By b.soul (64.12.97.7) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 05:05 pm:

What ever happened to the Whatnauts? They recorded some minor hits in the early seventies on the All Platnium(Stang) label. Can anyone provide some history about this group and their members?

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 05:56 pm:

The Whatnauts came out of Baltimore, MD. Originally a quartet, they became a trio after their first album was released in 1970.

Group members - Billy Herndon (lead), Garrett Jones & Gerald Pinkey.

Their first single was a cover of the Temptations' "Message From A Black Man" that was first released via A&I Records and picked up by Joe & Sylvia Robinson's Stang/All Platinum label. Their next release, "I'll Erase All The Pain Away" (1971), was their biggest hit (#14 R&B/#71 Pop).

They went on to record three albums for Stang (Introducing The Whatnauts, Reaching For The Stars & Whatnauts On The Rocks) and teamed up with the Moments for the 1974 hit "Girls".

The Whatnauts had a dance single in 1982 with "Help Is On The Way"

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Chad (152.163.252.68) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 06:10 pm:

Garret Jones should be Garnett Jones and Gerald's last name was Pinkney. The fourth member was known as Chunky. They charted with slow songs but reminded you of the Temptations live, flashy and they moved well. My favorite by them is "What's Left To Give (After Giving It All)." They were George Kerr's pet group.

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 06:16 pm:

KevGO, I remember that song,"Help is on the way"! Man, you know everything! I have that song on an old cassette tape, and didn't know who made it. THANKS.

I remember Sylvia & the Moments doing this song called "Sho' Nuff Boogie" (parts 1 & 2) on a purple label called All Platnium.

b.soul-thanks for bringing this up!

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 06:18 pm:

Thanks for the spell-check, Chad. This happens when your giving info and doing other tasks at the same time.

George Kerr told me years ago about how "Message From A Black Man" sold so well through A&I that Joe & Sylvia Robinson wasted no time in acquiring the Whatnauts for their label. I have the 45 of "Message" on the A&I label in my collection.

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 06:24 pm:

Handsome:
All Platinum Enterprises was the name of Joe & Sylvia Robinson's company prior to their switch to hip-hop/rap with the creation of the Sugar Hill label.

All Platinum Ent. consisted of the following labels - Stang (Moments, Whatnauts), Turbo (the late, great Linda Jones), All Platinum (Donnie Elbert) and Vibration (Sylvia released her hit "Pillow Talk" on this label).

The name "Stang" came from Joe's car of choice - the Ford Mustang.

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By RD (65.150.229.37) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 06:30 pm:

B. Soul either Deep Beats or Sequel Records (UK companies) put out a two CD in one package Whatnauts' extravaganza titled Definitive Whatnauts or something like that; I have it but it's not handy for me to get right now. The two disks have all the songs on their three Stang albums, two versions of "Girls" and about eight or nine previously unreleased tracks. They were one of them acts inspired by the Temptations, their two lead singers Garnett and Billy were like Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin. Garnett is one of many great falsettos from the Baltimore/D. C. area. They recorded on GSF, Harlem International and Pic Records after Stang.

I thought the fourth member was known only as Ray and that Chunky was Billy Hearndon's nickname. But I could be wrong. Herndon's first name was Carlos but some called him Billy and I guess some others Chunky.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 06:38 pm:

RD:
Right on about the Sequel double CD - it's listed in the All Music Guide website.

I also thought the fourth member's name was Ray but wasn't sure so I didn't list his name just in case.

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By stephanie (64.63.221.51) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 06:58 pm:

Hey Kev
Its funny this thread should come up I talked to George yesterday. I think he is a good producer and Im trying to get him on the forum but he is so busy he is shocked at the interest that is going on with him overseas and on the Internet, He said in Japan he and Sylvia were treated like royalty,,
Stephanie PS We all know that George's biggest success though was with the late great Linda Jones if she had lived she would have been a big star and George would have had great success with her,,

By MotownForever (205.188.209.109) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 07:49 pm:

Kev:

There was another All Platinum subsidiary, Astroscope (Ponderosa Twins + One; Eleanor Mills; the Rimshots; and the O'Jays also had a single called Peace" on Astroscope).

By RD (65.150.229.0) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 09:32 pm:

MotownBoy, Chuck Brown, the owner of Horoscope Records (which somehow became Astroscope) would be mad at you for saying the label was a subsidiary of All Platinium. The only deal Chuck, a prominent Cleveland Bailsbondsman, had with Joe & Sylvia Robinson was a distribution deal.

However, you may be right. I believe Sylvia and Joe changed the deal in midstream when the first Ponderosa Twins... recording did so well. While Horoscope was definitely Brown's label, I not sure about Astroscope. The PPT+1 LP came out on Horoscope but all their singles were on Astroscope.

The Ponderosa Twins Plus One scored with a remake of Sam Cooke's "You Send Me" and followed it with Bound/I Remember You, a minor two sided hit. Their third recording a remake of "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" was produced by Parliarment's Calvin Simon who was working at Saru/Horosocope Records at the time.

The other Horoscope artist was Pandella Kelly who remade the O'Jays' "Stand In For Love." The O'Jays btw were producers and singers at Brown's labels (Saru, Horoscope and Pisces)

The confusion came when Sylvia released the PT+1's singles on Astroscope. And other non Cleveland groups like Spoonbred and the ones you mentioned.

The O'Jays had releases on Saru, Astroscope and All Platinum. The O'Jays' "Peace" came out on Saru and All Platinum. Their best recordings there were Shattered Man/La De Da and "Now He's Home." This was just prior to their Philly International success.

By Soulaholic (68.41.47.183) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 09:50 pm:

Helo:

The Moment also did a tune thats sort of big with the northern crowd "I got the need"

By b.soul (64.12.97.7) on Thursday, July 17, 2003 - 12:23 am:

Hey guys Thanks for the info. Question? Where are the Whatnauts today?

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Thursday, July 17, 2003 - 11:15 am:

The RimShots...I remember that group too, I have a 45 at my Mom's house, but can't remember the title. Does anyone remember some of the songs they recorded on the blue Stang label?

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Thursday, July 17, 2003 - 05:25 pm:

KevGo, something just came to me....On the radio here in Chicago, the DJs said help is on the way was by "Was Not Was". Did this group change their name by the 80's or was it just an DJ's oversight?

Handsome

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Friday, July 18, 2003 - 11:20 am:

Was Not Was is a different group - led by Don Was (who was seen in our beloved film "Standing In The Shadows Of Motown").

Could've been an oversight - what station aired the record?

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Friday, July 18, 2003 - 12:02 pm:

KevGo-I think the station at that time was called WBMX, can't remember any of the DJ personnel at that time, right now.

Another revelation (I'm getting old and things are coming to me in spurts!) The same music track for the song "Help is on the Way" was used by the group "Was Not Was" with different lyrics. Now if I could only remember their hook...hmm!


Handsome