I'm doubly excited to finally own Val Young's Seduction. Rick handled the lyrics and music for the title track with deceptive ease, proving he could still craft really good hooks. She's without doubt one of the greatest vocalists he ever had under his wing.

Identity said:

I'm doubly excited to finally own Val Young's Seduction. Rick handled the lyrics and music for the title track with deceptive ease, proving he could still craft really good hooks. She's without doubt one of the greatest vocalists he ever had under his wing.

Wasn't there there an extended version of "Seduction"? I wonder why that wasn't included on the release? Anyway, I'm just glad to finally have the album from the master tapes. Vinyl Masterpieces released the album on CD a number of years ago, but, of course, it was a vinyl rip.

yes,there is an extended version of "Seduction".I have it on the Rick And Friends compilation CD.

interesting story about the Val Young project: the song "In My House" was originally intended for her album,until a Motown exec heard the demo and persuaded Rick to give it to the Mary Jane Girls instead.I bet she was pissed about that

phunkdaddy said:

whitesockedfunk said:

All of Rick James' albums he recorded for Motown as well as Reprise have been released digitally. All of his Motown albums are available in one Complete Motown Albums package as well as seperately. The albums are newly mastered and feature several bonus tracks inclusing some new mixes by John Morales. Now only if this were a physical release...

His "Wonderful" album which he recorded for Reprise has albo been released, along with the unreleased "Kickin'" album (which isn't his best I must add).

Exciting is that most RJ-related albums by Stone City Band, Mary Jane Girls, Bobby Nunn and Val Young and even White Cane are also available. The best news is that the previously unreleased Mary Jane Girls album "Conversation" will also come out this summer, yay! Unlike Kickin', this album has never leaked.

http://finance.yahoo.com/...00590.html

Don't tease me like that dude. I remember back in 86 I was checking

with the wrecka sto every week waiting for it to come out and it never

did. I believe a few of those album tracks from that unreleased album

went to Val Young's Private Conversation album in 1987. I believe the

MJG would have scored bigger with the single Private Conversation because of the success they previously had.

I feel bad for the Mary Jane Girls.Their career was derailed,because of Rick's problems with Motown.Rick eventually left the label and signed with Warners/Reprise,but I wonder why he didn't bring the Mary Jane Girls along with him...or why they weren't allowed to continue on at Motown.Here was a successful female group with two gold albums at the peak of their fame! That third album should have been released back then,one way or another.

80s R&B flashback: "Seduction" by Val Young (1985)

I wonder if Conversation is the same as a song her produced for Val Young in 1987 called "Private Conversations"?

I'll be getting those Stone City Band Albums, I already converted my RJ albums to mp3's a while ago.

Abdul said:

I wonder if Conversation is the same as a song her produced for Val Young in 1987 called "Private Conversations"?

I'll be getting those Stone City Band Albums, I already converted my RJ albums to mp3's a while ago.

I have Val's "Private Conversation" CD. It is a bit of a mess. By that time, she had already left Motown and was on some label that I never heard of. There were like 2 or 3 songs that were produced by Rick, the best, IMO, being "The Sweetest Thing". The rest of the album I believe was produced by one of the Temptations but the songs were not good choices for her. The production on the entire album was just a downright sloppy mess. Which was really a shame because I thought Val had a very nice, soulful voice.

kitbradley said:

Abdul said:

I wonder if Conversation is the same as a song her produced for Val Young in 1987 called "Private Conversations"?

I'll be getting those Stone City Band Albums, I already converted my RJ albums to mp3's a while ago.

I have Val's "Private Conversation" CD. It is a bit of a mess. By that time, she had already left Motown and was on some label that I never heard of. There were like 2 or 3 songs that were produced by Rick, the best, IMO, being "The Sweetest Thing". The rest of the album I believe was produced by one of the Temptations but the songs were not good choices for her. The production on the entire album was just a downright sloppy mess. Which was really a shame because I thought Val had a very nice, soulful voice.

I believe the label is Amherst. I have the 12 inch version of

Private Conversations and believe it or not the local radio station

in my area used to play the dub version. I felt the title track and

the album's final cut Don't Wait For Me were the best songs.

chocolate1 said:

sermwanderer said:

I forgot just how much I love Cold Blooded. That's a sensational album

It really is. One of my favorites.

I second the fuck out of this post (or third, as the case may be.) "Doin' It" and "New York Town" are MY SHIT. Rick had a broader emotinoal range than perhaps he gets credit for, but the bottom line is that nobody made better songs about fucking.

This is must viewing if you've never seen it. MUST VIEWING.

sermwanderer said:

I forgot just how much I love Cold Blooded. That's a sensational album

my favorite songs on that album are "New York Town","Ebony Eyes" and the title track.

With this album,Rick changed his sound a little.....bringing in more synths and a cold,electronic sound,while still keeping things funky.

Rick on the creation of Super Freak (From Glow):


''It was about three in the morning. We had just put the horn parts on "Give It to Me Baby" when I was sitting in front of the console with my bass. I wasn't trying to write. I was just noodling.

This bass line came out of nowhere. Four descending notes. Nothing particularly striking. It was cheesy, but it was also catchy. I couldn't stop playing it. At the same time, I started singing, "She's a very kinky girl…" I was about to stop — the whole thing sounded a little dumb — when one of my cats said, "Cut it, Rick."

"You crazy?" I asked. "No man, it's cool. It's hypnotic."

I kept playing the riff and realized that it was hypnotic. Right then and there I had the engineer hook up a mic and started singing the story as it came to me — this story of a super freak. I never wrote down a word. Made it up on the spot.''

^^I love stories like this! I like to hear how songs are created and what the inspiration is.I've been lagging...time for me to go get a copy of this book!

Rick on Jim Morrison & The Doors:

"Until Jim, I always thought a singer had to be a guy with a great voice, Jim showed me that attitude was as important as voice. In years to come, David Bowie and Lou Reed would also get by on attitude and theatrics. All That's fine but far as Morrison went I got a little bored. I needed more fire in my rock and more funk in my folk, the Doors were weak tea".

LOL!! I'm loving this book so far!

I miss you Rick

Rick with model and alleged conquest Janice Dickinson in a 1982 photograph.

[Edited 7/22/14 22:46pm]

Rick James: Sex, Street Smarts And Success

Street songs from the ghetto to sweet songs in the limo - Rick James is livin' the life he's always dreamed of.

Rick was profiled in 1982 Rolling Stone article.

Read it here.

does anyone know exactly when the Mary Jane Girls' Conversation album will be released?

Reports vaguely indicate a ''summer'' release date, which implies it could be weeks away. I have a feeling the album is solid.

Identity said:

Reports vaguely indicate a ''summer'' release date, which implies it could be weeks away. I have a feeling the album is solid.

I just hope it actually happens. YOu know how labels sometimes announce they are going to release these types of unreleased projects but it never happens.

getxxxx said:

YES!

Identity said:

Reports vaguely indicate a ''summer'' release date, which implies it could be weeks away. I have a feeling the album is solid.

yeah,I'm betting that the album is superb.Rick's own music around that time was starting to sound tired (The Flag),but he was still coming up with excellent songs for his proteges.We've already heard at least one track from Conversation: "Walk Like A Man",which was a very good remake.

It would be nice to hear from the actual Mary Jane Girls themselves.I wonder how they feel about this project and the fact that it's finally getting released.

SoulAlive said:

Identity said:

Reports vaguely indicate a ''summer'' release date, which implies it could be weeks away. I have a feeling the album is solid.

yeah,I'm betting that the album is superb.Rick's own music around that time was starting to sound tired (The Flag),but he was still coming up with excellent songs for his proteges.We've already heard at least one track from Conversation: "Walk Like A Man",which was a very good remake.

It would be nice to hear from the actual Mary Jane Girls themselves.I wonder how they feel about this project and the fact that it's finally getting released.

It's the end of July and I still don't see anything about a release date. Something's telling me don't get my hopes up.

kitbradley said:

It's the end of July and I still don't see anything about a release date. Something's telling me don't get my hopes up.

summer ends in Sept. and also if they are releasing it digital only they wont annouce a release date it will just appear.

getxxxx said:

kitbradley said:

It's the end of July and I still don't see anything about a release date. Something's telling me don't get my hopes up.

summer ends in Sept. and also if they are releasing it digital only they wont annouce a release date it will just appear.

Well, okay. I trust you.