According to Wiki:

LeMans left Los Angeles for Minneapolis and met Prince shortly after arriving there. Paisley Park Records released Tony's first and only album, "Tony Lemans" in 1989. Šly Stone (Higher than High) and George Clinton of Parlament,( Rhythm Rocker) were involved in the creation as well.

I don't own the album but GC's name doesn't appear as such on Discogs. Can anyone confirm?

Just as a side note, this from Wiki blew my mind. I knew he died prematurely, and I think I knew it was motorcycle related. But damn.

LeMans, an avid motorcyclist, (he loved Harley-Davidson) died in an accident while driving through the Holland tunnel in Malibu, California on June 24, 1992. He was to be married the next day to Deborah Matthews, Vanity's sister.

Had no idea about his engagement to Vanity's sister.

https://www.discogs.com/T...se/4334534

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BartVanHemelen said:

https://www.discogs.com/T...se/4334534

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Yep, as stated in my original post GC's name doesn't appear on Discogs but the Wiki page specifically states he's somehow involved on Rhythm Rocker...

Looking at the discogs details, I noticed the guitarist has a familiar name, any relation to Fred Astaire or someone’s pseudonym?

11 Different Kinda Thing
Backing Vocals – Boni Boyer, Tony LeMans
Drum Programming – Tony LeMans
Guitar – Fred Astaire III
Producer – Coke Johnson, Tony LeMans
Producer [Additional], Remix – David Gamson, Ray Bardani
Written-By – Michael Whitfield, Tony LeMans

player said:

BartVanHemelen said:

https://www.discogs.com/T...se/4334534

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Yep, as stated in my original post GC's name doesn't appear on Discogs but the Wiki page specifically states he's somehow involved on Rhythm Rocker...

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Unsourced claims on wiki pages have no value. AFAIK Sly Stone also wasn't involved.

BartVanHemelen said:

player said:

Yep, as stated in my original post GC's name doesn't appear on Discogs but the Wiki page specifically states he's somehow involved on Rhythm Rocker...

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Unsourced claims on wiki pages have no value. AFAIK Sly Stone also wasn't involved.

Well here's hoping your line of insider scoops clears up soon, eh?

FrankieCoco1 said:

Looking at the discogs details, I noticed the guitarist has a familiar name, any relation to Fred Astaire or someone’s pseudonym? 11 Different Kinda Thing Backing Vocals – Boni Boyer, Tony LeMans Drum Programming – Tony LeMans Guitar – Fred Astaire III Producer – Coke Johnson, Tony LeMans Producer [Additional], Remix – David Gamson, Ray Bardani Written-By – Michael Whitfield, Tony LeMans

And 'Fred's' sole Discogs credit too... Interesting. If it is it's a new pseudonym to me.

I found 3 credits for Fred Astaire III on the “Rush Week” soundtrack (Rainbow, Innocent, Good Lovin’ Girl - all performed by “Ginger”). I now think there is no chance this is Prince related.

https://m.imdb.com/title/...soundtrack

Trawled few a few forum threads about Tony Le Mans and found an interesting comment from the orger called Muziqmkr,

“Tony was an incredible talent and good friend. Yes he dated Denise's sister Debra and he did have a band behind him. In fact, I played with him at one time. The thing that a lot of people don't know is that Prince and Tony did some amazing tunes that have yet to be heard by the general public. I spoke with Lenny about Tony a week or so after I had just seen him and Lenny said that Tony wasn't a friend of his. They did however play in the same band at one time. I think Tony had some dealings with some of the members of "Maggie's Dream" also. David Gamson of Scritti Polliti produced and wrote some of that album but in my opinion the first versions of some of those tracks were much nicer. Especially the stuff that Prince and Tony did. So many of us miss Tony a lot but I'll have to make due with good memories and my picture.”

https://prince.org/msg/5/114445

FrankieCoco1 said:

Trawled few a few forum threads about Tony Le Mans and found an interesting comment from the orger called Muziqmkr, “Tony was an incredible talent and good friend. Yes he dated Denise's sister Debra and he did have a band behind him. In fact, I played with him at one time. The thing that a lot of people don't know is that Prince and Tony did some amazing tunes that have yet to be heard by the general public. I spoke with Lenny about Tony a week or so after I had just seen him and Lenny said that Tony wasn't a friend of his. They did however play in the same band at one time. I think Tony had some dealings with some of the members of "Maggie's Dream" also. David Gamson of Scritti Polliti produced and wrote some of that album but in my opinion the first versions of some of those tracks were much nicer. Especially the stuff that Prince and Tony did. So many of us miss Tony a lot but I'll have to make due with good memories and my picture.” https://prince.org/msg/5/114445

Cool find, nice detective work Frankie. I'm assuming this Lenny is Kravitz? Odd that he said they weren't friends as I've just finished Lenny's autobiography and Tony features quite heavily and is very much spoken of in friend terms...

Here’s an excerpt from Lenny Kravitz’s autobiography, which includes details of Lenny and Tony LeMans working together:

“We put together a live showcase that I co-produced. I played bass and backed Tony while he sang lead...Sheila E told Prince about us. Prince signed Tony, who wanted me as part of the deal. Prince told Tony...that he’d need a producer [and] hired David Gamson (one half of Scritti Politti)...He was king of the synths...to me that sound had nothing to do with Tony...the record didn’t sell. A few years later, while working on a second album, Tony died in a tragic accident on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. That broke my heart. For all that had gone down between us, I still thought of Tony as my brother and a man of enormous talent. I only wish the world had the opportunity to hear the pure musical spirit that I knew lived deep within his soul.”

You can read snippets here:
https://www.reads2020.com...81_35.html

Or buy the book ‘Let Love Rule’ through the links here: https://www.hachette.co.u...3/?v2=true

Back in the 80s,I purchased every album that was released on Paisley Park Records.I had Tony’s album....there were a couple of cool tracks on it.I recall one song,”Forever More”,even getting a little radio airplay in my area.It’s a nice slow jam.

FrankieCoco1 said:

Here’s an excerpt from Lenny Kravitz’s autobiography, which includes details of Lenny and Tony LeMans working together: “We put together a live showcase that I co-produced. I played bass and backed Tony while he sang lead...Sheila E told Prince about us. Prince signed Tony, who wanted me as part of the deal. Prince told Tony...that he’d need a producer [and] hired David Gamson (one half of Scritti Politti)...He was king of the synths...to me that sound had nothing to do with Tony...the record didn’t sell. A few years later, while working on a second album, Tony died in a tragic accident on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. That broke my heart. For all that had gone down between us, I still thought of Tony as my brother and a man of enormous talent. I only wish the world had the opportunity to hear the pure musical spirit that I knew lived deep within his soul.” You can read snippets here: https://www.reads2020.com...81_35.html Or buy the book ‘Let Love Rule’ through the links here: https://www.hachette.co.u...3/?v2=true

Back in the late 80s/early 90s, my local alternative music station would host interviews with modern rock artists on Sunday nights and take live calls from listeners (it might have been a syndicated national brodcast). One Sunday featured Lenny Kravitz so I decided to call in and got through (which I found out later was a feat in itself since the phone lines are always known to be jammed). My question for Lenny was going to be what was it like working with Tony LeMans since he had just passed away recently, but the call screener didn't think my question had enough mass appeal for the show since hardly anyone knew who Tony was at the time and the screener told me to call back with a better question before hanging up.

player said:

Yes, I just read Lenny's bio too and he speaks about this in some detail. I believe they were friends, even though they had some disagreements.

Tony le Mans was, afaik, related to Sly Stone. Also, his Higher than High single is kind of like a cover of Sly's Same Thing mixed through Prince's Lovesexy synths.

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Not sure about George's involvement, but it's possible, I suppose. To me, David Gamson is the most interesting wildcard from the album, as I love his work with Scritti Politti and Meshell Ndgeocello.

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So.. to answer the question in the topic.. probably no, although Rhythm Rocker does sound like some of the somewhat forgettable tracks George made just prior to his signing on Paisley Park.

mediumdry said:

Tony le Mans was, afaik, related to Sly Stone. Also, his Higher than High single is kind of like a cover of Sly's Same Thing mixed through Prince's Lovesexy synths.

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Not sure about George's involvement, but it's possible, I suppose.

Where's proof he was related to Sly?

Anything's possible, but we've yet to prove Clinton was involved in any fashion with LeMan's album.

TrivialPursuit said:

Where's proof he was related to Sly?

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So I've been looking for corroboration of the information I once got. I have not been able to find the information again, let alone another source. I did find some information that he was supposedly related to Billy Preston, on the org, no less.

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So... there's a good reason to believe stories about Tony are going round. For now, I'll chose to believe he was not related to anyone.

More details of Tony LeMans, appearing on vocals and co-writing tracks on a Donny Osmond album, “Eyes Don’t Lie”.

https://www.discogs.com/D...se/1362741

mediumdry said:

TrivialPursuit said:

Where's proof he was related to Sly?

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So I've been looking for corroboration of the information I once got. I have not been able to find the information again, let alone another source. I did find some information that he was supposedly related to Billy Preston, on the org, no less.

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So... there's a good reason to believe stories about Tony are going round. For now, I'll chose to believe he was not related to anyone.

I mean, I'd be interested to know either way, but after all this time, especially with his business partner talking a lot about Tony's past and his time with him, nothing has been mentioned about Tony LeMans being related to Sly Stone. Sure, it'd make for an interesting story, but the truth - whatever it is - is always desirable.