By PhillyGroove (152.163.188.68) on Saturday, November 30, 2002 - 07:27 pm:

Does anybody know what Ted "Wizard" Mills is doing. His lead with Blue Magic is among my favorites. I was pleased to hear that "The Blue" is still performing.

PhillyGrove

By Eli (205.188.209.38) on Sunday, December 01, 2002 - 01:42 pm:

Ted had a problem for a while but I heard that he cleaned up his act and is doing Gospel.
Blue Magic performs constantly and their show is just as great as ever.
Their lead singer is excelent and just as good.
I haved talked to them about going into the studio again which would be wonderful as they have always been close to my heart.

By the way, f.y.i., When the vocal to Three Ring Circus was going down, Ted was holding and stroking his pet blakc cat!!!

Also, I once received a postcard from him while on vacation---in the Himalayas!!!!!

By PhillyGroove (152.163.188.68) on Sunday, December 01, 2002 - 02:23 pm:

Mr. Eli,

Thanks for the update! I listen to Blue Magic almost everyday. By the way, did you catch my post to you on the Benny v. Earl thread? I love your song, "Sideshow," and am working on it as a newbee drummer. I truly admire your work and am grateful for your thoughtful participation on this board.

Thanks,

PhillyGroove (Jim Thurman)

By Eli (205.188.209.38) on Sunday, December 01, 2002 - 03:14 pm:

Thanks im, I love every minute of it!!!
That time of my life was so wonderful, especially for being a kid barely out of school and straight to thee studio and beg part of history. It blows my mind every time I think about it.
Sideshow was pivotal for me as it was a "personal" song and quite esoteric by R&B standards at that time.
I saw an add in the paper for the circus which still was using a tent and the words"See..and Sideshow" were splased across the add in rounded letters.
So my mind started to race and I thought "what an idea for a song", but how was gonna incorporate a bloody sideshow and take it out of the "bearded lady and worlds largest man" thing.
So then I thought "why not make it a love song"??
So then I thought "how the f**k am I gonna make a love song about a bunch of circus freaks??!!!
Ah ha!! said I. All I have to is create new characters and make believe that I was walking along the sideshow and looking up at them, so I then cast the characters e.g. the man with the broken heart..... the girl who lost the only love she ever had etc... and voila!!! MAGIC!!

So then I thought BLUE MAGIC, thats it!!!!!
Originally I rehearsed the song with a group called Purple Reign than Formula Three up from Bermuda and various others till finally blue Magic were scheduled to go in ad start the albue and Norman came over and threw a pebble at the window to get my attention, heard it, and, well there you have it!!!

By PhillyGroove (205.188.209.38) on Sunday, December 01, 2002 - 04:27 pm:

Mr. Eli,

I can't thank you enough for the background on "Sideshow," and it's personal meaning to you. Was it a dark time for you? Seems most of the Blue Magic songs build from broken hearts ...

Also, I assume that Earl Young was the session drummer on the original recording. Who was the primary touring drummer for Blue Magic?

Thanks again,

Jim (PhillyGroove)

By Eli (205.188.209.38) on Sunday, December 01, 2002 - 04:45 pm:

Jim, it was a happy time for me. It is just that as a creator of songs, one must put one self in the mood of what you are trying to get across to make it work to its fullist.
You set the mood, set the stage, and think visually.
I along with most of my colleagues were brought up to get the most out of the meaning of a song not just some meaningless "knockin boots" or "I wanna feel yo' booty " thing.
Pure GAR-BAAAAGE!!!!!!! That is why people have an inerest in OLDIES or "Classic Soul", if you will. There is LONGEVITY!!
Name ONE song today that will become someone;s cherished oldie. The one we used to dance to all night long..etc. I bet you can't!!
I am not an old fuddy dudy by no means as I am up on the "music" of today.
But all this "neo soul" crap should be re named "no soul" BOLLOCKS!!!!!@#$%^&
Sorry to ramble on, but this kinda stuff gets me going.
Earl was on the session.
The touring band was : "Fat" Larry James on drums,
Larry Labess, bass, Ted Cohen, guitar, Leroy Schuller, keys, and a compliment of horns interspersed at times. The late sax player George Howard was one time a member of "The Magic of the Blue"

By fayette20035 (152.163.195.212) on Sunday, February 09, 2003 - 06:10 pm:

i was wondering how blue magic truly got started.
i saw a interview on soul patrol with ted mills
sounding as if they presented the group to him.
and in a book that i read the group stated that ted mills came in atco records as a song writer.
what the real story to blue magic coming together????

By Eli (151.197.5.43) on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 11:18 am:

Once upon a time in Philly there were two groups.
One was the Topics with Ted Mills on lead, and the other was the Shades of Love.
The Topics had recorded some local stuff but no hits.
Alan Rubens who's parents ran a shoe store at which he worked, and his friend Steve Bernstein were friends of Steve and Linda Epstein(Linda Creed) and got a taste of the biz from being around them and met Ted and company and they got to talking and Ted showed them some songs and Alan and Steve decided to record the guys at Sigma on a couple of songs which Ted wrote.
They had no record deal at the time.
The songs were Spell and Guess Who.
Alan played the stuff for Harry Chipetz at Sigma who had loads of industry contacts and struck a deal with Atlantic.
Spell was released but the Topics other than Ted had no image to speak of and their demeanor was not conducive to stardom.
Alan and Steve then contacted their friends the Shades of Love and joined them with Ted and ..pure ..ahem..Blue Magic was born.
The problem was that the Shades harmony skils were not up to snuff for the studio so they only performed live and used Phil Hurtt, Carl Helm, Ron Tyson, Barbara Ingram, Carla Benson and Yvete Benson in the Studio. Same goes for The Stylistics.

By FAYETTE (152.163.194.179) on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 05:11 pm:

I ALSO WANT TO KNOW IF THERE WILL EVER BE A TED MILLS AND BLUE MAGIC REUNION. I READ THAT HE IS
WEARING 2 HATS(UNQUOTE) DOING R&B AND GOSPEL.
I GUESS THAT WILL MAKE A FIVE MAN GROUP AGAIN.
WILL I GUESS I'M JUST HOPING.BEING A WRITER MYSELF
HOW COULD I GET SOME OF MY MATERIAL TO BLUE MAGIC
IN CASE THEY GO INTO THE STUDIO.

By FAYETTE (152.163.194.179) on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 05:15 pm:

THANKS MR ELI YOU ARE SO INFORMATIVE.

By fayette (205.188.209.38) on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 07:43 pm:

oh one more thing where is alan rubens these days

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 08:25 pm:

Bobby:
Thanks for the bio on Blue Magic - after all, you were there.
Did you write "Tear It Down" for Blue Magic? If you did, what was the "story behind the song"? That remains my most favorite Blue Magic song next to "Spell."
Also, which version of "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely" is your favorite? Although I do prefer the Main Ingredient (hey, gotta stand up for my fellow New Yorkers!), I do dig the version Regina Belle recorded years ago.
Take care & I PROMISE TO CALL YOU SOON!
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Eli (151.197.5.43) on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 11:19 pm:

Alan Rubens works at sound House Productions which is and arm of Sigma sound.

Tear it down was writen by Ted Mills.
I heard that he was doing some Gospel. If it were up to me I would have him rejoin Blue Magic.

By fayette (152.163.195.199) on Tuesday, February 11, 2003 - 11:46 am:

mr eli,
if you look into SOUL PATROL RADIO:BLACK HISTORY
MONTH. there is a interview with ted mills,
recalling his days with BLUE MAGIC, and what he
is up to these days.he was opening act for THE
WHISPERS. he talked about the car accident that
changed his life etc. i thought it was very
enlightning.

god bless
fayette

By PhillyGroove (152.163.213.203) on Tuesday, February 11, 2003 - 04:37 pm:

I talked to Ted Mills about six months ago. Blue Magic is one of my all time favorites and he was kind enough to return my phone call. He's doing gospel and I believe has a cd on the way. He was very personable and encouraging to me as a beginning drummer. I didn't get the impression that he'd rejoin Blue Magic, but let's not give up hope. By the way, Blue Magic still performs and I understand does a great show.