Rod Temperton is Dead

[Conchis]

An incredible, largely 'back room' career.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37565125

He was from Skegness, of all places !

[Lat-Literal]

An incredible, largely 'back room' career.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37565125

He was from Skegness, of all places !

Well, I will reply in view of my soul leanings.

I have a soft spot for his British-American band Heatwave. They are in my music box of "guilty pleasures".

Funk was never Britain's strong point and so-called soft soul even less so. Mostly that was The Sound of Philadelphia. The latter was much criticised at the time - not proper soul, not gritty enough and even - this is a sign of those times - women's music - although it sold lorry loads. Just a dozen years later it became patently obvious from what was around then exactly how "not proper soul" should really be defined. Fundamentally Temperton and his pals were about soul tinged pop rather than soul. I don't think it would be right to present them as anything else. But pop was always a case of who knows melody and who never will do. Temperton always stood out as someone who was terrific with melody.

Of the first three songs in the links that follow, I don't recall the first being criticised hugely. It just bounced into the charts. The second had a very clumsy lyric but then so does Stevie Wonder some of the time. The third was often hated for being very soppy. I like them all. They were our version of the Commodores. Then suddenly, this bloke - because I don't think individual band members were widely known before - was writing for Michael Jackson and producing him. He was from Yorkshire - or was it Lincolnshire? Furthermore - I didn't know this until now - he was writing too for George Benson. On the Jackson point, I never liked the album "Thriller" but who could be against the earlier "Off The Wall"?

The songs of Rod Temperton:

Heatwave

Boogie Nights - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob9sDpmRuqc
Mind Blowing Decisions - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r86_2FI6dTA
Always and Forever - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvEVurJpa9M

Michael Jackson

Rock With You - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X-Mrc2l1d0

George Benson

Give Me The Night - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0e7OyxFsxQ

RIP Rod Temperton

[Nick Armstrong]

He was from Skegness, of all places !

Point of order: it was Cleethorpes!

RIP Rod Temperton: a lovely and talented man

[EdgeleyRob]

Well, I will reply in view of my soul leanings.

I have a soft spot for his British-American band Heatwave. They are in my music box of "guilty pleasures".

Funk was never Britain's strong point and so-called soft soul even less so. Mostly that was The Sound of Philadelphia. The latter was much criticised at the time - not proper soul, not gritty enough and even - this is a sign of those times - women's music - although it sold lorry loads. Just a dozen years later it became patently obvious from what was around then exactly how "not proper soul" should really be defined. Fundamentally Temperton and his pals were about soul tinged pop rather than soul. I don't think it would be right to present them as anything else. But pop was always a case of who knows melody and who never will do. Temperton always stood out as someone who was terrific with melody.

Of the first three songs in the links that follow, I don't recall the first being criticised hugely. It just bounced into the charts. The second had a very clumsy lyric but then so does Stevie Wonder some of the time. The third was often hated for being very soppy. I like them all. They were our version of the Commodores. Then suddenly, this bloke - because I don't think individual band members were widely known before - was writing for Michael Jackson and producing him. He was from Yorkshire - or was it Lincolnshire? Furthermore - I didn't know this until now - he was writing too for George Benson. On the Jackson point, I never liked the album "Thriller" but who could be against the earlier "Off The Wall"?

The songs of Rod Temperton:

Heatwave

Boogie Nights - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob9sDpmRuqc
Mind Blowing Decisions - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r86_2FI6dTA
Always and Forever - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvEVurJpa9M

Michael Jackson

Rock With You - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X-Mrc2l1d0

George Benson

Give Me The Night - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0e7OyxFsxQ

RIP Rod Temperton

No need to feel guilty about liking Heatwave Lat.
They could have rivalled Earth Wind and Fire as the kings of disco pop music had things been different.

RIP Rod Temperton

[Lat-Literal]

No need to feel guilty about liking Heatwave Lat.
They could have rivalled Earth Wind and Fire as the kings of disco pop music had things been different.

RIP Rod Temperton

From Wikipedia - and slightly off topic:

"Sean Rowley is a disc jockey on BBC Radio Kent. Rowley devised the Guilty Pleasures concept as a slot on his former BBC London radio show, to attempt to 'reclaim' songs that are viewed as "slightly shameful to love". His club Guilty Pleasures takes place at KOKO in Camden Town, and has spawned two compilation albums, a Sunday afternoon radio show on BBC London 94.9, and a television show on ITV1 hosted by Fearne Cotton on which established performers performed cover versions of Guilty Pleasures favourites. He is the man on the cover of the Oasis album "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?"

I was aware of this programme but not a regular listener. It was a post-modern response to pop music's exclusive clans and inevitably had its pluses and minuses. For example, I'd like to think Rowley rescued Henry Gross's "Shannon" - written by Brian Wilson - from the condemned list. And I am almost certain that he did. At a festival with a three figure sum ticket, I spent an hour in his palace. It was a very odd experience - wall to wall mirrors and a couple of hundred people who had decided to dance there for 72 hours rather than watching anyone live from a muddy bunker or campervan. While it wasn't possible to speak to any of them, I am sure that there is a novel in them if I cared to try to write one.

[cloughie]

..... but who could be against the earlier "Off The Wall"?

Well me for one - I may be missing something but I have never understood why his music was so successful. Equally I can't think of a Madonna track which I like! The other side of the coin is that I don't go with the idea of guilty pleasures - it's stupid - if you like something why be ashamed? Apologies if I'm airing this in a RIP thread - Rod Temperton never hit my radar but if he was an influence in George Benson he had cred!

[Lat-Literal]

Well me for one - I may be missing something but I have never understood why his music was so successful. Equally I can't think of a Madonna track which I like! The other side of the coin is that I don't go with the idea of guilty pleasures - it's stupid - if you like something why be ashamed? Apologies if I'm airing this in a RIP thread - Rod Temperton never hit my radar but if he was an influence in George Benson he had cred!

I think the idea was that you had to like one sort of music and reject everything else. This is the opposite of all I have ever been. And that was probably the difference between beginning to take a lot of notice of music at 4-7 and not doing so until 11-14 when tribalism mattered more. These are historical points which relate to the old concept of most music being important. Another aspect is that the 1970s started with Andy Williams and Frank Sinatra rubbing shoulders with Black Sabbath and Deep Purple in the singles chart. And then there was the punk revolution in 1976-1977 which was like Year Zero to many. What strikes me now is that if you are either side of 50-65 - ie in the vast majority - the entire business seems irrelevant to the point of incomprehensible. Having said as much, most jazz people will not appreciate Temperton era Benson any more than they like Herbie Hancock singing "I Thought It Was You". It turns out that "Razzmatazz" by Quincy Jones is another Temperton song. That, though, was long before Quincy reached the Proms.

[muzzer]

Apols if mentioned already, I've only scanned the thread, but I'm pretty sure he was in a box with Michael Caine and QJ himself at the prom, as seen on tv. What songs and what a legacy.

[cloughie]

I think the idea was that you had to like one sort of music and reject everything else. This is the opposite of all I have ever been. And that was probably the difference between beginning to take a lot of notice of music at 4-7 and not doing so until 11-14 when tribalism mattered more. These are historical points which relate to the old concept of most music being important. Another aspect is that the 1970s started with Andy Williams and Frank Sinatra rubbing shoulders with Black Sabbath and Deep Purple in the singles chart. And then there was the punk revolution in 1976-1977 which was like Year Zero to many. What strikes me now is that if you are either side of 50-65 - ie in the vast majority - the entire business seems irrelevant to the point of incomprehensible. Having said as much, most jazz people will not appreciate Temperton era Benson any more than they like Herbie Hancock singing "I Thought It Was You". It turns out that "Razzmatazz" by Quincy Jones is another Temperton song. That, though, was long before Quincy reached the Proms.

You got the age range wrong it's 50 -70. Being 16 in 1963 led to a musical environment second to none.

[Conchis]

Point of order: it was Cleethorpes!

RIP Rod Temperton: a lovely and talented man

So he was! Thanks for the correction. :)

[Lat-Literal]

You got the age range wrong it's 50 -70. Being 16 in 1963 led to a musical environment second to none.

Yes I will take that point. I was in my pram.

My musical roots are in the summer of love and the entire 1970s explain it all properly.

It was an eclectic decade.

Thanks for the correction.:)

I did think too it was a very nice tribute from Caliban.

[EdgeleyRob]

If there is such a thing as guilty pleasures Lat I'll see your Heatwave and raise you my Barry White cds

[Lat-Literal]

If there is such a thing as guilty pleasures Lat I'll see your Heatwave and raise you my Barry White cds

Now let me see - Soul - T-W - it's not a huge section.

The Temptations, Tammi Terrell, Junior Walker and the Allstars, Jackie Wilson, Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder........aw, no Barry White.

.....of course, as one of our ex-contributors would comment, Barry White was born Barry Eugene Carter.

But this guy was actually born Barry White:

Barrence Whitfield and the Savages - Ramblin' Rose - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws4SVyf48PU

[cloughie]

Now let me see - Soul - T-W - it's not a huge section.

The Temptations, Tammi Terrell, Junior Walker and the Allstars, Jackie Wilson, Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder........aw, no Barry White.

.....of course, as one of our ex-contributors would comment, Barry White was born Barry Eugene Carter.

But this guy was actually born Barry White:

Barrence Whitfield and the Savages - Ramblin' Rose - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws4SVyf48PU

Surely the roots of soul have been missed here - sure all the Motown stuff, but what about all the Stax and Atlantic lot?

[Lat-Literal]

Surely the roots of soul have been missed here - sure all the Motown stuff, but what about all the Stax and Atlantic lot?

Yes, well, this is the "proper soul" debate.

Off the top of my head, I have Booker T and the MGs, Otis Redding and The Staple Singers on CD plus compilations of a whole host of those people - William Bell, Albert King, Little Milton, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas etc. I have been lucky enough to see Al Green, Mavis Staples and Isaac Hayes - originally on Stax - live. I love it but I'm not for either/or in this regard. Motown, for example, was pop soul but a part of its enduring appeal is the joyousness. That largely emanated from gospel traditions and - look at the clips of the best of it - it contrasts extraordinarily with the cynical/maudlin mainstreams now. Then when it all got more serious "What's Going On" etc which speaks for itself. It's getting late!

(Actually so late that I quite forgot Rev Solomon Burke who was utterly fantastic - CDs aplenty and one of the best live performances I have ever witnessed. Thanks very much.)