Search results for mental ray 3 6
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00:06, 
2008-05-31 14:02:33 Description: a scene created to see the new Mental ray shaders, every material there was made with the promaterials
3ds max 2009
Mental ray 3.6 (More) a scene created to see the new Mental ray shaders, every material there was made with the promaterials
3ds max 2009
Mental ray 3.6 (Less)
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24, 00:21, 2008-08-31 16:12:01 Description: Animation created on 3ds max 2009 and rendered on mental ray 3.6
Channel: youtubeTags: 3ds animation anime art car dawn documentary experimental film filmmaker interview lapse manga max mental ray reel road short steet sun sunset time trailer tutorial
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17, 09:50, 2009-05-21 08:00:12 Description: This is a step by step tutorial illustrating the workflow between Maya and Mudbox 1-Mesh preparation 2-UV alignment 3-OBJ Export 4-Sculpting tools 5-Displacement Map Extraction 6-Mental ray setup (More) This is a step by step tutorial illustrating the workflow between Maya and Mudbox 1-Mesh preparation 2-UV alignment 3-OBJ Export 4-Sculpting tools 5-Displacement Map Extraction 6-Mental ray setup 7-Approximation editor 8-Render (Less)
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2, 09:17, 2009-12-19 17:26:31 Description: www.the3dstudio.com www.fallingpixel.com
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10, 09:10, 2009-05-21 08:43:15 Description: This is a step by step tutorial illustrating the workflow between Maya and Mudbox 1-Mesh preparation 2-UV alignment 3-OBJ Export 4-Sculpting tools 5-Displacement Map Extraction 6-Mental ray setup (More) This is a step by step tutorial illustrating the workflow between Maya and Mudbox 1-Mesh preparation 2-UV alignment 3-OBJ Export 4-Sculpting tools 5-Displacement Map Extraction 6-Mental ray setup 7-Approximation editor 8-Render (Less)
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2, 03:31, 2009-11-03 10:33:43 Description: | www.mrbluesummers.com | In this Monday Movie I'll show you how to render a panoramic image in 3dsmax. You can save out the resultant image as a .hdr file and keep the high definition lighting (More) | www.mrbluesummers.com | In this Monday Movie I'll show you how to render a panoramic image in 3dsmax. You can save out the resultant image as a .hdr file and keep the high definition lighting information. In part 2, I'll show you how to do the same thing with e-on software's Vue 6 Infinite. In part 3, I'll bring either of those images back into 3dsmax and use them as HDRI image-based lighting. (Less)
Channel: youtubeTags: 3dsMax Rendering 3d studio max HDRI panoramic render 360 degree render mental ray tutorial walkthrough
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294, 01:27, 2008-04-17 15:08:54 Description: Jim Morrison December 8, 1943 - July 3, 1971 Jim Morrison 8 December..1943 - 3 Juli..1971 "Zeg enkel ik de grenzen van werkelijkheid testte. Ik was nieuwsgierig om te zien wat zou (More) Jim Morrison December 8, 1943 - July 3, 1971 Jim Morrison 8 December..1943 - 3 Juli..1971 "Zeg enkel ik de grenzen van werkelijkheid testte. Ik was nieuwsgierig om te zien wat zou gebeuren. Dat was allen het: nieuwsgierigheid enkel." -- Jim Morrison, Los Angeles, 1969 Elf maanden na het huwelijk van Steve en Clara Morrison, was Jim geboren. Zijn vader was conservatief geen onzin Zeeambtenaar, terwijl zijn moeder meer van een vrije geest, de dochter van een non-conformistadvocaat van Wisconsin was. Jim als de meesten van die era, was het product van een geboortengolf in oorlogstijd die in de recente jaren '40 voorkwam. Na Oorlog van de Wereld II, bewoog de familie zich aan Melbourne, Florida waar Steve werd geplaatst. Jammer genoeg voor Jim en zijn moeder, werd zijn vader gedwongen weggaan, aan de Stille Oceaan teruggaan om Hellcats van een vliegdekschip te vliegen. Voor de volgende drie jaar zouden Jim en zijn moeder met de familie van haar echtgenoot in Clearway, Florida moeten leven. Als zijn vader, had Jim een zeer strikte opvoeding die door Victorian cliches wordt geregeerd. In de grootoudershuis van Jim, werd hij gezien maar werd zelden gehoord. Zijnd oudere mensen waren zij zeer impatient met de jongen. De dingen waren niet groot ook niet voor Clara. Ouders van Steve waren zeer godsdienstige mensen die niet, roken dronken noch tolereerden om het even welk outlandish gedrag. Zij was een jonge vrouw die voor de Onafhankelijkheid longed die een huis van haar kon verstrekken. Hebbend weinig vrijheid in hun huis dat zij voor de terugkeer van haar echtgenoot longed. Maar omwille van haar huwelijk en de haar zoon Jim, handhaafde zij het impassible en soms stuffy huishouden dat haar schoonouders verstrekten. In 1946, was zij verlicht om het eind van de Afdeling te zien en met haar echtgenoot weer eens worden weer verenigd. Ondanks het eind van de oorlog, zouden de militaire verplichtingen Steve vanaf zijn familie voor lange tijdspannes blijven houden. Uiteindelijk verliet de familie Florida en bewoog zich aan Albuquerque, New Mexico waar Steve een instructeur in van de de atoomwapensprogramma's van Milty werd. Zodra terwijl zeven yaer-oude Jim met zijn ouders op een weg enkel buiten Albacore reisten, zij op een weggeknipte vrachtwagen kwamen die Pueblo Indi had gedragen. Zij waren uitgeworpen van het voertuig en gelegd helemaal over de verwonde weg en stierven. Dit incident be loedde het geheugen van Jim ' s vele jaren. Vaak zou hij verwijzen naar het incident beweert, dat dat van de zielen van de Indi zijn lichaam op het tijdstip van hun dood was ingegaan. Toen Jim een tiener zijn opnieuw bewogen familie werd, dit keer aan Alameda, Californi Alameda wordt gevestigd dichtbij San Francisco en nota genomen van voor het is zeeluchtpost. De levensstijl was omhoog verschillend dan hij aan in New Mexico werd gebruikt. Jim moest de overgang van de landelijke manieren van Albacore aan de nieuwe sociale nuancen van Noordelijk Californi aken. Het was niet meer koel om een fiets aan school, zo hoofed Jim te berijden het een mijl en de helft elke dag. Schone Levis was uit, zodat moest Jim zijn moeder informeren om zijn jeans niet te wassen elke week. Aandacht van medeklasgenoten doen bereiken zou hij om het even wat enkel stom om worden opgemerkt. Voor gelegenheid, bond hij een koord rond zijn oor en zette het andere eind in zijn mond. Wanneer gevraagd wat hij die was, zijn antwoord was doet dat er een uiterst kleine emmer in zijn keel was en hij verzamelde speeksel voor medische tests. n van favoriete pastimes van Jim las. Hij hield MAD van tijdschrift, maar viel in liefde met Jack Kerouac's "op de Weg." Daar leerde hij van een nieuwe termijn die een nieuwe levensstijl zou begeleiden: Beatnik. Gelukkig voor Jim, was het hoofdkwartier voor alle Banken enkel zuivere veertig minuten weg in het Strand van het Noorden. Jim en zijn vrienden zouden vaak het Strand van het Noorden bezoeken, controlerend alle winkels en oneven boekhandels. Hij hield vooral van de boekhandels die gecensureerde boeken droegen. Daar ontmoette hij eens een lokale "beroemde" dichter bij van deze boekhandels. De bovengenoemde dichter hallo en Jim liepen. Hoewel Jim langzaam een rebel en misschien een "beatnik" werd hij bereikte altijd uitstekende rangen. Zonder veel inspanning kon hij een 88,32 gemiddelde handhaven en maakte tweemaal het eerbroodje. Zijn IQ was 149 en noteerde op GEZETEN met goed 528 in math en 630 in mondeling. Zijn eerste echte inleiding aan muziek was wanneer als tiener hij de dunne staven op Route 1, dichtbij het Geloof van het Fort, om aan zwarte blauwsingers zou bezoeken te luisteren. Zijn seconde was tijdens universiteit toen hij zijn toekomstige keyboardist, Miniseries van de Straal ontmoette. Jim werd aangetrokken naar de muziek van de Straal en had vaak zijn bandspel gehoord. Rick en Ravens, de band van de Straal, speelden soms het Gezamenlijke Westen van Turkije in Santa Monica een staaf die in de nabijgelegen strandgemeenschap wordt gevestigd. Tijdens zijn universiteitsjaren, streefde Jim ook een andere kunstvorm na: hij maakte kleine vreemde schetsen van macabre cijfers die behandelden geweld, pedofilie, seksueel enz. Al dit leidde aan een nog vreemdere filmcarri . Spoedig zou hij alles zetten wat achter hem om een band met sommige universiteitsvrienden te beginnen. Zeer "het openbaren" bekijkt in Jim Morrison de muziekzaken innocently met begonnen wanneer terwijl bij de Universiteit van de Staat van Florida samen met zijn vriend, SAM Klan, Jim voorstelde zij een band beginnen. SAM was drummer maar was niet van mening dat zijn vaardigheden genoeg goed waren een deel van een band te worden. SAM was niet zelfs dat zeker van het zingen van Jim capaciteiten, maar Morrison werd bepaald om deze onderneming van de grond te krijgen. Het was ook Jim die zonder een gehele partij van gedachte met de naam van de band op de proppen kwam: DE "DEUREN." Hij zei dat er twee entiteiten, het geweten en onbekend zijn. Allebei worden gescheiden door een deur en dat wat hij wilde zijn, de Deur. Toen Jim zijn ouders meedeelde dat hij zijn universiteitsgraad ging weg werpen om zijn dromen als singer in een rotsband na te streven, zijn weggeknipte vader! Hij herinnerde snel Jim over de verlaten pianolessen en de tijd eraan die hij heeft geweigerd om de hymnes van Kerstmis met de familie te zingen. Vader van Jim was boos omdat hij allen had betaald dat het geld voor een universiteitsonderwijs en nu Jim bereid was om het allen op een gril weg te werpen. Na alles wat, Jim nooit zijn ouders opnieuw schreven. Spoedig na graduatie van UCLA in 1965, sloot aan Jim zich bij de hippiesc in het Strand van Veneti Het was tegelijkertijd, een klein artistiek gebied dat hippies, vluchtelingen en kunstenaars aantrok. De jonge mensen brachten hun tijd aan het strand rokende pot of het dalen zuur door. Tijdens die era, was LSD nog wettelijk en kon bij de lokale "hoofdwinkel worden gekocht." Veneti as aan Los Angeles wat Ha -As aan San Francisco Jim nam woonplaats onder een promenade op waar hij zijn tijd doorbracht die drugs neemt en gedichten schrijft, tot hij vriend Ray Manzarek tegenkwam, een vroegere medeklasgenoot. Ray was een keyboardist in een kleine lokale rotsband die tegen alle andere banden in het gebied worstelde. Om het groot te maken, wenste hij speciale iets of iemand om zijn band zo speciaal te maken dat het van de rest duidelijk uit zou komen. Weinig wist hij dat dat speciale "ding" zijn vriend Jim was. n van de "gedichten" die hadden het begint op het strand was "Hello, houd ik van u," (1965) die door een jong, lang dun zwart meisje werd ge pireerd dat naar hem liep aangezien hij op een strand van Veneti at. "Sidewalk crouches bij haar voeten zoals een hond die voor zoet bedelt iets u hoopt aan eke haar, u dwaas ziet? Hoopt u om dit duistere juweel te plukken? Ray werd uiterst indruk gemaakt op na het lezen van wat van het gedicht van Jim en voorstelde dat zij een band samenbrachten. Hij overtuigde Jim dat zij muziek aan zijn po e konden zetten en dat hij zijn gedichten op stadium "kon zingen". Jim had reeds een wens gehad om een band samen te brengen maar niet de visie of de leden gehad om het samen te brengen. Zij wierven twee nieuwe leden, Robbie Kroger, gitarist en John Tonsure, drummer aan en begonnen speel de clubs op de Strook van de Zonsondergang. Spoedig werden zij de erkenning die zij en zich op de "betere" clubs hebben verdiend bewogen. Door begin 1966, had de band ongeveer vijfentwintig originele liederen in hun repertoire. n waarvan het "Eind was," een lied niet over dood zoals de meesten maar over langzaam verdwenen liefde geloven. Met tegenzin ondertekende de Kiesvoorzitter van Verslagen, Horseman van de Punt de groep aan een opnamecontract. Zij sneden hun eerste album in 1967, de "Deuren" dat werd vrijgegeven en snel universele toejuiching ontving. Het "licht Mijn Brand" werd de eerste werkelijk grote enige klap van de groep en ontwierp hen toen aan aantal op de muziekgrafieken. Samen met hun klap, ontwikkelde Jim snel een reputatie voor onregelmatig openbaar gedrag op stadium. 9 December..1967 merkte eerste van vele incidenten terwijl in overleg. Tijdens een show in Nieuw Toevluchtsoord, Connecticut werd hij gearresteerd voor het proberen om een rel op te roepen door de menigte te vertellen dat de politie hem en journalist Patricia Genially met foeliecoulisse vlak v het overleg had bespoten. Dan in 1 Maart..1969, was Jim opnieuw bij het. Tijdens een ander overleg, dit keer in conservatief Miami, Florida, werd Morrison gearresteerd voor het blootstellen van op stadium en het gebruiken van profanity. De wettelijke problemen bewogen de groep ertoe om hun het boeken voor de verscheidene maanden daarna los te maken. Thankfully hadden zij nog hun klapverslagen die toeclip de grafieken voortzetten om hen in drugs, drank en vrouwen te houden. Geschonken door iemand wie anoniem wenst te blijven. Dit is het daadwerkelijke arrestatieverslag van Jim Morrison in Miami, Florida. Morrison werd gebracht aan proef en hurkte van de lasten van lewd en lascivious gedrag. Hij was nochtans, schuldig van onfatsoenlijke blootstelling en profanity en werd veroordeeld aan acht maanden in gevangenis. Het oordeel was een beroep gedaan en Jim bleef vrij op borgtocht. Vermoeid van de gehele sc en de perspectieven op het gaan gevangen zetten, Jim en meisje, bewoog Pamela zich aan Parijs, Frankrijk. De gehele tijd dat Morrison in Parijs was, zwaar dronk hij. Hij hield van wijnbistros en de koffie. Nu had hij bovenmatig gewicht bereikt en door zijn periode "Elvis" gegaan. Voor gelegenheid, zat Jim in een koffie drinkend toen hij sommige jonge geitjes opmerkte toting guitar gevallen. Na een tijdje dat hij over aan hun lijst heeft gelopen en gevraagd hen als zij waren Amerikanen. Zij zeiden dat zij waren en toen Morrison waar hij was van vroegen, erkennend niet de GROTE rotsster. Aangezien het zij al bijgewoonde UCLA bleek. Na twintig vragen, samen brachten de jonge geitjes definitief wie Morrison was. Na zich overvloedig het verontschuldigen, behandelde Jim hen aan dranken van whisky met bierjagers. Een paar dranken die tot een onvoorbereide jamzitting worden geleid met Jim, een ervaring ben ik zeker zij nooit vergaten. Rond 1 Juli..1971, om welk reden ook Morrison in een periode van despondency was uitgegleden. Hij dronk veel slechter dan ooit, maar probeerde op te houden met. In het midden van al deze chaos probeerde hij te schrijven. Jammer genoeg werd hij geblokkeerd, zouden de woorden niet stromen. Pamela werd ongerust gemaakt voor hem en zijn geestelijke staat. Zij probeerde om hem af te leiden en hem gelukkige onder geen beding te maken. Hij werd zelfs verzocht door vrienden om zich bij hen voor diner aan te sluiten de volgende dag, maar weigerde te gaan omdat hij niet hen met zijn gedeprimeerde staat wilde zadelen. Tot slot overreedden zij hem en hij bleef stil voor de volledige maaltijd. Na diner nam hij het huis van Pamela en ging alledgedly naar movie, "Achtervolgd" starring Robert Mitchum. Er is alot van tegenspraak betreffende zijn verblijfplaats die avond. Sommigen zeggen hij naar het gedeprimeerde Circus van het Broodje van de Rots ' n ' ging, zo dat hij of andere hero en O.D'd in het clubtoilet kocht. Vermoedelijk werd hij toen uitgevoerd de achterdeur en werd gedumpt bij zijn vlakte, in de badkuip. Een ander gerucht is dat hij Pamela verliet en voor de luchthaven leidde. De getuigen hebben ge t om hem zien te hebben inschepend een vliegtuig. Beroemdst van geruchten was dat na het lopen rond de hele nacht hij naar huis terugkeerde klaagde dat hij voelde en goed geen bad nam. Tijdens zijn bad, braakte hij een kleine hoeveelheid bloed uit. Dit was gemeenschappelijk voor hem en Pam dacht niet om het even wat verkeerd was. Spoedig ging zij en verliet hem in het bad naar bed. Later zij awoke omdat hij zich niet bij haar had aangesloten, die toen zij hem vond. Zijn wapens waren gedrapeerd over de kanten van de ton en zijn hoofd leunde terug, zijn lang gematteerd en nat haar. Hij had een grijns op zijn schoon geschoren gezicht. In eerste gedachte Pam speelde hij toen op een andere van zijn zieke grappen, maar merkte hij ademde en niet de de reanimatieeenheid van de brandafdeling riep. Na hen kwamen een arts en de politie op de sc aan. Het was te laat, was het het "Eind" voor Jim. Wat er ook op die fateful Vrijdag nacht gebeurde, weten wij dat op 5 Juli, de geruchten doorgaven dat hij dood was. De Engelse kranten riepen Verslagen Elektra om te verifi n al dan niet hij dood was. Niemand kende om het even wat. Het enige ding dat kon blijken hij was een verzegelde doodskist, een een ondertekend overlijdensakte en woord van Pamela dood was. De begrafenis regelingen werden snel gemaakt en werden in het geheim bevestigd. Pamela diende de overlijdensakte met de Amerikaanse Ambassade in, identificeert hem als James Douglas Morrison. Ook zei zij er geen andere levende verwanten waren. De offici doodsoorzaak werd vermeld als hartaanval. Op 7 Juli, werd zijn doodskist verminderd in een graf ' Chaise van La een Pere. Dit was de begraafplaats dat gravehunter, Jim Morrison uren zoekend de graven van beroemd zou doorbrengen: Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde, Balzac, Bizet en Chopin. Doodskist van Morrison moest op 6 Juli, van 2001 worden geopend en hij ging aan Californi orden opnieuw gevestigd toen zijn "huur" verliep. Beide gebeurtenissen hebben nog voor te komen. Deze foto werd gegeven aan me door sommige zeer aardige mensen die ik bij het Boek Internationale Fest van Miami ontmoette. Ik verloor het document dat zij gaven me met hun naam, adres enz. Zo als iemand de foto wil eisen door te identificeren, me met de elektronische post versturen en ik zal u krediet voor de foto geven en zal het terug naar u verzenden. Drie later jaar, stierf het meisje Pamela Courson aan een herionoverdosis in Parijs. Zij ook was zevenentwintig op het tijdstip van haar dood. L.A. Vrouw die in de hand van Jim wordt geschreven Morrison's. Onlangs zag ik speciaal op televisie over deze twee kerels, misschien broers die de werkelijk reusachtige ventilators van Jim Morrison waren. Ik geloof zij ergens in Detroit leefden, kan me ik herinneren niet en het is niet van belang. In elk geval, beslisten zij een mislukking van Jim te maken en het te trekken aan Parijs om het op zijn graf op te richten. Eigenlijk keek de mislukking werkelijk goed en zou een ontzagwekkende toevoeging aan zijn graf geweest zijn. Ik weet niet waarom zij niet de familie contacteerden en vraag toestemming. Ik ben zeker de familie o.k. voor deze inspanning zou gegeven hebben. Zo zetten deze kerels de mislukking van de het levensgrootte van Jim in hun koffer (of reus hatbox, hoe een mislukking op een vliegtuig? draagt) en van gaan zij naar Frankrijk. Dit moet pre geweest zijn - 911 omdat zij geen problemen vervoerend de mislukking ontmoetten. Kon u, een bom die in de vorm van het hoofd van Jim wordt gevormd Morrison's veronderstellen? Tot slot worden zij aan de begraafplaats equpped met machtshulpmiddelen en wachten tot de begraafplaats of of sluitend wordt gesloten en er zeer rond weinig als geen mensen waren. Zodra zij denken is de kust duidelijk, beginnen zij en hamer bij het graf van Morrison boren om de mislukking te installeren. Natuurlijk lokale begraafplaats worden cops bijeengeroepen en spoedig verschijnen zij. In plaats van werkelijk gek het zijn bij deze twee kerels werden zij genomen met de schoonheid van het standbeeld. Het is zeer Frans om kunst te waarderen zelfs als er een misdaad in uitvoering vooruitgang is. Hoewel zij dachten was het gehele ding koel, zij nog een te doen baan hadden en arresteerden twee. Drie van hen, de twee kerels en de mislukking, gebracht=werden= aan de lokale Franse gevangenis, werden gevraagd en toen werden gedeporteerd terug naar de V.S. Dat min of meer was het eind van hun opdracht. Vertel me, wat zij dacht? HET "EIND" "Let's just say I was testing the bounds of reality. I was curious to see what would happen. That's all it was: just curiosity." -- Jim Morrison, Los Angeles, 1969 Eleven months after the marriage of Steve and Clara Morrison, Jim was born. His father was a conservative no nonsense Naval officer, while his mother was more of a free spirit, the daughter of a maverick lawyer from Wisconsin. Jim like most from that era, was the product of a wartime baby boom that occurred in the late forties. After World War II, the family moved to Melbourne, Florida where Steve was stationed. Unfortunately for Jim and his mother, his father was forced to leave, in order to go back to the Pacific to fly Hellcats from an aircraft carrier. For the next three years Jim and his mother would have to live with her husband's family in Clearway, Florida. Like his father, Jim had a very strict upbringing governed by Victorian cliches. In Jim's grandparents house, he was seen but rarely heard. Being older people they were very impatient with the boy. Things were not great for Clara either. Steve's parents were very religious people who did not drink, smoke nor tolerated any outlandish behavior. She was a young woman who longed for the Independence's that a home of her own could provide. Having little freedom in their house she longed for her husband's return. But for the sake of her marriage and her son Jim, she maintained the impassible and sometimes stuffy household that her in-laws provided. In 1946, she was relieved to see the Ward's end and to be rejoined with her husband once more. Despite the end of the war, military obligations would continue to keep Steve away from his family for long periods of time. Eventually the family left Florida and moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where Steve became an instructor in one of the Milty's atomic weapons programs. Once while the seven year old Jim was traveling with his parents on a highway just outside of Albacore, they came upon a flipped truck that had been carrying Pueblo Indians. They had been ejected from the vehicle and were laying all over the road injured and dying. This incident affected Jim 's memory for many years. Frequently he would refer to the incident, claiming that one of the Indian's souls had entered his body at the time of their death. When Jim became a teenager his family moved again, this time to Alameda, California. Alameda is located near San Francisco and noted for it's naval air station. The lifestyle was aloft different than the one he was used to in New Mexico. Jim had to make the transition from the rural ways of Albacore to the new social nuances of Northern California. It was no longer cool to ride a bike to school, so Jim hoofed it a mile and a half each day. Clean Levis were out, so Jim had to inform his mother not to wash his jeans every week. To gain attention from fellow classmates he would do anything stupid just to be noticed. On one occasion, he tied a string around his ear and put the other end in his mouth. When asked what was he doing, his reply was that there was a tiny bucket in his throat and he was collecting saliva for medical tests. One of Jim's favorite pastimes was reading. He loved MAD magazine, but fell in love with Jack Kerouac's "On the Road." There he learned of a new term that would accompany a new lifestyle: Beatnik. Fortunately for Jim, the headquarters for all Banks was just a mere forty minutes away in North Beach. Jim and his friends would frequently visit North Beach, checking out all the shops and odd bookstores. He especially loved the bookstores that carried censored books. There he once met a local "famous" poet at one of these bookstores. The poet said hi and Jim ran. Although Jim was slowly becoming a rebel and perhaps a "beatnik" he always achieved excellent grades. Without much effort he was able to maintain a 88.32 average and twice made the honor roll. His IQ was 149 and scored well on the SAT with a 528 in math and 630 in the verbal. His first real introduction to music was when as a teenager he would visit the sleazy bars on Route 1, near Fort Belief, to listen to the black blues singers. His second was during college when he met his future keyboardist, Ray's Miniseries. Jim was attracted to Ray's music and had frequently heard his band play. Rick and the Ravens, Ray's band, sometimes played the Turkey Joint West in Santa Monica a bar located in the nearby beach community. During his college years, Jim also pursued another art form: he made little strange sketches of macabre figures that dealt with violence, pedophilia, sexually, etc. All this led up to an even stranger film career. Soon he would put all that behind him to start a band with some college friends. A very "revealing" look at Jim Morrison The music business began innocently when while at Florida State University along with his friend, Sam Klan, Jim suggested they start a band. Sam was a drummer but didn't feel that his skills were good enough to become part of a band. Sam wasn't even that sure of Jim's singing abilities, but Morrison was determined to get this venture off the ground. It was also Jim that without a whole lot of thought came up with the band's name: "THE DOORS." He said that there are two entities, the known and the unknown. Both are separated by a door and that's what he wanted to be, The Door. When Jim informed his parents that he was going to throw away his college degree to pursue his dreams as a singer in a rock band, his father flipped! He quickly reminded Jim about the abandoned piano lessons and the time he refused to sing Christmas carols with the family. Jim's father was angry because he had paid all that money for a college education and now Jim was prepared to throw it all away on a whim. After all that, Jim never wrote his parents again. Soon after graduation from UCLA in 1965, Jim joined the hippie scene in Venice Beach. It was at the time, a small artistic area that attracted hippies, runaways and artists. Young people spent their time on the beach smoking pot or dropping acid. During that era, LSD was still legal and could be purchased at the local "head shop." Venice was to Los Angeles what Haiti-Ashes to San Francisco Jim took up residence under a boardwalk where he spent his time taking drugs and writing poems, until he ran into friend Ray Manzarek, a former fellow classmate. Ray was a keyboardist in a small local rock band that was struggling against all the other bands in the area. In order to make it big, he needed something or someone special to make his band so special that it would stand out from the rest. Little did he know that that special "thing" was his friend Jim. One of the "poems" that had it's beginning on the beach was "Hello, I Love You," (1965) which was inspired by a young, long thin black girl who was walking towards him as he sat on a Venice beach. "Sidewalk crouches at her feet Like a dog that begs for something sweet Do you hope to eke her see, you fool? Do you hope to pluck this dusky jewel? Ray was extremely impressed after reading some of Jim's poem and suggested that they put together a band. He convinced Jim that they could put music to his poetry and that he could "sing" his poems on stage. Jim had already had a desire to put a band together but didn't have the vision or the members to get it together. They recruited two new members, Robbie Kroger, guitarist and John Tonsure, drummer and began playing the clubs on the Sunset Strip. Soon they were getting the recognition they deserved and moved on to the "better" clubs. By early 1966, the band had about twenty-five original songs in their repertoire. One of which was "The End," a song not about death as most believe but about faded love. Reluctantly Electoral Records president, Jag Horseman signed the group to a recording contract. They cut their first album in 1967, "The Doors" which was released and quickly received universal acclaim. "Light My Fire" became the group's first really big hit single and then projected them to number one on the music charts. Along with their hit, Jim quickly developed a reputation for erratic public behavior on stage. December 9, 1967 marked the first of many incidents while in concert. During a show in New Haven, Connecticut he was arrested for attempting to incite a riot by telling the crowd that the police had sprayed him and journalist Patricia Genially with mace backstage just before the concert. Then in March 1, 1969, Jim was at it again. During another concert, this time in conservative Miami, Florida, Morrison was arrested for exposing himself on stage and using profanity. The legal troubles caused the group to loose their bookings for the next several months. Thankfully they still had their hit records that continued toeclip the charts to keep them in drugs, drink and women. Donated by someone who wishes to remain anonymous. This is the actual arrest record of Jim Morrison in Miami, Florida. Morrison was brought to trial and squatted of the charges of lewd and lascivious behavior. He was however, guilty of indecent exposure and profanity and was sentenced to eight months in prison. The verdict was appealed and Jim remained free on bail. Tired of the whole scene and the prospects of going to jail, Jim and girlfriend, Pamela moved to Paris, France. The whole time that Morrison was in Paris, he drank heavily. He loved the wine bistros and cafes. By now he had gained excessive weight and was going through his "Elvis" period. On one occasion, Jim was sitting in a cafe drinking when he noticed some kids toting guitar cases. After a while he walked over to their table and asked them if they were Americans. They said that they were and then asked Morrison where he was from, not recognizing the BIG rock star. As it turned out they all attended UCLA. After twenty questions, the kids finally put together who Morrison was. After apologizing profusely, Jim treated them to drinks of whiskey with beer chasers. A few drinks led to an impromptu jam session with Jim, an experience I'm sure they never forgot. Around July 1, 1971, for whatever reason Morrison had slipped into a period of despondency. He was drinking far worse than ever, but was trying to quit. In the middle of all this chaos he was trying to write. Unfortunately he was blocked, the words would not flow. Pamela was worried for him and his mental state. She tried to distract him and make him happy to no avail. He was even invited by friends to join them for dinner the next day, but refused to go because he didn't want to saddle them with his depressed state. Finally they persuaded him and he remained quiet for the entire meal. After dinner he took Pamela home and alledgedly went to a movie, "Pursued" starring Robert Mitchum. There are alot of contradictions concerning his whereabouts that evening. Some say he went to the Rock 'n' Roll Circus, so depressed that he bought some heroin and O.D'd in the club lavatory. Supposedly he was then carried out the back door and dumped at his flat, in the bathtub. Another rumor is that he left Pamela and headed for the airport. Witnesses have claimed to have seen him boarding a plane. The most famous of rumors were that after walking around all night he returned home complained that he wasn't feeling well and took a bath. During his bath, he regurgitated a small quantity of blood. This was common for him and Pam didn't think anything was wrong. Soon she went to bed and left him in the bath. Later she awoke because he had not joined her, that's when she found him. His arms were draped over the sides of the tub and his head was leaning back, his long hair matted and wet. He had a grin on his clean shaven face. At first Pam thought he was playing another one of his sick jokes, but then noticed he wasn't breathing and called the fire department's resuscitation unit. After them a doctor and the police arrived on the scene. It was too late, it was "The End" for Jim. Whatever happened on that fateful Friday night, we know that on July 5th, rumors circulated that he was dead. English newspapers were calling Elektra Records to verify whether or not he was dead. No one knew anything. The only thing that could prove he was dead was a sealed coffin, a signed death certificate and Pamela's word. Funeral arrangements were quickly made and secretly confirmed. Pamela filed the death certificate with the American Embassy, identifying him as James Douglas Morrison. Also she said there were no other living relatives. The official cause of death was listed as a heart attack. On July 7th, his coffin was lowered into a grave a Pere' La Chaise. This was the cemetery that gravehunter, Jim Morrison would spend hours looking for the graves of the famous: Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde, Balzac, Bizet and Chopin. Morrison's coffin was to be opened on July 6th, of 2001 and he was going to be relocated to California when his "lease" expired. Both events have yet to occur. This photo was given to me by some very nice people whom I met at the Miami Book Fest International. I lost the paper that they gave me with their name, address etc. So if someone wants to claim the photo by identifying themselves, email me and I'll give you credit for the photo and send it back to you. Three years later, girlfriend Pamela Courson died of a herion overdose in Paris. She too was twenty-seven at the time of her death. L.A. Woman written in Jim Morrison's hand. Recently I saw a special on television about these two guys, perhaps brothers who were really huge Jim Morrison fans. I believe they lived in Detroit somewhere, I can't remember and it doesn't matter. Anyway, they decided to make a bust of Jim and lug it to Paris to erect it on his grave. Actually the bust really looked good and would have been an awesome addition to his grave. I don't know why they didn't contact the family and ask permission. I'm sure the family would have given the okay for this endeavor. So these guys put the life size bust of Jim in their suitcase (or giant hatbox, how does one carry a bust on a plane?) and off they go to France. This must have been pre- 911 because they didn't encounter any problems transporting the bust. Could you imagine, a bomb molded in the shape of Jim Morrison's head? Finally they get to the cemetery equpped with power tools and wait until the cemetery is either closed or closing and there were very little if no people around. As soon as they think the coast is clear, they commence to drill and hammer at Morrison's grave to install the bust. Of course the local cemetery cops are summoned and soon they appear. Instead of really being mad at these two guys they were taken with the beauty of the statue. It's very French to appreciate art even if there is a crime in progress. Although they thought the whole thing was cool, they still had a job to do and arrested the two. The three of them, the two guys and the bust, were brought to the local French jail, questioned and then deported back to the U.S. That more or less was the end of their mission. Tell me, what were they thinking? "THE END" (Less)
Channel: 123videoTags: a as Door fly gig in Jim loud Morrison out plane poetry private reads s the they to Jim Morrison: De Deuren: Luide po e in het priv liegtuig van de Deur (aangezien zij aan een jol vliegen)
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1044, 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)
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345, 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)
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399, 09:31, 2008-04-21 20:51:58 Description: http://www.myspace.com/wewin ...right after Tes ripped the stage with Justice.... dp Jordie LaForge filmed some grown ladies having fun ......what happens when you mix liquid n crippy? .....bigggup (More) http://www.myspace.com/wewin ...right after Tes ripped the stage with Justice.... dp Jordie LaForge filmed some grown ladies having fun ......what happens when you mix liquid n crippy? .....bigggup Maggie, Bijules, dj O, Ettienne, and evibody else who was thurrr... dj Raedawn aka Crunc Tesla Jordie Laforge Diego Maraedonna. Dawn Ra Sid Licious Radon Raydawn. 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Channel: youtubeTags: American Assault crunk dj drunk hyphy mixtape nono nonostyle Panties Party Raedawn rap Techno Tes tv Uno warhologram
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188, 01:08, 2008-04-22 09:41:10 Description: http://www.tubetop100.com for the full YouTube Top 100! Link exchangers wanted! ------------------- July 11, 2007 1. AKON Smack's That!! UNCENSORED (TV-MA) 04:53 From: nogoodtv Views: 277.721 (More) http://www.tubetop100.com for the full YouTube Top 100! Link exchangers wanted! ------------------- July 11, 2007 1. AKON Smack's That!! UNCENSORED (TV-MA) 04:53 From: nogoodtv Views: 277.721 Description: Welcome to an EXCLUSIVE and UNCENSORED interview with one of the hottest sensations in the world of hip hop, AKON on the ultimate show for the Hip Hop fan NO GOOD TV's HUSTLA'S BALL!!For more uncensored music visit NO GOOD TV at Akon often goes by the shorter, Alioune Thiam, though other sources have said his name is Alioune Badara Thiam, The long form of his name, "Alioune Badara Akon Thiam," has been independently verified on an interview for smash time radio.com.He is the son of jazz percussionist, Mor Thiam. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri but grew up in Senegal until he was seven. He split time between Senegal and the U.S. until he was fifteen, then his family permanently moved to Jersey City, New Jersey and as such he speaks English, French, and Wolof. He recorded his first song, "Operations of Nature," at the age of fifteen. He was jailed for armed robbery and drug distribution charges, and used his time in prison to work on his music. Upon release, Akon began writing and recording tracks in his home studio. The tapes found their way to SRC/Universal, which released Akon's debut LP Trouble in June 2004. The album is a hybrid of Akon's silky, West African-styled vocals mixed with East Coast and Southern beats.Akon's solo debut album, Trouble was released on June 29, 2004. It spawned the hit singles "Locked Up" and "Lonely," as well as "Belly Dancer (Bananza)," "Pot Of Gold," and "Ghetto". Akon served a three-year jail sentence for grand theft auto, an experience that inspired his "Locked Up". "Locked Up" reached the top 10 in the U.S. and the top five in the UK. His manager Robert Montanez was shot to death following a dispute in New Jersey in December 2005. "Ghetto" became a radio hit when it was remixed by Green Lantern to include verses from legendary rappers 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G. In 2005, he released the single "Lonely" (which samples Bobby Vinton's "Mr. Lonely"). The song reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100, and topped the charts in Australia, the UK and Germany. His album also climbed to number one in the UK in April, 2005. When music channel The Box had a top ten weekly chart, which was calculated by the amount of video requests, Akon's "Lonely" became the longest running single on the top of the chart, spanning over fifteen weeks. Akon then released another single featuring with a New Zealand rapper, Savage with the single Moonshine, which had become a success in both New Zealand and Australia, becoming number one in the New Zealand charts. In 2005, Akon gained more popularity after being featured on Young Jeezy's debut album, Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101, on the song "Soul Survivor" which became a top five hit on the Billboard Hot 100.Akon's second album, entitled Konvicted, was released on November 14, 2006. Konvicted included collaborations with Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Styles P. Late August 2006, Akon released the single "Smack That" featuring Eminem, from the album. This single peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks. The music video for "Smack That" was directed by Raymond Garced. "I Wanna Fuck You", the second single off Konvicted, was released in September 2006. It is a collaboration between Akon and Snoop Dogg. This single earned Akon his first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100, and Snoop's second. "I Wanna Fuck You" topped the U.S. charts for two consecutive weeks. In January 2007, Akon released his third single "Don't Matter" which earned him his first solo number one and second consecutive Hot 100 chart topper. So far, the album has spawned three hit singles which have peaked within the top two of the Billboard Hot 100. Konvicted debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 286,000 copies in its first week. After only six weeks, Konvicted sold more than one million records in the U.S. and more than 1.3 million worldwide. The album was certified platinum after seven weeks, and after sixteen weeks it was certified double platinum. Konvicted was able to stay in the top twenty of the Billboard 200 for 28 consecutive weeks, where it peaked at number two on four different occasions. Currently it has sold more than 2.4 million records in the U.S. and 3.8 million worldwide in 30 weeks.On October 5, 2006, Akon broke a record on the Hot 100, as he achieved the largest climb in the chart's 48-year-history with "Smack That" jumping from number 95 to 7. The leap is fueled by its number six debut on Hot Digital Songs with 67,000 downloads. The record was broken on April 7, 2007 by Beyoncé and Shakira's Beautiful Liar when it jumped from 94 to 3 on the Hot 100, because of their 150,000 digital downloads on the Hot Digital Songs.In December 2006, Akon's "Smack That" was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards, but lost to Justin Timberlake and T.I.'s My Love.In 2006, Akon started his new record label Kon Live Distribution under Interscope Records. The first artist to sign was Chilli from TLC. Her debut solo album Point of View will be released under Kon Live. Earl Ray has also been signed to the label.He was featured on Gwen Stefani's latest album, The Sweet Escape. He made an appearance on the title track and second single, "The Sweet Escape". Akon produced the song. On December 10, 2006, Akon and Stefani appeared as musical guests on Saturday Night Live, however they did not perform the song as Stefani had not yet learned the lyrics. He performed the song live, however, on American Idol on March 28, 2007 due to Gwen Stefani's appearance as a coach the night before. "The Sweet Escape" has reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It reached #1 on United World Chart and is on the top for eight weeks. The song is also Akon's first #1 on World Chart.Akon collaborated with Chamillionaire on his mixtape, Mixtape Messiah 2. He is featured on "Ridin' Overseas", which he also produced. The mixtape became available for download on Chamillionaire's website on December 24, 2006.Akon and Young Jeezy are doing a collaborative album together. In 2006, after their 2005 Akon-produced single, "Soul Survivor", the duo said that there is a lot more to expect from them in the future.Akon also appeared on appeared on Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's album Strength and Loyalty and Three 6 Mafia's eighth studio album, Last 2 Walk, We The Best by DJ Khaled, Fabolous's album, From Nothin' to Somethin', with 50 Cent on some tracks for Curtis S.S.K., T.I.'s 5th album, T.I. vs. T.I.P., Mario's third solo album Go!, and will produce Daddy Yankee's El Cartel: The Big Boss which was released on June 5, 2007.Akon will be the executive producer of Not for Sale, Kardinal Offishall's fourth solo album. Akon will also be featured on the album's first single "Graveyard Shift".Akon holds the record for most guest appearances on popular television show American Idol with two. He once sung The Sweet Escape with Gwen Stefani and three weeks later he sung Don't Matter on the show while it was number one on the Billboard charts.Akon is planning to work on a full-length movie titled Illegal Alien. The film is based on some of the events of his life and actor Mekhi Phifer is set to play him.He was featured on a Verizon Wireless commercial. He was also featured singing Snitch along with Obie Trice on a CSI: Crime Scene Investigation episode named "Poppin' Tags."In February 2007, Akon launched his clothing line, Konvict Clothing. It features urban streetwear including denim jeans, hoodies, t-shirts and hats. Aliaune is the upscale version, or high-end line, for males and females, which includes blazers, denim jeans and other items. 2. YouTube GoVote for the Top 5! 00:43 From: Sketchies Views: 178.630 Description: Youtube Sketchies Go vote for your favorite, you choose the winner! 3. GREEN LASER PEN VIDEO AWESOME!!! 01:04 From: JohnCor27 Views: 161.931 Description: These green laser pens are awesome. They have a visible beam that can shine over 12miles and are 50x brighter than a red laser pen. They burn through plastic and even pop balloons!! They even light matches WOW. If you have any questions about these green laser pens just message mep.s music is 'we are free by lisa Gerrard from the film gladiator. 4. Copa America 2007 | Argentina vs Peru 4-0 04:52 From: scum000 Views: 109.373 Description: Quarter-Finals goalsArgentina-Peru 4-01-0 Riquelme2-0 Messi3-0 Mascherano4-0 Riquelme 5. .: Crazy for Messi :. Fanatica Loca por Messi se tira 00:28 From: pepexe Views: 93.414 Description: Una fanatica de Lionel Messi se deja caer desde las alturas para intentar conseguir un abrazo de la máxima estrella del futbol mundial. Hecho ocurrido despues del partido por cuartos de final de la Copa America 2007 en Venezuela disputado entre la Argentina y Peru.A Messi's fan girl falls trying to get a hug.Musica de Soda Stereo - En la ciudad de la furia... Me veras caer 6. Wprost.pl: Spowiedź Rydzyka cz. 1 03:48 From: AWRWprost Views: 87.688 Description: Prezydentowa to czarownica, która powinna poddać się eutanazji. Prezydent - oszust ulegający lobby żydowskiemu. 7. Exclusive: Hollywood Sign Vandalized with Donut 00:20 From: woodburningfire Views: 80.910 Description: I was taking a tour of Hollywood over the 4th when I looked up at the sign...this is what I saw... 8. Me getting ready for the big show 00:31 From: esmeedenters Views: 69.211 Description: my view at the venue 9. Playboy's PLAYMATE OF THE YEAR Kara Monaco UNCENSORED pt.1 03:42 From: nogoodtv Views: 63.375 Description: An EXCLUSIVE and UNCENSORED episode of UP CLOSE featuring Playboy's Playmate of the Year 2006, KARA MONACO in a fun and revealing encounter with NO GOOD TV hosts Carrie Keagan and Shark Firestone.It's a pulse pounding, heart racing sit-down at the NO GOOD TV bar, THE SHARK TANK, with one of the most beautiful women on the planet as she discusses why she's the envy of all girls and how she keeps her body looking super tasty. It's a mental workout you wont want to miss.In part 1 of 3, watch Kara Monaco and Carrie Keagan bring to life a virtual boob buffet and in one of the hottest and most unique girl-on-girl action videos in the last decade: GIRL-ON-GIRL ACTION - WHEN SHARK ATTACKS!!!To see parts 2 and 3 of this hot encounter along with more UNCENSORED episodes of UP CLOSE visit NO GOOD TV at 10. Amazing Stop Motion Xbox 360 Commercial 00:43 From: lostbigfan1 Views: 60.266 Description: A Sculptor walks on to screen and sculpts the 3 summer blockbuster icons in front of your eyes! (Less)
Channel: youtube Rate it: Rate:
85, 01:08, 2007-07-10 15:49:40 Description: http://www.tubetop100.com for the full YouTube Top 100! Link exchangers wanted!
-------------------
July 11, 2007
1. AKON Smack's That!! UNCENSORED (TV-MA)
04:53
From: nogoodtv
Views: (More) http://www.tubetop100.com for the full YouTube Top 100! Link exchangers wanted!
-------------------
July 11, 2007
1. AKON Smack's That!! UNCENSORED (TV-MA)
04:53
From: nogoodtv
Views: 277.721
Description: Welcome to an EXCLUSIVE and UNCENSORED interview with one of the hottest sensations in the world of hip hop, AKON on the ultimate show for the Hip Hop fan NO GOOD TV's HUSTLA'S BALL!!For more uncensored music visit NO GOOD TV at Akon often goes by the shorter, Alioune Thiam, though other sources have said his name is Alioune Badara Thiam, The long form of his name, "Alioune Badara Akon Thiam," has been independently verified on an interview for smash time radio.com.He is the son of jazz percussionist, Mor Thiam. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri but grew up in Senegal until he was seven. He split time between Senegal and the U.S. until he was fifteen, then his family permanently moved to Jersey City, New Jersey and as such he speaks English, French, and Wolof. He recorded his first song, "Operations of Nature," at the age of fifteen. He was jailed for armed robbery and drug distribution charges, and used his time in prison to work on his music. Upon release, Akon began writing and recording tracks in his home studio. The tapes found their way to SRC/Universal, which released Akon's debut LP Trouble in June 2004. The album is a hybrid of Akon's silky, West African-styled vocals mixed with East Coast and Southern beats.Akon's solo debut album, Trouble was released on June 29, 2004. It spawned the hit singles "Locked Up" and "Lonely," as well as "Belly Dancer (Bananza)," "Pot Of Gold," and "Ghetto". Akon served a three-year jail sentence for grand theft auto, an experience that inspired his "Locked Up". "Locked Up" reached the top 10 in the U.S. and the top five in the UK. His manager Robert Montanez was shot to death following a dispute in New Jersey in December 2005. "Ghetto" became a radio hit when it was remixed by Green Lantern to include verses from legendary rappers 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G. In 2005, he released the single "Lonely" (which samples Bobby Vinton's "Mr. Lonely"). The song reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100, and topped the charts in Australia, the UK and Germany. His album also climbed to number one in the UK in April, 2005. When music channel The Box had a top ten weekly chart, which was calculated by the amount of video requests, Akon's "Lonely" became the longest running single on the top of the chart, spanning over fifteen weeks. Akon then released another single featuring with a New Zealand rapper, Savage with the single Moonshine, which had become a success in both New Zealand and Australia, becoming number one in the New Zealand charts. In 2005, Akon gained more popularity after being featured on Young Jeezy's debut album, Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101, on the song "Soul Survivor" which became a top five hit on the Billboard Hot 100.Akon's second album, entitled Konvicted, was released on November 14, 2006. Konvicted included collaborations with Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Styles P. Late August 2006, Akon released the single "Smack That" featuring Eminem, from the album. This single peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks. The music video for "Smack That" was directed by Raymond Garced. "I Wanna Fuck You", the second single off Konvicted, was released in September 2006. It is a collaboration between Akon and Snoop Dogg. This single earned Akon his first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100, and Snoop's second. "I Wanna Fuck You" topped the U.S. charts for two consecutive weeks. In January 2007, Akon released his third single "Don't Matter" which earned him his first solo number one and second consecutive Hot 100 chart topper. So far, the album has spawned three hit singles which have peaked within the top two of the Billboard Hot 100. Konvicted debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 286,000 copies in its first week. After only six weeks, Konvicted sold more than one million records in the U.S. and more than 1.3 million worldwide. The album was certified platinum after seven weeks, and after sixteen weeks it was certified double platinum. Konvicted was able to stay in the top twenty of the Billboard 200 for 28 consecutive weeks, where it peaked at number two on four different occasions. Currently it has sold more than 2.4 million records in the U.S. and 3.8 million worldwide in 30 weeks.On October 5, 2006, Akon broke a record on the Hot 100, as he achieved the largest climb in the chart's 48-year-history with "Smack That" jumping from number 95 to 7. The leap is fueled by its number six debut on Hot Digital Songs with 67,000 downloads. The record was broken on April 7, 2007 by Beyoncé and Shakira's Beautiful Liar when it jumped from 94 to 3 on the Hot 100, because of their 150,000 digital downloads on the Hot Digital Songs.In December 2006, Akon's "Smack That" was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards, but lost to Justin Timberlake and T.I.'s My Love.In 2006, Akon started his new record label Kon Live Distribution under Interscope Records. The first artist to sign was Chilli from TLC. Her debut solo album Point of View will be released under Kon Live. Earl Ray has also been signed to the label.He was featured on Gwen Stefani's latest album, The Sweet Escape. He made an appearance on the title track and second single, "The Sweet Escape". Akon produced the song. On December 10, 2006, Akon and Stefani appeared as musical guests on Saturday Night Live, however they did not perform the song as Stefani had not yet learned the lyrics. He performed the song live, however, on American Idol on March 28, 2007 due to Gwen Stefani's appearance as a coach the night before. "The Sweet Escape" has reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It reached #1 on United World Chart and is on the top for eight weeks. The song is also Akon's first #1 on World Chart.Akon collaborated with Chamillionaire on his mixtape, Mixtape Messiah 2. He is featured on "Ridin' Overseas", which he also produced. The mixtape became available for download on Chamillionaire's website on December 24, 2006.Akon and Young Jeezy are doing a collaborative album together. In 2006, after their 2005 Akon-produced single, "Soul Survivor", the duo said that there is a lot more to expect from them in the future.Akon also appeared on appeared on Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's album Strength and Loyalty and Three 6 Mafia's eighth studio album, Last 2 Walk, We The Best by DJ Khaled, Fabolous's album, From Nothin' to Somethin', with 50 Cent on some tracks for Curtis S.S.K., T.I.'s 5th album, T.I. vs. T.I.P., Mario's third solo album Go!, and will produce Daddy Yankee's El Cartel: The Big Boss which was released on June 5, 2007.Akon will be the executive producer of Not for Sale, Kardinal Offishall's fourth solo album. Akon will also be featured on the album's first single "Graveyard Shift".Akon holds the record for most guest appearances on popular television show American Idol with two. He once sung The Sweet Escape with Gwen Stefani and three weeks later he sung Don't Matter on the show while it was number one on the Billboard charts.Akon is planning to work on a full-length movie titled Illegal Alien. The film is based on some of the events of his life and actor Mekhi Phifer is set to play him.He was featured on a Verizon Wireless commercial. He was also featured singing Snitch along with Obie Trice on a CSI: Crime Scene Investigation episode named "Poppin' Tags."In February 2007, Akon launched his clothing line, Konvict Clothing. It features urban streetwear including denim jeans, hoodies, t-shirts and hats. Aliaune is the upscale version, or high-end line, for males and females, which includes blazers, denim jeans and other items.
2. YouTube GoVote for the Top 5!
00:43
From: Sketchies
Views: 178.630
Description: Youtube Sketchies Go vote for your favorite, you choose the winner!
3. GREEN LASER PEN VIDEO AWESOME!!!
01:04
From: JohnCor27
Views: 161.931
Description: These green laser pens are awesome. They have a visible beam that can shine over 12miles and are 50x brighter than a red laser pen. They burn through plastic and even pop balloons!! They even light matches WOW. If you have any questions about these green laser pens just message mep.s music is 'we are free by lisa Gerrard from the film gladiator.
4. Copa America 2007 | Argentina vs Peru 4-0
04:52
From: scum000
Views: 109.373
Description: Quarter-Finals goalsArgentina-Peru 4-01-0 Riquelme2-0 Messi3-0 Mascherano4-0 Riquelme
5. .: Crazy for Messi :. Fanatica Loca por Messi se tira
00:28
From: pepexe
Views: 93.414
Description: Una fanatica de Lionel Messi se deja caer desde las alturas para intentar conseguir un abrazo de la máxima estrella del futbol mundial. Hecho ocurrido despues del partido por cuartos de final de la Copa America 2007 en Venezuela disputado entre la Argentina y Peru.A Messi's fan girl falls trying to get a hug.Musica de Soda Stereo - En la ciudad de la furia... Me veras caer
6. Wprost.pl: Spowiedź Rydzyka cz. 1
03:48
From: AWRWprost
Views: 87.688
Description: Prezydentowa to czarownica, która powinna poddać się eutanazji. Prezydent - oszust ulegający lobby żydowskiemu.
7. Exclusive: Hollywood Sign Vandalized with Donut
00:20
From: woodburningfire
Views: 80.910
Description: I was taking a tour of Hollywood over the 4th when I looked up at the sign...this is what I saw...
8. Me getting ready for the big show
00:31
From: esmeedenters
Views: 69.211
Description: my view at the venue
9. Playboy's PLAYMATE OF THE YEAR Kara Monaco UNCENSORED pt.1
03:42
From: nogoodtv
Views: 63.375
Description: An EXCLUSIVE and UNCENSORED episode of UP CLOSE featuring Playboy's Playmate of the Year 2006, KARA MONACO in a fun and revealing encounter with NO GOOD TV hosts Carrie Keagan and Shark Firestone.It's a pulse pounding, heart racing sit-down at the NO GOOD TV bar, THE SHARK TANK, with one of the most beautiful women on the planet as she discusses why she's the envy of all girls and how she keeps her body looking super tasty. It's a mental workout you wont want to miss.In part 1 of 3, watch Kara Monaco and Carrie Keagan bring to life a virtual boob buffet and in one of the hottest and most unique girl-on-girl action videos in the last decade: GIRL-ON-GIRL ACTION - WHEN SHARK ATTACKS!!!To see parts 2 and 3 of this hot encounter along with more UNCENSORED episodes of UP CLOSE visit NO GOOD TV at
10. Amazing Stop Motion Xbox 360 Commercial
00:43
From: lostbigfan1
Views: 60.266
Description: A Sculptor walks on to screen and sculpts the 3 summer blockbuster icons in front of your eyes! (Less)
Channel: youtube Rate it: Rate:
16, 00:40, 2008-07-24 18:24:24 Description: Max 2009 Design test using Mental Ray 3.6 with a daylight system and some of the new pro-materials.
Channel: youtube Rate it: Rate:
47, 00:05, 2008-10-13 07:49:12 Description: Created with 3ds max 2009 and rendered on mental ray 3.6
lume submerge shader for underwater volume and caustics (More) Created with 3ds max 2009 and rendered on mental ray 3.6
lume submerge shader for underwater volume and caustics (Less)
Channel: youtube Rate it: Rate:
1, 01:30, 2009-08-24 14:55:10 Description: The first obligatory 3D project was about recreating a photograph as realistically as possible. I put together a little video of the progress pictures from start to finish. Made in Autodesk 3Ds Max (More) The first obligatory 3D project was about recreating a photograph as realistically as possible. I put together a little video of the progress pictures from start to finish. Made in Autodesk 3Ds Max 2009, rendered with Mental Ray 3.6 Hope you like it =) (Less)
Channel: youtube Rate it: Rate:
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