Inside Tracks #34: "Mighty Love"-Jefferson, Hawes & Simmons: The Spinners, 1973, with Covers by Todd Rundgren, Stanford Mendicants, Stuff, Larry Carlton, Phil Perry
Inside Tracks #34: "Mighty Love"-Jefferson, Hawes & Simmons: The Spinners, 1973, with Covers by Todd Rundgren, Stanford Mendicants, Stuff, Larry Carlton, Phil Perry
A couple of verses leads to the opportunity to stretch out on multiple choruses, while providing room for rapping, improv, and extended "disco" versions, 12" singles...and, acapella arrangements!
This is a band that I discovered (or paid more attention to, which is essentially the same thing, or better) thanks to you. You know I have a penchant for soulful vocal arrangements. I wasn't familiar with this song in particular, so I've been listening to it (as well as the entire album) and all I can say is what a journey. So refreshing as well, as most of the soul music I know from that era is, well... as phenomenal as it is tense (for a whole host of political/social/racial issues we all know about which I won't get into here). What I want point out is that these guys were doing something different, that sounded somewhart similar yet was markedly outside of the norm, in their own right.
A couple of months ago I found a copy in great condition of Cross Fire, one of their records from the 80s, and when I spin it (no pun intended!) I think of you! Looking forward to diving deeper into their discography. Thanks, as always, Brad. You rock!
Just what I wanted to hear.....all of it! Thanks, Andy! Two words, Boobie: Thom Bell. He is the architect of their sound. Gamble & Huff, yes; the phalanx of writers on the PIR staff, and certainly MFSB, the Sigma Studio band. Bell was the George Martin to The Spinners' Beatles. Whatever you give Martin for crafting the Fab 4 sound, that's how interwoven Bell's sensibilities and talents were into The Spinners' sound...writing, composing, producing, conducting, and arranging! In the '70s, Spinners or no, every time I saw Bell's name on a credit or a label, I picked it up....after a short while, it just didn't matter. I knew it'd be the tastiest "ear butter"!
Do me (and you, ultimately) a favor. Check out this album....Dionne Warwick's "Track of the Cat", 1975, Warner Bros. Records. I was 20, and it wouldn't.....couldn't leave the turntable! I was in a small apartment in Houston, probably making the transition from U of Houston radio station (where I had a 3-hour daily afternoon on-air shift, and was Music Director) to moving to commercial, CBS-owned KLOL-FM as a part-time, substitute DJ (and Sunday talk show producer)!
When you finish that, let me know, and I'll have another one for you!
As for "Cross Fire," I had lost track/interest in The Spinners after their final Atlantic/Bell album in '79. Plus, this '84 release found me back in college at 29, and long out of "the biz"! The Spinners were still their "usual lineup" selves, but with no Philly anchor and no Gamble & Huff, and certainly with no Bell (they had SIX different producers on "Cross Fire"!), they had none of their past tethers or anchors they had become used to (and were so successful)! Now, go on.....you've got "home work" to do!😉
Wow, simply wow. Your knowledge, for crying out loud! I see what you mean about producers not only leaving a mark, but being responsible for a type of sound, vibe and movement. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis come to mind, as the architects of most modern R&B (in my humble opinion).
I’ll definitely check out the track you mention and Warwick’s album. Thanks again!!!
And can I just add: I loooved what you told me about that apartment in Houston… I can picture it so well! Ahh… those times I missed yet so desperately miss! 🤩
I know.....oh, I know.😊I'm currently re-working/updating a piece solely with you in mind (and 💖). I think it may have originally dropped pre-Andy, and I'm not seeing any comments or likes from you on it, so.....I'm dressing it up a bit before re-releasing!🎁
Well, I wouldn't tell you anyway, 'cause it's got dead Spotify links (how does that happen, anyway? Am I supposed to become a "member" or something? Mainly the playlists I create there have a tendency to become dead or inoperable after several months)! So, that's another reason to re-do and re-release it...I'm re-creating the playlist! But, IF you haven't seen this one, then (based on our recent topics) you need to, and it wouldn't do to enjoy it unless and until I put a new shine on it!
I've already copied the post to drafts. Now, I'll put the old original out of its misery, send the new by e-mail to my paids (that's YOU!), and have it live anew on the site as a new release!
When I was 18 or 19, I bought The Spinners 'From Here To Eternally' on the strength of its cover art alone. Thinking and hoping it might have a thick Funkadelic groove, I was somewhat disappointed with its more disco production. I kept it, but needless to say, it didn't see the light of day for many years. About ten years ago, I picked up '2nd Time Around' and a Detroit Emeralds album, and it made me pull 'From Here To Eternally' back out and reassess it. Time definitely gave me a greater appreciation for it. '2nd Time Around,' however, is still my go-to Spinners LP.
Thanks for sharing all that, Michael! I think we've all felt similar, in that "musical maturity" way, I guess! Interesting album selection on either side of the decade....."2nd Time" their last for Motown, before signing with Atlantic, the era I'm focusing on.
"2nd Time" has a Stevie co-write, and a song he produced, the hit, "It's a Shame"....and "From Here".....I guess they were going with something with that jacket! It's the last album Thom Bell produced, conducted and arranged for the group. I hope, by now, you've come to appreciate Bell's work with an orchestra is about as deft and creative as Hendrix with a guitar!
As for "From Here," I actually hadn't heard it, and I'd never heard their cover of a song Elton John sang! My favorite Elton songs are, ironically enough, ones he didn't write! Namely the ones on the aborted "Thom Bell Sessions" from 1977: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thom_Bell_Sessions
I go deep on those sessions here. They had recorded an entire album, but what's left is an EP, or a short album, of just a few of the songs they had finished. And, it wasn't even released until a couple years later! Elton was clearly overmatched by Bell in the sessions, and Elton got increasingly indignant at having to bend to Bell's decisions, even though they got together, originally, because Elton was a fan of Bell's work: https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/disco-reduxthe-philly-found-and-forgotten
So, thank you for that......your Spinners anecdote, and sharing with me a song I hadn't heard before!
I enjoyed "Mighty Love." There are so many Spinners albums to explore! Yes, I do have a greater appreciation for them than I did when I first heard them. I'm quite surprised I held on to "Eternally," as it really did sit between so many other LPs for years. Going back to it was a bit of a revelation and a "it's not that bad." conversation in my head. Especially the boogie-oriented side 2! But I also have a much better appreciation for Disco today than I once did. It gets a bad rap and no doubt "Disco Duck" didn't help, but early disco and even bands who kept at it were simply part of popification of the underground sounds of the 70s. You'll also be pleased to hear that I played both of my Spinners records last night, so your article achieved what you set out to do! 😀
Oh, and...I'd love to hear your thoughts on The Nazz! 🤘
Disco was brilliant (like most sub-genres) early on (I peg its glory days as '72-'76 or so). But (like most sub-genres), the money-makers move in to exploit, bastardize, and dilute the original template....see punk, its urgent first mid-'70s birth (Damned, Pistols, Ramones....they HAD
to exist; it was organic).....and the late-'70s encroachment by the label suits (who had no clue) re-branding it (thanks Seymour!) "new wave" to make it palatable to the masses ("punk? ooh, gross!"), and smoothing it out for radio (see Police, Blondie, et al). Thanks for your encouraging words! Nice to hear!
The Nazz were terrific. Only discovered them, really, after falling in love with "Something/Anything" its week of release, then going back to get Todd's couple of earlier solo albums, while also reading the rock press about The Nazz. Interviews I've seen with Todd had him saying he formed Nazz after his love of the Yardbirds, Beatles and Beach Boys. I mean, with that pedigree, and confirmation of Todd's influences and inspiration, I was a Toddie for life! Needless to say, I was rather tongue-tied when the two of us met in '78! https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/into-the-doll-house-with-todd-rundgren-fb6
Nazz III was mostly material intended for Nazz Nazz (as part of a proposed double album), and as Nazz Nazz was a single LP, the trimmed parts made for most of III. Todd was writing most of the material, anyway, so A) move on, and B) the others were feeling like Todd's back-up band, to boot!
Yep.....largely forgotten, much less underrated! I love the comedic bit they devised (in concerts) to "be doing something" while Philippe "Soul" improved his way through the remainder of the song! They feigned trying to drag him offstage, ended up relenting, then turning it into a full-on audience-participation/meet'n'greet with the rest of the group! This was usually a show-ender, if not the encore, and literally sent the crowd out the doors dancing into the streets!
This is a band that I discovered (or paid more attention to, which is essentially the same thing, or better) thanks to you. You know I have a penchant for soulful vocal arrangements. I wasn't familiar with this song in particular, so I've been listening to it (as well as the entire album) and all I can say is what a journey. So refreshing as well, as most of the soul music I know from that era is, well... as phenomenal as it is tense (for a whole host of political/social/racial issues we all know about which I won't get into here). What I want point out is that these guys were doing something different, that sounded somewhart similar yet was markedly outside of the norm, in their own right.
A couple of months ago I found a copy in great condition of Cross Fire, one of their records from the 80s, and when I spin it (no pun intended!) I think of you! Looking forward to diving deeper into their discography. Thanks, as always, Brad. You rock!
Just what I wanted to hear.....all of it! Thanks, Andy! Two words, Boobie: Thom Bell. He is the architect of their sound. Gamble & Huff, yes; the phalanx of writers on the PIR staff, and certainly MFSB, the Sigma Studio band. Bell was the George Martin to The Spinners' Beatles. Whatever you give Martin for crafting the Fab 4 sound, that's how interwoven Bell's sensibilities and talents were into The Spinners' sound...writing, composing, producing, conducting, and arranging! In the '70s, Spinners or no, every time I saw Bell's name on a credit or a label, I picked it up....after a short while, it just didn't matter. I knew it'd be the tastiest "ear butter"!
Do me (and you, ultimately) a favor. Check out this album....Dionne Warwick's "Track of the Cat", 1975, Warner Bros. Records. I was 20, and it wouldn't.....couldn't leave the turntable! I was in a small apartment in Houston, probably making the transition from U of Houston radio station (where I had a 3-hour daily afternoon on-air shift, and was Music Director) to moving to commercial, CBS-owned KLOL-FM as a part-time, substitute DJ (and Sunday talk show producer)!
Thom Bell is all over this one....it's gorgeous! https://open.spotify.com/album/34k3Hgmd9sQnD8lU1XED39?si=d3fe292f584f4a53
When you finish that, let me know, and I'll have another one for you!
As for "Cross Fire," I had lost track/interest in The Spinners after their final Atlantic/Bell album in '79. Plus, this '84 release found me back in college at 29, and long out of "the biz"! The Spinners were still their "usual lineup" selves, but with no Philly anchor and no Gamble & Huff, and certainly with no Bell (they had SIX different producers on "Cross Fire"!), they had none of their past tethers or anchors they had become used to (and were so successful)! Now, go on.....you've got "home work" to do!😉
Wow, simply wow. Your knowledge, for crying out loud! I see what you mean about producers not only leaving a mark, but being responsible for a type of sound, vibe and movement. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis come to mind, as the architects of most modern R&B (in my humble opinion).
I’ll definitely check out the track you mention and Warwick’s album. Thanks again!!!
And can I just add: I loooved what you told me about that apartment in Houston… I can picture it so well! Ahh… those times I missed yet so desperately miss! 🤩
I know.....oh, I know.😊I'm currently re-working/updating a piece solely with you in mind (and 💖). I think it may have originally dropped pre-Andy, and I'm not seeing any comments or likes from you on it, so.....I'm dressing it up a bit before re-releasing!🎁
Oh really? Wow, what an honour! What piece is it? No, don’t tell me, surprise me! Looking forward to it!
Well, I wouldn't tell you anyway, 'cause it's got dead Spotify links (how does that happen, anyway? Am I supposed to become a "member" or something? Mainly the playlists I create there have a tendency to become dead or inoperable after several months)! So, that's another reason to re-do and re-release it...I'm re-creating the playlist! But, IF you haven't seen this one, then (based on our recent topics) you need to, and it wouldn't do to enjoy it unless and until I put a new shine on it!
I've already copied the post to drafts. Now, I'll put the old original out of its misery, send the new by e-mail to my paids (that's YOU!), and have it live anew on the site as a new release!
When I was 18 or 19, I bought The Spinners 'From Here To Eternally' on the strength of its cover art alone. Thinking and hoping it might have a thick Funkadelic groove, I was somewhat disappointed with its more disco production. I kept it, but needless to say, it didn't see the light of day for many years. About ten years ago, I picked up '2nd Time Around' and a Detroit Emeralds album, and it made me pull 'From Here To Eternally' back out and reassess it. Time definitely gave me a greater appreciation for it. '2nd Time Around,' however, is still my go-to Spinners LP.
Thanks for sharing all that, Michael! I think we've all felt similar, in that "musical maturity" way, I guess! Interesting album selection on either side of the decade....."2nd Time" their last for Motown, before signing with Atlantic, the era I'm focusing on.
"2nd Time" has a Stevie co-write, and a song he produced, the hit, "It's a Shame"....and "From Here".....I guess they were going with something with that jacket! It's the last album Thom Bell produced, conducted and arranged for the group. I hope, by now, you've come to appreciate Bell's work with an orchestra is about as deft and creative as Hendrix with a guitar!
I've written several Bell-centric articles, as he just passed away over a year ago. Here's my "memorial" piece: https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/a-life-worth-singing-remembering
As for "From Here," I actually hadn't heard it, and I'd never heard their cover of a song Elton John sang! My favorite Elton songs are, ironically enough, ones he didn't write! Namely the ones on the aborted "Thom Bell Sessions" from 1977: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thom_Bell_Sessions
I go deep on those sessions here. They had recorded an entire album, but what's left is an EP, or a short album, of just a few of the songs they had finished. And, it wasn't even released until a couple years later! Elton was clearly overmatched by Bell in the sessions, and Elton got increasingly indignant at having to bend to Bell's decisions, even though they got together, originally, because Elton was a fan of Bell's work: https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/disco-reduxthe-philly-found-and-forgotten
So, thank you for that......your Spinners anecdote, and sharing with me a song I hadn't heard before!
I enjoyed "Mighty Love." There are so many Spinners albums to explore! Yes, I do have a greater appreciation for them than I did when I first heard them. I'm quite surprised I held on to "Eternally," as it really did sit between so many other LPs for years. Going back to it was a bit of a revelation and a "it's not that bad." conversation in my head. Especially the boogie-oriented side 2! But I also have a much better appreciation for Disco today than I once did. It gets a bad rap and no doubt "Disco Duck" didn't help, but early disco and even bands who kept at it were simply part of popification of the underground sounds of the 70s. You'll also be pleased to hear that I played both of my Spinners records last night, so your article achieved what you set out to do! 😀
Oh, and...I'd love to hear your thoughts on The Nazz! 🤘
Disco was brilliant (like most sub-genres) early on (I peg its glory days as '72-'76 or so). But (like most sub-genres), the money-makers move in to exploit, bastardize, and dilute the original template....see punk, its urgent first mid-'70s birth (Damned, Pistols, Ramones....they HAD
to exist; it was organic).....and the late-'70s encroachment by the label suits (who had no clue) re-branding it (thanks Seymour!) "new wave" to make it palatable to the masses ("punk? ooh, gross!"), and smoothing it out for radio (see Police, Blondie, et al). Thanks for your encouraging words! Nice to hear!
The Nazz were terrific. Only discovered them, really, after falling in love with "Something/Anything" its week of release, then going back to get Todd's couple of earlier solo albums, while also reading the rock press about The Nazz. Interviews I've seen with Todd had him saying he formed Nazz after his love of the Yardbirds, Beatles and Beach Boys. I mean, with that pedigree, and confirmation of Todd's influences and inspiration, I was a Toddie for life! Needless to say, I was rather tongue-tied when the two of us met in '78! https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/into-the-doll-house-with-todd-rundgren-fb6
I love those Nazz albums, well, the first two in particular. The third has its moments but it's not as consistent as the others.
Nazz III was mostly material intended for Nazz Nazz (as part of a proposed double album), and as Nazz Nazz was a single LP, the trimmed parts made for most of III. Todd was writing most of the material, anyway, so A) move on, and B) the others were feeling like Todd's back-up band, to boot!
Another classic from Bell and The Spinners. Wynne's vocalizing is superb.
Yep.....largely forgotten, much less underrated! I love the comedic bit they devised (in concerts) to "be doing something" while Philippe "Soul" improved his way through the remainder of the song! They feigned trying to drag him offstage, ended up relenting, then turning it into a full-on audience-participation/meet'n'greet with the rest of the group! This was usually a show-ender, if not the encore, and literally sent the crowd out the doors dancing into the streets!