[img:$uid]http://i47.tinypic.com/25u1fu0.jpg[/img:$uid]

June 7, 2010

The members of The Time predict that this will be the year the iconic funk group's original lineup releases its first album since 1990's "Pandemonium."

Bassist and primary producer Terry Lewis tells Billboard.com that the as-yet-untitled set -- which The Time has been working on in earnest since reuniting for the 2008 Grammy Awards -- is "going into mixing," though keyboardist Jimmy "Jam" Harris, who promises that we'll "absolutely hear (the album) this year," cautions that "we probably have a couple more songs in us" before the set is complete.

And frontman Morris Day says that's been the problem -- too much of a good thing. "The album has been done for a long time now, but we keep adding to it," Day notes with a laugh. "So the deal is we've got to stop cutting at some point because it just keeps getting better and better. At some point we have to have the attitude that, OK, there can also be a second and a third project; we don't have to shoot the whole wad on this one. So I think we're gonna stop now; we might do one or two (more) songs, but we're going to go ahead and put this thing out, finally."

The Time is currently unsigned, but Jam says the group is exploring several options and has had plenty of inquiries, including from Island Def Jam's L.A. Reid, who's a big fan. "Our thing is let's get the record done, then we'll find the best home for it," Jam explains. "We want to go with somebody who's a big fan and is really going to appreciate what we're doing." With the 30th anniversary of its first album coming in 2011, the group also has interest in a retrospective and possibly revamping and reissuing its back catalog.

Day says Time fans will not be surprised by the new songs, which he describes as "hard to classify. It's got funk and it's got rock. It's cool, sexy music with attitude." Jam adds that the group has "15 songs, and we probably really love 10 of them -- and that varies from day to day as we listen, honestly." Song titles include "Stingy," "Strawberry Lake" and "If I Were Your Man," and some of the material dates back to writing that began after "Pandemonium" was released. "We didn't anticipate we wouldn't make another album for 20 years," Jam explains. "Most of those ideas are still valid ideas."

Jam says the new material "is definitely funky" and promises that "there's definitely going to be some extended jams on there. We've never been into writing three-minute songs. Our three-minute songs always turn into six minutes; there might be three minutes of song and three minutes of a groove and we don't want to lose any of the groove. Some songs we can certainly edit down to single length, but on the album we're going to leave the grooves intact."

The Time -- which also includes guitarist Jesse Johnson, keyboardist Monte Moir, drummer Jellybean Johnson and hype man Jermone Benton -- is in the midst of a four-date Stingy Tour, which recently played in Las Vegas and will bring the band to its longtime stronghold of Detroit on June 11 and a homecoming show on June 13 in Minneapolis. "It's good creative fuel for us to perform live," Jam says, "and then we can get back in the studio and bring that energy with us." Jesse Johnson, meanwhile, will spend the summer touring to promote his latest solo album, "Verbal Penetration Vol. I & II" and plans to open for the Time when it tours in earnest to promote the new album.

Day, who still leads an adjunct of the Time that includes Moir and Johnson, says that The Time's prospects after the album's release are "yet to be revealed."

"We all have busy careers and lives and families and all of that now," he says. "Whether everybody is going to be able to go out there on the road and do this like we used to is questionable. But we're definitely going to put a tour together and drop this music and see where it goes."

http://www.billboard.com/...tag=hpfeed

[Edited 6/7/10 9:32am]

Identity said:

[img:$uid]http://i47.tinypic.com/25u1fu0.jpg[/img:$uid]

June 7, 2010

The members of The Time predict that this will be the year the iconic funk group's original lineup releases its first album since 1990's "Pandemonium."

Bassist and primary producer Terry Lewis tells Billboard.com that the as-yet-untitled set -- which The Time has been working on in earnest since reuniting for the 2008 Grammy Awards -- is "going into mixing," though keyboardist Jimmy "Jam" Harris, who promises that we'll "absolutely hear (the album) this year," cautions that "we probably have a couple more songs in us" before the set is complete.

And frontman Morris Day says that's been the problem -- too much of a good thing. "The album has been done for a long time now, but we keep adding to it," Day notes with a laugh. "So the deal is we've got to stop cutting at some point because it just keeps getting better and better. At some point we have to have the attitude that, OK, there can also be a second and a third project; we don't have to shoot the whole wad on this one. So I think we're gonna stop now; we might do one or two (more) songs, but we're going to go ahead and put this thing out, finally."

The Time is currently unsigned, but Jam says the group is exploring several options and has had plenty of inquiries, including from Island Def Jam's L.A. Reid, who's a big fan. "Our thing is let's get the record done, then we'll find the best home for it," Jam explains. "We want to go with somebody who's a big fan and is really going to appreciate what we're doing." With the 30th anniversary of its first album coming in 2011, the group also has interest in a retrospective and possibly revamping and reissuing its back catalog.

Day says Time fans will not be surprised by the new songs, which he describes as "hard to classify. It's got funk and it's got rock. It's cool, sexy music with attitude." Jam adds that the group has "15 songs, and we probably really love 10 of them -- and that varies from day to day as we listen, honestly." Song titles include "Stingy," "Strawberry Lake" and "If I Were Your Man," and some of the material dates back to writing that began after "Pandemonium" was released. "We didn't anticipate we wouldn't make another album for 20 years," Jam explains. "Most of those ideas are still valid ideas."

Jam says the new material "is definitely funky" and promises that "there's definitely going to be some extended jams on there. We've never been into writing three-minute songs. Our three-minute songs always turn into six minutes; there might be three minutes of song and three minutes of a groove and we don't want to lose any of the groove. Some songs we can certainly edit down to single length, but on the album we're going to leave the grooves intact."

The Time -- which also includes guitarist Jesse Johnson, keyboardist Monte Moir, drummer Jellybean Johnson and hype man Jermone Benton -- is in the midst of a four-date Stingy Tour, which recently played in Las Vegas and will bring the band to its longtime stronghold of Detroit on June 11 and a homecoming show on June 13 in Minneapolis. "It's good creative fuel for us to perform live," Jam says, "and then we can get back in the studio and bring that energy with us." Jesse Johnson, meanwhile, will spend the summer touring to promote his latest solo album, "Verbal Penetration Vol. I & II" and plans to open for the Time when it tours in earnest to promote the new album.

Day, who still leads an adjunct of the Time that includes Moir and Johnson, says that The Time's prospects after the album's release are "yet to be revealed."

"We all have busy careers and lives and families and all of that now," he says. "Whether everybody is going to be able to go out there on the road and do this like we used to is questionable. But we're definitely going to put a tour together and drop this music and see where it goes."

http://www.billboard.com/...tag=hpfeed

[Edited 6/7/10 9:32am]

Jesse opening for the Time. SWEET!!!!

Love the fellas......................but I'll believe it when I see it.

Seeing them this Sunday in Mpls! Can't wait!

It sounds like they don't have an album ready at all really: No title, no label involved, still needs a couple of more songs,etc. I'm not disappointed by that though, I'm glad they are working on it and intrigued by what form a major label release might ultimately take. I just know I don't want to hear any samples or interpolations from the classic songs worked into a new track by some jackass producer and Snoop Dog or some other past his prime rapper guesting.

funksterr said:

It sounds like they don't have an album ready at all really: No title, no label involved, still needs a couple of more songs,etc. I'm not disappointed by that though, I'm glad they are working on it and intrigued by what form a major label release might ultimately take. I just know I don't want to hear any samples or interpolations from the classic songs worked into a new track by some jackass producer and Snoop Dog or some other past his prime rapper guesting.

Exactly.

COME 2 SEATTLE Y'ALL!!!!!!!!

Graycap23 said:

Love the fellas......................but I'll believe it when I see it.

I'll put my money on this reunion moreso than i would a Commodores reunion.

I really look 4ward 2 the new album. I hope Jamie Starr* is in the mix some how. There is no Time album without Jamie Starr*. It's nothing like Jamie in the mix somewhere. "Get It Up", "777-9311", "Jungle Love", and "Jerk Out" r some of those classic material that Jamie Starr* and Another Starr* Company were apart of. Let's hope 4 more 2 come from The Time. I'll be seeing tha crew Friday in Detroit!

Here's hoping it's for real this time.

If this actually comes out (which is a big "if"), then I have a strong feeling this could go either way.

These guys are now dads in their 50s and we're not living in 1982 anymore (unfortunately). It could all start to look a bit tragic.

I hope I'm proven wrong.

I think LA Reid is a wise choice for them to go with to get good distribution for the new album. Plus he is a fan. Prince has to be involved in this project. He the one that owns the name The Time. So he has to give permission to use it. He sure didn't give permission for The Family to use there name.

I can't wait to hear this. I know its going to be slammin...

Does anyone know FOR SURE if Jesse is opening for the Detroit show this week? Or do they mean he is going to open on the tour later this year when the album comes out? Anyone know? Please dont speculate. I have a very important reason for asking. Thanks in advance

New album?

YES PLEASE!

dandeeland said:

Does anyone know FOR SURE if Jesse is opening for the Detroit show this week? Or do they mean he is going to open on the tour later this year when the album comes out? Anyone know? Please dont speculate. I have a very important reason for asking. Thanks in advance

i checked at the Fox and they told me, there's an MC for about 15 mins, then Teena Marie. I guess this means, jesse is NOT opening now, but will later AFTER the album comes out.

datdude said:

dandeeland said:

Does anyone know FOR SURE if Jesse is opening for the Detroit show this week? Or do they mean he is going to open on the tour later this year when the album comes out? Anyone know? Please dont speculate. I have a very important reason for asking. Thanks in advance

i checked at the Fox and they told me, there's an MC for about 15 mins, then Teena Marie. I guess this means, jesse is NOT opening now, but will later AFTER the album comes out.

Jesse could do his own show. He shouldn't have to open for anyone.

cool. thanks i am not going to the detroit show but if Jesse was opening I WOULD BE THERE 4 SHO!! Cant wait for that tour!!

MattyJam said:

If this actually comes out (which is a big "if"), then I have a strong feeling this could go either way.

These guys are now dads in their 50s and we're not living in 1982 anymore (unfortunately). It could all start to look a bit tragic.

I hope I'm proven wrong.

so basically,you're saying that artists in their 50s shouldn't make new music anymore?

SoulAlive said:

MattyJam said:

If this actually comes out (which is a big "if"), then I have a strong feeling this could go either way.

These guys are now dads in their 50s and we're not living in 1982 anymore (unfortunately). It could all start to look a bit tragic.

I hope I'm proven wrong.

so basically,you're saying that artists in their 50s shouldn't make new music anymore?

No, most of my favourite artists who still make music are over 50.

But Morris's chat-up lines and come-ons could very well sound tragic and probably a bit seedy coming from a leering middle-aged dad.

I'll believe it's "funky" when I hear it. I won't rush out and buy it until I hear song samples first because if it's got those damn modernized shit hop sounding drum machines and bass on it and is full of midtempo tracks, in other words, if it sounds like it fits in with today's music even in the slightest, they won't get a dime of my money. If it actually is "funky", then I'll gladly purchase it.

.

.

.

[Edited 6/16/10 13:35pm]

MattyJam said:

SoulAlive said:

so basically,you're saying that artists in their 50s shouldn't make new music anymore?

No, most of my favourite artists who still make music are over 50.

But Morris's chat-up lines and come-ons could very well sound tragic and probably a bit seedy coming from a leering middle-aged dad.

Ah,I see

vainandy said:

I'll believe it's "funky" when I hear it. I won't rush out and buy it until I hear song samples first because if it's got those damn modernized shit hop sounding drum machines and bass on it and is full of midtempo tracks, in other words, if it sounds like it fits in with today's music even in the slightest, they won't get a dime of my money. If it actually is "funky", then I'll gladly purchase it.

I agree.I hope it's a truly funky album,without any hip hop elements.

SoulAlive said:

vainandy said:

I'll believe it's "funky" when I hear it. I won't rush out and buy it until I hear song samples first because if it's got those damn modernized shit hop sounding drum machines and bass on it and is full of midtempo tracks, in other words, if it sounds like it fits in with today's music even in the slightest, they won't get a dime of my money. If it actually is "funky", then I'll gladly purchase it.

I agree.I hope it's a truly funky album,without any hip hop elements.

And no damn neo-soul elements either.

vainandy said:

SoulAlive said:

I agree.I hope it's a truly funky album,without any hip hop elements.

And no damn neo-soul elements either.

Preach!

If this album sounds anything like Verbal Penetration I will be pissed.

vainandy said:

SoulAlive said:

I agree.I hope it's a truly funky album,without any hip hop elements.

And no damn neo-soul elements either.

or Auto-tune LOL

I would love for this album to get released. We have all waited for almost twenty years. At the time, we thought six or seven years was long. I hope we get the chance to hear the songs.

bwicklander said:

vainandy said:

And no damn neo-soul elements either.

or Auto-tune LOL

Morris Day on autotune would be off the hook!

I just saw them last night- they did a free concert. I got some great pix.