The post-Motown Isley's and pre 3+3 Isley's period.

This is when they started to find their groove. They seemed to be finding it somewhat right before they signed with Motown with tracks like "Move Over and Let Me Dance" but of course, who wouldn't have signed with Motown in 1965 if you hadn't had a hit in 3+ years? They got their T-Neck label back in business and went to work in 1969.

1969: It's Our Thing - It's Your Thing

1969: The Brothers Isley - I Turned You On

1970: Get Into Something - Keep On Doin'

1971: Givin' It Back - Love The One You're With

1972: Brother, Brother, Brother - Pop That Thang (I think this is where John Witherspoon got his moniker from "Bang, Bang, Bang" lol)

In a span of 4 years, they released 5 records, with young brothers (and in-law) Ernie, Marvin and Chris Jasper slowly making their way into the forefront.

I really love the Brother Brother Brother album. Their take on "It's Too Late" gets me every time.

I think the Isleys about found their groove when Get Into Something was released though they still weren't sure where to go.

By Brother, Brother, Brother, the pieces finally came together when Ernie, Marvin and Chris join the fray completely.

Little is known about this but Ernie was often called to play bass on some recordings, he didn't play guitar on Isley records until Givin' It Back, I think.

There wasn't a lot of rock guitar on the Isleys' 1969-1970 recordings.

Timmy84 said:

I think the Isleys about found their groove when Get Into Something was released though they still weren't sure where to go.

By Brother, Brother, Brother, the pieces finally came together when Ernie, Marvin and Chris join the fray completely.

Little is known about this but Ernie was often called to play bass on some recordings, he didn't play guitar on Isley records until Givin' It Back, I think.

There wasn't a lot of rock guitar on the Isleys' 1969-1970 recordings.

Ernie started out as the drummer for their live band in the mid 60s. He played the bass on "It's Your Thing."

Ernie seems like the Randy of the Isleys, lol.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Timmy84 said:

I think the Isleys about found their groove when Get Into Something was released though they still weren't sure where to go.

By Brother, Brother, Brother, the pieces finally came together when Ernie, Marvin and Chris join the fray completely.

Little is known about this but Ernie was often called to play bass on some recordings, he didn't play guitar on Isley records until Givin' It Back, I think.

There wasn't a lot of rock guitar on the Isleys' 1969-1970 recordings.

Ernie started out as the drummer for their live band in the mid 60s. He played the bass on "It's Your Thing."

Ernie seems like the Randy of the Isleys, lol.

Yeah I think this was after Jimi left the group for good... Jimi and Ernie used to share the same house once because O'Kelly had moved Jimi in there because he couldn't afford to buy an apartment or a house.

LOL Ernie IS the Randy of the Isleys. Just with less drama.

Timmy84 said:

Smittyrock70 said:

Timmy84 said:

Yeah I think this was after Jimi left the group for good... Jimi and Ernie used to share the same house once because O'Kelly had moved Jimi in there because he couldn't afford to buy an apartment or a house.

.

LOL Ernie IS the Randy of the Isleys. Just with less drama.

There's a lot of truth to that. But Ernie's the most talented of the two by far.

That's true!

I'm not a massive fan and don't really know much of their early material (late fifties to late sixties) or the later material (eighties to the present) but the 1969-1973 era is my favourite. They weren't massively successful and were exploring and trying different things. As great as the albums from the mid-late seventies are they did become a bit formulaic. That's not necessarily a bad thing but I find the other era more interesting.

HuMpThAnG said:

This is the single right her'... is the Isley Brothers' definitive song. Most things happen for a reason and yeah they went through the fire but afterwards they could see what they wanted to do creativley. Songwriters talk about having a "hook" in a song, "It's Your Thing" was the Isley Brothers hook interms of grabbing and keeping the US audience attention. They need hook because prior to this they were just running with the pack, good but nothing that would make you stop and listen again and again. This song ^ changed all of that...... One of the songs for which I can tell you the exactly at what time, where, and day I first heard it.