I know I'm late (it was reported back in April), but I just found what is probably the only decent Stevie Wonder website, and saw some news that makes me nervous.

Stevie's album (still TENTATIVELY due out in May of 03) will contain production by Rockwilder (the cat who did 'Lady Marmalade' from Moulin Rouge) and Raphael Saddiq.

Now Raphael, I'm not too concerned about, but Rockwilder??!! I mean, the brotha has skills and all, but (and I wanna make this perfectly clear for you all)...


THE ONLY PERSON WHO NEEDS TO PRODUCE A STEVIE WONDER RECORD IS STEVIE WONDER!!! GET THAT???!!! THAT'S CAPITAL W-O-N-D-E-R PERIOD (as Fred Sanford would say)

-SWANGsaidity'allmakeofitwhatchalike

SWANG said:

Great Fred Sandford Reference.Stevie is the Most Influential Artist over the past 5 Years with Folks using His Music&Vocal Progressions.but sadly He hasn't dropped anything new.fill in th eblank with the Next Stevie Clone___ Glenn Lewis on back&Stevie has too do something because He will have some Kid thinking that He is biting Glenn Lewis??I think He is trying hard too get Air-Play now&remember Stevie will work with anybody.

True, but Stevie hasn't turned over production duties to anyone else since he was 21! And when he does, he picks Rockwilder, who, as I said before, has skills, but alongside a GIANT like Stevie is a musical pipsqueak!!!

I'm still looking forward to the album though. The dribs and drabs of new stuff I have heard over the last 8 years (the Bamboozled songs, the BET Walk of Fame performance, the song from John Q) have all been brilliant.

But make no mistake about it - Stevie is an old man, and IMO, when old musicians TRY to sound like YOUNG musicians, they end up putting out things like Rave...

-SWANG'snotahater
[This message was edited Mon Jan 13 16:19:10 PST 2003 by SWANG]
[This message was edited Mon Jan 13 16:20:10 PST 2003 by SWANG]

When I saw that sad, blue face and the title Stevie Wonder News on the subject line I was apprehensive about what you were gonna say. So...


Put it in perspective: Stevie is still with us and has his health. Even if someone else is producing a Stevie record, Stevie IS STILL HERE!


Damn, talk about making somebody nervous!

Dear Swang,
Could you tell me the name of the website where you read this information?

Steve Marshall

manray10 said:

The Music, The Man, The Master

here's the URL:

http://www.geocities.com/.../home.html


and to Supernova...sorry

-SWANGsays"whatupSteve?"

SWANG said:

Stevie is only in His 50's.nothing stops Mick&Keith&they are Older than Stevie??I think you are only old as you feel.but Stevie it seems has been around forever though.

SWANG said:

No problem, I'm over it now. I think it was a combination of hearing and reading about Maurice Gibb over the last several days.

mistermaxxx said:

It's just one person's opinion, and in my opinion Mick and Keith look absolutely ridiculous up there...I won't get into the reasons why I feel this way...Mostly because it's so obvious it's not worth pointing out.

As far as I'm concerned, if you're 20 years old, make music like a 20 year old. If you're 50, make music like you're 50.

That's what people's main problem with Prince was before TRC came out.

-SWANG'sopinionwon'tchangeyours:lol:

Supernova said:

THANK YOU! I thought this person had some bad news about Stevie's health or something...scared the shit outta me...

SWANG said:

with Prince for Me it's the Quality of Songs not His age.Prince could still mix what is happening now if He has the Right Material? Age shouldn't stop you from doing your thing.Age is just a Number not where you are.Robert Johnson&Hank Williams SR. didn't make Music that Reflected there Age.they made Music that Reflected there Depth&there time&the short time it wasthe same with Hendrix.Tina Turner came back strong in Her Mid 40's with that Logic you use She wouldn't&shouldn't have come back???Tina had the Highest Grossing tour just 3 Years back at age 60.

SWANG said:

Slightly off topic, how great is it that TVland plays "Sandford and Son" (I'm almost certain that they brought it back too). Maybe one of the best shows ever! Too bad they haven't gotten into the ones with Grady and Fred. Now that was classic stuff! Did anyone else know that the guy that played Grady (Whitman Mayo) was only in his forties when the show was on. He was born in 1930 so when he started appearing on the show in '73 he was only 43 (at the oldest) and 47 when the show was off the air. Interesting fact. And I also think that Stevie should produce his own CD but maybe these youngsters won't hurt the ablum too bad.

SWANG said:

I understand that POV. And I've heard many express the same thing.


I don't understand that POV.

Take the subject of this thread, for example. Personally I think albums like Talking Book, Innervisions, Fulfillingness..., and even SITKOL has material that was BEYOND the ages of Stevie Wonder when those albums were made. He was 22, 23, 24, and 26 respectively. Not many people are that deep on a musical and social level at those ages in most genres. Only the truly great ones. If Stevie would have stuck to things expected of his age he may have been singing moon in June type of songs that Marvin Gaye referred to derisively, when he was trying to break free of the Motown assembly line songwriting and production.

When I was a kid, for some reason, I understood some of Stevie Wonder's deepest songs. "Living For The City" affected me profoundly at the age of about 7 years old. I didn't understand it to the extent an adult would, but I knew what he was talking about when he sang those lyrics, I knew his vocal delivery was very familiar, passionate, and comfortable for me, I knew I had never heard synthesizers played like that, I knew his composing was unlike anything out there that I had heard - yes, even as a 7 year old kid. And I made a point to listen to those records.

And to this day, my mother loves Aretha Franklin's music when Aretha started out in her 20s kicking up dust at the House That Ruth Built - Atlantic Records. My mother is over 70 years old. She also still loves and relates to Stevie's music when he was in his 20s.

On the other side of the coin, I may be misinterpreting you, but if you're saying a 50 year old's music shouldn't have the POTENTIAL to appeal to someone a decade or two younger, I'd have to disagree. I don't think an artist's age range should NECESSARILY be apparent by listening to them. If it's great it's going to transcend demographics, and when I say that I'm not talking about it capturing the video/mtv culture. That has more to do with marketing to a demographic than anything else.

But I do agree that there should be an obvious level of maturity as an artist gets on in years where there is obviously talent involved. But it shouldn't have to be confined to the AARP demographic. The primo material will transcend itself.


I have to disagree. Most people seemed to complain about the lack of creativity, focus, and just plain consistent quality with Prince's music that hadn't been there for years. I think he's on the right track.

Supernova said:

I was equally nervous! Thank u 4 saying exactly what I was thinking...and more!

Supernova said:

AMEN SUPERNOVA!!! that is exactly the Words on that.

VinnyM27 said:

Whitman Mayo looked more like closer too late 50's when "Sanford&Son" Debut.I know the HollyWood System of Shaving some years off& I think Brother Mayo did just that? but Hell Yeah TV Land never gets cut off.Props too TV Land for Showing Fred G.Sanford&the G. goes too TV Land for there Generious Spins of "Sanford&Son".

Well,I'm just glad that we will finally get a new Stevie Wonder album.And I'm sure that Stevie will be producing himself on several tracks,so no need to worry about what any outside producers will do.

mistermaxxx said:

Great to hear about a new Stevie album coming out, though I hope the outside producers are limited to a track or two max for each! But speaking on Sanford & Son, didn't they just start putting it back into rotation not that long ago?? I remember for a while I'd NEVER see that sucker on (unless it came on at some obscure hour), and I now see it's on all the time (thankfully)!!

Slightly off topic, how great is it that TVland plays "Sandford and Son" (I'm almost certain that they brought it back too). Maybe one of the best shows ever! Too bad they haven't gotten into the ones with Grady and Fred. Now that was classic stuff! Did anyone else know that the guy that played Grady (Whitman Mayo) was only in his forties when the show was on. He was born in 1930 so when he started appearing on the show in '73 he was only 43 (at the oldest) and 47 when the show was off the air. Interesting fact. And I also think that Stevie should produce his own CD but maybe these youngsters won't hurt the ablum too bad.[/quote]Whitman Mayo looked more like closer too late 50's when "Sanford&Son" Debut.I know the HollyWood System of Shaving some years off& I think Brother Mayo did just that? but Hell Yeah TV Land never gets cut off.Props too TV Land for Showing Fred G.Sanford&the G. goes too TV Land for there Generious Spins of "Sanford&Son".[/quote]

Hell Yea! The best ever show is S.A.N.F.O.R.D. Period! Been peepin it on TVland and I'm ashamed to say I forgot how damn funny this show was. How about the one where Fred is trying to pawn the gun they found with Lamont and Rollo outside looking in. The cat behind the counter was nervous he was being held up and then Fred pulls out the piece and says "I got this gun here, and it's in pretty fair working condition." lol Classic shit!

Supernova said:

LMAO, I had exactly the same thoughts!

Thanks all for replying to my post...All points of view are felt...

...and sorry if I made anyone nervous...


-SWANGdoesn'tlikeemoticons