The Spinners (Part 2)
The Spinners enjoyed a great
deal of success since signing with Atlantic Records in
1972. They had 12 Top Ten R&B hits, including 3 No. 1
singles and 3 gold LP in a row. ‘Pick Of The Litter’ was the
quintet’s 4th gold album featuring another
masterpiece single ‘ (They Just Can't Stop It The) Games
People Play’. Collaborated by the songwriting trio of
Joseph B. Jefferson , Bruce Hawes and Charles Simmons,
producer Thom Bell wanted to incorporate music of the 30’s &
40’s style into the 70’s. Released in July 1975 as ‘Games
People Play’, the staff at BMI suggested a title
change because royalties from the song may get mixed up
with those of Joe South’s 1969 hit under the same title.
Atlantic reissued the single as ‘(They Just Can't Stop It
The) Games People Play’ in August 75’. During the mid
summer of 1975, the Spinners ‘Live’ LP became their 5th
gold album.
The group’s ensemble vocals
were given a chance to sing lead, giving it a
barbershop quintet sound. The song defines indifference
relationships between men and women. Bass singer Pervis
Jackson earned the nickname 12:45 because of his line
in the second verse. The late Barbara Ingram (background
vocalist for the Sweethearts of Soul of Philadelphia
International Records) sang the ‘nowhere to go’ line,
originally written for tenor Henry Fambrough. The group was
in London during the finishing touches of the song, so
Barbara’s vocals were added instead. Thom Bell played the
piano solo on the full- length version on the LP. ‘(They
Just Can't Stop It The) Games People Play’ b/w ‘I
Don't Want To Lose You’ (No. 1 R&B Oct 18, 1975) became the
Spinners 5th gold single. The second release
from the album ‘Love Or Leave’ b/w ‘You Made A Promise
To Me’ hit (No. 8 R&B Dec 1975). Their 13th
Atlantic single, ‘Wake Up Susan’ (not to be confused with
‘Lazy Susan’) b/w ‘If You Can't Be In Love’ hit (No. 11
R&B June 1976). The Spinners ‘ Live LP recorded on Wed,
March 5, 1975 at the Latin Casino nightclub in Cherry Hill,
NJ under the supervision of the late Maurice King was
superb in the making. ‘How Can I Let You Get Away’ live is
an outstanding track featuring Philippe’s dynamic
performance attributing to the icons of soul, Sam Cooke,
Otis Redding and Al Green.
MFSB (Mother , Father ,
Sister, Brother) were the mastermind session players being
the creation of the Spinners signature sound. Thom Bell on
keyboards, Bobby Eli, Norman Harris, Roland Chambers and
Don Murray on lead guitars, Ronnie Baker and Bob Babbitt
on bass, Earl Young and
Andrew Smith on drums, Larry Washington on percussion,
Vince Montana on vibes and marimbas. Don Renaldo’s
Orchestra provided the beautiful strings and horns and The
Sweethearts Of Soul (Evette Benson, Carla Benton,
Barbara Ingram and the late Linda Creed) provided the
background vocals. The Detroit quintet’s 14th
single ‘The Rubberband Man’ was written about Thom Bell’s
son Mark. Originally titled ‘the fat man’ because his son
was chunky, weighing at 150 pounds. The kids would
constantly pick on him and Thom feeling his pain, thought
that the title was derogatory and devised the song into ‘
The Rubberband Man’. It was about a huge guy that could
out shine anyone In a dance. Thom co-writer Linda Creed
never cared for the song because she thought it was
ridiculous. A dance routine was developed by Bell for the
Spinners with large rubber bands to illustrate the song.
‘The Rubberband Man’ b/w ‘Now That We're Together’ charted
(No. 1 R&B Oct 23, 1976 for one week) becoming their sixth
gold single. Other releases include, ‘You're Throwing A
Good Love Away’ b/w ‘You're All I Need In Life’ (No. 5
R&B April 1977) and ‘Me And My Music’ b/w ‘I'm Riding On
Your Shadow’ (No. 39 R&B June 1977) were featured on their
7th LP ‘Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow’.
Philippe’ Wynne left the group
after a performance at the Circle Star Theater in Northern
California in January 1977. Convinced he could make on his
own as solo artist, he signed with Atlantic’s subsidiary
label Cotillion and released an LP titled, ‘Starting All
Over Needs A Winner’ charted (No. 17 R&B June 11, 1977).
Philippe’ would form two based firms, Wynn’s World
Publishing Corp and Wynner Records Inc., in the spring of
1977. He incorporated two managers, Ron Mason and Alan
Thicke, a television writer and producer of various game
shows and later gain fame as the character Jason Seaver on
ABC’s Growing Pains in the 80’s.
The Spinners replaced
Philippe’ with a native Chicagoan named John
Edwards. John’s vocals contained a much more harder
bluesier edge and established his own signature sound with
the group. The quartet’s ‘Spinners 8’ album
remain true to their trend of mellow madness with two
releases, the lush and beautiful up-tempo ‘Heaven On Earth
(So Fine)’ b/w ‘I'm Tired Of Giving’ (No. 23 R&B Oct 15,
1977) and ‘Easy Come, Easy Go’ b/w ‘ One Step Away ‘ (No.
46 R&B Feb 1978). After a few more releases ‘If You Wanna
Do A Dance’ b/w ‘ Once In A Lifetime Proposal’ (No. 17 R&B
July 1978) ‘Are You Ready For Love’ b/w ‘Once You Fall In
Love’ (No. 25 R&B March 1979) and unaccredited duet release
‘ Mama Can't Buy Love’ b/w ‘Three Way Love Affair’ with
(No. 9 Pop August 25, 1979) with Elton John on MCA
Records, the Philadelphia goose that laid the golden hits
had gone to pasture.
The Spinners parted ways with
Thom Bell in 1979 and collaborated with producer Michael
Zagar (of ‘Let’s All Chant’ fame) and enjoyed a great
comeback with medley covers of the Four Seasons’ classic
66’ hit ‘Working My Way Back To You’ / Forgive Me Girl
(Michael
Zagar’s composition) b/w
‘Disco Ride’ (No. 6 R&B March 1980) and Sam Cooke’s
masterpiece ‘Cupid’/ ‘I've Loved You For A Long Time’
(another Zagar composition) b/w ‘ Pipe Dream’ (No. 5 R&B
July 1980). Two LP’s ‘Dancin And Lovin’ (1979) and ‘Love
Trippin’ (1980) ‘ both hit on Billboard’s Top 40 Soul LP
charts.
From 1981 til 1984, the
Detroit quintet continue to release 9 Atlantic singles and 4
albums , without much success. Their last hit ‘Right Or
Wrong’ b/w ‘Love Is In Season’ (No. 22
R&B March 1984) from their
Cross Fire LP would mark an end of an era for this
world-renowned group. Philippe’ Wynne’s last
performance would take place at popular nightclub in
Oakland, California called Ivey’s , in the summer of 1984.
While singing his hit ‘Love Don't Love Nobody’ he grabbed
his chest and felled to the floor. Sadly, Wynne died of a
massive heart attack on Sat July 14, 1984.
After 13 years, the Spinners
left Atlantic Records and signed with Mirage and released
the album ‘Lovin Feelings’ in 1985. They were honored with
a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame and form a scholarship in
their name in 1987. They continued to the tour the oldies
circuit, singing the classics that made them legends.
They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame 1999.
G.C. Cameron would replace
John Edwards who was ill at the time, as the lead vocalist
in 2000. He left to join the Temptations in 2003.
Original member Billy Henderson was fired in 2004, when he
sued group’s corporation and business manager for
money mismanagement. He died on February 2, 2007 from
diabetic complications.
Pervis ’12:45” Jackson died
of cancer on Monday, August 18, 2008. C. P. Spencer,
an original member, died of a heart attack on Oct 20, 2004.
The only surviving members, Bobbie Smith and Henry
Fambrough continue to carry the Spinners legacy with in
demand tours around the world.
The Spinners are a one of kind
group that can never let you get away from living just a
little, laughing just a little, because of the mighty love
they put in their performance and music. They will forever
be truly ours and it’s a shame that the icons of R&B such
as they ,
are one of the most underrated
artists in music history. Although their body of work can't
be overlooked, the Detroit Spinners ‘ contribution have
universally found a place in the
hearts of fans around the 4
corners of the big blue marble. Heaven on earth
couldn't be finer.
Soulfully Yours,
Mike Boone
(Chancellor of Soul)
(Sept 2008)
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