The Eaten Alive Demos

[PeaceNHarmony]

Reclaiming the thread from the polluters, I'll say that EA, while not a favorite Diana Ross lp, remains for me an under-explored treasure. It's one that I play only occasionally but always find myself singing along with. It's an experimental lp and will therefore always be controversial but I love that Ross experimented with different producers and sounds.

[marv2]

Reclaiming the thread from the polluters, I'll say that EA, while not a favorite Diana Ross lp, remains for me an under-explored treasure. It's one that I play only occasionally but always find myself singing along with. It's an experimental lp and will therefore always be controversial but I love that Ross experimented with different producers and sounds.

I think it was a garbage album. I and everyone else was enjoying Sade at the time. She was making high quality, sophisticated music for Urban audiences. She was smooth, jazzy and had the number one album in several countries including America!

[soulster]

I think it was a garbage album. I and everyone else was enjoying Sade at the time. She was making high quality, sophisticated music for Urban audiences. She was smooth, jazzy and had the number one album in several countries including America!

Well, since the children have decided to resort to juvenile name-calling, I think i'll stay in the thread after all.

I'm the same Marv, in 1985, I was also opting to listen to Sade, Sting, Tears For Fears, Don Henley, and Whitney Houston over Diana Ross. And, 1984 was really the last time Ross made any meaningful impression on the American public.

Marv, you should join us over at the Steve Hoffman forum where you will get intelligent, rational discussion about all music, audio, movies, and a whole range of off-topic things [[absolutely no politics, though). They have over twelve full-time moderators there to keep the peace around the clock, and do not allow the crap that goes on here. They actually suspend and ban people who show disrespect toward others, and take action within mere seconds sometimes. A couple of other SDF members are there, too. In addition to an ignore feature, they have a nice little "report" button so anyone can anonymously report posts.

[marv2]

Well, since the children have decided to resort to juvenile name-calling, I think i'll stay in the thread after all.

I'm the same Marv, in 1985, I was also opting to listen to Sade, Sting, Tears For Fears, Don Henley, and Whitney Houston over Diana Ross. And, 1984 was really the last time Ross made any meaningful impression on the American public.

I am sure you remember how great all of that music was. It all came flooding out after the cooling off of Michael Jackson's monumental "Thriller". I listened to it all and I was back to buying albums left and right. I gave Diana Ross' offering a listen at the time mainly because she was popular when I was a kid. I think I listened to 3 or 4 songs off of her album and cast it aside. I could not recommend it to anyone what with all of the great new music that was out at the time.

If talking just female artists then, we had Anita Baker's "Sweet Love", Sade "Smooth Operator", Whitney "You Give Good Love" Regina Belle "Show Me the Way", Patti LaBelle " On My Own", Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam "Take Me Home", Shirley Murdock, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight and on and on and on. Diana Ross was just out there in name only because no one was looking for her at that time and her music was very sub-par.

[marv2]

Now, with the guys, Sting was tearing it up, Hall & Oates with David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks, Bernard Wright, Eugene Wilde, Freddie Jackson, Stevie Wonder with "Part Time Lover"[[ one of his best), the Commodores had "Night Shift", Loose Endz, Ready for the World, PRINCE!, Rene & Angela, The Temptations scored with "Lady Soul". There were just so much great music out there and Diana Ross comes with this puny offering called "Eaten Alive", no one but her most hardcore fans could be bothered.

[daviddh]

I thought this lp would have been a good RCA debut in 1981 and think it would have done well, but in 1985 a bit old school as were the Bee Gees by this point. now I like the lp, the Bee Gees and Diana Ross. music had changed.
funny looking back, the Pointer Sisters , Barry Manilow, Kenny Rogers and Diana all signed with RCA and soon all would jump ship. I think only Diana completed her contract there. Manilow later complained after he signed on the entire management had changed and a new younger team were not thrilled with the old artists.
not sure how RCA felt about Diana by 1985 but since they seem to have dropped the ball, I am assuming they were done with her as well .
overall I think its a good album. I think it needed more uptempo songs. I loved Crimes Of Passion.
I also think here in USA Diana was not getting postive media with Mary W book etc. I still feel the way Motown 25 was left with only a 2 min reunion and Marys nonsense gave way to Dianas decline. I had always hoped Diana would have had a reunion at central park to ease some of the bad pr. just my memories and thoughts. I also likd how she worked with various producers. she seemed stretched to the limit at times
with her schedule.would love a expanded version one day

[marv2]

Tina Turner was also pretty strong on the charts and on radio during this time.

[marv2]

I thought this lp would have been a good RCA debut in 1981 and think it would have done well, but in 1985 a bit old school as were the Bee Gees by this point. now I like the lp, the Bee Gees and Diana Ross. music had changed.
funny looking back, the Pointer Sisters , Barry Manilow, Kenny Rogers and Diana all signed with RCA and soon all would jump ship. I think only Diana completed her contract there. Manilow later complained after he signed on the entire management had changed and a new younger team were not thrilled with the old artists.
not sure how RCA felt about Diana by 1985 but since they seem to have dropped the ball, I am assuming they were done with her as well .
overall I think its a good album. I think it needed more uptempo songs. I loved Crimes Of Passion.
I also think here in USA Diana was not getting postive media with Mary W book etc. I still feel the way Motown 25 was left with only a 2 min reunion and Marys nonsense gave way to Dianas decline. I had always hoped Diana would have had a reunion at central park to ease some of the bad pr. just my memories and thoughts. I also likd how she worked with various producers. she seemed stretched to the limit at times
with her schedule.would love a expanded version one day

I in no way believe Mary Wilson or her book caused Diane to record and release such crappy music. It was junk music. It was like she ignored what the public was buying, what was popular. She had been around a long time by this point so she had to know what a good record sounds like. I think music like she was releasing in the 80s further exposed her as being little more than a mere creation of Berry Gordy Jr. She definitely floundered without his guidance. I also think she let things like the Central Park concert go to her head. She must have forgotten that it was a FREE concert and everyone that was not busy and every wino in town showed up. It clearly did not help her record sales.

[marv2]

I thought this lp would have been a good RCA debut in 1981 and think it would have done well, but in 1985 a bit old school as were the Bee Gees by this point. now I like the lp, the Bee Gees and Diana Ross. music had changed.
funny looking back, the Pointer Sisters , Barry Manilow, Kenny Rogers and Diana all signed with RCA and soon all would jump ship. I think only Diana completed her contract there. Manilow later complained after he signed on the entire management had changed and a new younger team were not thrilled with the old artists.
not sure how RCA felt about Diana by 1985 but since they seem to have dropped the ball, I am assuming they were done with her as well .
overall I think its a good album. I think it needed more uptempo songs. I loved Crimes Of Passion.
I also think here in USA Diana was not getting postive media with Mary W book etc. I still feel the way Motown 25 was left with only a 2 min reunion and Marys nonsense gave way to Dianas decline. I had always hoped Diana would have had a reunion at central park to ease some of the bad pr. just my memories and thoughts. I also likd how she worked with various producers. she seemed stretched to the limit at times
with her schedule.would love a expanded version one day

You already tried to blame Mary Wilson for her failure, now don't go blaming RCA. They gave her $20 million and full control over her music. What role did Diana Ross play in recording so many flops?

[soulster]

I am sure you remember how great all of that music was. It all came flooding out after the cooling off of Michael Jackson's monumental "Thriller". I listened to it all and I was back to buying albums left and right. I gave Diana Ross' offering a listen at the time mainly because she was popular when I was a kid. I think I listened to 3 or 4 songs off of her album and cast it aside. I could not recommend it to anyone what with all of the great new music that was out at the time.

If talking just female artists then, we had Anita Baker's "Sweet Love", Sade "Smooth Operator", Whitney "You Give Good Love" Regina Belle "Show Me the Way", Patti LaBelle " On My Own", Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam "Take Me Home", Shirley Murdock, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight and on and on and on. Diana Ross was just out there in name only because no one was looking for her at that time and her music was very sub-par.

Exact, same here, except Anita Baker's album didn't come along until the next year. I was trying to remember one artist who was very popular in late '85, and it was Aretha Franklin. Sheena Easton, too.

Yeah, Diana Ross. When I heard "Chain Reaction", I thought WTF??? It sounded very outdated. The 80s were all about keeping up with the times, and she was growing more stale by the minute. That is why she did "Red Hot Rhythm & Blues". It was a desperate attempt to regain some sort of relevancy, just as "Workin' Overtime" was. neither worked.

Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, Surface, Gladys Knight, Jody Watley, Gregory Abbott, George Michael, Keith Sweat...they were what was happening in R&B in the mid-late 80s.

Now, with the guys, Sting was tearing it up, Hall & Oates with David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks, Bernard Wright, Eugene Wilde, Freddie Jackson, Stevie Wonder with "Part Time Lover"[[ one of his best), the Commodores had "Night Shift", Loose Endz, Ready for the World, PRINCE!, Rene & Angela, The Temptations scored with "Lady Soul". There were just so much great music out there and Diana Ross comes with this puny offering called "Eaten Alive", no one but her most hardcore fans could be bothered.

Exactly! Diana...who?

[soulster]

Tina Turner was also pretty strong on the charts and on radio during this time.

Ohhhhh yeah! Tina! She got a lot of life out of the "Private Dancer" album, and the two that came after it.

I know we're just running down some names here, but it's refreshing to see all those artists at least mentioned. It gets very old discussing the same old ones year after year on this forum.

And, if you do want to keep it Motown, Rick James was putting out some great stuff in 1985, as were the Mary Jane Girls. "In My House" was even popular with the hard rock crowd where I lived. DeBarge was still putting out some fine, smooth R&B.

Stevie Wonder was still quite popular, and had a hit album in 1985, but, IMO, the quality of his work started to suffer. Too much technology?

[marv2]

Well, since the children have decided to resort to juvenile name-calling, I think i'll stay in the thread after all.

I'm the same Marv, in 1985, I was also opting to listen to Sade, Sting, Tears For Fears, Don Henley, and Whitney Houston over Diana Ross. And, 1984 was really the last time Ross made any meaningful impression on the American public.

Marv, you should join us over at the Steve Hoffman forum where you will get intelligent, rational discussion about all music, audio, movies, and a whole range of off-topic things [[absolutely no politics, though). They have over twelve full-time moderators there to keep the peace around the clock, and do not allow the crap that goes on here. They actually suspend and ban people who show disrespect toward others, and take action within mere seconds sometimes. A couple of other SDF members are there, too. In addition to an ignore feature, they have a nice little "report" button so anyone can anonymously report posts.

I will check Steve Huffman forum out. Thank you.

[soulster]

I thought this lp would have been a good RCA debut in 1981 and think it would have done well, but in 1985 a bit old school as were the Bee Gees by this point. now I like the lp, the Bee Gees and Diana Ross. music had changed.
funny looking back, the Pointer Sisters , Barry Manilow, Kenny Rogers and Diana all signed with RCA and soon all would jump ship. I think only Diana completed her contract there. Manilow later complained after he signed on the entire management had changed and a new younger team were not thrilled with the old artists.
not sure how RCA felt about Diana by 1985 but since they seem to have dropped the ball, I am assuming they were done with her as well .
overall I think its a good album. I think it needed more uptempo songs. I loved Crimes Of Passion.
I also think here in USA Diana was not getting postive media with Mary W book etc. I still feel the way Motown 25 was left with only a 2 min reunion and Marys nonsense gave way to Dianas decline. I had always hoped Diana would have had a reunion at central park to ease some of the bad pr. just my memories and thoughts. I also likd how she worked with various producers. she seemed stretched to the limit at times
with her schedule.would love a expanded version one day

David, it wasn't just RCA that cast their veteran artists aside. A&M had been doing it too. The Brothers Johnson and Atlantic Starr had sat high in popularity on their label, and garnered good sales. But, once new executives came in, they wanted to attract the younger audiences. Janet Jackson, certainly, but there was also The Police, and Joe Jackson. But, i'm sure Joe Jackson frustrated them to no end with his refusal to make music videos after a point. [[I'm sure he had ones for "Steppin' Out" and "Breaking Us In Two", but I don't remember them).

The Brothers Johnson were still making fine records, but not too many people heard them. Even Quincy Jones finally left the label to start his own Quest Records on Warner Brothers.

[marv2]

Exact, same here, except Anita Baker's album didn't come along until the next year. I was trying to remember one artists who was very popular in late '85, and it was Aretha Franklin. Sheena Easton, too.

Yeah, Diana Ross. When I heard "Chain Reaction", I thought WTF??? It sounded very outdated. The 80s were all about keeping up with the times, and she was growing more stale my the minute. That is why she did "Red Hot Rhythm & Blues". It was a desperate attempt to regain some sort of relevancy, just as "Workin' Overtime" was. neither worked.

Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, Surface, Gladys Knight, Jody Watley, Gregory Abbott, George Michael, Keith Sweat...they were what was happening in R&B in the mid-late 80s.



Exactly! Diana...who?

I think the first time I listen to and paid attention to the song "Chain Reaction" was when I saw the video of BET's "Video Soul". My first thought was the lyrics were really stupid and made no sense similar to the jungle video she did for "Eaten Alive".....the lyrics were nonsense! I was grown up by then, in my twenties was not spending money on novelty records. I got it that they were trying to give her the old "Supremes" sound, but she hated the Supremes so why go back there? I think the people in foreign countries liked the retro 60s sound, it did not get airplay here in America because it was such a stupid record compared to all the nice music that was out at that time. Robert Palmer had "Addicted to Love" and Atlantic Starr had "Secret Lovers" songs that made sense to everyone.

[marv2]

Even Madonna had "Papa Don't Preach" and Diana Ross no longer existed on American radio. The song "Missing You" back in 1984, during the Ronald Reagan Administration was it for her. LOL!!!!!

[marv2]

Ohhhhh yeah! Tina! She got a lot of life out of the "Private Dancer" album, and the two that came after it.

I know we're just running down some names here, but it's refreshing to see all those artists at least mentioned. It gets very old discussing the same old ones year after year on this forum.

And, if you do want to keep it Motown, Rick James was putting out some great stuff in 1985, as were the Mary Jane Girls. "In My House" was even popular with the hard rock crowd where I lived. DeBarge was still putting out some fine, smooth R&B.

Stevie Wonder was still quite popular, and had a hit album in 1985, but, IMO, the quality of his work started to suffer. Too much technology?

Don't forget that Tina Turner was also shutting it down with that song from "Mad Max" , "We Don't Need Another Hero [[Thunderdome)".

[marv2]

Ohhhhh yeah! Tina! She got a lot of life out of the "Private Dancer" album, and the two that came after it.

I know we're just running down some names here, but it's refreshing to see all those artists at least mentioned. It gets very old discussing the same old ones year after year on this forum.

And, if you do want to keep it Motown, Rick James was putting out some great stuff in 1985, as were the Mary Jane Girls. "In My House" was even popular with the hard rock crowd where I lived. DeBarge was still putting out some fine, smooth R&B.

Stevie Wonder was still quite popular, and had a hit album in 1985, but, IMO, the quality of his work started to suffer. Too much technology?

That's right! Rick James had "Glow and Debarge totally eclipsed Diana Ross with "Rhythm of the Night"! Stevie went "Retro" and it worked with "Part Time Lover", for Diane it did not!

[marv2]

David, it wasn't just RCA that cast their veteran artists aside. A&M had been doing it too. The Brothers Johnson and Atlantic Starr had sat high in popularity on their label, and garnered good sales. But, once new executives came in, they wanted to attract the younger audiences. Janet Jackson, certainly, but there was also The Police, and Joe Jackson. But, i'm sure Joe Jackson frustrated them to no end with his refusal to make music videos after a point. [[I'm sure he had ones for "Steppin' Out" and "Breaking Us In Two", but I don't remember them).

The Brothers Johnson were still making fine records, but not too many people heard them. Even Quincy Jones finally left the label to start his own Quest Records on Warner Brothers.

I remember Joe Jackson and "Steppin' Out". It was around the time I first heard Gloria Estafan and Miami Sound Machine. Remember "The Jets"? Man, there was so much great music out and so many great artists [[Nu Shooz?) in the mid-80s to be lamenting about Diana Ross' Bee Gee's project. LOL!!! oh LOL!!!

[soulster]

I will check Steve Huffman forum out. Thank you.

Hoffman. You might get the wrong result if you type "Huffman".

[soulster]

Even Madonna had "Papa Don't Preach" and Diana Ross no longer existed on American radio. The song "Missing You" back in 1984, during the Ronald Reagan Administration was it for her. LOL!!!!!

Not to mention that the people at RCA couldn't stand her. They didn't like her "diva" attitude. maybe it would have made a difference if she were actually selling huge volumes at that point. But, she wasn't.

[soulster]

I remember Joe Jackson and "Steppin' Out". It was around the time I first heard Gloria Estafan and Miami Sound Machine. Remember "The Jets"? Man, there was so much great music out and so many great artists [[Nu Shooz?) in the mid-80s to be lamenting about Diana Ross' Bee Gee's project. LOL!!! oh LOL!!!

Sorry man, i'm OCD for timelines, and Joe Jackson's "Steppin; Out" came out in 1982. The Miami Sound Machine didn't hit the street until late '85.

Shoot! The Bee Gees were has-beens by the mid-80s. The 80s were really no place for most 60s veterans. Stevie Wonder, Steve Winwood, Yes, Michael Jackson, and Tina Turner were very notable exceptions.

[marv2]

Hoffman. You might get the wrong result if you type "Huffman".

Gotcha! Thank you!

[marv2]

Not to mention that the people at RCA couldn't stand her. They didn't like her "diva" attitude. maybe it would have made a difference if she were acotually selling huge volumes at that point. But, she wasn't.

Interesting because the people at Motown when she returned to the company loathed her! They could not wait to get rid of her. They not only did not know what to do with her music, they also did not care.

[marv2]

Sorry man, i'm OCD for timelines, and Joe Jackson's "Steppin; Out" came out in 1982. The Miami Sound Machine didn't hit the street until late '85.

Shoot! The Bee Gees were has-beens by the mid-80s. The 80s were really no place for most 60s veterans. Stevie Wonder, Steve Winwood, Yes, Michael Jackson, and Tina Turner were very notable exceptions.

Ok, I was in college when Joe Jackson, Foreigner, The Clash, Men Without Hats,etc became popular. I first saw Miami Sound Machine on America Bandstand a few years later. The Bee Gees were pretty much done. Their last production I enjoyed was "Heartbreaker" by Dionne Warwick in 1982.

Speaking of Stevie, right now I am watching Queen Elizabeth's Buckingham Palace band [[I don't know what their formal name is) playing "Sir Duke" LOL!

[marv2]

Sorry man, i'm OCD for timelines, and Joe Jackson's "Steppin; Out" came out in 1982. The Miami Sound Machine didn't hit the street until late '85.

Shoot! The Bee Gees were has-beens by the mid-80s. The 80s were really no place for most 60s veterans. Stevie Wonder, Steve Winwood, Yes, Michael Jackson, and Tina Turner were very notable exceptions.

James Brown made a big comeback in 1986 with "Living In America". According to Jobeterob that was not suppose to happen due to his age or something. LOL!

[TheMotownManiac]

That's what I thought.

Sure, the idea that anyone could be drugged and raped is horrible, but that's what Bill Cosby was convicted of by a jury in a court of law. Since Bill Cosby and Diana Ross are/were both celebrities and in the music business at the time, it makes sense that the two could have met. We know that Mr. Cosby had been doing that to women since the early 60s, so it isn't unthinkable that he could have tried it, or at least thought about it. I'm glad he didn't.

So, let these people be outraged. I think it's more ridiculous that they talk about her having affairs with various people, but jump on me. It's also childish for certain people to repeatedly tell everyone who they have on ignore, like anyone cares. I sure don't.

Most sexual predators are cowards and prey on the weak - in this case, those who cannot/would not fight back because of his celebrity. For that reason, I highly doubt that slime bag Cosby would try anything with a fierce diva like Ross and her connections to Motown. He knows better than that. There aren’t words in my vocabulary to describe what I think of yeeech like him. Additionally, all this disgusting talk reminds me of how I used to LOVE and occasional Quaalude.........I hate him even more for using them for evil instead of their intended purpose of providing an amazing evening out st he bars!

[luke]

Cindy Birdsong jumped out of a moving car on the highway. Women and men get preyed on regardless.

[marv2]

Cindy Birdsong jumped out of a moving car on the highway. Women and men get preyed on regardless.

Only people living in the real World would understand that Luke.

[detmotownguy]

I am sure you remember how great all of that music was. It all came flooding out after the cooling off of Michael Jackson's monumental "Thriller". I listened to it all and I was back to buying albums left and right. I gave Diana Ross' offering a listen at the time mainly because she was popular when I was a kid. I think I listened to 3 or 4 songs off of her album and cast it aside. I could not recommend it to anyone what with all of the great new music that was out at the time.

If talking just female artists then, we had Anita Baker's "Sweet Love", Sade "Smooth Operator", Whitney "You Give Good Love" Regina Belle "Show Me the Way", Patti LaBelle " On My Own", Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam "Take Me Home", Shirley Murdock, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight and on and on and on. Diana Ross was just out there in name only because no one was looking for her at that time and her music was very sub-par.

Damn Marv! Sade could melt the Arctic Circle if she tried hard enough. I saw her at the Fox in Detroit and had the audience in her hand. One fine performance. There were so many good soul singers others were left out of ur mainstream. Gonna give Lisa Lisa some listening time this afternon.

[detmotownguy]

No kidding Luke. That album is horrible. There is no excuse that will make it listenable. Ross is 90% pop. I didn’t mind a few songs from LSTB- somewhat soulful.

[TheMotownManiac]

I thought this lp would have been a good RCA debut in 1981 and think it would have done well, but in 1985 a bit old school as were the Bee Gees by this point. now I like the lp, the Bee Gees and Diana Ross. music had changed.
funny looking back, the Pointer Sisters , Barry Manilow, Kenny Rogers and Diana all signed with RCA and soon all would jump ship. I think only Diana completed her contract there. Manilow later complained after he signed on the entire management had changed and a new younger team were not thrilled with the old artists.
not sure how RCA felt about Diana by 1985 but since they seem to have dropped the ball, I am assuming they were done with her as well .
overall I think its a good album. I think it needed more uptempo songs. I loved Crimes Of Passion.
I also think here in USA Diana was not getting postive media with Mary W book etc. I still feel the way Motown 25 was left with only a 2 min reunion and Marys nonsense gave way to Dianas decline. I had always hoped Diana would have had a reunion at central park to ease some of the bad pr. just my memories and thoughts. I also likd how she worked with various producers. she seemed stretched to the limit at times
with her schedule.would love a expanded version one day

Mary’s Book came out in 1986 - a year after Eaten Alive. Let’s look at this album from a commercial standpoint:

1) the title song lead vocal is impossible to follow lyrically. She really needed to re-cut it and enouncuate better so the talky/unusual lyrics could be understood. Nothing kills a single faster than that. The fault on this lies solely on the producer.

2)Had Chain Reaction come out first, I believe it would have hit here. The video was great and the song was radio friendly enough to compensate for the prominent Bee Gee sound. After the severe failure of Eaten Alive, most radio wouldn’t touch the follow up unless it proved strong - unfortunately not enough markets would hive it a shot to do so. However, it did quite well in the few markets that tried it the second time around. Also, it did quite well internationally in the same markets playing all her competition in the USA. it’s folly to call it a bad record with its international track record.

3) the album art stinks.

4) Most Of the songs are not strong all the way through. Some have wonderful hooks with weak verses, some are just not appropriate for a competitive pop album [[More and More)

5) many of the songs are just too damn high [[Don’t Give Up) ruining the chance it may have had to be quite effective.

6)The Bee Gee sound was way past it’s prime and way too dominant on the project unlike the hits they had with Babs and Dionne.

I think there was the possibility of a successful album here, but it needed work.

[marv2]

Damn Marv! Sade could melt the Arctic Circle if she tried hard enough. I saw her at the Fox in Detroit and had the audience in her hand. One fine performance. There were so many good soul singers others were left out of ur mainstream. Gonna give Lisa Lisa some listening time this afternon.

Now that would be a dream concert for me. To see Sade at the Fox! Make it the dead of Winter too! LOL!

Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam were good. They were very good.

[soulster]

Ok, I was in college when Joe Jackson, Foreigner, The Clash, Men Without Hats,etc became popular. I first saw Miami Sound Machine on America Bandstand a few years later. The Bee Gees were pretty much done. Their last production I enjoyed was "Heartbreaker" by Dionne Warwick in 1982.

I was also in college in the early 80s! The last hit the Bee Gees had in the 80s was "Woman In You" in 1983 from the film "Perfect" starring Jamie Lee Curtis and John Travolta. From what I can tell, it was basically a soft porn film capitalizing on the aerobicise fad. I was never interested in seeing it. If I wanted soft porn, I could tune into The Playboy Channel! If you wanted the XXX stuff, you rented VHS tapes! LOL! Video rental stores were everywhere in 1983!

[marv2]

[QUOTE=soulster;462723]

Ok, I was in college when Joe Jackson, Foreigner, The Clash, Men Without Hats,etc became popular. I first saw Miami Sound Machine on America Bandstand a few years later. The Bee Gees were pretty much done. Their last production I enjoyed was "Heartbreaker" by Dionne Warwick in 1982.

I was also in college in the early 80s! The last hit the Bee Gees had in the 80s was "Woman In You" in 1983 from the film "Perfect" starring Jamie Lee Curtis and John Travolta. From what I can tell, it was basically a soft porn film capitalizing on the aerobicise fad. I was never interested in seeing it. If I wanted soft porn, I could tune into The Playboy Channel! If you wanted the XXX stuff, you rented VHS tapes! LOL! Video rental stores were everywhere in 1983!

I was a saint, so I wouldn't know about that. hehehehehehehehe!

[soulster]

Most sexual predators are cowards and prey on the weak - in this case, those who cannot/would not fight back because of his celebrity. For that reason, I highly doubt that slime bag Cosby would try anything with a fierce diva like Ross and her connections to Motown. He knows better than that. There aren’t words in my vocabulary to describe what I think of yeeech like him. Additionally, all this disgusting talk reminds me of how I used to LOVE and occasional Quaalude.........I hate him even more for using them for evil instead of their intended purpose of providing an amazing evening out st he bars!

First: Quaalude was originally used as a sedative and muscle relaxer. It was never intended for illicit use. The only problem with it is that it can cause hypnosis, and that's why it is called the date drug.

Second: what the hell is a "he bar"???

[TheMotownManiac]

Not to mention that the people at RCA couldn't stand her. They didn't like her "diva" attitude. maybe it would have made a difference if she were actually selling huge volumes at that point. But, she wasn't.

Swept Away was on the chart for a year, sold over 900,000 copies.

its singles did not do poorly:

All Of You: #19 pop, #2 AC
Swept Away #19 pop, #3 Black #1 Dance
Missing You #10 Pop, #1 Black #4 AC
Telephone #13 Black

while these numbers are not the best, this project by all accounts was a success and definitely had Diana Ross all over 3 radio formats just a few months before Eaten Alive was released. If all if her RCA projects sold like this, they would have re-signed her.

Eaten was was just a mess with potential.

[soulster]

[QUOTE=marv2;462726]

I was a saint, so I wouldn't know about that. hehehehehehehehe!

Mmmm...sure you wouldn't. C'mon man! Christy Canyon!

[marv2]

Swept Away was on the chart for a year, sold over 900,000 copies.

its singles did not do poorly:

All Of You: #19 pop, #2 AC
Swept Away #19 pop, #3 Black #1 Dance
Missing You #10 Pop, #1 Black #4 AC
Telephone #13 Black

while these numbers are not the best, this project by all accounts was a success and definitely had Diana Ross all over 3 radio formats just a few months before Eaten Alive was released. If all if her RCA projects sold like this, they would have re-signed her.

Eaten was was just a mess with potential.

Those are weak numbers or have you forgotten it was the era of the "big girls"? Whitney, Madonna, Sade, Janet and Anita were eating Diana Ross' lunch! For $20 million, she should have been doing a lot more than that!

[marv2]

[QUOTE=soulster;462731]

Mmmm...sure you wouldn't. C'mon man! Christy Canyon!

Uh, was she related to Vanessa Del Rio? hehehehehehe

[soulster]

Eaten was was just a mess with potential.

I was talking about "Eaten Alive".

[soulster]

Those are weak numbers or have you forgotten it was the era of the "big girls"? Whitney, Madonna, Sade, Janet and Anita were eating Diana Ross' lunch! For $20 million, she should have been doing a lot more than that!

Exactly! And, remember that the big artists set the standard for what constituted huge sales in the mid 80s. Prince, Hall & Oates, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, Madonna, and Michael Jackson! Selling less than a million units was a joke!

[marv2]

Exactly! And, remember that the big artists set the standard for what constituted huge sales in the mid 80s. Prince, Hall & Oates, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, Madonna, and Michael Jackson! Selling less than a million units was a joke!

I know. I mean you even had Cyndi Lauper outselling Miss Ross! You knew it was a different era. People were looking for quality, not just buying it because the person was already famous.

[marv2]

Exactly! And, remember that the big artists set the standard for what constituted huge sales in the mid 80s. Prince, Hall & Oates, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, Madonna, and Michael Jackson! Selling less than a million units was a joke!

Those were the ICONS! They were the ones you had a hard time getting tickets to their shows. I had to know people personally to get to see Prince and Bruce Springsteen.

[soulster]

I know. I mean you even had Cyndi Lauper outselling Miss Ross! You knew it was a different era. People were looking for quality, not just buying it because the person was already famous.

Don't forget Lionel Richie!

It's a shame the people on this forum can't seem to talk about anything else except a certain female trio. Look at all the great Motown music that has been made over the decades! One washed-up relic from the 60s doesn't deserve all the attention.

[TheMotownManiac]

First: Quaalude was originally used as a sedative and muscle relaxer. It was never intended for illicit use. The only problem with it is that it can cause hypnosis, and that's why it is called the date drug.

That was a joke - obviously [[ I thought). Clearly the drug was not advertised as perfect for a fun night out - but who knows what the intent really was? Right now there’s a drug for some malady that just happens to cause weight loss as a side effect and is now being used as such without FDA approval. Yet the commercial mentions it as a side effect. Whatever, I loved them and once or twice a month, had a blast for 5.00.

Second: what the hell is a "he bar"???

“he bar” is a place men go to drink.

in this case, it was a typo which should have read “the bars”

[midnightman]

These are wonderful and reinforces the great songwriting of the Gibbs brothers. Musically, their compositions contain beautiful chord changes, time signature changes [[which throw us off just a little), and of course, mesmerizing lyrics. Diana Ross' "Eaten Alive" project, as we have discussed before, may have benefitted much from a completely different way Diana's voice was mixed and layered with the instrumentation. Even then, the whole project, in my opinion, needs remastering. Right now, it sounds a little too abrasive and needs some "syrup" poured over it [[tweeking on the equalization and some adjustments on the type of reverb that was used). I love hearing Barry's demo versions and how much work is put into them.

I think hearing the album, RCA rushed it. Also, how did she go from a gold album the previous year and this one flopped? I mean RCA even convinced Michael to come back for another composition [[the Eaten Alive one with the Gibbs). Maybe this was around the time the Gibbs' hit making potential had peaked? Also it just seemed very hodgepodge.

This was also the start of the end of Diana's relationship with RCA. And in the era of Whitney, nothing commercially would ever be the same for Diana again. I honestly think RCA didn't really know WHAT to do with Diana. She was leaving behind a label she helped to make legendary [[Motown) for a mainstream label that really didn't know how to promote her since she was in her 40s now and the industry was starting to be dominated by younger acts like MJ, Madonna, Prince and Janet.

I personally think she should've went the pop-rock route Cher took.

THAT SAID, Chain Reaction deserves to be in the pantheon of DR classics.

Also, for that opinion of what genre she falls under. You can't easily categorize her. And I rather she not be referred to as an R&B/soul artist since it takes away the fact that she can sing under any genre. Sure she's not Aretha, but then again, WHO IS? Comparisons don't do nothing for these ladies of song, man.

[marv2]

One washed-up relic from the 60s doesn't deserve all the attention.

Pretty much sums her up! Anyone paying to see her now is only doing it to day that they finally saw her. LOL!!!

[marv2]

I think hearing the album, RCA rushed it. Also, how did she go from a gold album the previous year and this one flopped? I mean RCA even convinced Michael to come back for another composition [[the Eaten Alive one with the Gibbs). Maybe this was around the time the Gibbs' hit making potential had peaked? Also it just seemed very hodgepodge.
RCA did no such thing! They did not rush this garbage album. It was a full year before it was released and after that Swept Away album. This album came out in the Fall of 1985. The Gibbs Brothers hit their peak in America in 1978 and they popularity began to decline in late 1979. Diana Ross was around. She knew this or should have if she were not so self absorbed.

This was also the start of the end of Diana's relationship with RCA. And in the era of Patti, Tina and Whitney, nothing commercially would ever be the same for Diana again.

That is not true. She is into her 4th year with RCA. Meaning that we were finally in a area where people had to actually know how to sing?

I personally think she should've went the pop-rock route Cher took.

She can't do what Cher does......

THAT SAID, Chain Reaction deserves to be in the pantheon of DR classics.

Sure, go ahead. It was a stupid record and after 30 years it is still basically an unknown track here in America.

Also, for that opinion of what genre she falls under. You can't easily categorize her. And I rather she not be referred to as an R&B/soul artist since it takes away the fact that she can sing under any genre. Sure she's not Aretha, but then again, WHO IS? Comparisons don't do nothing for these ladies of song, man.

I think hearing the album, RCA rushed it. Also, how did she go from a gold album the previous year and this one flopped? I mean RCA even convinced Michael to come back for another composition [[the Eaten Alive one with the Gibbs). Maybe this was around the time the Gibbs' hit making potential had peaked? Also it just seemed very hodgepodge.

RCA did no such thing! They did not rush this garbage album. It was a full year before it was released and after that Swept Away album. This album came out in the Fall of 1985. The Gibbs Brothers hit their peak in America in 1978 and they popularity began to decline in late 1979. Diana Ross was around. She knew this or should have if she were not so self absorbed.

This was also the start of the end of Diana's relationship with RCA. And in the era of Patti, Tina and Whitney, nothing commercially would ever be the same for Diana again.

That is not true. She is into her 4th year with RCA. Meaning that we were finally in a area where people had to actually know how to sing?

I personally think she should've went the pop-rock route Cher took.

She can't do what Cher does......

THAT SAID, Chain Reaction deserves to be in the pantheon of DR classics.

Sure, go ahead. It was a stupid record and after 30 years it is still basically an unknown track here in America.

Also, for that opinion of what genre she falls under. You can't easily categorize her. And I rather she not be referred to as an R&B/soul artist since it takes away the fact that she can sing under any genre. Sure she's not Aretha, but then again, WHO IS? Comparisons don't do nothing for these ladies of song, man.

That's real funny because that is exactly how RCA promoted her records. They only service R&B stations with her records along with Evelyn Champagne King's records!

[PeaceNHarmony]

I think hearing the album, RCA rushed it. Also, how did she go from a gold album the previous year and this one flopped? I mean RCA even convinced Michael to come back for another composition [[the Eaten Alive one with the Gibbs). Maybe this was around the time the Gibbs' hit making potential had peaked? Also it just seemed very hodgepodge.

This was also the start of the end of Diana's relationship with RCA. And in the era of Whitney, nothing commercially would ever be the same for Diana again. I honestly think RCA didn't really know WHAT to do with Diana. She was leaving behind a label she helped to make legendary [[Motown) for a mainstream label that really didn't know how to promote her since she was in her 40s now and the industry was starting to be dominated by younger acts like MJ, Madonna, Prince and Janet.

I personally think she should've went the pop-rock route Cher took.

THAT SAID, Chain Reaction deserves to be in the pantheon of DR classics.

Also, for that opinion of what genre she falls under. You can't easily categorize her. And I rather she not be referred to as an R&B/soul artist since it takes away the fact that she can sing under any genre. Sure she's not Aretha, but then again, WHO IS? Comparisons don't do nothing for these ladies of song, man.

Agree with all around, where opinion is stated. There are SOOOO many reasons why an lp does not sell. For someone like Diana [[or Aretha, etc) a hit single is a major generator of sales, particularly if it's the lead single. And I think the choice of EA was not-so-much good. A few years earlier the MJ connection could have put it over the top but that time had passed. I've said before that CR was a GREAT song and GREAT vid, and the lead single and lp title should have been CR. I also thought the cover art was not great, and probably a tad tacky. Not so many [[any?) of Diana's peers were burning up the charts at the time, and as you say there was a new generation on the radio. I give the lady props for trying something different!

[PeaceNHarmony]

Part 2

https://youtu.be/XcL_nix7VPs

... and thanks again for posting these demos. Interesting that Andy is on the songwriter credits; I wonder if he was really involved or that was a BG family thing to always list everybody as co-writers?