MOTOWN SPOTLIGHT – JUNE 2025

Every now and again, I take a journey through my Blues & Soul articles and interviews: some have stood the test of time, others, well, did I really write like that? And did I really use phrases that are now so ‘twee’? Guilty on both counts, M’lord.

Anyway, it was different times back then, through the seventies and eighties, and I still get a warm feeling looking back and re-visiting such an important part of my life. So, with that in mind, I checked into June 1983, and with some additions, I’d like to share the following with you.

I kicked off with something like… “The sun is shining and the mood feels good, so I’ve got down to some serious listening. New American singles arrived this morning, so let’s start with “Surface Thrills” from The Temptations. The title track from their current album of course, which is a very basic sound. Drum beat and guitar provide the backing for this thumping Dennis Edwards’ double tracker. I particularly like the split chorus when all the group join in.

A lot of listening is required for this almost ‘rock’ flavoured single. I’m delighted to mention that “Made In America” is on the flipside which, you may recall, I went nuts over not too long ago. A second single was lifted, “Love On My Mind Tonight”, a moderately successful release. Also, this album was the last to feature Glenn Leonard, who left after an eight year stay, and was replaced by Ron Tyson, who debuted with the group on the “Back To Basics” album.”

The next was “The Party’s Over” by Bobby Nunn. I wrote – this guy’s British career hasn’t started except for a great deal of interest in his “Groupie” at the end of last year. This gem is another to be lifted from “Second To Nunn” and is a real late night scorcher. (What!!) The boy sings from the heart. Very laid back and sure proof that Bobby is easily at home with ballads as he is with roaring funk numbers. “Second To Nunn” was the debut album from Bobby, marketed as a soundalike Rick James, which prompted him to tell the media that with his band, he had heavily contributed to Rick’s first album “Come Get It”, and that Rick had actually pinched some of his ideas. (You’ll spot Bobby was credited on the album sleeve as keyboardist and one of the support vocalists.) At the time of his album release, Mr Nunn said “When Rick and I first worked together I was still learning the music business and I wasn’t ready to record myself.”

Like Rick, he lived in Buffalo, and as a teenager decided on music as a career. While performing at a local club Bobby recorded in his family’s own four-track studio and sold his records around his neighbourhood. Later on, when he decided to relocate to Los Angeles, he signed to Columbia Records as a member of the band that had played on Rick James’ sessions. Under the collective name Splendor, they recorded a Phillip Bailey-produced album there.

When their contract expired, the young Bobby opted for a solo career, and returned to recording demos which later led him to Motown’s Iris Gordy. The funk dance track “She’s Just A Groupie” was the first single in August 1982, but pressed as a promo single only in the UK. However, Bobby’s second album “Private Party” saw British release in January 1984, following its American outing in September ’83.

“Private Party” pushed Bobby away from Rick’s influence into a Prince and Eddie Kendricks’ vocal style, while his use of computers all but made musicians obsolete in the studio. As an aside here, many of Motown’s new signings at this time, controlled all aspects of their own recordings, although often an in-house producer would oversee a session.

The unique Motown Sound that carried artists to stardom during the sixties/early seventies was gone, and breaking these new artists was often proving difficult for a company known for a particular Sound. Motown now kept up with the changing musical trends instead of setting them for others to follow. Bobby fell into this category of new artists, and while “Private Party” was a superb release, featuring first-rate tracks including “Hangin’ Out At The Mall”, with the lovely Tata Vega’s Spanish rap, and the album’s highlight, the mid-tempoed “Do You Look That Good In The Morning”, Bobby failed to hit the spot. Maybe being associated with Rick James held him back, or maybe Motown’s failure to promote his work was to blame. Whatever, Bobby’s third album “Fresh” was his last, scheduled during 1984, but not released.

The next out in this June 1983 article was another Rick James connection, the Stone City Band with “Bad Lady (Vocal)”. Co-written and produced by their mentor and taken from the group’s new “Out From The Shadow” album, this is something else. A monster smasheroo disco giant (if it isn’t already by the time you ready this). Crammed with every ingredient under the sun to keep bodies moving, this single has tight vocals, and a hypnotic beat that grinds into the brain. These guys have finally got it together. (Guess I liked it!)

With a membership of Tom McDermott, Oscar Alston, Erskine Williams, Lanise Hughes, Levi Ruffin Jr, the Stone City Band fell under the RJ umbrella as his ambition was to build up his own company of musicians. At this point he already had the Punk Funk Horns, and vocalists Lisa Sarnes and JoJo McDuffie, the latter would, of course, later become a major player as a Mary Jane Girl.

The genesis of the Stone City Band was formed during 1978, and with Levi Ruffin Jr’s help, Rick James assembled the group to support him on the beforementioned “Come Get It” album, and also on stage during his 1979 and 1980 tours. “We don’t want to be known simply as a funk band or a rock ‘n’ roll band” said Levi one time. “Our primary objective is to be Stone City – a band that people will respect. Our music is different but there’s nothing complicated about it. Basically, the dream of the whole band is to build up a corporation. We have the Stone City family. Rick and us, and we want to produce and record ourselves. And also produce some musicians back home in Buffalo.”

The Band’s first album “Rick James Presents The Stone City Band: In ‘n’ Out” was American released only in February 1980 and could easily have been classed as a Rick James album. Levi disagreed, “As a producer he is very demanding. He can draw out the best in you, and as an arranger he is fantastic. But we do our material in our own way, we’re not a carbon copy.” Their second album “The Boys Are Back”, released in the UK this time, was more adventurous, yet following a handful of single releases, it became apparent that, at this time at least, they would enjoy more success as Rick’s backing group.

And finally in this 1983 re-visit, I mentioned “Skip To My Lou” taken from Finis Henderson’s “Finis” album, on sale in America. At the time I knew very little about this guy but believed he had been inspired by Jermaine Jackson, not only vocally but musically. The single was a dance track, and I gushed, was a potential British hit with a capital “H”. A superb use of backing vocals, with a slap-back beat (whatever that means!), and I gave thanks that Motown had found another Jackson because hadn’t it lost the original? “Skip To My Lou” was a huge UK disco hit but stalled just outside the top one hundred mainstream chart.

Rated to be one of the better Motown signings of the eighties, Finis Henderson was born in Chicago and raised in show business. His father was a song-and-dance man, who later became vice-president of Sammy Davis Enterprises. As a teenager Finis joined The Dynamic 4 group and worked with the Chicago Community Music Foundation, before teaming up with Weapons Of Peace in 1970, where he stayed for eight years.

Following a couple of minor hits on Playboy Records, the group broke up, leaving Finis to move to California to become a comedian. He was working at Hollywood’s Comedy Store when he was spotted by Richard Pryor, then preparing material for his Live On Sunset movie. This led to Finis supporting the major player on tour where, during one performance, he was spotted by Motown’s Suzanne de Passe.

At the time time he was working with Al McKay, former Earth Wind And Fire guitarist, on Prophecy, a group project, but when a recording contract failed to materialise, Finis decided to join Motown as a soloist. “I had better offers than the one I accepted at Motown, but then which other company has a movie division. I want to progress further than just being a recording artist.”

“Finis”, produced by Mr McKay, was referred to as a pleasant, soulful album with middle-of-the-road potential. Three tracks were co-written by the singer, namely “Lovers”, “Call Me” and “Percussion Intro”, and he recorded a credible version of Stevie Wonder’s “Crush On You”. Thanks to the interest in the single, the album was given British release in July 1983. Unfortunately, neither Mr Henderson’s recording nor acting career reached reality under Motown.

Perhaps it’s worth mentioning here, that information about these artists was supplied by Motown’s US press office. Often information was scanty which reflected poor press coverage. I don’t recall being asked to interview any of the above, so these press releases, and album sleeve notes, were all I had as points of reference. Hah, no internet back then guys! On the other hand, should a single become an unexpected hit over here, interviews or personal appearances suddenly happened overnight. Anyway, there were several other highly talented artists signed to Motown during the eighties who I intend to return to at some point as they were, after all, part of the Family. If only for a short while. That’s 1983 dealt with: back to the present day.

While Smokey Robinson has cancelled two of his concerts – Glasgow Armadillo and Cardiff Utilita Arena on 3 and 9 July respectively – his promoters are still advertising tickets for the remaining dates in Birmingham and London on 8 and 11 July. No reason has been publicly given for the cancellations and, like others, I’m wondering why. Lack of ticket sales perhaps, or the result of the criminal investigation in Los Angeles regarding his alleged sexual assaults on four former housekeepers. I’m betting on the former. One time Motown artist, Kiki Dee, and Carmelo Luggeri are his opening act, so they’ve missed out as well.

Diana Ross on the other hand, is once again riding high on the UK arena circuit. Mother of five and grandmother to eight, Diana told this month’s Birmingham Post, “I love this country and the British people have elegance. (The show) is almost two hours of memories, dancing and dazzling costume changes.” All the gowns are custom-made with the star designing each one. “Music and fashion go hand-in-hand, and dressing up feels wonderful, and I want to inspire everyone coming to the shows to do the same.”

(Photo credit, Kevin Melville)

For this tour, Diana enlisted three highly prestigious UK orchestras to join her. She performed five times with the Manchester-based Halle Orchestra, before working with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in Glasgow, and, naturally, the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra in London. The exclusive picture here of Diana was taken by my long time pal Kevin Melville. I’m very grateful.

Lionel Richie has just completed his Say Hello To The Hits UK tour, another resounding, money-spinning success, as Stevie Wonder prepares to perform here in July. I believe The Jacksons are also due next month. An exciting but expensive time for fans. The acts may not be Motown artists any longer, but they were groomed, nurtured, promoted and treasured by the most innovative record company of our age. And their longevity proves that.

And finally… the record label I thought had gone forever, has been lovingly restored. Yes! Fifty-seven years after Dave Godin, Robert Blackmore and our own David Nathan opened Soul City Records at 17 Monmouth Street, London, Charly Records has relaunched the legendary label.

In a press statement, David said, “I would never have imagined that Soul City, the record shop and label, co-founded (as a bright-eyed teenager) with the late Dave Godin, Robert, and my sister Sylvia working along side us, would have had the kind of impact it had during its few years as a pioneering venture. And I am thrilled to be working with Glenn Gunton and the team at Charly. Big thanks also to Kev Roberts and Richard Searling for their support with this.”

At the recent Blackpool Tower Soul Weekender, he admitted he was amazed and humbled by the number of people stopping by the Soul City stand. “I was deeply appreciative of all the kind comments and reflections on Soul City and my sixty years working in the world of R&B and soul music, through all the writing I did for Blues & Soul in the seventies and beyond.”

So far, two singles have been released: Chris Jackson’s “Since There’s No Doubt” which was intended to be the twentieth single release on the original Soul City label in 1970. And “What’cha Gonna Do (When I Leave You) by The Ikettes, an in-demand rarity with lead vocals by P.P. Arnold, who was part of the group until she embarked upon a solo career in the UK during 1967 with the amazing “The First Cut Is The Deepest”.

These discs and SC merchandise can be purchased from https://charlydirect.com/collections/soul-city.

Welcome back – you’ve been missed!

Sharon Davis