Calling Out An S.O.S. !

[R. Mark Desjardins]

The BET Honors Awards broadcast Monday evening, February 11th, held a fantastic surprise performance by members of the original S.O.S. Band featuring Mary Davis, performing three of their biggest hits. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis had introduced a tribute to recording label giant, Clarance Avant, and as a mind blowing tribute, brought out the Atlanta based group for a standing ovation performance. Catch this on the replays coming up on the BET network!

[glencro]

Thank you for the review. I will definitely have to watch the entire show. Glad to see Clarence Avant receiving his flowers while he can yet smell them.

[Jerry Oz]

The SOS Band is sooooo underappreciated, in my book. There were a lot of excellent bands that filled in the gaps between the superstars of the late '70s and '80s very well [[Atlantic Star, Brick, Sun, etc.) and although they may not have crossed over, their catalog is fat. If I recall my music history, Jam & Lewis took time between dates on the Time's tour to produce their third album and when Atlanta was snowed in, they missed a Phoenix concert, so Prince fired them.

Jesse Johnson told that story. That worked out well for the SOS Band and Jam & Lewis.

[soulster]

The SOS Band is sooooo underappreciated, in my book. There were a lot of excellent bands that filled in the gaps between the superstars of the late '70s and '80s very well [[Atlantic Star, Brick, Sun, etc.) and although they may not have crossed over, their catalog is fat. If I recall my music history, Jam & Lewis took time between dates on the Time's tour to produce their third album and when Atlanta was snowed in, they missed a Phoenix concert, so Prince fired them.

Jesse Johnson told that story. That worked out well for the SOS Band and Jam & Lewis.
Good it turned out that way. Their work put them on the map. And, if it hadn't happened, they may never have hooked up with Janet Jackson. Whatever...

I love most of the S.O.S. Band's music, but, with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis [[who deserve a thread of their own), they, too, fell into that trap of doing a bunch of ballads. Well, I guess it was either that, or go hip-hop.

For my money, their absolute best track is the album version of "Just be Good To Me".

Tabu Records also deserves its own thread. So much great stuff came from that label, and, strangely enough, its success was tied to Jam & Lewis: S.O.S. Band, Cherrelle, Alexander O'Neal [[Innocent/Alex 9000) is also the greatest track right beside the aforementioned "Just Be Good To Me".

Jerry, it is interesting you mentioned Atlantic Starr, because, they really shone with Brilliance, produced by James Anthony Charmichael [[Commodores). They could also use their own thread!

[Jerry Oz]

I agree with everything you said, Soulster. My favorite two cuts were actually pre-Jam & Lewis, "Take Your Time" and "SOS [[Dit Dit Dit Dash Dash)".

[soulster]

I agree with everything you said, Soulster. My favorite two cuts were actually pre-Jam & Lewis, "Take Your Time" and "SOS [[Dit Dit Dit Dash Dash)".

But, by the time they got to "Sands Of Time" album, they had pretty much settled into the ballad mode. That was during the time what J&L were working hard with Alexander O'Neal on his excellent "Hearsay" album.

[Jerry Oz]

But, by the time they got to "Sands Of Time" album, they had pretty much settled into the ballad mode. That was during the time what J&L were working hard with Alexander O'Neal on his excellent "Hearsay" album.
Alexander O'Neal might be pigeonholed as a throwaway memory from the '80s, but he was one of the few true soul singers from that decade.

Jam & Lewis were on point with their production for everybody they handled in the '80s. Janet. SOS. Cherrelle. But they absolutely knew how to package Alexander O'Neal as well as anybody ever produced a singer/group [[in my opinion, anyway). I hope that statement carries the weight of my opinion, especially on a Soulful Detroit website, given the history of wonderful production that Detroit became famous for.

[soulster]

Alexander O'Neal might be pigeonholed as a throwaway memory from the '80s, but he was one of the few true soul singers from that decade.

Jam & Lewis were on point with their production for everybody they handled in the '80s. Janet. SOS. Cherrelle. But they absolutely knew how to package Alexander O'Neal as well as anybody ever produced a singer/group [[in my opinion, anyway). I hope that statement carries the weight of my opinion, especially on a Soulful Detroit website, given the history of wonderful production that Detroit became famous for.

I wouldn't worry about it. I'd like to think that most of this forum does not live in a vacuum.

[Kamasu_Jr]

I liked SOS Band. I even liked this track that was recorded after Mary Davis left.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCzmSEJqvm4

[daddyacey]

I agree with everything you said, Soulster. My favorite two cuts were actually pre-Jam & Lewis, "Take Your Time" and "SOS [[Dit Dit Dit Dash Dash)".

The Jam & Lewis 12' re-mix of DIT DIT DIT is off the chain. Shamefully funky. Shamefully!!!!!

[tsull1]

Love the group, is the BET stuff on YouTube?

[jack020]

Edsel is re-issuing a whole bunch of Tabu releases this spring:
http://theseconddisc.com/2013/02/18/strictly-tabu-edsel-readies-reissue-campaign-for-rb-label/
Missing from the article is Kathy Mathis-Katt Walk that is relead as well!

[Jerry Oz]

The Jam & Lewis 12' re-mix of DIT DIT DIT is off the chain. Shamefully funky. Shamefully!!!!!.
I never heard it, but I'm going to dig it up.

[R. Mark Desjardins]

I don't know how many people are aware that Mary Davis, female vocalist of S.O.S Band, recorded an solo album, which saw vinyl and compact disc release. Being somewhat of an unknown as a solo, it didn't sell well, but is well worth searching out!