Column

Back In The Day - March/April 1986 (Issue 454)

A very sweaty Alexander O’Neal graced the front cover and the very funky Frankie Beverly, lead man with Maze, was on the back. And it was the Poll Results Issue.

I won’t dwell on the results but suffice to say – Best Male Vocalist: Freddie Jackson, followed by Alexander O’Neil and Luther Vandross. Best Female Vocalist: Whitney Houston, then Sade and Aretha Franklin. Best Group: Maze, with Cameo and The Temptations following. Best Singles: If You Were Here Tonight (Mr O’Neal), Rock Me Tonight (Freddie Jackson) and Saturday Night (Cherrelle), while Best Albums: Alexander O’Neal, then Freddie Jackson’s Rock Me Tonight and Luther Vandross’ The Night I Fell In Love

…..the news of the day included - Sly Stone’s return to music with A&M despite the fact of his industry reputation for unreliability. The first single was announced as Echobostatic Automatic (Tell Me Where The Funk You Been) ….David Grant, who had been duetting successfully with Jaki Graham, was taking time out to promote his new solo single Close To You. Jaki was back in the studio too working on her second solo album…

Tavares, who were high in the profile stakes with a remixed version of Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel, were due in the UK for a series of dates…..The Greater London Council’s Race Equality Unit was due to present the first ever Black Music Fair in Brixton. It intended to highlight the major contribution that Black Britain had made to the development of jazz, blues, soul, etc in the UK. Among the planned attending artists were Haywoode, 2nd Street, Trevor Walters, and The Mint Juleps…

Picture Music International released The Visions Of Diana Ross – a video in both VHS and Beta formats showcasing her Capitol Records’ singles’ promo videos since 1981. It included her current chart topper Chain Reaction……Vanity’s new Motown album Skin On Skin was picking up much interest as a result of the sleeve picture which depicted the singer as a 1930’s diva. New US single was Under The Influence… RCA re-released the original version of vSam Cooke’s Wonderful World as featured in the Levi Jeans commercial because it was causing instant nostalgia for many original 501 Jeans wearers…

HRH The Princess Anne – in her capacity as President of the Save The Children Fund - attended a Royal Gospel Gala concert at the Royal Albert Hall, the highlights of which were intended to be televised on Easter Sunday. Philip Bailey and Deniece Williams travelled from the US to lend their support, and were joined by David Grant and Jimmy Ruffin, while Gary Byrd hosted the evening…

Michael Jackson memorabilia collectors were referred to a pair of British Virgin Island MJ commemorative stamps for around $250. The stamps were ordered to be destroyed when the British Foreign Office halted their distribution because Jackson’s visage thereon violated the long standing rule that stamps could only be issued depicting living persons when they were members of the British Royal family…

Gloria Gaynor had signed a deal with the tv marketing company Stylus Records to release a new album, before embarking upon a major European tou...Sade was already touring Europe as part of her World Tour, while her current album Promise sat in the US pole position. It also topped the charts over here and was on its way to selling six million worldwide... Independent label, Cherry Red Records started a new funk label called Band Records committed to release what it described as “no compromise no bullshit singles from the hardest American funk and GoGo to the hottest soul and hip hop.”…

In Motown Trackin’ I admitted had recently enjoyed a quiet drink with Cindy Birdsong, until we were discovered by her fans and it was quiet no more. “There are spies everywhere!” I moaned, before adding, with a grin I suspect - “So, where were they when the ex-Supreme popped to my home for a Chinese takeaway the other night!” Also had the good fortune to meet up with Motown’s newest trio Pal……Roger St Pierre spoke to Atlantic Starr following the release of their 6th A&M Records’ album As The Band Turns, while the magazine’s centre fold was devoted to Bob Killbourn’s interview with Poll Winner Freddie Jackson…..And finally, Ms Taka Boom modelled a B&S t-shirt. Priced £5.49, including postage and packaging, there was no guarantee that purchasers would look as funky as Ms B!

Sharon Davis