Timmy84 said:

phunkdaddy said:

That piece of shit funk song put people on the dance floor.

It was number 2 r&b in 1986. Never said it was great but it

worked. Is it worse than the shit u hear on mainstream radio now?

Yeah. People with TWO LEFT FEET. Fuck outta here...

I guess you're right. You were there to witness it.

What do i know about the Commodores considering i grew up listening to it

and just about every black household in my neighborhood were listening to

the first 5 Commodore albums and Brick House, Slippery When Wet, Just

to Be Close To You, and Fancy Dancer were heavy on their playlist.

[Edited 9/6/12 20:11pm]

phunkdaddy said:

Conversely the people who bought the Commodores early period don't give a shit

about Lionel now. I've already stated that i don't care if he does country. I don't have

to buy it. He needed to do this because his previous album with Akon Just Go flopped

like 2 day old pancakes so what did he have to lose by going country. I never stated that he had to do funk again but what's the problem with the soul ballads before he started doing pop records. Oh it's all about the money? If that's the case 75 % of the artists wouldn't even bother recording. Funk was never really a big seller? Try telling that to

Parliament and The Ohio Players. Let's face it who was funk really for? Of course

it wouldn't sell like the pop acts during that era when the black music buying population

was far less than their white counterparts. By the way, Brick House was a huge funk

record for the Commodores and i would say that done pretty well.

That's because they crossed over to the pop audience, where the bigger sales were. Most funk acts didn't. Earth Wind & Fire and KC & The Sunshine Band was considered disco and pop. EWF didn't have much success with the jazzier music they first came out with. It's all abut the money for the labels, it's a business like any other. If groups didn't care about making money, why bother getting a record deal? They can perform on the corner for free if it's only about the "art" of making music. Even street musicians want people to put money in their cup or hat. People keep thinking performers have some kind of power over what they put out. They don't, the label does. The labels have rejected all sorts of material acts have turned in. If funk was so popular, the record companies wouldn't have slowed down on signing them and start dropping the ones they had in the 1980's. Also the albums wouldn't be out of print in the US today. A lot the ones that are in print come from Japan as an import. Really it was places outside the US (ie. UK, Japan) that kept funk alive after popish balladeers like Luther Vandross, hip hop, and new jack swing took over R&B radio in the mid 1980's.

phunkdaddy said:

Timmy84 said:

Yeah. People with TWO LEFT FEET. Fuck outta here...

I guess you're right. You were there to witness it.

What do i know about the Commodores considering i grew up listening to it

and just about every black household in my neighborhood were listening to

the first 5 Commodore albums and Brick House, Slippery When Wet, Just

to Be Close To You, and Fancy Dancer were heavy on their playlist.

[Edited 9/6/12 20:11pm]

OK grandpa.

MickyDolenz said:

phunkdaddy said:

Conversely the people who bought the Commodores early period don't give a shit

about Lionel now. I've already stated that i don't care if he does country. I don't have

to buy it. He needed to do this because his previous album with Akon Just Go flopped

like 2 day old pancakes so what did he have to lose by going country. I never stated that he had to do funk again but what's the problem with the soul ballads before he started doing pop records. Oh it's all about the money? If that's the case 75 % of the artists wouldn't even bother recording. Funk was never really a big seller? Try telling that to

Parliament and The Ohio Players. Let's face it who was funk really for? Of course

it wouldn't sell like the pop acts during that era when the black music buying population

was far less than their white counterparts. By the way, Brick House was a huge funk

record for the Commodores and i would say that done pretty well.

That's because they crossed over to the pop audience, where the bigger sales were. Most funk acts didn't. Earth Wind & Fire and KC & The Sunshine Band was considered disco and pop. EWF didn't have much success with the jazzier music they first came out with. It's all abut the money for the labels, it's a business like any other. If groups didn't care about making money, why bother getting a record deal? They can perform on the corner for free if it's only about the "art" of making music. Even street musicians want people to put money in their cup or hat. People keep thinking performers have some kind of power over what they put out. They don't, the label does. The labels have rejected all sorts of material acts have turned in. If funk was so popular, the record companies wouldn't have slowed down on signing them and start dropping the ones they had in the 1980's. Also the albums wouldn't be out of print in the US today. A lot the ones that are in print come from Japan as an import. Really it was places outside the US (ie. UK, Japan) that kept funk alive after popish balladeers like Luther Vandross, hip hop, and new jack swing took over R&B radio in the mid 1980's.

Somehow the artists saying things like "we just did what the label said was profitable" went over folks' heads. Technically the Commodores still remained a pop band after Lionel Richie left. Other than "Nightshift" and "To the Bank", they never really recovered after Lionel left. EW&F was never funk. I never believed that. They had funky material. But that's for another topic.

MickyDolenz said:

phunkdaddy said:

Conversely the people who bought the Commodores early period don't give a shit

about Lionel now. I've already stated that i don't care if he does country. I don't have

to buy it. He needed to do this because his previous album with Akon Just Go flopped

like 2 day old pancakes so what did he have to lose by going country. I never stated that he had to do funk again but what's the problem with the soul ballads before he started doing pop records. Oh it's all about the money? If that's the case 75 % of the artists wouldn't even bother recording. Funk was never really a big seller? Try telling that to

Parliament and The Ohio Players. Let's face it who was funk really for? Of course

it wouldn't sell like the pop acts during that era when the black music buying population

was far less than their white counterparts. By the way, Brick House was a huge funk

record for the Commodores and i would say that done pretty well.

That's because they crossed over to the pop audience, where the bigger sales were. Most funk acts didn't. Earth Wind & Fire and KC & The Sunshine Band was considered disco and pop. EWF didn't have much success with the jazzier music they first came out with. It's all abut the money for the labels, it's a business like any other. If groups didn't care about making money, why bother getting a record deal? They can perform on the corner for free if it's only about the "art" of making music. Even street musicians want people to put money in their cup or hat. People keep thinking performers have some kind of power over what they put out. They don't, the label does. The labels have rejected all sorts of material acts have turned in. If funk was so popular, the record companies wouldn't have slowed down on signing them and start dropping the ones they had in the 1980's. Also the albums wouldn't be out of print in the US today. A lot the ones that are in print come from Japan as an import. Really it was places outside the US (ie. UK, Japan) that kept funk alive after popish balladeers like Luther Vandross, hip hop, and new jack swing took over R&B radio in the mid 1980's.

They didn't take the party to them, they came to the party.

Trust me the Ohio Players didn't have crossover on their minds

when they made Love Rollercoaster. In other words they didn't

whiten their sound to appeal to pop radio. Pop radio dug what

they were doing and it worked. Same with Boz Scaggs. I don't believe

he sat down and said i'm gonna do a black sounding record (Lowdown) to appeal

to black audiences. That's the way it came out and he had a hit on r&b

radio too.

Timmy84 said:

phunkdaddy said:

I guess you're right. You were there to witness it.

What do i know about the Commodores considering i grew up listening to it

and just about every black household in my neighborhood were listening to

the first 5 Commodore albums and Brick House, Slippery When Wet, Just

to Be Close To You, and Fancy Dancer were heavy on their playlist.

[Edited 9/6/12 20:11pm]

OK grandpa.

Watchout we have the president of the Sherman Klump fanclub here.

phunkdaddy said:

Timmy84 said:

OK grandpa.

Watchout we have the president of the Sherman Klump fanclub here.

You better slow your roll before I take Ciara from you.

Timmy84 said:

Somehow the artists saying things like "we just did what the label said was profitable" went over folks' heads. Technically the Commodores still remained a pop band after Lionel Richie left. Other than "Nightshift" and "To the Bank", they never really recovered after Lionel left. EW&F was never funk. I never believed that. They had funky material. But that's for another topic.

This site is about a guy who often said Warners wouldn't let him release what he wanted when he wanted, and then wrote "slave" on his face. Mariah Carey said that her earlier records was music Tommy Mattola told her to do. As soon as he was out of the picture, she started doing songs with rappers and "beats". Some people still complain about it, when she's been doing that longer than the early AC ballads and pop she started out with. How about the label heads that became rich and all of the acts that were ripped off and died broke? That's been happening ever since the recording business began.

MickyDolenz said:

Timmy84 said:

Somehow the artists saying things like "we just did what the label said was profitable" went over folks' heads. Technically the Commodores still remained a pop band after Lionel Richie left. Other than "Nightshift" and "To the Bank", they never really recovered after Lionel left. EW&F was never funk. I never believed that. They had funky material. But that's for another topic.

This site is about a guy who often said Warners wouldn't let him release what he wanted when he wanted, and then wrote "slave" on his face. Mariah Carey said that her earlier records was music Tommy Mattola told her to do. As soon as he was out of the picture, she started doing songs with rappers and "beats". Some people still complain about it, when she's been doing that longer than the early AC ballads and pop she started out with. How about the label heads that became rich and all of the acts that were ripped off and died broke? That's been happening ever since the recording business began.

People think backwards. That's how I see it.

This thread in the words of Mr. Hello himself has become OUTRAGEOUS!!!!!!!

Gunsnhalen said:

This thread in the words of Mr. Hello himself has become OUTRAGEOUS!!!!!!!

I'm done on my side though.

Back on topic.

Why cant we just be happy for Lionel You got all these wack artists/rappers etc making these shiity albums and music and they easily get millions and award BUT then you have a credible veteran who finally pulls off a million copies by busting his ass the smart way.... whether you like country or not give the brotha some cred!!!

A little OT (but still related somewhat): Adele's closing in on 4 million alone in the US this year. Last year, "21" sold a total of 5.8 million. Total sales are above 9.7 million so a Diamond certification for ten million in shipments will probably be coming soon though it may take a bit longer for the album to reach 10 million in sales.

Back on Lionel, I think two main reasons helped Lionel. One, it was country music and its loyal buyers (R&B, pop and rock are not as loyal) and two, he brought it to people's attention on the Home Shopping Network.

I'm also sure the sales from the album will help him pay off that debt he had with the IRS over a back tax issue.

mjscarousal said:

Why cant we just be happy for Lionel You got all these wack artists/rappers etc making these shiity albums and music and they easily get millions and award BUT then you have a credible veteran who finally pulls off a million copies by busting his ass the smart way.... whether you like country or not give the brotha some cred!!!

ID (Identity) was like "he bought half of it". Uh excuse me? I'm expecting Lionel may get some Grammy nods of some sort for the album, don't know if it'll just be country or will he also get some general ones.

Timmy84 said:

mjscarousal said:

Why cant we just be happy for Lionel You got all these wack artists/rappers etc making these shiity albums and music and they easily get millions and award BUT then you have a credible veteran who finally pulls off a million copies by busting his ass the smart way.... whether you like country or not give the brotha some cred!!!

ID (Identity) was like "he bought half of it". Uh excuse me? I'm expecting Lionel may get some Grammy nods of some sort for the album, don't know if it'll just be country or will he also get some general ones.

I believe Identity was just joking. Don't think he was serious at all. Let's put the whole

Lionel thing in perspective. I like what he did to get sales. I'm just not interested in

the product. I'm just amazed at how we pick and choose who to be proud of. Let's be

happy for Lionel now but we wouldn't be happy for him if he had these sales with the

Just Go album he did with Akon. Yes it was beneath Lionel to do so but the same people

who are praising Lionel now for his country album would have villified him for the Just Go

album if it were successful just because it was Akon he was working with.

phunkdaddy said:

Timmy84 said:

ID (Identity) was like "he bought half of it". Uh excuse me? I'm expecting Lionel may get some Grammy nods of some sort for the album, don't know if it'll just be country or will he also get some general ones.

I believe Identity was just joking. Don't think he was serious at all. Let's put the whole

Lionel thing in perspective. I like what he did to get sales. I'm just not interested in

the product. I'm just amazed at how we pick and choose who to be proud of. Let's be

happy for Lionel now but we wouldn't be happy for him if he had these sales with the

Just Go album he did with Akon. Yes it was beneath Lionel to do so but the same people

who are praising Lionel now for his country album would have villified him for the Just Go

album if it were successful just because it was Akon he was working with.

I'll be honest...... I didnt know that

aardvark15 said:

MickyDolenz said:

Didn't Tony Bennett have a popular duets album recently? His first record came out in the 1950's.

When you duet with someone who had a number one hit that year and someone who died that year, you're bound to get a successful album

Amy was on the 2nd one. The first one was a smash too.

Also, what's funny is the album is dropping but yet "21" keeps selling like 20,000+. Bieber's "Believe" was certified platinum by his label and the RIAA but it's 500,000 and more copies short of one million so far.

mjscarousal said:

phunkdaddy said:

I believe Identity was just joking. Don't think he was serious at all. Let's put the whole

Lionel thing in perspective. I like what he did to get sales. I'm just not interested in

the product. I'm just amazed at how we pick and choose who to be proud of. Let's be

happy for Lionel now but we wouldn't be happy for him if he had these sales with the

Just Go album he did with Akon. Yes it was beneath Lionel to do so but the same people

who are praising Lionel now for his country album would have villified him for the Just Go

album if it were successful just because it was Akon he was working with.

I'll be honest...... I didnt know that

You didn't see that video for Let's Go

Lionel was desperate and it failed. I think he had one

single before Let's Go called Good Morning which wasn't that bad but the

only time i ever heard it was twice on my way to work when i was working

3rd shift. Let's Go was just plain horrible though. That's why i said he had

nothing to lose with Tuskegee and everything to gain.

phunkdaddy said:

They didn't take the party to them, they came to the party.

Trust me the Ohio Players didn't have crossover on their minds

when they made Love Rollercoaster. In other words they didn't

whiten their sound to appeal to pop radio. Pop radio dug what

they were doing and it worked. Same with Boz Scaggs. I don't believe

he sat down and said i'm gonna do a black sounding record (Lowdown) to appeal

to black audiences. That's the way it came out and he had a hit on r&b

radio too.

It doesn't matter if they recorded music designed to crossover. It did anyway, and most funk and R&B acts didn't. Overall, funk wasn't really that big of a seller. Even the few that crossed over didn't get the really big sales like The Eagles or Pink Floyd. I think the funk that did get pop play was because it was lumped in with disco as music to dance to. After "Disco Sucks", R&B acts had a harder time getting Top 40 airplay. Why do you think there was more of an emphasis on crossing over, especially after the Thriller album. Peabo Bryson, Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner all dumped their earlier R&B sound and released pop and adult contemporary records in the 1980's. An act that had Top 40 pop success got more media attention than an act only on R&B radio, which at that time were mainly written about in teen oriented magazines like Rock N Soul, Soul Teen, Black Beat, and Right On!. Most of the R&B oriented acts in the Rock N Roll Hall of fame had some kind of crossover.

[Edited 9/6/12 22:22pm]

phunkdaddy said:

MickyDolenz said:

Other people here have said they don't like the JT era. That isn't really the point, it's that many acts changed their sound, and had more success with it than what they were originally doing. I like Lionel's 1980's records and don't see anything wrong with them. Why would Lionel go back to funk anyway, when that was going out of style and was never really a big seller in the first place. The Commodores had their biggest hits with pop ballads, not funk, same as Atlantic Starr. I doubt most of the people who bought Lionel's post Commodores music care about funk. Saying that he should do that is like saying George Michael should still record rap songs like Young Guns & Wham! Rap. He won't make much money that way.

Conversely the people who bought the Commodores early period don't give a shit

about Lionel now. I've already stated that i don't care if he does country. I don't have

to buy it. He needed to do this because his previous album with Akon Just Go flopped

like 2 day old pancakes so what did he have to lose by going country. I never stated that he had to do funk again but what's the problem with the soul ballads before he started doing pop records. Oh it's all about the money? If that's the case 75 % of the artists wouldn't even bother recording. Funk was never really a big seller? Try telling that to

Parliament and The Ohio Players. Let's face it who was funk really for? Of course

it wouldn't sell like the pop acts during that era when the black music buying population

was far less than their white counterparts. By the way, Brick House was a huge funk

record for the Commodores and i would say that done pretty well.

x 500 million