everybody is starting these types of threads lately, so here´s my contribution

Jodey Whatley - Some kind of lover

garganta said:

definately a kick ass song Jody was/is Hot indeed

Cool song, but you've just inspired me to dust off "Still A Thrill" haven't heard that in ages.

psykosoul said:

good fuggin call

Both great songs.

Jody was the shit back in the day. "Don't You Want Me", "Still A Thrill", "Some Kind Of Lover", "Looking For A New Love", "Real Love", "Friends" (great forgotten track) and so much more. It sucks that she faded because her third album, Affairs Of The Heart, was perhaps her best.

Here's a little article on her. Very interesting and nice to hear what she's doing lately:

(Aug. 21, 2003) SOMETHING ABOUT JODY In 1987, Jody Watley was the be-it-all-end-it-all of pop music stardom. She hit the number one spot on the pop charts with, “Looking For A New Love,” an undeniable dance ditty about self-awareness and getting a new lease on life and love, and won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. Her break-out solo self-titled debut album landed in the #1 spot on the Billboard R&B Albums chart, and yielded a string of singles including “Still A Thrill,” “Some Kind Of Lover” and my personal favorite “Don’t You Want Me?”
Then, the Chicago-born beauty was onto her third incarnation in an illustrious showbiz career -- former “Soul Train” dancer turned lead female vocalist of the popular Los Angeles-based R&B outfit Shalamar turned trend-setting, solo pop icon. It was a success story that would make any music enthusiast proud.

Sixteen years later, the 44-year-old singer/songwriter –affectionately known as The Madame-- is still going strong. And she’s just as gorgeous as ever.

A mother of two (a college-aged daughter and a tween-age son), Ms. Watley is taking music matters into her own hands. Recently, she released an independent album, “Midnight Lounge” (Avitone Recordings/Shinbone Alley/Shanachie), which has already become an underground hit amongst her cult following -- affording her to mount a national club tour. For the past few years, she has been the toast of European and Asian territories – not feeding into what major media companies dictate to be ‘hot’ they tend to me more loyal fans.

All summer, Ms. Watley has been performing non-stop at intimate venues around the country -- it was at New York’s neo-lounge-like hot-spot Joe’s Pub where we first caught up to the feisty, fashionable and fabulous femme fatale, who worked the sold-out, downtown crowd into a frenzy -- showing the masses that she still had what it took to remain the versatile, resilient and omnipresent music force she is known as.

In our trademark fashion, The RU Report encouraged the living legend to shoot the stuff --off the cuff-- about a few worthwhile subjects:

Records & Retail… “My first independent endeavor was "Affection" in 1995/96. This was the first release on my Avitone imprint. The distributor at that time was Bellmark. I was inspired by Prince, who had released "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" single on his NPG imprint, with Bellmark as distributor. I love the whole idea of new frontiers, and entrepreneurial spirit. People get so locked in and afraid to step out of the routine. I have been stepping out of routine for a long time. It keeps me fresh. I can draw upon so many lessons I've learned and things I've seen working with a small independent like Solar in the beginning, though they were initially distributed by Capitol, I believe and MCA, prior to being bought by larger corporation, and of course my brief stint at Atlantic. The music business changed immensely once companies merged with corporations with concerns more related to fiscal quarters, stock rankings, and profit more so than artist growth or longevity. It's up to you as an artist to build your career, beyond hit singles. I've been blessed to have a long career. With small independent labels, it's more personal. The expectations and approach are totally different, just like with indie films. The entire process is more grass roots.”

Total Independence… “The advantages of doing this without a major label are artistic freedom and knowing that in the long run you can make more of the profits, if there are any to be made. In addition, you are in a position to place and license/lease the masters around the world, doing different deals for each territory, if you choose to, among other ventures you can become involved in. It's no secret though, that only a handful people in the know, are aware of the quality and availability of great independently released music. At times it would be great to have a huge promotional and marketing budget. But even when I was on a major label, I never got the massive zillion-dollar push. I am cool either way. It takes a lot of work and involvement."

“I get people all the time that want to know if I'm still singing. But I understand why they ask, because having been a mainstream and commercially viable artist, there are those who don't look beyond radio and MTV and I'm way under the radar these days but people that have my new music thinks it just gets better. I'm like an eclectic boutique off the beaten path in the middle of mega mall.

Family Affair… “Midori and I are the usual big sister, little sister stuff. My family was initially very upset about her work because she is the baby in the family but I'm always the first person to say you have to live your life, your own way... I love her. We have an older brother who lives in Japan. He appeared in a few of my classic videos. My sister has also been in one as well as our mother, my son and my daughter.”

[My daughter] is gorgeous. I don't want to say too much because my kids are my private life but she is an incredible young lady and we are very close. I managed to raise her to be a non-show business obnoxious child, though she has traveled around the world and been exposed to a lot of glamour. She's a college student in New York and she's incredibly smart, compassionate about people, polite, interested in global culture and makes very cool experimental instrumental electronic music and amazing video graphics. She has a project called ‘cenetaur,’ and music is one of her hobbies. She went to Kenya this summer to help with a school...I always tell her she's my idol.

“My kids don't think of me as "Jody Watley --the singer.” I'm just Mommy. I admire the way Diana Ross seems to have had an incredible public life and career and yet managed to raise very unaffected bright beautiful and grounded young ladies. That's what it's all about at the end of the day: you want to make sure your kids are going out to the world with something positive to give. Now that's a great legacy.”

Shalamar (and not the fragrance)… “I threw in "A Night To Remember" at the "Celebrate Brooklyn" show. I hadn't done that in years. I figured there'd be a few old school people in the park so I thought it would be fun and a nice surprise as well. I did three shows that weekend, at different venues, and they were all a bit different. I incorporated a DJ onstage at "Celebrate,” and I've wanted to do that for ages so it was like playing classic records.

“Honestly, once I left the group in 1984 that was it. I'm not one to hold on to negative energy, you can't move forward that way. People assume things about my feelings for all the wrong reasons. For instance, I don't do Shalamar songs because I have so many of my own songs that were big hits. It's impossible to sing everything, unless I'm onstage for two hours. I'm also not big on looking back so I prefer to focus on what I'm doing not what I did, people take that like I'm trying to not acknowledge my past, which is ridiculous. Shalamar was a blessing, but I have never tried to ride those coat tails. People can get stuck on the past, and because I'm not, it's assumed that it's still some bad blood. That’s not true.

“I co-wrote most all of my solo records so as a writer I want to always promote my solo catalogue first because I get royalties on Jody Watley records. As great as they were, I don't get Shalamar royalty money. We had horrible record contracts.”

Love and Happiness… “I just try to have fun. I like that my voice can sound really teen and pop or sultry and warm, depending on the vibe and physically I take care of myself all the way around. I want people to know, always, that I have been so blessed over the years. I have also put raising my children first, ahead of aggressively always pursuing my career, though I obviously am the person that takes care of us all, so I work just enough. I also have the luxury of being home. I have managed to have balance for the most part and that makes me happy.

The Next Generation… “I love Beyonce, and was very happy that Destiny's Child recorded a song I wrote called "Sweet Sixteen" on their "Writings On The Wall" CD. She works very hard, she writes, she 's bringing it! As a songwriter I also really like India Arie, her lyrics are very thoughtful. I just wonder if many of the tons of artists that are out will really be in the trenches for the inevitable ups and downs, continuing to build a career that lasts beyond hit records.

“The funny thing is being so involved in fashion and my image, I wanted a clothing line, since so many people were copying my styles but at the time there wasn't one executive who got it, they would look at me as if I were insane. Now everyone and their mom are coming out with a clothing line.”

Being Buff… “I didn't do [“Playboy”] to be advantageous, other than celebrating being a great looking woman over 35. I think I was reacting to ageism. There are a lot of old looking twenty-somethings -- yet great looking women at 35, 40, etc. are looked at as old in the industry. I approached it like a fashion shoot, and pretended to be Miss Naomi Campbell. We flew to the most beautiful location in Kauai, and I met with the photographer to talk creatively. I refused to show my muffin, or do total nudity, that's why I wasn't on the cover. I discussed it with my teenaged daughter for her thoughts and opinions, and she gave me her permission -- as long as I wasn't showing everything.”

Herstory… “It's best to live in the moment. I will always be a part of the Grammy history, which I am so proud of, and of course my hit records will always be found in books with chart history, etc. But seriously, I don't think about things like that. It's too superficial. At the end of the day, life isn't about your career or financial success or fame. Though it means a lot to me that people say my music makes them happy or makes them dance or get through tough times or any of that, it's not my life.

“It goes back to what I said earlier; my legacy is that I am a great Mom to my kids, when they tell me I'm the greatest Mom in the whole wide world, that's the best! So I will be thought of as, great mom and one of these days I'm sure I'll be a sexy Grandma, like Goldie Hawn and I hope to be great at that.

“A good daughter, sister, auntie, and friend. That's the chain of remembrance that will matter most.”

Hitting The Road… “It's important to make my music visible by performing it live, that's why I've done more shows recently. People have a great time and so do I.

Up Next… “San Diego on August 22. Reality TV, maybe. Who knows? My boutique will open very soon at my website (www.jodywatley.net). I'll have a revolving small quantity of items. The first from the "Jody Watley Collection" will be caps and hats. I will also feature other designers from time to time. My hats were recently sold in Fred Segal. I'll be doing other things as well. I've always loved hats...and caps are very popular right now! I've got some cool T-shirts as well, they have a very soft, worn vintage feel. I may have a few more surprises up my sleeve.”
[This message was edited Thu Feb 26 13:06:08 2004 by VoicesCarry]

Hey VoicesCarry,thanks for that article.I was wondering what Jody was up to these days.