's version of "If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody" was a Beatles arrangement. The Beatles played it one night in Manchester. Next thing, Freddie and Co had copied it, and were performing this arrangement themselves. Because of this incident, The Beatles decided to concentrate on their own compositions instead. And the rest is History. The Beatles forgave Freddie and the Dreamers, and invited them to do a guest appearance in their 1964 Christmas Special. Freddie and the Dreamers, with a few different line-ups of newer Dreamers, remained a touring band into the 1990s. They appeared with other artists from the same era such as Gerry & the Pacemakers, The Troggs and Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits. Garrity retired due to pulmonary hypertension, and died on 19 May 2006 [4] . Drummer Dwyer died on 4 December 2002 of lung cancer; Birrell became a taxi driver. Crewdson now runs a bar in Tenerife, while Quinn lives in Cheshire and is in distribution. (Less)
Channel: 123video Rate it: Rate:
89, 03:53, 2008-04-17 15:10:02 Description: Chris Norman (born Christopher Ward Norman, 25 October 1950, in Redcar, North Yorkshire) is an English soft rock singer. Life and career His parents did not intend that he should pursue a stage (More) Chris Norman (born Christopher Ward Norman, 25 October 1950, in Redcar, North Yorkshire) is an English soft rock singer. Life and career His parents did not intend that he should pursue a stage career, but when he was just three years old, he decided to walk on stage and join the finale line-up for the show in which his parents were appearing. This may have had an effect on him because with the advent of rock and roll, Norman acquired his first guitar at the age of seven. His early musical influences were the likes of Elvis Presley, Little Richard and Lonnie Donegan. In these early years, Normans parents moved around the country a lot which resulted in him going to nine different schools, and living in various locations around England, such as, Redcar, Luton, Kimpton and Nottingham. By 1962 however the family had moved back to Norman's mother's home city of Bradford. Approaching his twelfth birthday, Norman started at St. Bedes Grammar School where he was to meet Alan Silson and Terry Uttley, future members of Smokie. As teenagers, influenced by the new era of beat groups such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones and then folk singer, Bob Dylan. Norman ands Silson began meeting up and spending nearly all their spare time learning new songs on their guitars. They managed to persuade Uttley to join them and, along with a drummer friend called Ron Kelly, they formed their first band. The Yen, Essence, and Long Side Down were just some of a variety of names they called themselves before settling on "The Elizabethans". In 1968 "The Elizabethans" had turned professional via a stint at Butlins holiday camp in Skegness. Another name change was inevitable, but during the next seven years Norman and the band gained much experience playing around the country. They performed some live radio broadcasts, including Radio 1 Roadshows. They gained a recording contract with RCA, and then Decca Records, and released three singles under their new name of "Kindness". During this period the band played many different styles and venues, and had a period as the backing group to Peter Noone, after he had just left Herman's Hermits. When Ron Kelly left the group in 1973, an old friend called Pete Spencer was asked to take over on the drums, and the group, which was to become Smokie, was complete. That same year the group took on a new manager, Bill Hurley. Hurley set about getting them out of their recording contract with Decca Records and managed to sign them to Mickie Mosts RAK record label with the songwriters Nicky Chinn / Mike Chapman as their production company. By 1974 they had developed their own sound reflecting their close, three part, harmonies and Normans distinctive vocal sound. The bands name was changed to Smokie, and their debut album, Pass it Around was released in 1975. By the summer of that year they had their first hit with "If You Think You Know How To Love Me". This was followed by a string of hit singles including "Living Next Door To Alice". Norman completed a successful duet with Suzi Quatro, "Stumblin In" in 1978, which gave Norman his first taste of success outside of the group. By now Smokie were enjoying success touring all over the world, but the strain and pressure of constantly being away from home and family was beginning to tell on Norman. By the early 1980s he decided to spend more time writing and working in the studio. Norman together with Pete Spencer, now concentrated on songs for other artists including hits for Kevin Keegan and the England football team. He also worked with Agnetha Fltskog from ABBA, on her solo album; Donovan and The Heavy Metal Kids. In 1985 Smokie reconvened to play a charity show in aid of the Bradford F.C. fire disaster. The show was successful and as a result the band decided to go back on the road. Tours of Germany and Australia followed, but in the latter part of that year, Norman recorded a project for a German TV movie and decided to once again concentrate on his solo career. That part of his career took off in 1986 with the song, "Midnight Lady", which was a hit throughout Europe holding the number one spot in Germany for six weeks. Written by Dieter Bohlen, it sold 900,000 copies in Germany alone. Further success followed by the songs "Some Hearts Are Diamonds", "No Arms Can Ever Hold You", "Broken Heroes", "Fearless Hearts", "Sarah" and "Baby I Miss You". In 1994 Norman was honoured by CMT Europe as their "International Video Star of the Year". "With Smokie we had success all over the world, but our greatest success we always had in Germany", says Norman. "In Germany there has always been the highest interest in my solo albums". Norman continues to this day to record and perform gigs throughout Europe. [edit] Personal life Norman met his wife Linda in 1967 in Elgin, Scotland and got married on 16 March 1970. They have six children (Brian, Sharon, Paul, Michael, Steven and Susan Jane) Chris and Linda Norman live on the Isle of Man. He has 4 granchildren, Danielle eldest, Jack, Tom, Ben. Danielle lives in the Isle of Man and Jack Tom and Ben live in England. [edit] (Less)
Channel: 123video Rate it: Rate:
72, 05:54, 2008-04-17 11:22:22 Description: jazz saxophonist Tevet Sela / www.tevetsela.com Tevet Sela is a virtuoso saxophonist and composer, and one of Israel's most prominent musicians. Over the last years, Tevet has been leading his (More) jazz saxophonist Tevet Sela / www.tevetsela.com Tevet Sela is a virtuoso saxophonist and composer, and one of Israel's most prominent musicians. Over the last years, Tevet has been leading his own quartet, which exclusively performs his music. In his repertoire, Tevet weaves together elements of soulful Jazz-funk with African and Middle Eastern music. Tevet's style of music came from him being exposed at an early age to the rich blend of cultures found in Israeli society, ranging from Jewish to North African music, and from Middle Eastern to Western music. This singular mix of influences characterizes Tevet's instantly recognizable and individual style. Tevet, who is also a bassist, has an extraordinary sense of rhythm manifested by his ability to transform the saxophone into a rhythm instrument and to combine his tight rhythmic lines as an integral part of the rhythm section. This rhythmic approach, along with Tevet's song oriented compositions, makes for a complete and satisfying experience. Tevet started playing classical piano at the age of 7. When he was 12 he began playing the saxophone and his interest in Jazz started to grow. At the age of 16 he started to compose his own music and began his professional musical career. Tevet soon became a much sought after session player, playing at the house bands of the most popular Israeli television shows as well as contributing solos for soundtracks and artists releases, both in Israel and abroad. Tevet, who is also a graduate of the prestigious Thelma Yelin School of Arts, has toured in France and the Netherlands as it's big band featured soloist. In addition, Tevet holds a Diploma in music education, and has over the years won several scholarships of the America-Israel cultural fund. Tevet has enjoyed the Israeli Foreign Ministry's endorsement on several projects such as representing Israel in an international UNICEF benefit concert. This concert was broadcasted from the Netherlands to 35 countries throughout the world and featured international artists such as: David Bowie, Des'ree, Youssou N'doure, Al Jarreau, and more.. In the year 2000 Tevet established his own band and started to record and perform his original compositions. In the spring of 2003 Tevet's debut album 'Tevet Sela' was released and followed by a tour in international jazz festivals and venues, both in Israel and abroad. Tevet's live concerts generate interest and enthusiasm by both European and Israeli audience. His music is frequently played by radio stations around the world including the BBC Radio, and leading Jazz stations in the USA. The Album is nominated for the 'jazz album of the year' and the 'jazz composition of the year' awards at the JPF Music Awards 2006. "Tevet Sela Quartet presents an intelligent and skillful mix of classical harmonies with a Kleizmer influence and North-African rhythms...An intriguing concert for all who love innovative and exciting jazz" Time Out, September 2006 "Tevet Sela will undoubtedly be one of the most influential saxophonists of the 21st century" http://www.saxtalk.com , April 2005 "I'm really impressed by the quality of composition and performanceÂ
his writing is adventurousÂ
I couldn't help comparing his music with that of the Yellow Jackets". Chris Mann, www.smooth-jazz.de , June 2005 "Â
Tevet Sela's music combines classical harmonies with a kleizmer influence and north-African rhythms, and it all blends into a sweet honey-like mixture with a bass-guitar touch. This musical mix is punctuated by Tevet's poignant saxophone, like a surprise chilli in strawberry jam, which doesn't overshadow its color yet keeps generating curiosity and fascinationÂ
" Svetlana Kolbanjowa, Kaskad newspaper (Kaliningrad) www.tevetsela.com (Less)
Channel: metacafe Rate it: Rate:
69, 01:39, 2008-04-17 15:06:45 Description: The Rascals (previously The Young Rascals) were an American soul and rock group of the 1960s.Eddie Brigati (vocals), Felix Cavaliere (keyboard, vocals), Gene Cornish (guitar) and Dino Danelli (drums) (More) The Rascals (previously The Young Rascals) were an American soul and rock group of the 1960s.Eddie Brigati (vocals), Felix Cavaliere (keyboard, vocals), Gene Cornish (guitar) and Dino Danelli (drums) started the band in Brigati and Danelli's native state New Jersey. Their first public performance took place at the Choo Choo Club in Garfield on Saturday, February 27th, 1965. Three-quarters of the group - Brigati, Cavaliere and Cornish - had previously been members of Joey Dee and the Starliters. Eddie's brother, David Brigati, an original Starliter, helped arrange the vocal harmonies and sang backgrounds on many of the group's recordings (informally earning the designation as the Fifth Rascal). When Atlantic Records signed them, they discovered that another group (Borrah Minevitch's and Johnny Puleo's Harmonica Rascals) objected to the release of records under the name 'Rascals'. To avoid conflict, manager Sid Bernstein decided to rename the group the Young Rascals. The Young Rascals had a minor hit with "I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore" (1965), followed by the #1 single "Good Lovin'" (1966, originally by The Olympics). Then the band's songwriting team of Brigati and Cavaliere began providing most of their songs, and the hits kept coming for the next two years, including "I've Been Lonely Too Long", "You Better Run", "Groovin'" (#1, 1967), "It's Wonderful", "A Girl Like You", "How Can I Be Sure?" (which David Cassidy covered and had a #1 in the United Kingdom) and "A Beautiful Morning" (1968). Guitarist Gene Cornish provided several songs of his own, such as I'm Gonna Love You and No Love To Give. In early 1968, the group dropped the "Young" from their name. (Less)
Channel: 123video Rate it: Rate:
68, 04:15, 2008-04-18 10:56:43 Description: Selon un classement officiel récent, Queen est le 6ème meilleur groupe de tous les temps, derrière notamment les Beatles et Led Zeppelin. Selon d'autres classements plus (More) Selon un classement officiel récent, Queen est le 6ème meilleur groupe de tous les temps, derrière notamment les Beatles et Led Zeppelin. Selon d'autres classements plus courants, il serait plutôt 3ème (derrière les Beatles, U2 et devant les Rolling Stones). <br />Les méthodes d’enregistrements de Queen donnent les albums les plus coûteux à produire dans les années 70. De plus, les synthétiseurs étaient interdits, l'amplification de la voix ne devait être obtenue qu'en rechantant le nombre de fois nécessaires (3 semaines d'enregistrement par exemple pour Bohemian Rhapsody en 1975). <br />Queen est officiellement l'inventeur du clip video, avec Bohemian Rhapsody (accessoirement considérée comme meilleure chanson de tous les temps), dont le succès à l'époque a obligé le groupe à créer une vidéo pour ne pas faire la tournée des plateaux et des emissions à chaque fois. <br />Brian May est le musicien le plus diplômé de toute l'histoire, tout style confondus. Il sort avec un diplôme de Physique de l'Imperial College, qui est au classement des écoles 1er mondial là où notre fameux Polytechnique n'est que 19ème mondial. <br />La couverture de l'album Queen II (1974) a servi par la suite à inspirer en 1975 le clip video de Bohemian Rhapsody, avec le fond noir et les quatre membres du groupe au style un peu gothique. Beaucoup pensent en effet que le clip video de Bohemian Rhapsody est antérieur à la couverture de l'album, ce qui est impossible puisque Bohemian Rhapsody a été composé 1 an plus tard. L'idée de reprendre la photo de l'album Queen II pour créer le style du clip video est un mystère. <br />Il est dit que la chanson We Will Rock You (1977 - album News of the World) aurait à l'origine été d'une très grande inspiration pour créer peu de temps après les débuts du mouvement Rap aux US. <br />Selon Bob Geldof, fameux chanteur poprock anglais d'influence et créateur des mega-concert Live Aid en 1985, Queen serait le "plus grand groupe de tous les temps". <br />Another one bites the dust sera, fait étonnant pour l'époque, le premier morceau composé par des musiciens blancs classé dans les charts de musique noire aux USA. Le rythme de la basse ayant fait croire à beaucoup de programmateurs radio qu'il s'agissait en effet d'un groupe de musiciens noirs. <br />La chanson Mustafa (album Jazz, 1977) chantée par Freddie Mercury n'est en fait pas de l'Arabe, ni du Persan, il s'agirait plutôt d'un délire linguistique inventé par le groupe. <br />Brian May a appris le sens de la scène et du spectacle après être entré sur scène un soir où, après avoir bu avec le guitariste d'Aerosmith, il était particulièrement imbibé. Il aura beaucoup de mal à jouer correctement, mais bougera beaucoup et assurera assez incroyablement le show. Il en tirera ces deux leçons : « Toujours bien bouger sur scène, et boire moins d'une pinte de bière avant un concert ». <br />La chanson d'amour Delilah sur l'album Innuendo est dédiée à un des chats de Freddie Mercury, d'où les chœurs faisant « Meow » et la guitare de Brian May imitant également des miaulements. <br />Il a fallu près de 3 semaines au groupe pour enregistrer les chœurs de la partie centrale de Bohemian Rhapsody, c'est pourquoi cette dernière sera passée en playback lorsque le morceau sera joué pendant les concerts. <br />A partir de 1975, chaque album de Queen sorti est devenu numero 1 dans les charts Anglais. Idem pour les single, parfois à titre posthumes quand ils furent réedités à nouveau. <br />Brian May a, avec l'aide de son père, fabriqué sa propre guitare lorsqu'il avait 16 ans : la Red Special. Alors en manque d'argent, il s'est servi de la poutre d'acajou d'une cheminée ancienne. C'est la raison pour laquelle les solos de Queen ont un son si particulier. Aujourd'hui encore, il joue de cette guitare, ainsi que de quelques répliques. <br />Brian May sera le seul membre de Queen à ne jamais changer de coupe de cheveux tout au long de sa carrière au sein du groupe. <br />Alors que le groupe commence à jouir d'une notoriété certaine au Royaume-Uni, John Deacon décide, pour ne pas être en reste par rapport à ses compagnons, d'organiser lui aussi un concert dans son université. C'est ainsi qu'ils se retrouveront à jouer devant 8 personnes. <br />La rumeur selon laquelle I want to break free était à l'origine un hommage de Freddie Mercury à la communauté gay est totalement fausse. Le célèbre clip où les membres du groupe apparaissent travestis n'est pas une idée de Freddie Mercury mais de John Deacon qui est marié et a quatre enfants. <br />Le mini-Brian May du clip The Miracle n'est pas James May, le fils de Brian. <br />Lors d'un concert,en début de carrière, Freddie Mercury s'acharne contre un pied de micro trop lourd pour son jeu de scène et se retrouve avec seulement la section supérieure du pied. Cet accessoire deviendra finalement sa marque de fabrique durant toute sa grande carrière. <br />Si la dernière phrase de la chanson "One Vision" (A Kind Of Magic) est "Fried chicken" (du poulet frit), c'est parce que, lors de l'enregistrement, Freddie Mercury chantait ce qui lui passait par la tête sur l'air de la chanson pour tester les micros. Il finit par "Fried chicken" et cette phrase est finalement restée. <br />Brian May a utilisé sa guitare "Red Special" sur tous les tubes du groupe sauf sur le titre "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" sur lequel il a joué avec une Fender Telecaster branchée sur un Boogie (sur les conseil d'un ingénieur du son) pour donner un style rockabilly au titre qui fut un gros succès pour Queen <br />Queen est un des groupes qui a écrit le plus grand nombre de chansons connues collectivement et internationalement, tout le monde connait Bohemian Rhapsody, We Will Rock You, We Are The Champions, Another One Bites the Dust, A Kind of Magic, The Show Must Go On, Heaven For Everyone, ... <br />Queen a réuni 175 000 personnes pour un concert gratuit à Hyde Park en 1976. <br /> <br />It's a kind of magic <br />It's a kind of magic <br />A kind of magic <br />One dream one soul one prize one goal <br />One golden glance of what should be <br />It's a kind of magic <br />One shaft of light that shows the way <br />No mortal man can win this day <br />It's a kind of magic <br />The bell that rings inside your mind <br />Is challenging the doors of time <br />It's a kind of magic <br />The waiting seems eternity <br />The day will dawn of sanity <br />Is this a kind of magic <br />It's a kind of magic <br />There can be only one <br />This rage that lasts a thousand years <br />Will soon be done <br />This flame that burns inside of me <br />I'm here in secret harmonies <br />It's a kind of magic <br />The bell that rings inside your mind <br />Is challenging the doors of time <br />It's a kind of magic <br />It's a kind of magic <br />The rage that lasts a thousand years <br />Will soon be will soon be <br />Will soon be done <br />This is a kind of magic <br />There can be only one <br />This rage that lasts a thousand years <br />Will soon be done-done <br />Magic - it's a kind of magic <br />It's a kind of magic <br />Magic magic magic magic <br />Ha ha ha it's magic <br />It's a kind of magic (Less)
Channel: dailymotion Rate it: Rate:
63, 02:51, 2008-04-17 15:09:50 Description: Freddie and the Dreamers were a British musical band who had a number of hit records between May 1963 and November 1965. Their act was based around the comic antics of the 5-foot-3-inch-tall (1.60m) (More) Freddie and the Dreamers were a British musical band who had a number of hit records between May 1963 and November 1965. Their act was based around the comic antics of the 5-foot-3-inch-tall (1.60m) Freddie Garrity, who was famous for bouncing around the stage with arms and legs flying. UK history he band consisted of Freddie Garrity (born Manchester, Lancashire 14 November 1936 died 19 May 2006),[1] vocals, Roy Crewdson (born Manchester May 29, 1941 ), guitar, Derek Quinn (born Manchester May 24, 1942, ), guitar and harmonica, Peter Birrell (born Manchester May 9, 1941, ), bass, and Bernie Dwyer (born Manchester December 4, 1940, died December 4, 2002), drums. Although the band were grouped as a part of the Merseybeat sound phenomenon that The Beatles exploded around the world in the wake of Beatlemania, they came from Manchester, and were the first such non-Liverpool, non-Brian Epstein-managed band to break through in the UK. Prior to becoming a singer, Garrity worked as a milkman in Manchester. [2] They had four Top Ten UK hits: a cover of James Ray's hit "If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody", which reached number 3 in the charts in mid-1963, "I'm Telling You Now", (number 2 in August), "You Were Made For Me", (number 3 in November) and "I Understand", which hit the number 5 spot in November 1964. Super session guitarist Big Jim Sullivan played on a majority of the records most notably on "Over You", "I Understand", "A Little You", "Thou Shalt Not Steal", "Just For You" and best of all, a cover version of Paul Anka's "I Love You Baby". 1964 album You Were Made For Me, CD cover The group would appear on stage and perform pre-rehearsed, synchronised wacky dance routines. While it is refreshing to have a band that does not take itself seriously, their show was probably more suited for the seaside show at the end of the pier than for a rock festival.[citation needed] Their success was more down to image than music,[citation needed] with Freddie's Buddy Holly-on-speed stage persona, Pete's dropped jaw and Derek's sinister dark glasses. Freddie and the Dreamers could make hit records of songs that other "serious" bands had turned down as "unsuitable for beat groups" by infusing even the slightest of songs with pep-charged performances filled with their trademark humour and zest.[citation needed] "You Were Made for Me", which was turned down by The Searchers is an example of this. It would probably sound unberably twee if delivered by a more 'earnest' singer or band, but it became a memorable and likeable hit in the unpretentious hands of Freddie & co.[citation needed] Some of their Merseybeat styled records like "I Just Don't Understand" (a cover of Ann-Margret) compare well with the best of Merseybeat.[citation needed] The band did have musical ability, and at their peak of popularity were probably second only to the Beatles[citation needed] so far as fame is concerned. Although they did not play on all the records, The Dreamers showed themselves to be quite competent instrumentally and their vocal harmonies were quite clever. Anecdotally, their EMI A&R man, John Burgess noted when reviewing their audition of "If You Gotta...Somebody", he was considering rejecting them for one fault or another but ultimately discovered he couldn't get their rendition out of his head-the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.[citation needed] In the end success for the group was limited. Neither their music nor their stage act moved with the times, and they faded along with merseybeat. Although Freddie Garrity or Derek Quinn might contribute the odd co-written song, their inability to write their own material severely hobbled them. Despite Freddie's innocent novelty appeal, the Dreamers had a "wrong-side-of-the-law" look, a similar mix to that of their Merseybeat rivals Gerry & the Pacemakers, which made both groups looked older, "square" and past their sell-by date. This "mums and dads" appeal was a big contrast to image of The Beatles and the young and trendy beat combos starting to emerge, such as The Dave Clark Five, The Who, The Small Faces or The Kinks. Television shows such as Ready Steady Go! subtly stressed the point. Freddie and the Dreamers were also happy to appear on the popular BBC children's show Blue Peter. They did have the sense to move from mainstream rock and roll into children's entertainment, and were working in cabaret until their split up in 1968, thus extending their career a little longer than most other merseybeat groups. They appeared in four British films: "What a Crazy World" with singer Joe Brown, "Seaside Swingers", "Just for You" and "The Cuckoo Patrol". Between 1971 and 1973 Garrity and Birrell appeared in the UK ITV children's show Little Big Time, a zany music/talent/adventure show with audience participation [3] [edit] US fame As their popularity declined in the UK, Freddie and the Dreamers enjoyed a brief spell of fame in America, riding the wave of the British Invasion when the American teen public was hungry for any British pop music. As happened with many British EMI groups at that time their recordings were refused by EMI's American arm Capitol Records, and the Dreamers' 1965 releases and re-releases appeared on assorted labels. They recorded on Capitol's new subsidiary Tower, and Philips' Mercury Records label. "I'm Telling You Now", which had been co-written by Garrity and Mitch Murray, reached Number 1 on the US charts in Spring 1965. They were the first of three consecuitve groups from Manchester to have Number 1 hits that spring, the others being Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders and Herman's Hermits. Their next biggest US hit was "Do the Freddie" at number 18, intended to inspire "The Freddie" (sic) as a dance craze. (The band's late 1965 album, Do the Freddie, even included diagrams from legendary dance instructor Arthur Murray on how to perform the routines exactly.) At their US peak, a TV series featuring the band and British actor Terry-Thomas was bruited but never came to fruition. [edit] Legacy In the 1980 Rolling Stone History of Rock & Roll, writer Lester Bangs paid tribute of a kind to the group: "... Freddie and the Dreamers [had] no masterpiece but a plentitude of talentless idiocy and enough persistence to get four albums and one film soundtrack released ... the Dreamers looked as thuggish as Freddie looked dippy ... Freddie and the Dreamers represented a triumph of rock as cretinous swill, and as such should be not only respected, but given their place in history." Freddie and the Dreamers had an unwitting role to play in rock history. In an interview, Paul McCartney said that the Freddie and the Dreamers's version of "If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody" was a Beatles arrangement. The Beatles played it one night in Manchester. Next thing, Freddie and Co had copied it, and were performing this arrangement themselves. Because of this incident, The Beatles decided to concentrate on their own compositions instead. And the rest is History. The Beatles forgave Freddie and the Dreamers, and invited them to do a guest appearance in their 1964 Christmas Special. Freddie and the Dreamers, with a few different line-ups of newer Dreamers, remained a touring band into the 1990s. They appeared with other artists from the same era such as Gerry & the Pacemakers, The Troggs and Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits. Garrity retired due to pulmonary hypertension, and died on 19 May 2006 [4] . Drummer Dwyer died on 4 December 2002 of lung cancer; Birrell became a taxi driver. Crewdson now runs a bar in Tenerife, while Quinn lives in Cheshire and is in distribution. [edit] (Less)
Channel: 123video Rate it: Rate:
205, 02:24, 2008-04-22 09:18:15 Description: I am submitting this clip at the request of my student, who asked me to share my view on the inner quality of pao chui practice via commentary on VY's form. First, commendations to all my ba gua (More) I am submitting this clip at the request of my student, who asked me to share my view on the inner quality of pao chui practice via commentary on VY's form. First, commendations to all my ba gua brothers and sisters in Europe for your diligence and commitment to this profound art. Baguaquan practiced by Dong Haichuan-Yin Fu-Gong Baotian-Gong Baozai contains a simultaneous blend of Luohan (Shaolin) and eight trigrams influence. This can be seen in pao chui, where the beginner practices externally, like Shaolin, only to gradually acquire a certain inner quality with maturity. VY's is a good example of early stage pao chui. In time, his teacher He Jinghan will lead him to more greatly embrace the six harmonies (3 outer harmonies receiving the 3 inner harmony's influence). VY's movements will become quieter and smoother, following one continuous inner line. As lineage brother Tu Kun-yii described my form: "sunk and stable below with inner acceleration." I hope my demo, although done at mid speed and height in a small arena, sufficiently illustrates these points. In Baguaquan as in Baguazhang, one never leaves the Luohan structure that the ba gua principle relies upon for its expression. Additional info: He Jinghan's publications, my Eight Standing Meditations DVD, and book: Baguaquan: Pao chui and practical applications. Dr. Michael Guen www.ayba.org (Less)
Channel: youtube Rate it: Rate:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 [»] [67]
Recent searches
1 woman 1 dog actual video 1s ago anime pussy licking 5s ago belladonna vanity 5s ago boys 7s ago britney spears pussy 3s ago cassandra lynn 4s ago drugged and fucked 4s ago echelon 5s ago facial abuse mika tan and... 7s ago harmonies 0s ago hidden candid 7s ago lee twins 6s ago main dengan budak 6s ago mother son incest 4s ago ngentot pelajar 2s ago novinha safada video 7s ago persian 1s ago pinay anal 4s ago pirates of the carribean 7s ago sarenna lee 2s ago sexy mujra 4s ago sleepassault 2s ago taurus sex 6s ago teen lesbians amateur 5s ago turkey video comedi 3s ago
Recently watched videos
What is viral today ?
Quicklist (0)
No videos on quicklist
This list is temporary even if You are logged in. You can save it to permanent list.
My video lists
You must be logged to see all your lists. Please log in here.
Bookmark us
Please, link us: