Now I will admit ... I had some concerns about what the group would sound
like without their original lead singer Russell Tompkins, Jr., who sang their
seventeen Billboard Pop Chart Hits ... but I can't imagine them sounding any
better than they did last night. (At one point, Frannie turned to me and said
"I think he may have just out-Russell'd Russell ... I've got goosebumps!") Yes
... they were that good. (Tompkins continues to perform with his group, "The
New Stylistics" ... and maybe we'll get the chance to see them some day, too ...
but the group we saw Friday night was outstanding in every way and did complete
justice to the group's legacy.)
Lead vocalist Eban Brown has now been with the group for sixteen years ...
and he and original members Herbie Murrell and Aimon Love (along with "newbie"
Jason Sharp, former lead singer of Heat Wave) put on an amazing vocal display.
(The Stylistics first formed in 1968 when Love and Murrell combined their groups
The Percussions and The Monarchs, with Love, Tompkins and James Smith coming
from The Percussions and Murrell and James Dunn came from The Monarchs.)
Together, these five gentlemen formed the original Stylistics.
Together the epitomized The Sound Of Philadelphia and three years later were already enjoying their first chart hit ("You're A Big Girl Now", #73, 1971) on Avco Records, who recorded all of their charted hits.
And they played all of them, kicking the show off with one of my favorites,
"Rock 'n' Roll Baby" (#14, 1973) and also including the hits "Stop, Look, Listen
To Your Heart" (#39, 1971); "You Are Everything" (#9, 1972); "Betcha By Golly
Wow" (#3, 1972); "People Make The World Go Round" (#25, 1972); "I'm Stone In
Love With You" (#10, 1972); "Break Up To Make Up" (#5, 1973); "You'll Never Get
To Heaven" (#23, 1973); "Let's Put It All Together" (#18); "Heavy Fallin' Out"
(#41, 1974); "Star On A TV Show" (#47, 1975) as well as a few album tracks and
other non-pop hits that extended their career well into the '80's on Billboard
R&B Charts.
Well into their set they told about a time when they were finishing up a session in the recording studio when they happened to pass by another artist recording in a different studio on their way out. They stopped by to listen and caught The New Kids On The Block laying down tracks for their new album.
The two groups hit it off immediately (The New Kids On The Block already being big fans of The
Stylistics) ... and then they brought The New Kids On The Block out on stage
with them to sing their biggest hit, "You Make Me Feel Brand New" (#2, 1974, but
#1 in both Cash Box and Record World).
WHAT?!?!? This kind of stuff doesn't happen at the small, 900-seat Arcada
Theatre!!! This is the kind of shit that happens at Madison Square
Garden!!!
The crowd went appropriately nuts and the ovation for both groups was
sensational.
Yes, some of the well-choreographed dance moves and spins were a bit cheezy
(these guys are well into their 60's now!) but they made me smile every time
they did an exaggerated move ... and they can probably recite their between song
stage patter in their sleep ... but this was a GREAT concert from start to
finish (with a VERY special added bonus surprise) and I am SO glad that we
finally had the chance to see them. (We missed them last year due to a last
minute work conflict so there was no way I was going to miss this show!!!)
You can catch The Stylistics (probably WITHOUT The New Kids On The Block!) here: http://thestylistics.org/8.html
THE STYLISTICS HIT
LIST:
| Year | Title |
Billboard
Pop
|
Billboard
R&B
|
| 1971 | You're A Big Girl Now |
73
|
7
|
| 1971 | Stop, Look, Listen To Your Heart |
39
|
8
|
| 1972 | You Are Everything |
9
|
10
|
| 1972 | Betcha By Golly Wow |
3
|
2
|
| 1972 | People Make The World Go Round |
25
|
6
|
| 1972 |
I'm Stone In Love With
You
|
10
|
4
|
| 1973 | Break Up To Make Up |
5
|
5
|
| 1973 | You'll Never Get To Heaven |
23
|
8
|
| 1973 | Rockin' Roll Baby |
14
|
3
|
| 1974 | You Make Me Feel Brand New |
2
|
5
|
| 1974 | Let's Put It All Together |
18
|
8
|
| 1974 | Heavy Fallin' Out |
41
|
4
|
| 1975 | Star On A TV Show |
47
|
13
|
| 1975 | Thank You Baby |
70
|
7
|
| 1975 | Can't Give You Anything But My Love |
51
|
18
|
| 1976 | Funky Weekend |
76
|
23
|
| 1976 | You Are Beautiful |
79
|
17
|
| 1978 | First Impressions |
xx
|
22
|
| 1980 | Hurry Up This Way Again |
xx
|
18
|
