Ok Commodores had number 1 rnb hit with Nightshift but

after that nothing.

Why? All Commodores members were

good songwritters

and great instrumentalists.

Yes Lionel wrote hits but so did other band members.

Was Lionel Richie to Commodores what a Freddie Mercury

for Queen something you just can't replace?

Good question.... but I really don't know.

When I was 16, the first concert I ever saw was the Commodores with JD Nicholas back in 1984. I remember thinking he was so gorgeous!

My friend Pam and I were down front with a sign that said, "Lionel Who?"

I got mortified just typing this!

Spit-ballin here, but I think two major factors worked against em.......

1.) They came up together from their youth. The original bunch were originally schoolmates. Pop history is littered with bands that never recaptured the unique magic of an originally talenteted lineup. It's just alchemy...hard to match when new members enter the fray.

2.) The VAST majority of the Commodores work was with Lionel (and the original group) early in their careers. The remaining members were approaching "pop elder" status by the time the split happened. It probably didn't matter WHO stepped in.....they had done their best work already.

Just my

Group members stated that they were more upset when producer James Carmicheal left them to produce Lionel

funkpill said:

Group members stated that they were more upset when producer James Carmicheal left them to produce Lionel

James Carmicheal was probably the biggest factor.

Yup..

phunkdaddy said:

funkpill said:

Group members stated that they were more upset when producer James Carmicheal left them to produce Lionel

James Carmicheal was probably the biggest factor.

Emotions wern't good @ that & other interband stuff....but even with him on board...or any other producer for that matter.....the post Lionel Commodores weren't gonna go on another 10 year run that woulda equaled the decade of music prior.

I know nothing of Commodores history and I prepare to stand corrected but maybe Lionel knew the writing was on the wall for the band and he took a chance jumping ship...?

The departures of James Anthony Carmichael and Lionel Richie.

funkpill said:

Group members stated that they were more upset when producer James Carmicheal left them to produce Lionel

Yep,and they were also pissed with the way Motown treated them after Lionel's departure.After "Nightshift",they recorded a follow-up album but Motown was more focused on Lionel's next album.So they left Motown in 1986.

I think you guys hit it right on the head, but I also think the fact that the work they released after "Nightshift" tended to be more "trendy" pop/r&b instead of them concentrating on a great song. "Going To The Bank" and the other songs were just horrible.

daPrettyman said:

I think you guys hit it right on the head, but I also think the fact that the work they released after "Nightshift" tended to be more "trendy" pop/r&b instead of them concentrating on a great song. "Going To The Bank" and the other songs were just horrible.

agree...

daPrettyman said:

I think you guys hit it right on the head, but I also think the fact that the work they released after "Nightshift" tended to be more "trendy" pop/r&b instead of them concentrating on a great song. "Going To The Bank" and the other songs were just horrible.

Even the Nightshift album was horrible outside the title track unless you

enjoyed listening to soundtrack tunes for mediocre 80's movies.