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Would EWF have been more successful if they'd been sexy? Sex sells, and though their music is quite sexy and seducing Maurice is not.
If he'd been a total heartthrob, do you think EWF would have had more (female) fans? | |
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No.
They were considered "disco" which killed any chance for them to re-emerge in the 80s and beyond. Which is fuckin' absured, because they weren't "disco". | |
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well i'm not talking about the fact their popularity declined in the eraly 80s (I still think it's because their creativity went away and like all great 70s acts struggled with the 80s synth sound)
Let's say we're in 1975... | |
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graecophilos said: Sex sells, and though their music is quite sexy and seducing Maurice is not.
If he'd been a total heartthrob, do you think EWF would have had more (female) fans? Again, no. Eddie Murphy said it all in his Delirious special  | |
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really? I'm watching his STevie parody right now, but where on youtube does he tealk about EWF and female fans? | |
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graecophilos said: really? I'm watching his STevie parody right now, but where on youtube does he tealk about EWF and female fans?
He doesn't talk about them,,,,he talks about "male singers" in general how they become superstars without any sex appeal. | |
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I'm sure somebody was diggin' Maurice's moon-headed ass  They made their best music when sound trumped image, so I don't see it making much of a difference.  I never met you, but I LOVE you & I will forever!! Thank you for being YOU - my little Princey, the best to EVER do it | |
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People are just stupid.
Their image never got in the way of making great music. Plus black bands were struggling to get acceptance back in the '70s and they were one of the first to have multi-platinum albums and pop acceptance for their earthy R&B music. It wasn't as if they were the Supremes or something. | |
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According to the discography page for EWF (at Wikipedia) they've sold at least 24 million records - if that's not a big success, then I don't know what is... | |
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Harlepolis said: graecophilos said: really? I'm watching his STevie parody right now, but where on youtube does he tealk about EWF and female fans?
He doesn't talk about them,,,,he talks about "male singers" in general how they become superstars without any sex appeal. Talking about Mick Jagger getting pussy but he got big lips and James getting pussy but no one can understand what he was singing.  | |
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Head to the Sky (1973) - Platinum
Open Our Eyes (1974) - Platinum That's the Way of the World (1975) - 3x Platinum Spirit (1976) - 2x Platinum All In All (1977) - 3x Platinum I am (1979) - 2x Platinum Faces (1980) - Gold Raise! (1981) - Plainum Powerlight (1982) - Gold Compare this to the discography of rock "supergroup" Kiss for the same years and you discover that EWF outsold Kiss almost 2 to 1. | |
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eaglebear4839 said: Head to the Sky (1973) - Platinum
Open Our Eyes (1974) - Platinum That's the Way of the World (1975) - 3x Platinum Spirit (1976) - 2x Platinum All In All (1977) - 3x Platinum I am (1979) - 2x Platinum Faces (1980) - Gold Raise! (1981) - Plainum Powerlight (1982) - Gold Compare this to the discography of rock "supergroup" Kiss for the same years and you discover that EWF outsold Kiss almost 2 to 1. Exactly! | |
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eaglebear4839 said: Head to the Sky (1973) - Platinum
Open Our Eyes (1974) - Platinum That's the Way of the World (1975) - 3x Platinum Spirit (1976) - 2x Platinum All In All (1977) - 3x Platinum I am (1979) - 2x Platinum Faces (1980) - Gold Raise! (1981) - Plainum Powerlight (1982) - Gold Compare this to the discography of rock "supergroup" Kiss for the same years and you discover that EWF outsold Kiss almost 2 to 1. I'm aware of their success!!! The thing is, well, reality is, that especially females seem to like listen to music from sexy singers. How many million copies of Thriller had been sold because girls thought MJ was hot and adorable?? But, man, I love EWF, their music is sexy as hell (Can't Hide Love i.e.) but attractivity is the name of the game. You can say whatever you want. | |
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graecophilos said: eaglebear4839 said: Head to the Sky (1973) - Platinum
Open Our Eyes (1974) - Platinum That's the Way of the World (1975) - 3x Platinum Spirit (1976) - 2x Platinum All In All (1977) - 3x Platinum I am (1979) - 2x Platinum Faces (1980) - Gold Raise! (1981) - Plainum Powerlight (1982) - Gold Compare this to the discography of rock "supergroup" Kiss for the same years and you discover that EWF outsold Kiss almost 2 to 1. I'm aware of their success!!! The thing is, well, reality is, that especially females seem to like listen to music from sexy singers. How many million copies of Thriller had been sold because girls thought MJ was hot and adorable?? But, man, I love EWF, their music is sexy as hell (Can't Hide Love i.e.) but attractivity is the name of the game. You can say whatever you want. Women are attracted to SINGERS, if you can sing, looks don't matter. Phillip sung falsetto and look what happened to him.  | |
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I'm confused. How much more successful do you want them to be? In their time, they were among the top concert draws Most of their albums were platinum sellers. So they had crappy albums in the latter years; most bands do. They can tour with a third of their band without havinmg any new hits. And they're playing at the White House for the President and the Nation's Governor's. Sounds successful to me.
I guess the sex appeal could have been heightened, but what would that do for me? Wasn't like I was tryin' to date them fools (though I admit gettin' some nice trim off "Reasons" "Love's Holiday" and some others).  test | |
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graecophilos said: How many million copies of Thriller had been sold because girls thought MJ was hot and adorable??
A clear case of sex-appeal gone awry. MJ was obviously tryin to attract young prepubescent white boys.  test | |
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graecophilos said: How many million copies of Thriller had been sold because girls thought MJ was hot and adorable??
Huh? You forget the music videos and the Motown 25 performance and the singles playing on radio?
I doubt it was for his looks. 
Hell, girls and women are just half the audience, lol. MJ & EW&F attracted fans of all ages, genders, races, etc. | |
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graecophilos said: If he'd been a total heartthrob, do you think EWF would have had more (female) fans?
You may have inadvertently swerved into an interesting point in reverse. I'm convinced that this site's namesake wouldn't have nearly as many Female fans... 
...if he looked like this. Everything else remaining unchanged. 
tA  Tribal Disorder
http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431 "Ya see, we're not interested in what you know...but what you are willing to learn. C'mon y'all." | |
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excuse me, but don't deny Verdine's sex appeal 
his perm was and still is lush If you will, so will I | |
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graecophilos said: eaglebear4839 said: Head to the Sky (1973) - Platinum
Open Our Eyes (1974) - Platinum That's the Way of the World (1975) - 3x Platinum Spirit (1976) - 2x Platinum All In All (1977) - 3x Platinum I am (1979) - 2x Platinum Faces (1980) - Gold Raise! (1981) - Plainum Powerlight (1982) - Gold Compare this to the discography of rock "supergroup" Kiss for the same years and you discover that EWF outsold Kiss almost 2 to 1. I'm aware of their success!!! The thing is, well, reality is, that especially females seem to like listen to music from sexy singers. How many million copies of Thriller had been sold because girls thought MJ was hot and adorable?? But, man, I love EWF, their music is sexy as hell (Can't Hide Love i.e.) but attractivity is the name of the game. You can say whatever you want. EW&F played a totally different kind of music to Michael. Why his was more pop with just a dash of R&B, EW&F's music was based on more of a Funk/Soul vibe. So, you really cannot compare the two in that respect. One of the main reason's why "Thriller" sold as much as it did, aside from good marketing, is due to it being a good pop album. While not my favorite by him, it IS a good pop album. "Love is like peeing in your pants, everyone sees it but only you feel its warmth" |
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theAudience said: graecophilos said: If he'd been a total heartthrob, do you think EWF would have had more (female) fans?
You may have inadvertently swerved into an interesting point in reverse. I'm convinced that this site's namesake wouldn't have nearly as many Female fans...
...if he looked like this. Everything else remaining unchanged.
tA Tribal Disorder
http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431 Good God, where did you fiiiiind THIS mf??? 
No, P would have suffered a bit w/ that face I never met you, but I LOVE you & I will forever!! Thank you for being YOU - my little Princey, the best to EVER do it | |
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thekidsgirl said: excuse me, but don't deny Verdine's sex appeal
his perm was and still is lush I never met you, but I LOVE you & I will forever!! Thank you for being YOU - my little Princey, the best to EVER do it | |
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This subject reminds me of that Biography on Barry White, and how Ray Parker Jr was talking about how Barry could pull more women just by talking than he could with his looks. Sex Appeal is overrated, or it should be when it comes to music, entertainment period. Sex appeal wasn't really an issue until music videos became popular, that's why music today is so fuckin terrible, the artist today wouldn't survive if they only had the radio to rely on. At the end of the day, it's about great music. | |
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CalhounSq said: thekidsgirl said: excuse me, but don't deny Verdine's sex appeal
his perm was and still is lush I knew I wasn't the only one yerning to run my fingers through it  If you will, so will I | |
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PFunkjazz said: I'm confused. How much more successful do you want them to be? In their time, they were among the top concert draws.Most of their albums were platinum sellers. So they had crappy albums in the latter years; most bands do. They can tour with a third of their band without havinmg any new hits. And they're playing at the White House for the President and the Nation's Governor's. Sounds successful to me.
I agree.EW&F were hugely successful in their heyday,with a legacy that they can be proud of.They didn't really need to be "sex symbols" to have alot of success. | |
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you know, why I'm asking this: I love the band. I have all their albums they made til 1980. I just have the impression that most of their fans are males and that far too many people aren't really connected to them.
May be because I'm living in Germany and was not alive in 1970. I just wished MORE people would EVEN today love and buy their records. | |
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graecophilos said: you know, why I'm asking this: I love the band. I have all their albums they made til 1980. I just have the impression that most of their fans are males and that far too many people aren't really connected to them.
May be because I'm living in Germany and was not alive in 1970. I just wished MORE people would EVEN today love and buy their records. Yeah.....I think that "back in the day" record companies focused more on the artist and the quality of their music.....especially when it came to bands such as EWF.....Clive Davis obviously saw something in them to sign them up in 1972.... Of course, eventually, the disco era did damage the perception because so many disposible acts did flourish...(hey, some of the music was STILL cool, I will admit) and yes, EWF unfairly gets lumped in with that crowd, just because their music is danceable and melodic....go figure!!! Their audiences do typically include a range of all ages...from real young to old....and many school marching bands include their music in their routines, so the "now" folk do know them, and pay attention to their music.....but the industry doesnt care so much for quality, so we see that sex sells, and there is a disposible nature to many of the acts that come up today.. I do think that in a strange way, EWF would have been bigger (fodder for mags, etc...) if they were more controversial. Think of Prince in his early days, with his outfits, lyrics, image.....Most of the acts that really take off have an edge of sorts to their image, perception etc...and while EWF made quality message music up there with the best of all-time, they were just, good clean professionals who seemed to stay out of trouble...and THAT I think is more the reason that they did not get to that "next level" as you put it. But success is in the eye of the beholder...so with a high profile gig at the White House etc...you kinda have reached the pinnacle of acceptance in many respects, and I think that Maurice is more happy with that as opposed to being all over the magazines etc...for stuff other than the music, message and the harmonies... [Edited 2/23/09 5:51am] [Edited 2/23/09 5:51am] [Edited 2/23/09 5:52am] | |
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PFunkjazz said: I'm confused. How much more successful do you want them to be?
Exactly what I was thinking. They did quite well in their heyday. @ thekidsgirl | |
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Allnall said: graecophilos said: you know, why I'm asking this: I love the band. I have all their albums they made til 1980. I just have the impression that most of their fans are males and that far too many people aren't really connected to them.
May be because I'm living in Germany and was not alive in 1970. I just wished MORE people would EVEN today love and buy their records. Yeah.....I think that "back in the day" record companies focused more on the artist and the quality of their music.....especially when it came to bands such as EWF.....Clive Davis obviously saw something in them to sign them up in 1972.... Of course, eventually, the disco era did damage the perception because so many disposible acts did flourish...(hey, some of the music was STILL cool, I will admit) and yes, EWF unfairly gets lumped in with that crowd, just because their music is danceable and melodic....go figure!!! Their audiences do typically include a range of all ages...from real young to old....and many school marching bands include their music in their routines, so the "now" folk do know them, and pay attention to their music.....but the industry doesnt care so much for quality, so we see that sex sells, and there is a disposible nature to many of the acts that come up today.. I do think that in a strange way, EWF would have been bigger (fodder for mags, etc...) if they were more controversial. Think of Prince in his early days, with his outfits, lyrics, image.....Most of the acts that really take off have an edge of sorts to their image, perception etc...and while EWF made quality message music up there with the best of all-time, they were just, good clean professionals who seemed to stay out of trouble...and THAT I think is more the reason that they did not get to that "next level" as you put it. But success is in the eye of the beholder...so with a high profile gig at the White House etc...you kinda have reached the pinnacle of acceptance in many respects, and I think that Maurice is more happy with that as opposed to being all over the magazines etc...for stuff other than the music, message and the harmonies... [Edited 2/23/09 5:51am] [Edited 2/23/09 5:51am] [Edited 2/23/09 5:52am] Yeah, you might have a point. The band could have needed more controversy, but that's totally off the whole attitude of the members and the music. Sometimes I just become sad when I've got the impressions that my favorites didn't have the success they SHOULD have had. And EWF should be seen as one of the best bands ever. They are my second favorite band!!! totally! | |
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