The Stylistics

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The Stylistics

Stylistics in 1980. From left to right: Airrion Love, Herbie Murrell, Russell Thompkins, Jr., and Raymond Johnson.
Background information
Origin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres R&B, soul
Years active 1968–present
Labels Avco, H&L
Members
Herbie Murrell
Airrion Love
Van Fields
Harold 'Eban' Brown
Former members
Russell Thompkins, Jr.
James Dunn
James Smith
Raymond Johnson
Audio samples of The Stylistics
"You Make Me Feel Brand New"
Philly soul song by The Stylistics
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

The Stylistics were one of the best-known Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. They formed in 1968, and comprised lead Russell Thompkins, Jr., Herbie Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smith, and James Dunn. All of their US hits were ballads, graced by the soaring falsetto of Russell Thompkins, Jr. and the lush yet graceful productions of Thom Bell, which helped make the Stylistics one of the most successful soul groups of the first half of the 1970s."[1] During the early 1970s, the band had twelve straight U.S. R&B top ten hits, including "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)", "You Are Everything", "Betcha by Golly, Wow", "I'm Stone in Love with You", "Break Up to Make Up", and "You Make Me Feel Brand New".[1]

Contents

[edit] Career

[edit] Early years

The Stylistics were created from the remaining members of two defunct Philadelphia groups, The Percussions and The Monarchs.[2] Russell Thompkins Jr., James Smith, and Airron Love came from the Monarchs, and James Dunn and Herbie Murrell came from the Percussions. In 1970, the group recorded "You're a Big Girl Now", a song their road manager Marty Bryant co-wrote with Robert Douglas, a member of their backing band Slim and the Boys, and the single became a regional hit for Sebring Records.[1] Producer Bill Perry spent $400 to record the number in the Virtue Studios in Philadelphia.[3] The larger Avco Records soon signed the Stylistics, and single eventually climbed to number seven in early 1971.[1]

[edit] Success: The Bell/Creed years

After signing to Avco, the record label approached producer Thom Bell, who had already produced a catalogue of hits for The Delfonics, to work with the group.[4] The Stylistics auditioned for Bell, and he was initially unimpressed.[5] He ultimately only agreed to produce the group because he believed in the great potential of lead singer Russell Thompkins Jr.'s distinctive, nasal high tenor falsetto voice.[6] Avco gave Bell complete creative control over the Stylistics, and he proceeded to focus the group's sound exclusively around Thompkins's voice.[7] On most of the group hits Bell would have Thompkins sing virtually solo.[8]

The first song the Stylistics recorded together with Bell and his collaborator, lyricist Linda Creed, was the lush "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)"[9] . Bell imported the sweet soul techniques he had perfected with The Delfonics, and his arrangements worked perfectly with Thompkins' falsetto. The bittersweet lyrics from Creed were a key factor in creating memorable music.

Their hits—distilled from three albums—from this period included "Betcha by Golly, Wow" (U.S. #3), "I'm Stone in Love with You", "Break Up To Make Up" (U.S. #5), "You Make Me Feel Brand New" featuring a rare double lead with Airron Love, the aforementioned "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)", "You Are Everything", and the minor hit "Rockin' Roll Baby" (U.S. #14). "You Make Me Feel Brand New" was the group's biggest U.S. hit, holding at #2 for two weeks in the spring of 1974, and was one of five U.S. gold singles the Stylistics collected. The Stylistics' smooth sound also found an easier path onto adult contemporary airwaves than other soul artists, and the group made Billboard magazine's Easy Listening singles chart twelve times from 1971 to 1976, with three entries ("Betcha by Golly, Wow", "You Make Me Feel Brand New", and "You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)") reaching the Top 10. Every single that Bell produced for the Stylistics was a Top Ten R&B hit, and several—"You Are Everything", "Betcha by Golly Wow!", "I'm Stone in Love with You", "Break Up to Make Up", and "You Make Me Feel Brand New"—were also Top Ten pop chart hits.[1] This commercial success was not confined only to the U.S., with the band also having big hits with this material throughout Europe.

[edit] Changing style

Thom Bell stopped working with the Stylistics in 1974,[1] and the split proved commercially devastating to the group's success in the U.S. Just as with the Delfonics, the Stylistics were to some extent a vehicle for Bell's own creativity. They struggled hard to find producers who could come up with the right material, and partnerships with Hugo & Luigi (through which they did produce one commercially successful early disco record, entitled, "Hey Girl, Come and Get It" in 1975) and Van McCoy were notably less successful. They left Avco for H&L Records in 1976[1] and the Stylistics' popularity rapidly declined in the U.S. However, just as that success began to wane, their popularity in Europe, and especially the United Kingdom, increased.[1] Indeed, the lighter 'pop' sound fashioned by Van McCoy and Hugo & Luigi gave the band a UK #1 in 1975 with "Can't Give You Anything (But My Love)".[1][10] Further successes with "Na Na is the Saddest Word", "Funky Weekend" and "Can't Help Falling in Love" consolidated the band's European popularity.[1][10] They are one of the few U.S. acts to have two chart-topping Greatest Hits albums in the UK.[10]

Notwithstanding this, the Stylistics began to struggle with what many[who?] saw as increasingly weak material after 1976. Although the singles and albums came out as before, chart success vanished. This decline also coincided with the rise of New Wave in Europe around this time. It was also stated by Russell Thompkins Jr. (in the re-issue sleevenotes for the 1976 album Fabulous) that the band began to feel that the music they were recording was becoming increasingly dated, and not in keeping with the emerging disco sound of the late 1970s.

In 1979, they had a small part in the movie Hair, directed by Milos Forman, where they play conservative army officers. They double Nell Carter in singing a tongue-in-cheek song called "White Boys".

[edit] Later years

In 1980, James Dunn departed due to health problems, and James Smith left shortly thereafter.[1] The group continued, recruiting new member Raymond Johnson, and releasing the album Some Things Never Change, in 1985. Johnson departed shortly afterward, leaving the group a trio. Love, Murrell, and Thompkins continued to tour until 2000, when original lead Russell Thompkins, Jr. left. Love and Murrell brought in two new members, Harold "Eban" Brown, formerly of the Delfonics, as lead and tenor Van Fields. The present group is featured live on the DVD The Stylistics Live at the Convention Center (2006), as well as along with other artists of the 1970s on the DVD, The Big Show.

In 2004, Russell Thompkins, Jr. started a new group, the New Stylistics, with the returning Raymond Johnson, James Ranton, and Jonathan Buckson. They are featured on the DVD Old School Soul Party Live!, which was part of the PBS My Music series.

In 2006, their hit single "Can't Give You Anything (But My Love)" was used as the base for a Japanese advertisement campaign by Gatsby, to launch their new male hair styling product, 'Moving Rubber'. The campaign was successful and featured one of Japan's most popular celebrities Takuya Kimura of the pop group SMAP. They were also featured guests on SMAP's television show, SMAP×SMAP, one of the highest rated shows in Japan to promote the 'Moving Rubber' product.

In October 2009, they featured on the UK BBC One television program, Friday Night with Jonathan Ross.

Their song "People Make the World Go Round" was used by Spike Lee in the soundtrack for his movie Crooklyn, made in 1994.

[edit] Personnel

  • Russell Thompkins Jr - born March 21, 1951, Philadelphia (1968–)
  • James Dunn - born February 4, 1950, Philadelphia (1968–1980)
  • Herbie Murrell - born April 27, 1949, Lane, South Carolina (1968–present)
  • James Smith - born June 16, 1950, New York City (1968–1980)
  • Airrion Love - born August 8, 1949, Philadelphia (1968–present)
  • Raymond Johnson (1980–1986)
  • Harold 'Eban' Brown - born June 14, 1972, Newark, New Jersey (2000–present)
  • Van Fields - born November 12, 1952, Cubao, Quezon City (2000–present)

[edit] Cover versions

The Stylistics' catalog of hits has been mined frequently by other artists. Notable examples include:

Some of the Stylistics' hits were themselves cover versions, including "You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)" (a 1964 hit for Dionne Warwick) and "Can't Help Falling in Love".

[edit] Photograph gallery

The Stylistics

The Stylistics 1980: Clockwise from top, James Smith, Russell Thompkins, Jr., Herbie Murrell, Airrion Love

The Stylistics currently: L-R Herbie Murrell, Eban Brown, Van Fields, Airrion Love

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

Year Title Chart positions RIAA Certification
U.S. Hot 100[12] U.S. R&B[12] UK Singles Chart[10]
1971 "You're a Big Girl Now" 73 7 – Gold[3]
"Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)" 39 6 – –
"You Are Everything" 9 10 – Gold[3]
"Betcha by Golly, Wow" 3 2 13 Gold[3]
1972 "People Make the World Go Round" 25 6 – –
"I'm Stone in Love With You" 10 4 9 Gold[3]
1973 "Break Up to Make Up" 5 5 34 Gold[3]
"You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)" 23 8 – –
"Peek-a-Boo" – – 35 –
"Rockin' Roll Baby" 14 3 6 –
1974 "You Make Me Feel Brand New" 2 5 2 Gold[3]
"Let's Put It All Together" 18 8 9 –
"Heavy Fallin' Out" 41 4 – –
1975 "Star on a TV Show" 47 13 12 –
"Thank You Baby" 70 7 – –
"Sing Baby Sing" – – 3 –
"Can't Give You Anything (But My Love)" 51 18 1 –
"Na-Na Is the Saddest Word" – – 5 –
"Funky Weekend" 76 23 10 –
1976 "Because I Love You, Girl" – 43 – –
"You Are Beautiful" 79 17 – –
"Can't Help Falling in Love" – 52 4 –
"Sixteen Bars" – – 7 –
"You'll Never Get to Heaven" (EP) – – 24 –
1977 "$7,000 and You" – – 24 –
1978 "First Impressions" – 22 – –
1980 "Hurry Up This Way Again" – 18 – –
1981 "And I'll See You No More" – 70 – –
"What's Your Name?" – 79 – –
1984 "Give a Little Love for Love" – 47 – –
1985 "Some Things Never Change" – 86 – –
"Love Is Not the Answer" – – – –
1991 "Love Talk" – 68 – –
1992 "Always on My Mind" – 89 – –

[edit] Albums

Year Title Chart positions RIAA Certification
U.S. Pop[13] U.S. R&B[13] UK Albums Chart[10]
1971 The Stylistics 23 3 – Gold[3]
1972 Round 2 32 3 – Gold[3]
1973 Rockin' Roll Baby 66 5 42 –
1974 Let's Put It All Together 14 4 26 Gold[3]
Heavy 43 8 – –
1975 From the Mountain – – 36 –
Thank You Baby 72 9 5 –
You Are Beautiful 99 12 26 –
1976 Fabulous 117 32 21 –
1977 Once Upon a Juke Box – 45 – –
1978 In Fashion – 43 – –
Wonder Woman – – – –
1979 Love Spell – – – –
1980 Hurry Up This Way Again 127 11 – –
1981 Closer Than Close – 44 – –
1982 1982 – – – –
1984 Some Things Never Change – 63 – –
1991 Love Talk – 65 – –
1992 Christmas – – – –
1996 Love Is Back in Style – – – –

[edit] Compilations

Year Title Chart positions RIAA Certification
U.S. Pop[13] U.S. R&B[13] UK Albums Chart[10]
1975 The Best of the Stylistics 41 13 1 Gold[3]
1976 The Best of the Stylistics Volume II – – 1 –
1991 The Greatest Hits of the Stylistics - Let's Put It All Together – – 34 –
2005 The Very Best of the Stylistics...and More! – – – –
2007 The Very Best of the Stylistics – – 30 –

[edit] Awards and recognition

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:wifrxqr5ldae~T1. Retrieved 25 January 2009. 
  2. ^ Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 169. ISBN 0-85112-250-7. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 304. ISBN 0-214-20512-6. 
  4. ^ Jackson, John A (2004). A House on Fire: The Rise and Fall of Philadelphia Soul. USA: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195149722.
  5. ^ Jackson, John A (2004). A House on Fire: The Rise and Fall of Philadelphia Soul. USA: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195149722.
  6. ^ Jackson, John A (2004). A House on Fire: The Rise and Fall of Philadelphia Soul. USA: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195149722.
  7. ^ Jackson, John A (2004). A House on Fire: The Rise and Fall of Philadelphia Soul. USA: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195149722.
  8. ^ Jackson, John A (2004). A House on Fire: The Rise and Fall of Philadelphia Soul. USA: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195149722.
  9. ^ Heroes & Villains - Exclusive Interview with Thom Bell on Soul Jones Presents
  10. ^ a b c d e f Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 537. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 
  11. ^ Fabchannel.com
  12. ^ a b Allmusic - Charts & Awards (Singles)
  13. ^ a b c d Allmusic - Charts & Awards (Albums)

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stylistics"