Impact - Damon Harris

[jaybs]

I do feel Damon Harris was always not given the dues he deserved, okay no one could ever be Eddie Kendrick, their was only one! but I feel Damon's vocal was pure and so close.

Impact was also so good, unfortunately I never kept my vinyl albums a few years back I was told they were going to be re-released, I think they deserve to be they are part of the Philly Story!

[roger]

Impact was also so good, unfortunately I never kept my vinyl albums a few years back I was told they were going to be re-released, I think they deserve to be they are part of the Philly Story!

How many L.Ps did IMPACT release jaybs?

I have the one with "Happy Man" on, with the "charging rhino" cover and it is an absolute masterpiece and a shame it has never been reissued on C.D. I always thought it strange the way that the caracature of the singer on the left of the cover made him look similar to DAVID RUFFIN whereas on the photo on the back he didn't look too much like him at all!!

W.E.A. [UK] released "Happy Man" on a compilation C.D. called "Creme de La Creme 2" back in 2005, but for some bizarre reason they didn't use the full version of the track and we had to be content with the Part 1 single edit.

Confusingly there was an another, totally unrelated, outfit called IMPACT, based in Washington D.C. who released an L.P. called "It's A Groove Night", produced by AL JOHNSON in the 1980s.

Roger

[paladin]

I have the one with "Happy Man" on, with the "charging rhino" cover and it is an absolute masterpiece and a shame it has never been reissued on C.D. I always thought it strange the way that the caracature of the singer on the left of the cover made him look similar to DAVID RUFFIN whereas on the photo on the back he didn't look too much like him at all!!





That was an interesting observation Roger .........I have the albums and although in my humble opinion it was not what I consider to be a "Masterpiece", nor was his single album. I think that Damon for whatever reason [[producer, writers, personality etc) just couldn't cut it on his own. To some degree it may have been the "curse" of being a Temptation that with the exception of Eddie Kendricks, none of the former Temptations even remotely approached the success and acceptance that they had as members of the group. Sure they were all talented as hell and we have seen this time and time again, they have always been first and foremost Temptations and they all had to "trade" on that history to remain viable and successfull in the public eye.

[splanky]

I lost my Impact albums more than 25 years ago and have never found them again in any format. I loved Damon's
singing and I have to admit that after Otis dropped him from the Tempts roster my interest in the group began to wane
considerably. Sure, I enjoyed them in the clubs and on the radio but my rushing out to buy the Tempts latest release came to an end...

[jaybs]

The first album from Impact was on Atco in 1976 and just titled IMPACT, this was really rated highly at the time, the second album came in 1977 and was titled THE PAC IS BACK and this was released on WMOT.

I totally agree that Damon's Solo album was not what I hoped for, I have this on CD, it was just not the right material, it could be The Temptations curse?

It is also unfortunate that even a few concerts I think in Paris was one were recorded with Damon in the Tempations line up none were released on DVD, though you can see cuts on YouTube.

[BobC]

I thought Damon was a great replacement for Eddie. I think he was a better singer than Eddie, too.

[paladin]

I thought Damon was a great replacement for Eddie. I think he was a better singer than Eddie, too.

I thought he was a great replacement for Eddie as well, a better singer ? no way. Although we've had this discussion several times over the years about the Temptation tenors, to me Eddie will always be the premiere tenor of The Temptations. Damon unfortunately was the youngest Temptation when he joined the group and although his clarity and enunciation were excellent, he still needed seasoning to go where Eddie had been. Shy and introverted, braces and a weird haircut, he eventually overcame all of those obstacles and made some memorable recordings. He just couldn't sustain a career on his own.

Remember Eddie had set the bar so high for a Temptation tenor; which was a tremendous hurdle for any singer to over come. Since I like them all, I find it difficult to rate them. They've all had their superlative moments in the sun. Damon was the best choice to replace Eddie at the time after the failed Ricky Owens experiment, Glen Carl Leonard whose range exceeded Damon's but had a harder sound capably filled his shoes, Ron Tyson whose tenure has been the longest is also very good. He has maintained the standard of excellence. All in all pretty good for Fifty years of sonic pleasure.

PS: all three of them became famous for their ability to sing like their idol, Eddie Kendricks.

[splanky]

Though I completely agree with you, kdubya as to who was the better singer I am very grateful for the fact that Bob posted what I'm sure he knew was going to be a challenged oppinion and I respect and appreciate that. I too am always
fascinated by situations where a members sound becomes so integral to an act that even after that individual leaves every effort is made to find another who can approximate that sound, style or prescence. I'll definitely be back to this thread...
Gotta get my laundry done, now...

[paladin]

Though I completely agree with you, kdubya as to who was the better singer I am very grateful for the fact that Bob posted what I'm sure he knew was going to be a challenged oppinion and I respect and appreciate that


I appreciate the fact that he believes Damon was a better singer than Eddie as well. Although I love the Temptations, I am not fanatical about them. This type of thread made SoulFul Detroit the place to be when discussing subjects like this in a thoughtful, positive and respectful way. I too shall return because I didn't want to veer to far from the original subject matter which was Impact........to tell you the truth I am still trying to wrap my head around Roger's contention that the album was a masterpiece. I was actually so disappointed in the album that I rarely played it and even more so when I did go back and play it, I still felt the same way, quite pedestrian..... LOL.........

[BobC]

I was just being honest--rating singers is highly subjective. I guess I'm basing my opinion on seeing Eddie back in the late 80's. He sounded HORRIBLE. I'm not saying he wasn't a great singer in his prime--he was--but when I saw him, he could barely even sing. I really felt angry that I spent money on seeing him. Fortunately, David Ruffin and Mary Wilson were great [[on the same show). I also have to be honest about something else--I happened to love the albums the Tempts did for Atlantic. I especially loved "Bareback," and thought the song written by the Tempts "I See My Child" was one of their best. I liked those records better than most of the Motown stuff [[I'm talking about the post Atlantic Motown stuff). "Power" was a great song though--I was surprised it wasn't a hit.

Thanks for not attacking me, guys. Music is highly subjective. I work with a guy who drives me up the wall because he states opinion as fact, and that's what children do. I mean to some degree musical opinions can be fact--no sane person would say Sonny Bono was a better singer than Scherrie Payne--but mostly it is.

[BobC]

Oh one last shocking opinion--I think David Ruffin's record "So Soon We Change" was the best record he ever did. I think "Break My Heart" should have been huge. I also loved "Let Your Love [[Rain Down on Me)."

Oh GOD, I can already feel the flames rising...hee hee!

[splanky]

I'm going to have to re-listen to those David Ruffin songs Bob because Statue Of A Fool has long been to me the epitome
of David's greatest recording pre and post Tempts. As far as Eddie K in the 80's , most folks now know his decades of chain
smoking had begun to catch up with him. The auto destruction of so beautiful an instrument really broke my heart, I remember but I forgave him for it a long time ago.
As far as Damon and Impact is concerned I really enjoyed the second album better, particularly My Love which I'm thankful is
presently on youtube....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FECoH6HESY&feature=related

Even still for me Damon finest moments on record are his vocals on the Tempts Papa Was A Rolling Stone [[ people forget he
helped them get their only Grammy) and that killer hook he did on the 1990 song Heavenly. I have to listen to that song a
least once every two weeks or I'll go out and start slapping politicians in public...

[roger]

to tell you the truth I am still trying to wrap my head around Roger's contention that the album was a masterpiece. I was actually so disappointed in the album that I rarely played it and even more so when I did go back and play it, I still felt the same way, quite pedestrian..... LOL.........

Well then Paladin, as has already been mentioned on this thread, music IS subjective and one man's "Masterpiece" L.P. can seem "Quite Pedestrian" to another.

The first IMPACT L.P. got released on Atlantic in the U.K. though I think it sold poorly as I don't remember the second L.P. ever being released here. I rushed out and bought the L.P. having bought the "Happy Man" single [[also released on Atlantic in the U.K.) a few weeks before and I was really impressed by what I heard. But then I always was a sucker for those sophisticated Philly productions. :)

This was probably my favourite track on the collection ..

IMPACT "Taboo" -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VWV6KF3vQU

Roger

[marv2]

I still have my albums by Impact, although they are in storage. I am trying to remember, I believe I saw them perform on television before and Damon Harris was in the group. I think it was after he was no longer with the Temptations that he re-grouped with Impact. Does anyone know about this?

Marv

[marv2]

I was just being honest--rating singers is highly subjective. I guess I'm basing my opinion on seeing Eddie back in the late 80's. He sounded HORRIBLE. I'm not saying he wasn't a great singer in his prime--he was--but when I saw him, he could barely even sing. I really felt angry that I spent money on seeing him. Fortunately, David Ruffin and Mary Wilson were great [[on the same show). I also have to be honest about something else--I happened to love the albums the Tempts did for Atlantic. I especially loved "Bareback," and thought the song written by the Tempts "I See My Child" was one of their best. I liked those records better than most of the Motown stuff [[I'm talking about the post Atlantic Motown stuff). "Power" was a great song though--I was surprised it wasn't a hit.

Thanks for not attacking me, guys. Music is highly subjective. I work with a guy who drives me up the wall because he states opinion as fact, and that's what children do. I mean to some degree musical opinions can be fact--no sane person would say Sonny Bono was a better singer than Scherrie Payne--but mostly it is.


Look, we have a big disagreement here! I saw Eddie Kendricks and heard him perform up close for the last time in Detroit on October 5, 1990 at Chasseys in Downtown. He tore it up! Had the place rockin' and we had a lot of fun partying that evening. His vocals were strong enough to do a 90 min. show. Eddie sounded good!

[BobC]

Well--if he got it together by then, the more power to him.

[roger]

I still have my albums by Impact, although they are in storage. I am trying to remember, I believe I saw them perform on television before and Damon Harris was in the group. I think it was after he was no longer with the Temptations that he re-grouped with Impact. Does anyone know about this?

Marv

Marv2 ..

I've been doing some googling ..

Damon's group were THE YOUNG VANDALS who released a version of "I've Been Good To You" on T-Neck in 1970 ..

Here it is on YouTube ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GeIPVIS0OM

The group were obviously inspired by THE TEMPTATIONS and in one of the Youtube links someone has posted that originally the group was called "The Young Tempts" but Motown objected to T-Neck using that name.

They then became simply THE VANDALS for another two T-Neck singles ..

"In My Opinion"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYBhC_Si7l8

"I'm Gonna Wait For You"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=7uuLBRSOaus

They then disbanded and after a while [[late 1971?) Damon joined THE TEMPTATIONS.

Then after Damon left THE TEMPTATIONS [[late 1975?) he re-formed THE VANDALS and changed their name to IMPACT.

Roger

[paladin]

Good work Roger, thats consistent with what I know. Look man I'm not mad at you, ....you could love them to death, hell I thought 1990 was a Temptations masterpiece and a lot of people disagree with me. No harm no foul.

@ Bob, good ones I didn't "love' the Atlantic albums but I am very fond of "I see My Child", its not often you hear a song about divorce and have Otis sing so painfully about his child standing over there, with her...excellent choice. I do however adore the Don Davis productions on David Ruffin. Although I may be a tad bit older than you...lol....we certainly have common ground as far as those sides. " Break My heart, and Rain are favs, he also sang a song penned by Tony Hester of Dramatics fame one of those albums.

"Power" was indeed a hit and brought the Temptations back from obscurity and if I recall correctly they were on Rock Concert and Midnight Special after its release, but more importantly Dennis Edwards was back and they came out strong.........

[marv2]

Marv2 ..

I've been doing some googling ..

Damon's group were THE YOUNG VANDALS who released a version of "I've Been Good To You" on T-Neck in 1970 ..

Here it is on YouTube ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GeIPVIS0OM

The group were obviously inspired by THE TEMPTATIONS and in one of the Youtube links someone has posted that originally the group was called "The Young Tempts" but Motown objected to T-Neck using that name.

They then became simply THE VANDALS for another two T-Neck singles ..

"In My Opinion"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYBhC_Si7l8

"I'm Gonna Wait For You"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=7uuLBRSOaus

They then disbanded and after a while [[late 1971?) Damon joined THE TEMPTATIONS.

Then after Damon left THE TEMPTATIONS [[late 1975?) he re-formed THE VANDALS and changed their name to IMPACT.

Roger

Ah HA! Roger......thank you! I knew I "sorta" remembered Damon reforming his old group after he left the Temptations. Maybe it was on Soul Train is where I saw them and they performed "Happy Man". Thank you very much for all of the good background info!

Marv

[marv2]

Good work Roger, thats consistent with what I know. Look man I'm not mad at you, ....you could love them to death, hell I thought 1990 was a Temptations masterpiece and a lot of people disagree with me. No harm no foul.

@ Bob, good ones I didn't "love' the Atlantic albums but I am very fond of "I see My Child", its not often you hear a song about divorce and have Otis sing so painfully about his child standing over there, with her...excellent choice. I do however adore the Don Davis productions on David Ruffin. Although I may be a tad bit older than you...lol....we certainly have common ground as far as those sides. " Break My heart, and Rain are favs, he also sang a song penned by Tony Hester of Dramatics fame one of those albums.

"Power" was indeed a hit and brought the Temptations back from obscurity and if I recall correctly they were on Rock Concert and Midnight Special after its release, but more importantly Dennis Edwards was back and they came out strong.........

Paladin, the "1990" album is a classic in my book!

I remember when my brother Robert brought home the Temptations first Atlantic album and I responded with ....."WHY?". I did come to enjoy both of their Atlantic Records outings with "Every Ready Love" and "In A Lifetime" being personal favorites.

"Power" from early 1980 was a bonafide hit and they performed it on
"Midnight Special". I can remember we all got together and watch it in my dorm room at the time. It was the Temptations first single upon their return to Motown. I still don't know how Melvin was able to do that! LOL!!!!

[marv2]

Well--if he got it together by then, the more power to him.

Oh he had gotten it together. I had to go look at one of my photo albums to remember that Dennis Edwards was with him at that time. Love Dennis' singing, but that was Eddie's showcase no doubt! He really enjoyed himself that night dancing and singing.

[BobC]

"Power" had a huge push from Motown and Otis was on record in the press as saying he knew Motown was absolutely behind it, and when a company is behind a record, it will happen. In his memoirs, however, Otis said that the song got off to a promising start [[it did--I think everyone wanted the Tempts to make it again), but some riots happened somewhere [[Florida, maybe?) and then DJ's didn't want to play the record for fear it would be seen as a pro-riot record. Something like that. I was still in high school when "Power" came out, and asked a few of my black friends if they liked the record and nobody had ever even heard it. My friend Willie, when I brought up the Tempts, told me "They old!" and didn't even want to give the record a chance. I think the record came close to the top 40, but calling it a hit is a huge stretch. It did, however, give the Tempts a lot of press which they hadn`t been getting for years. It was a few years later when they did "Standing on the Top" that the Tempts got a big hit, mostly because Rick James was so hot at the time.

My friends, those who were into black music in the late 70's early 80's, were into groups like Parliament, EWF, Commodores, Lakeside--groups like that. The only female-led band that was admired from what I recall was Rufus with CK.

Which brings up a valid question from someone my age: Why were all the 60's Motown groups considered "Motown," whereas hugely popular 70's Motown bands like the Commodores were not seen as "Motown?" The Commodores were just the Commodores--but the Temptations, 4 Tops, Supremes, Vandellas, etc. were definitely seen as consummate Motown groups? It seemed like there was a big sea change in the mid 70's. Marvin Gaye was the big exception--he was seen as both a Motown artist, AND a very contemporary presence. When "Sexual Healing" came out, everyone loved it, as they did "What's Going On" and all that. My white friends all loved "Sexual Healing" and thought Marvin was cool, and so did my black friends. Was it just the fact that pop music was moving away from the clean cut, non-sexual vibe of the mid 60's? I'm just reporting what I observed as a kid.

[jaybs]

It was so good to hear The Vandals tracks once more as I never had copies of them!

I so Loved Eddie K, when he visited the UK with David Ruffin in concert just prior to his death, of course he ripped it up on stage, but when we met after and I interviewed him it broke my heart to see how thin he then looked, not as if he ever carried much weight. But it does not take away the appreciation I have for Damon's amazing falsetto vocal, some may differ and that is what is good about SDF but I feel Eddie's vocal had an edge while Damon's was just a little more pure.

Still hope that someone will release the two IMPACT albums on CD but I doubt it now, I have Happy Man on a CD collection and several other tracks have appeared on CD but I have never been able to find them, one track which I love is "One Last Memory"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EO1_lwRrcw&feature=related

I Thought You Would Like To Know is included on The Spirit of Philadelphia Volume 3 CD

[splanky]

Damon's tone was more open to me than Eddie's if that makes sense to anyone. Though in their primes they had basically the same range, Damon's vocals were like slaps while Eddie's were like punches. Sorry, I can't think of a better analogy. Too,
in his lower ranges Eddie could moan, wail, grunt and growl which he was free to do often after he left the group. As I think
I mentioned before on the old forum, I talked to Eddie about that when I met him before he left us. Later I read somewhere
that he had said he thought Damon was a fine singer and excellent replacement for him. I read all of that history years ago and always hoped someone would take it as inspiration to make a cd of Damon's Vandals, Impact and solo albums but alas,
no one bothered. Anyway, I love this song...At times he reminded me more of Cliff Perkins [[Soul Generation) than EJK...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYBhC_Si7l8

[zebop]

I like Damon a lot. I don't think he was a better singer than Eddie Kendricks, I don't think anyone is in that range, Eddie was a singular entity in that regard.

As for Eddie and Damon, Eddie thanked Damon on the back of his 1978 LP Vintage. I'm not sure if Eddie thanked the Temptations, probably not.

Looking back, Damon was so young when he came to the Temptations. You can often hear that youth superseding most everything in his delivery and style. I liked the two Impact albums and his solo album. There was/is a clip of the Temptations in Paris and I think he just might have sounded better live than in the studio.

[arrr&bee]

As i've stated eddie kendricks was the best first tenor in soul music history now following him was all anyone coming in could do and damon did a great job in his four years as a temptation,and he also came closest in sound to eddie!

[destruction]

I was one of Damon Harris' most fanactical Fanboys.......even though I agree with arrBee. I cite the clip Roger posted of "I've Been Good Too You" as Exhibit A. But I was as proud as anyone when he got the Call. To add on to Splanky's take.....Eddie was more fluid, clean and strong in the lower register.....and when he was younger....brighter in the upper. Yet, I remember when my own girls turned on me and almost got tossed off of Temptations Island....the first time they heard "I Need You." Oooo who's that..... Temptations?...... Wow....again.... again...Is that old or new Tempts pops.....'in between'.....wow sounds better than both of them." They almost got shark tossed.

Outside of the Persians, the Whatnauts were my fave Bmore group.....followed by the Vandals. I finally got to see them at the ill-fated Rally for Decency [[http://mdmorn.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/11-2-09/)Concert at Memorial Stadium.....The riot began shortly after they left the stage.

At one point I remember tracking down Satipe on the forum so that he could contact Damon for me. I wanted to tell him that after watching the Vandals perform at that concert....I sat down with myself and realized that my burgeoning career as a first class first tenor......died with the first, the last, and every other note I heard from Damon. It was "dam, I'd better find something else to do in life if local guys are gonna be singing like the Real Temptations." As Dirty Harry would day, "A man's gotta know his limitations." So I hit the books harder than ever......and was Valedictorian the following year. Just wanted to say....thx Damon.

In My Opinion was not only my jam..... It was OUR song that summer. My girl wrote our names on our copy.......and then it disappeared.....And then it reappeared at the big flea market that was previously the Carlin Drive-In.....15 years later. I'll have to get it out of the vault to scan soon.

If you play the clip of In My Opinion [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whas0JR4wYs&feature=related)from Roger's list, you'll notice several of my faves on the right, including the Persians "Too Much Pride" [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Tr1Jjx1dc&feature=related) and the Jones "Pretty Pretty [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3rVM8jPIko&feature=related)". One of my fondest memories is singing Pretty Pretty with some winos and winettes on Arlington Ave in Harlem Park.....We drew a crowd and they asked me to join their group......even though I was an East Sider.

[paladin]

the Whatnauts were my fave Bmore group.....followed by the Vandals.


Mine too.........



One of my fondest memories is singing Pretty Pretty with some winos and winettes on Arlington Ave in Harlem Park.....We drew a crowd and they asked me to join their group......even though I was an East Sider.


A Real story from a real dude.........thanks man, I been hit with a lot o fairy tales lately........