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3rd Avenue (American band)

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Trainsskyscrapers (talk | contribs) at 04:24, 6 November 2023 (→‎Discography). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

  • Comment: The draft is also misleading as it states that 3rd Avenue was responsible for the Deep Cover soundtrack. It appears they only did one song from the soundtrack so it should not be credited as the entire album. CNMall41 (talk) 06:12, 17 March 2023 (UTC)


3rd Avenue
Also known as3rd Ave
OriginBaton Rouge, Louisiana, United States
GenresR&B, quiet storm, new jack swing, soul
Years active1990–1993
Labels
Past membersMaurice "Moe-P" Pearl
Eric Jason Robinson
Brad Nelson

3rd Avenue, comprised of Maurice "Moe-P" Pearl, Eric Jason Robinson, and Brad Nelson, were an American trio of R&B vocalists signed to SOLAR Records (Sound of Los Angeles Records), a Los Angeles-based label built from the existing roster of the former Soul Train Records founded by Don Cornelius.[1][2][3]

History

Beginnings and initial group success

3rd Avenue, originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, gained recognition when Pabst Brewing Company contracted the group to perform commercial jingles for Olde English 800, a brand of malted liquor marketed towards the "urban contemporary market". [4] The resulting exposure from the commercials led to the group signing a recording contract with SOLAR, who had recently signed a distribution agreement with Epic Records as their previous distribution deal lapsed in 1989.[5][6] "The Minute You Fall In Love", a record from their upcoming debut album, was placed onto the Billboard R&B Albums Chart Top 10-peaking Deep Cover Soundtrack, distributed by SOLAR/Epic and released in early 1992. [7][8] The group's label debut was deemed a "priority project" by SOLAR executives in a June 1992 Billboard article alongside the launch of Times 3, a female R&B trio, and 3rd Avenue members Pearl and Robinson co-wrote portions of the project alongside producer Dennis "Den Den" Nelson.[9] Their debut album Let's Talk About Love was released in June 1992.[10] Primarily New jack swing with subtle elements of synth and funk, Unidisc noted on their 2019 album re-release inscription that the utilization of "soft electronic samples [hearkening back to SOLAR's disco roots] is what [has] set this album apart from other R&B projects at the time." The parent album underperformed as it did not chart, but the singles fared better and received national R&B airplay, peaking at #66 and #58 respectively. [1] Lead single "I’ve Gotta Have It" remained on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart for 7 weeks, and the second single, a remixed version of the title track, lasted 6 weeks.[1][11]

SOLAR decline and group dissolution

In 1993, all three members of 3rd Avenue co-wrote and/or produced "Baby, I'm Hooked on You", "My Love for You Will Last Forever", and "Are You Ready To Be Loved?" for SOLAR labelmate and Cincinnati-based R&B Group The Deele's final 1993 album An Invitation To Love. Robinson also co-wrote album track "Feel It" alongside Vincent Herbert and SOLAR writer Tania Carmenatti. An Invitation To Love, a foray into a more hip-hop-influenced, new jack swing style without original members Kevin Roberson, Kenneth Edmonds and Antonio Reid, was a commercial underperformance.[12] As a result, Epic did not renew their SOLAR distribution deal, causing the label to cease operations in early 1994. [13][14][15] 3rd Avenue disbanded soon after.

Over the next two decades, the SOLAR catalog was purchased and sold by various companies (including label The Right Stuff Records in 1996), with Canadian independent record label Unidisc gaining control in 2009. [16] "Freak Me" and "Wiggle It", the two tracks that did not make 3rd Avenue's debut album, leaked onto YouTube in 2018. 3rd Avenue's debut album, along with the catalogs of many of their SOLAR labelmates, was re-released to various music streaming channels in January 2019 as a condition of a new shared global ownership agreement with BMG Rights Management. [17][18] As a result, a deluxe version of Let's Talk About Love was issued, attaching all of the various mixes from both singles to the parent project for the first time.[19]

Solo Careers

Pearl continued writing and producing for other artists, including "Don't Let It Slip Away" for R&B group Groove U's 1994 album Tender Love, "Sweat" for Hi-Five member Tony Thompson's 1995 solo album Sexsational[20], lead single "I Do!" for Dean Phil's shelved 1997 album Personal [21], and "What's Really Going On (Strange Fruit)" for Tony! Toni! Toné! member D'wayne Wiggins' 2000 solo album Eyes Never Lie.[22] He has also written or produced for Johnny Gill, Harold Travis, Big Cee, and Smoothe Sylk. In 2002, Pearl released Lost Inside, a solo R&B/Hip-Hop album under the name Moe-P on MoSound Records, and more recently co-wrote "Only You!" from Al B. Sure!'s 2009 album Honey I'm Home.

Discography

Albums

Let's Talk About Love (1992)

Singles

List of singles, as a lead artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album

US R&B
"I've Gotta Have It" 1992 66 [23][24] Let's Talk About Love
"Let's Talk About Love (Remix)" 58 [1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Joel Whitburn Presents Top R & B/hip-hop Singles, 1942-2004 - Joel Whitburn - Google Books. Google.ca. July 2, 2010. ISBN 9780898201604. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  2. ^ "Dick Griffey, Founder of Solar Record Label, Dies at 71". New York Times. October 4, 2010. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  3. ^ Stephen Gayle (July 1982). "SOLAR Empire Strikes Gold". Black Enterprise.
  4. ^ Rothenberg, Randall (August 23, 1989). "THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING; Groups Plan to Protest Malt Liquor Campaigns". The New York Times.
  5. ^ "Black Music Month: Dick Griffey & SOLAR Records". June 24, 2010.
  6. ^ Solar Records UCLA
  7. ^ Whitburn, Joel (July 13, 1999). "Joel Whitburn's Top R & B albums, 1965-1998". Menomonee Falls, Wis. : Record Research – via Internet Archive.
  8. ^ "Billboard Top R&B Albums (for the week ending August 1, 1992)". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. August 1, 1992 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ "Major Labels Stay Hyperactive". Billboard. June 27, 1992.
  10. ^ "Album Releases: 3rd Avenue - Let's Talk About Love". Billboard. June 3, 1992.
  11. ^ "Billboard R&B Singles Charts". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. July 18, 1992 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ "The Deele". SoulTracks - Soul Music Biographies, News and Reviews. May 7, 2007.
  13. ^ "An Invitation to Love - Album by The Deele | Spotify". Open.spotify.com. January 1, 1993. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  14. ^ ""Hip Chic" by Deele".
  15. ^ "THROWBACK THURSDAY: "Two Occasions" by The Deele". Congress Heights on the Rise. February 12, 2009.
  16. ^ "Right Stuff Licenses SOLAR Masters". Billboard. April 27, 1996.
  17. ^ "Amid a Racial Justice Reckoning, Pioneers of Rap, Reggae, and R&B Recount Their Struggles to Get Paid". Pitchfork. July 27, 2020.
  18. ^ "Unidisc: Our Story".
  19. ^ "Let's Talk About Love". January 1, 1992 – via open.spotify.com.
  20. ^ "Hi-Five Singer Thompson Goes Solo". Billboard. May 6, 1995.
  21. ^ "Singles Review: Dean Phil - I Do". Billboard. February 8, 1997.,
  22. ^ "Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. July 1, 2000 – via Google Books.
  23. ^ "Billboard Hot R&B Singles". Billboard. June 13, 1992.
  24. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. July 17, 1992.


Category:American contemporary R&B musical groups Category:American boy bands Category:SOLAR Records artists Category:New jack swing musicians Category:New jack swing music groups Category:Epic Records artists

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