GOOD TIMES Magazine review of "FINAL SESSIONS"

[Jimi LaLumia]

here's the advance copy of my next column in GOOD TIMES Magazine NY, which features "Final Sessions"[[as well as the new GaGa CD); I'll provide a link to the actual publication when it posts in a week;
RHYTHM TRACKING/Jimi LaLumia
GAGA MANIA
------------------------

I predicted several years ago that Lady GaGa would be the new Madonna, and that she would rise above all the female based
club singles that dominate Top 40 radio.Her debut track,"Just Dance" was still basically unknown; when I spun it at The Bunkhouse
in Sayville,hardly anyone knew it. That didn't last for very long, though,and soon,gaGa began a non stop hit streak of Number One
hit singles unlike anything anyone had seen in quite a long time.Even more importantly, her 70's glam look and stance made her
stick out like the legendary 'sore thumb' and she made a point of name dropping Grace Jones,David Bowie, The New York Dolls,
and Iggy Pop when she did interviews.It became quite obvious what the game plan was; mainstream success with ultra pop friendly
mainstream dance tracks,while summoning the spirits of the long gone New York underground. Guess what?It worked.

Like the glam stars of of forty years ago, GaGa has a polarized image internationally, it's love or hate, no one sits on the fence.The
haters watch every new release,praying for her to fail; she never does.The fans achieve a spiritual fanatic stance,as was taken by
fans of Diana Ross,Madonna,and many other uber divas with a massive gay following.As a result, every move that GaGa makes
generates lots of noise.She's on the cover of every magazine,she stars on every television show, turn on 'hit radio',you're minutes
away from another GaGa song.She packs arenas worldwide,has not stumbled in any territory[[except when she really stumbles
wearing those monster platforms that she favors so much.)Whatever GaGa wants,she gets,morphing into an attraction with the
same type of power that the 1964-1966 Beatles had,in an era when the music biz is supposed to be dead,she has laid hands on
the barely breathing body of pop culture,and suddenly, "It's Alive!".

The new GaGa CD, "Born This Way" is an instant number one million seller, attached to every commercial product tie in imagineable,
including selling the Amazon.com 'cloud storage' product; Amazon sold the GaGa album downloads for ninty nine cents in order
to draw attention to their 'cloud',and I'm sure that GaGa isn't losing money on the deal.She's the face of the Google/Chrome tv ad
campaign,and stole the show from Justin Timberlake on the season finale of "Saturday Night Live" demonstrating a natural talent
as a comedic actress that will quickly translate into a film and theatre career,successfully,count on it.What else is there to say? This
new decade,since it began,belongs to GaGa,and nothing seems to indicate a change coming anytime soon.

What about the music? The new CD is loaded with hits,"Born This Way",Judas","Hair" and "Edge Of Glory" are already burning up the charts
and radio airwaves, and "Glory" indicates an ability to move over to rock without the slightest hint of artifice; the ballad,"You And I",
also shows a knack for moving into Celine Dion's turf[[remember her?).Amy Winehouse,with a taste of success, self destructed
almost instantly; the Britneys and Lindsays shave their head or got arrested,not being able the handle the fame they wanted.
GaGa's first Cd was titled "The Fame",she knew exactly what she was getting into,and is clearly able to handle everything that's
being thrown her way,which is unimaginable to anyone who's never tasted the strange and dangerous trip that's she on right now.
Thirty years rom now, she'll be packing them in at the giant rooms in Vegas,just as Elton,Cher and Midler are doing now.This GaGa?
This is a career that will ride and ride for decades to come; you heard it here first.

FINAL SESSIONS
-----------------------------
As a Motown addict,my final 'fix' has arrived; after a lengthy wait, the Hip-O Select label has released "Let yourself Go;The 70's
Albums Vol.2; The Final sessions" by The Supremes. The first volume,released a few years back, was dedicated to the recordings
with Jean Terrell taking the lead spot from Diana Ross,who had begun her solo career in 1970.Jean left the group in the mid 70's
[[with various explanations as to why) and the lead spot was then taken by the third and final lead singer of The Supremes, Scherrie
Payne.Her sister Freda[["Band Of Gold","Bring The Boys Home") already had a track record,and Scherrie proved to be a fresh
voice for the group's journey into disco,which had become dominant by 1975,when the first of the Payne led albums were released.
The group's mainstay,Mary Wilson,who'd been there since day One,remained in the group,as did Cindy Birdsong,who had left,rejoined,
and then left again, to be replaced by Susaye Greene,another brilliant vocalist with an already impressive track record.

The 70's Supremes,Vol.3,had one Top 40 hit,"I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walking",and a number of tunes that topped the Disco charts,
but they never got the push from Motown,and as a result,you didn't really get to hear them on the radio.My cousin attended an 'oldies'
show at Madison Square Garden during this period,and the group tried to work their new material into their show,which didn't sit well
with the NY Oldies fans,and a Supremes vs.Madison Square Garden cage match ensued; my cousin said one of the girls flipped the
bird to the booing,jeering audience as the girls stomped off the stage.The world at large wasn't really kind to this last version of The
Supremes,which is a shame, because these albums were indeed fabulous and showed the girls' vocal talents off to the delight of
the fans who stuck with them.

My theory was [[and is) that Motown president Berry Gordy didn't really want the group to be successful after Diana Ross left; he had
placed his bet on Ross,and wanted the world to see The Supremes' success as really a success of Ross'; so how would it look if
the group continued to hit the heights without her?[[and in 1970, they did, for the first year or two), The Supremes were more successful
than the solo Ross was and then, it felt like a plug was pulled out from somewhere.Does anyone think that Berry Gordy would have really
let The Supremes be more successful than a solo Diana Ross?I mean, really...."The Final Sessions" is a must for Motown fans, Disco fans,
and fans of thrilling vocals dynamics courtesy of Mary,Scherrie and Susaye..Forever Faithful!

[rod_rick]

here's the advance copy of my next column in GOOD TIMES Magazine NY, which features "Final Sessions"[[as well as the new GaGa CD); I'll provide a link to the actual publication when it posts in a week;
RHYTHM TRACKING/Jimi LaLumia
GAGA MANIA
------------------------

I predicted several years ago that Lady GaGa would be the new Madonna, and that she would rise above all the female based
club singles that dominate Top 40 radio.Her debut track,"Just Dance" was still basically unknown; when I spun it at The Bunkhouse
in Sayville,hardly anyone knew it. That didn't last for very long, though,and soon,gaGa began a non stop hit streak of Number One
hit singles unlike anything anyone had seen in quite a long time.Even more importantly, her 70's glam look and stance made her
stick out like the legendary 'sore thumb' and she made a point of name dropping Grace Jones,David Bowie, The New York Dolls,
and Iggy Pop when she did interviews.It became quite obvious what the game plan was; mainstream success with ultra pop friendly
mainstream dance tracks,while summoning the spirits of the long gone New York underground. Guess what?It worked.

Like the glam stars of of forty years ago, GaGa has a polarized image internationally, it's love or hate, no one sits on the fence.The
haters watch every new release,praying for her to fail; she never does.The fans achieve a spiritual fanatic stance,as was taken by
fans of Diana Ross,Madonna,and many other uber divas with a massive gay following.As a result, every move that GaGa makes
generates lots of noise.She's on the cover of every magazine,she stars on every television show, turn on 'hit radio',you're minutes
away from another GaGa song.She packs arenas worldwide,has not stumbled in any territory[[except when she really stumbles
wearing those monster platforms that she favors so much.)Whatever GaGa wants,she gets,morphing into an attraction with the
same type of power that the 1964-1966 Beatles had,in an era when the music biz is supposed to be dead,she has laid hands on
the barely breathing body of pop culture,and suddenly, "It's Alive!".

The new GaGa CD, "Born This Way" is an instant number one million seller, attached to every commercial product tie in imagineable,
including selling the Amazon.com 'cloud storage' product; Amazon sold the GaGa album downloads for ninty nine cents in order
to draw attention to their 'cloud',and I'm sure that GaGa isn't losing money on the deal.She's the face of the Google/Chrome tv ad
campaign,and stole the show from Justin Timberlake on the season finale of "Saturday Night Live" demonstrating a natural talent
as a comedic actress that will quickly translate into a film and theatre career,successfully,count on it.What else is there to say? This
new decade,since it began,belongs to GaGa,and nothing seems to indicate a change coming anytime soon.

What about the music? The new CD is loaded with hits,"Born This Way",Judas","Hair" and "Edge Of Glory" are already burning up the charts
and radio airwaves, and "Glory" indicates an ability to move over to rock without the slightest hint of artifice; the ballad,"You And I",
also shows a knack for moving into Celine Dion's turf[[remember her?).Amy Winehouse,with a taste of success, self destructed
almost instantly; the Britneys and Lindsays shave their head or got arrested,not being able the handle the fame they wanted.
GaGa's first Cd was titled "The Fame",she knew exactly what she was getting into,and is clearly able to handle everything that's
being thrown her way,which is unimaginable to anyone who's never tasted the strange and dangerous trip that's she on right now.
Thirty years rom now, she'll be packing them in at the giant rooms in Vegas,just as Elton,Cher and Midler are doing now.This GaGa?
This is a career that will ride and ride for decades to come; you heard it here first.

FINAL SESSIONS
-----------------------------
As a Motown addict,my final 'fix' has arrived; after a lengthy wait, the Hip-O Select label has released "Let yourself Go;The 70's
Albums Vol.2; The Final sessions" by The Supremes. The first volume,released a few years back, was dedicated to the recordings
with Jean Terrell taking the lead spot from Diana Ross,who had begun her solo career in 1970.Jean left the group in the mid 70's
[[with various explanations as to why) and the lead spot was then taken by the third and final lead singer of The Supremes, Scherrie
Payne.Her sister Freda[["Band Of Gold","Bring The Boys Home") already had a track record,and Scherrie proved to be a fresh
voice for the group's journey into disco,which had become dominant by 1975,when the first of the Payne led albums were released.
The group's mainstay,Mary Wilson,who'd been there since day One,remained in the group,as did Cindy Birdsong,who had left,rejoined,
and then left again, to be replaced by Susaye Greene,another brilliant vocalist with an already impressive track record.

The 70's Supremes,Vol.3,had one Top 40 hit,"I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walking",and a number of tunes that topped the Disco charts,
but they never got the push from Motown,and as a result,you didn't really get to hear them on the radio.My cousin attended an 'oldies'
show at Madison Square Garden during this period,and the group tried to work their new material into their show,which didn't sit well
with the NY Oldies fans,and a Supremes vs.Madison Square Garden cage match ensued; my cousin said one of the girls flipped the
bird to the booing,jeering audience as the girls stomped off the stage.The world at large wasn't really kind to this last version of The
Supremes,which is a shame, because these albums were indeed fabulous and showed the girls' vocal talents off to the delight of
the fans who stuck with them.

My theory was [[and is) that Motown president Berry Gordy didn't really want the group to be successful after Diana Ross left; he had
placed his bet on Ross,and wanted the world to see The Supremes' success as really a success of Ross'; so how would it look if
the group continued to hit the heights without her?[[and in 1970, they did, for the first year or two), The Supremes were more successful
than the solo Ross was and then, it felt like a plug was pulled out from somewhere.Does anyone think that Berry Gordy would have really
let The Supremes be more successful than a solo Diana Ross?I mean, really...."The Final Sessions" is a must for Motown fans, Disco fans,
and fans of thrilling vocals dynamics courtesy of Mary,Scherrie and Susaye..Forever Faithful!

How about a review of the music. Cindy added some dynamic vocals as well. MCS had some great harmonies ie I Can Never Recover, Seed Of Love, Bend A Little brilliant imo

[kenneth]

I agree with rod_rick. A little back story is important, but there's not much here about what a listener might expect to find on the set. In addition, the anecdote about one of the girls flipping off the audience is momentarily funny, but ultimately denigrating to the group, and just serves up again an old negative image that they couldn't make it with this lineup when in fact they had club hits on the disco charts.

I would rather have seen an analysis of how their music has held up well in spite of it being geared mainly towards the Disco market, which I think is a testament to the great production and the amazing vocal talents of the girls. A bit on how Mary Wilson had grown as a vocalist would also have been appropriate, I think.

I have to add as well that the "Berry Gordy wanted to do them in" speculation is a tired theory. Gordy was a business man through and through, and certainly the group was not a priority to him at that time in the 70s, but if he wanted to do them in, all he'd have to do was not allow them to release anything. We know this happened when he and Mary Wilson locked horns over personnel or who owned the rights to the name, for example. For Mary Wilson to speculate that this was a factor in their stalled efforts to stay current is one thing, she was there and we're interested, but to devote almost a whole paragraph out of three in a music review to it is, to me, a waste of real estate.

[Jimi LaLumia]

I have been writing for this publication for years, a regular column, and I've previously dealt with the subjects you've both mentioned over a period of time, including inploring Hip O ,in print, to release this ,more than once over the past two years;
I once spent an entire afternoon with Cindy Birdsong when she was being managed by Bernard Jay,who was also managing Divine at the time;
Cindy had an import single called "Dancing Room" that Jay was trying to get released at the time; my friend Norman "Caddilac Man" stole that casstte tape, I never got it back;
but i still have his shaky VCR copy of TCB/GIT..

[rod_rick]

I have been writing for this publication for years, a regular column, and I've previously dealt with the subjects you've both mentioned over a period of time, including inploring Hip O ,in print, to release this ,more than once over the past two years;
I once spent an entire afternoon with Cindy Birdsong when she was being managed by Bernard Jay,who was also managing Divine at the time;
Cindy had an import single called "Dancing Room" that Jay was trying to get released at the time; my friend Norman "Caddilac Man" stole that casstte tape, I never got it back;
but i still have his shaky VCR copy of TCB/GIT..

Hey Jimi
Do you still have your interview with Cindy. What was it like spending time with Miss Cindy

[theboyfromxtown]

I'd love to hear a duet between Cindy and Divine!

[jobeterob]

This sadly sounds like the regular din and whine about why this version of the Supremes wasn't successful. Motown was still spending $10,000 a crack for ads in the trade publications but that didn't do anything either. It would be way better to concentrate on the music and drop the idle speculation of the disgruntled fan from 25 years ago.

[smark21]

I have been writing for this publication for years, a regular column, and I've previously dealt with the subjects you've both mentioned over a period of time, including inploring Hip O ,in print, to release this ,more than once over the past two years;
I once spent an entire afternoon with Cindy Birdsong when she was being managed by Bernard Jay,who was also managing Divine at the time;
Cindy had an import single called "Dancing Room" that Jay was trying to get released at the time; my friend Norman "Caddilac Man" stole that casstte tape, I never got it back;
but i still have his shaky VCR copy of TCB/GIT..

That's nice, but you started this thread by saying this was a review, and it's anything but. Now you're getting defensive, trying to change the topic and boasting about spending an afternoon with Cindy Birdsong back in the 80's. You're not making a very good impression.

[sophisticated_soul]

It probably was not your intention but you have done your readers and yourself a disservice by making your review of “The Final Sessions” about ‘your theories’ and not about the music in this wonderful set. A lot of people have been very happy about this set and have used the occasion of its release to promote positivity among fans. Though again it probably wasn’t your intention, you have come down on the side of negativity by promoting improvable; rehash speculation that only divides people. I am not saying you [[or any reviewer) have to give a rosy review if they don’t like a product. You seem to like this product, but in my opinion you let your personal feelings, cloud your objectivity and it made your article more tabloid than review.

[Jimi LaLumia]

My column is just that, my column, has been for decades, so it's not a review per se...
As to the Cindy reference,someone pointed out that I neglected Cindy's vocals or something to that effect and I have no negatives with her or any other Supreme;
the column I write is a general interest column,. the average person reading it isn't all caught up in this stuff as we are, and I'm bringing this to their attention, making many of them aware for the first time that there still was a "Supremes" in 75/76 and that they didn't get the spotlight they deserved, in my opinion...and my column is just that..an opinion column,as per the GaGa piece should also illustrate as i pat myself on the back for being verrry early 'on ' GaGa, no review there, just a feature column...
peace and love to all...

[smark21]

My column is just that, my column, has been for decades, so it's not a review per se...
As to the Cindy reference,someone pointed out that I neglected Cindy's vocals or something to that effect and I have no negatives with her or any other Supreme;
the column I write is a general interest column,. the average person reading it isn't all caught up in this stuff as we are, and I'm bringing this to their attention, making many of them aware for the first time that there still was a "Supremes" in 75/76 and that they didn't get the spotlight they deserved, in my opinion...and my column is just that..an opinion column,as per the GaGa piece should also illustrate as i pat myself on the back for being verrry early 'on ' GaGa, no review there, just a feature column...
peace and love to all...

Well aren't we the Louella Parsons of Fire Island. Congratulations for making Lady Gaga a major superstar. I hope she's properly grateful because if she's not I'm sure you have the power to destroy her.

[Jimi LaLumia]

Hedda Hopper actually, if you must know/...I think of myself as the butterfly wings that cause a tidal wave a million miles away..sometimes one little whisper turns into an avalanche if one knows how to whisper correctly...

[rod_rick]

My column is just that, my column, has been for decades, so it's not a review per se...
As to the Cindy reference,someone pointed out that I neglected Cindy's vocals or something to that effect and I have no negatives with her or any other Supreme;
the column I write is a general interest column,. the average person reading it isn't all caught up in this stuff as we are, and I'm bringing this to their attention, making many of them aware for the first time that there still was a "Supremes" in 75/76 and that they didn't get the spotlight they deserved, in my opinion...and my column is just that..an opinion column,as per the GaGa piece should also illustrate as i pat myself on the back for being verrry early 'on ' GaGa, no review there, just a feature column...
peace and love to all...

Thanks so much Jimi, no one else has mention anything that will be in print, it might also help that the Supremes are mention in the same column as Lady Gaga. Thanks again cause now I get where you were going with this article.

[sophisticated_soul]

My column is just that, my column, has been for decades, so it's not a review per se...


Thank you for clarifying that Jimi, I was thrown off by the thread title. However, if you wanted to say The Supremes were still making great music in the late 70's and that it was not being promoted properly, why not just say that. It's a valid opinion, shared by many. But even as an opinion piece I just don't get the need to speculate and theroize on negative things to make your point. Your speculation, in my opinion, just promotes ill feelings and moves away from the music. But I do understand the point that you have now made. You didn't write a review, you posted an opinion. There is a difference. I thought I was responding to a legitimate review, not a personal opinion post. Thanks again for the clarification.

[telekin]

jimi, i'm glad to know there'll be some positive recognition for these ladies in print, anywhere, much less next to lady gaga.. so kudos for that.. now supremes flipping the bird @ madison square garden.. now that's something you need to spill some tea on!

interesting too about divine's manager bernard jay taking on cindy birdsong.. i wonder how partnership came about!? i remember reading the book he wrote about divine years ago. didn't always paint him in the best light, but i enjoyed it..

[Jimi LaLumia]

I had done several pieces/interviews with Divine, and had established a working groove with Jay, who then called me looking for some print exposure for Cindy, not knowing what a Supremes nut i'd been my entire life;
as a result, a 90 minute cassette of me talking to Cindy,as she was trying to get "Dancing Room" off the ground;
this tape made me Big man on Campus at The Bunkhouse,Sayville Long island where i have been management and then the resident DJ for years;my fellow Supremes nut, Norman,who worked at a Caddilac dealership,'borrowed' the tape and I never got it back, which didn't bother me that much at the time;
Norman also asked for Bernard Jay's phone #,and promptly made himself available to chauffeer[[don't know if that's spelled right) Cindy anywhere she wanted to go in the tri state area in a brand new Caddy at no expense to her or Bernard!..
obviously the offer was accepted,and then other latter day Supremes heard of this and jumped in as well,ultimately leading to Mary Wilson appearing at an outdoor show, spotting the somewhat large/heavy Norman in the front rows and yelling "Hey,. Caddilac Man!" and from that point on, in the late 80's/early 90's, he became "Caddilac Man" to any number of former Supremes including Mary....
all originating from my Cindy Birdsong interview tape..
I remember asking Cindy why she didn't get any leads on the 70's records,and I seem to recall her telling me that she herself wasn't really interested, whether she meant that or just thought this would be an acceptable statement to aappear in print;
regardless, she was lovely,although nothing came of "Dancing Room" or any U.S. deal, I only remember her showing up on a dance mix of "One Night Only" from Scherrie Payne somewhere around this period, just before or after

[telekin]

I had done several pieces/interviews with Divine, and had established a working groove with Jay, who then called me looking for some print exposure for Cindy, not knowing what a Supremes nut i'd been my entire life;
as a result, a 90 minute cassette of me talking to Cindy,as she was trying to get "Dancing Room" off the ground;
this tape made me Big man on Campus at The Bunkhouse,Sayville Long island where i have been management and then the resident DJ for years;my fellow Supremes nut, Norman,who worked at a Caddilac dealership,'borrowed' the tape and I never got it back, which didn't bother me that much at the time;
Norman also asked for Bernard Jay's phone #,and promptly made himself available to chauffeer[[don't know if that's spelled right) Cindy anywhere she wanted to go in the tri state area in a brand new Caddy at no expense to her or Bernard!..
obviously the offer was accepted,and then other latter day Supremes heard of this and jumped in as well,ultimately leading to Mary Wilson appearing at an outdoor show, spotting the somewhat large/heavy Norman in the front rows and yelling "Hey,. Caddilac Man!" and from that point on, in the late 80's/early 90's, he became "Caddilac Man" to any number of former Supremes including Mary....
all originating from my Cindy Birdsong interview tape..
I remember asking Cindy why she didn't get any leads on the 70's records,and I seem to recall her telling me that she herself wasn't really interested, whether she meant that or just thought this would be an acceptable statement to aappear in print;
regardless, she was lovely,although nothing came of "Dancing Room" or any U.S. deal, I only remember her showing up on a dance mix of "One Night Only" from Scherrie Payne somewhere around this period, just before or after

too bad you never got that tape back.. that was a nice, funny story.. i read that and i thought about a quote from canadian rock icon carole pope, when she said [[in reference to her affair with dusty springfield) that "divas live in their own rarified world attended by sycophantic gay male fans," or something to that effect.. i'm sure it applies to former supremes as much as anyone..

[Ramone Verona]

Thanks, Jimi L.
This was all funny and interesting!
Cindy went through some rough changes over the years.
I'm glad she wasn't with the Supremes when they got to MSG.
Bet that episode was much tougher on the girls than Mary ultimately wrote about.