By B.soul (152.163.189.235) on Sunday, March 23, 2003 - 09:18 am:

Hey! I heard a new song on the radio by the Isley Brothers (Ronald and Ernie Isley).It seems like they will have another hit record. They are the only group that I know of that has had a hit song in the 1950's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, and the new millenium 00'. That is truly remarkable. They need to recieve a Lifetime achivement award. My favorite albums by the Isley Brothers are- 3+3, Live It Up, Go For Your Guns, and Grand Slam. Question about Rudolph Isley, Marvin Isley, and Chris Jasper(Isley). I know Kelly passed in 86'. Rudolph and Chris went into Gospel. Marvin was on the cover of their next to last album Mission to Please, but he hasn't appeared with them since. I heard that he is now confined to a wheelchair. Is that true? and will the remaining five Isleys' ever perform together again

By 1wicked (66.27.31.189) on Sunday, March 23, 2003 - 06:21 pm:

Marvin, I'm told is a double amputee (both legs) and his hands are now misshapen due to failure to heed the early warning signs of diabetes and the later havoc it played with his body. Chris has stated that he will never write another "Between The Sheets"...so the only chance of a reunion is if it's a gospel song or something as uplifting as "Caravan of Love".

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 02:09 pm:

Available in April from Sony Music:
The remastered ISLEY BROTHERS 3+3 CD with the original album plus a bonus track (a live-in-the-studio version of "That Lady").

Kevin Goins - KevGo

(PS - Marvin Isley oversees the Isley Brothers CD remastering & reissues with Leo Sacks and Sony Music)

By Livonia Ken (136.1.1.33) on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 02:28 pm:

They also released an SACD of 3+3 recently that has both the stereo mix and the original quadrophonic mix repurposed for 5.1 surround sound.

Regards,
Ken

By Vandelron (24.44.20.172) on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 12:04 am:

The Isleys are THE most underrated group ever in my opinion--they have inspired everyone from the Beatles to current r and b. They rock, they soul. They r genuises.(Michael Bolton r u listening??)Too too bad they dont get their dues-and too too bad that Ronald's ego seems too too big and thier live performances are often not up to their talent.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 10:07 am:

Vandelron:
The Isleys deserve credit also because they have been "doing their thing" for almost fifty years! Only the Four Tops surpasses them in the longevity department. The Isleys have been able to roll with the changing times by being ahead of the trends from gospel to doo-wop to pop/soul to funk to ballads to hip-hop without looking or sounding ridiculous.
As for Michael Bolton, he's still smarting over that lawsuit for "Love Is A Wonderful Thing". Oh well...
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By larry (12.141.160.25) on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 11:04 am:

Off topic:
Add the Rolling Stone's to the list of bands with longevity. The've been doing it now for 40 years, still playing 2 1/2 hour concerts.

Back to the Isley's.....

By Heikki (62.71.79.239) on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 12:03 pm:

Hi Kevin!
Let's not forget the mighty Dells, who in fact have been doing their thing for fifty years this year. It's their celebration year. They've also had hits each decade since the 50s, although we still have to wait for the big one for this current decade (smaller ones they've had already).
Heikki

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 12:11 pm:

Heikki:
I attended a 50th anniversary party for the Dells here in NYC last year. Very well aware of their longevity.
Now it's the Isleys' turn....
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By RD (63.188.32.155) on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 12:12 pm:

The Isleys, unlike the Four Tops, have had at least one hit record in each decade since the '50s. Not to mention superior album and CD sales. The Dells went hitless in the '80s and will most likely remain so in the current decade.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 12:27 pm:

Isleys' hits per decade (brief synopsis):

1950s - "Shout" (Part 1 & 2), "Respectable"

1960s - "Twist & Shout", "This Old Heart Of Mine", "It's Your Thing", "I Know Who You've Been Socking It To" and other Wand/Motown/T-Neck releases.

1970s - "Pop That Thang", "Love The One You're With", "Work To Do", "That Lady","Fight The Power", "For The Love Of You","Harvest For The World" and other T-Neck releases too numerous to mention.

1980s - "Don't Say Goodnight", "Between The Sheets", "Colder Are My Nights", "Smooth Sailing Tonight"

1990s - "This Old Heart Of Mine" (with Rod Stewart), "Down Low" (w/R. Kelly).

2000s - "Contagious" (with R. Kelly & Chante Moore)

Whew!

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 07:04 pm:

Here's some info from Billboard magazine regarding the Isley's upcoming album, "Body Kiss".

DreamWorks Records has set a May 6 release date for "Body Kiss," the new album by legendary soulsters the Isley Brothers featuring Ronald Isley, aka Mr. Biggs. The album is already off to a good start, as first single "What Would You Do?" is No. 28 this week on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. The cut can be sampled on the Isleys' official Web site.

Embattled R&B star R. Kelly contributes his writing, arranging, and producing talents to 11 of the 12 tracks on "Body Kiss," which also features guest appearances by Snoop Dogg (on "I Like") and Lil' Kim (on the title track). Other tracks set for the album include "Superstar," an update of the Isley Brothers' 1973 cut "That Lady (Part 1)."

"Body Kiss" is the follow-up to the band's 2001 release "Eternal," which debuted at No. 3 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 1.2 million copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan. That album included the hits "Secret Lover" and "Contagious," the latter of which reached No. 3 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.

The group has begun confirming spring and summer tour dates, beginning Friday (March 28) in Robinsonville, Miss., and also including a May 3 stop at Atlanta's annual Music Midtown Festival.

Source - Billboard Magazine

By Heikki (62.71.79.239) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 02:25 am:

Hi RD,
In the 80s the singles that charted for the Dells included I Touched A Dream (# 17), Passionate Breezes (# 76), You Just Can't Walk Away (# 23), One Step Closer (# 46), Love On (# 60) and Thought Of You A Little Too Much (# 66). No big pop hits, I agree, but I prefer to go by r&b charts.

Hi Kevin!
The Dells were formed in 1953 and last year, when they celebrated their 50th anniversary, they cheated a little. According to Chuck, this was what the record company, Devine, asked them to do, as they had just released their Open Up My Heart cd. I'm under the impression that their reworking of Open Up My Heart was a small hit, but I haven't seen the Billboard charts.
What was the concert like? I've still to attend their concert.
Best regards
Heikki

By Heikki (62.71.79.239) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 04:11 am:

Sorry everybody,
after I posted that last mail, I began to think that this, however, is the Isley Brothers thread and I shouldn't be bringing the Dells up here all the time.
I just often get carried away, when people are discussing the longevity of groups and forgetting the Dells, who have stayed together for fifty years with only one change in the line-up and also that "new" guy, Johnny Carter, had a 50s Flamingos career behind him. I think that is an amazing achievement.

Of course, the Four Tops - also formed in 1953 - had no personnel changes till the sad loss of Lawrence Payton.
And there are others. The Pips with Gladys Knight were formed in 1952, but she has been "pipless" for many years now, and the Spinners came about in 1954. Not to mention the numerous gospel groups, who have been there for decades but who usually have only one or two - or none - original members in their line-up anymore.

Now the Isley Brothers. As far as I know, they started out as a gospel group in the early 50s, but I don't have the exact year here. Secular, I believe, they went in 1956. So that's also quite an achievement!
I still haven't heard their latest material, but I'll purchase it as soon as I can.
Has anybody seen their stage act? Why I'm asking is that I've read some contradictory opinions about it on other lists.
Best regards
Heikki

By RD (63.188.32.3) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 04:28 am:

Heikki, none of those '80s Dells tunes were signicant parts in the history of the Dells. "I Touched a Dream" got some airtime in some cities but the others were not widely played. Anything that doesn't make at least the Top 20 on the R&B chart or the Top 40 Pop is pretty meaningless on the "hit" tip.

I live in the States and listened to the radio religiously in the '80s and I never heard those other three tunes you mentioned on the radio. And while it made number 17 R&B the Dells never sing "I Touch a Dream" live anymore, and only did so at the time of its release. That record didn't increase their live gigs either pay wise or with more bookings.

People outside the States give too much credence to lowly chart positions and tend to believe that if a record makes the chart no matter how low, say number 80 R&B or pop, that it's played on the radio a lot and everybody knows the song; this simply isn't true.

I believe shortly thereafter, a few years, the Dells were without a major recording contract. Some hit. I think the Dells would admit they went 0 for the '80s. If not for Robert Townsend they would have been 0 for the '90s.

If a record didn't make the Pop Top 40 Berry Gordy didn't consider it a hit (meaning he didn't make any money on it).

By Heikki (62.71.79.239) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 05:57 am:

Hi RD!
Point taken. In my articles I also use to refer to those singles that didn't make top-10 or top-20 (soul or r&b) as "small hits".
I went back to see what the boys themselves thought about their recordings those days, and they seem to think rather highly of two albums: I Touched A Dream (on 20th Century in '80) and One Step Closer (on Private I in '84). But we discussed these recordings only music-wise, not success-wise. (I just checked: Dream - #23-soul and Step - # 49-soul).

Their other comments of those days:
Verne Allison: "I guess it comes in every entertainer's career, when you get to that slow period. I wouldn't call it 'down' period, because we were rehearsing, we were doing dates and stuff...During that period we, anyway, got a big following. We found out that we could perform and have a large crowd to see us."

Michael McGill: "We were performing. The Dells have always performed. We only had one really bad year, that was like '81."

Also of their 90s recordings they rate very high their album with Gamble & Huff, I Salute you (after A Heart Is A House For Love).

Perhaps back to the Isley Brothers next...

Best regards
Heikki

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 11:13 am:

Heikki:
The reworking of "Open Up My Heart" was done to help raise funds for victims of the 9-11-01 tragedy. That is why the Dells had their 50th Anniversary celebration at BB King's in NYC last year - to commemorate the release (I was there for the event). The Dells did not perform but to be there with the group, legendary arranger Thomas Washington (Tom Tom 84), Roquel Billy Davis (who signed them to Chess in 1966) was a treat in itself.

Now back to the Isleys....

This is an excerpt from the All Music Guide's description of the Isleys' career:

First formed in the early '50s, the Isley Brothers enjoyed one of the longest, most influential, and most diverse careers in the pantheon of popular music � over the course of nearly a half century of performing, the group's distinguished history spanned not only two generations of Isley siblings but also massive cultural shifts which heralded their music's transformation from gritty R&B to Motown soul to blistering funk. The first generation of Isley siblings was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, where they were encouraged to begin a singing career by their father, himself a professional vocalist, and their mother, a church pianist who provided musical accompaniment at their early performances. Initially a gospel quartet, the group was comprised of Ronald, Rudolph, O'Kelly and Vernon Isley; after Vernon's 1955 death in a bicycling accident, tenor Ronald was tapped as the remaining trio's lead vocalist.

source - All Music Guide

Kevin Goins - KevGo
(PS - the Isleys were actually from a neighboring town close to Cincinnati, Ohio - I believe the township was called Lincoln Heights - I'll have to check my Isleys' box set),

By R&B (138.238.41.118) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 11:42 am:

THE ONLY ARTIST THAT COME CLOSE TO THE ISLEYS STRING ARE..ARETHA,STEVIE,SMOKEY,THE TEMPS,AND MAYBE THE O'JAYS.

By Heikki (62.71.79.239) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 12:22 pm:

Kevin!
Thanks for that information about the celebration at B.B.King's. I recently received the second edition of the Dells' Open Up My Heart cd, where they have replaced some of those long mixes (of Open Up My Heart) in the first edition with tracks from their I Salute You cd and Freedom Means album. I understand that I'm Only A Man (by Gamble and Huff) is their current single.

Anyway, I became so interested in the topic about those chart positions - the discussion we had with "RD" above - that I want to open a new thread for it, so that the true Isley Brothers
devotees can continue here.

Best regards
Heikki

By Sly fan (67.115.75.176) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 03:06 pm:

I have to say that the Isleys are probably the most consistent and versitile cats that seem to have hit the ground running and still running. The Isleys and The Rolling Stones should consider a tour together because these two groups continue to sell records and give great shows. I love all the other groups previosly mentioned (especially The DELLS who are like the gods of Soul music) but the Isleys continue to reinvite themeselves on every album. They are a class act..I could talk about them all day...I wish all 5 would get back to record at least...

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 05:36 pm:

Sly Fan:
Now THAT would be a tour of the ages - the Isleys & the Rolling Stones! Could you imagine Ronald Isley & skinny ol' Mick Jagger singing "Fight The Power" while Keith Richards, Ron Wood AND Ernie Isley are trading guitar leads? Good God Almighty!
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Sly fan (67.115.75.176) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 06:29 pm:

hmmm?? it can happen....