what went wrong in San Fran? I'm assuming they were doing a similar show to what they did on the Live In Japan lp. while not a mesmerizing show, hard to see what would have warranted scathing reviews.
Also i thought the wig line failed because of the departure of Jean and Lynda. that they'd only just started to promote the products in spring [[as they very briefly mentioned it on the Mike Douglas show) but that it never took off because of the problems with the group
and then 3 days later ...
The group was appearing at the Fairmont where they usually had good audiences. The reviews were unanimously bad. Jean was criticized for not being aggressive and the group as a whole was said not to have a "black" sound as one writer put it. This hit Jean hard. She had been griping for months about all the show tunes and Diana Ross hits she had to sing. Mary was criticized for being "giggly" and not concentrating on harmonies. Of course comparisons were made to Diana Ross which always unnerved Jean.
The ladies were so upset by this that they called a press conference. Mary writes about this in her book. Mary spoke first saying she is an entertainer first and a black woman second. Jean did not feel that way and when she took the microphone it was purely about race. Before this gig was up Jean was so upset that she told Mary she was quitting. Lynda said very little to the media.
The wig line again came at a bad time. The group was cold and afros were the style then. Wearing naturals was the statement of African-Americans. The wigs sold poorly and were yanked pretty fast. In fact, Mary started wearing her own hair around this time.
This was indeed a tough time for the fans. We all loved Jean and wanted her to stay. She waited a month or so to see if Bad Weather was going to take off [[Motown released it twice) and then called Gordy to say she wanted to be released. He of course agreed.
I did not know that it was released twice. Was it released twice during the same year or later? The only release that I am familiar with is M 1225.
I don't remember it being a huge hit, but not long after its release, club dee-jays were buying double copies of it [[12" Singles did not yet exist) and it became one of the first hits of the disco era.
It was issued in March 1973 and again in May 1973 with the background vocals brought forward. Motown had planned a third release and then Jean dropped the bombshell that she was finished. Both releases had the same cat no.
It was released only once, but after it failed to chart, Mary spoke to Diana about promotion and a few weeks later, it charted, briefly, but was simply not radio friendly due to Jean’s annoying vocal at the time. Today, it sounds fine but back then, to most people, it made ears bleed. Remember, MD’s job is to keep people from changing stations. Bad Weather was a button pusher if there ever was one. Almost NO amount of promotion can get a song that an MD really hates onto his/her playlist - ratings are their job and it was extremely competitive in the early 70s with expanding playlist boundaries and niche markets. My first listen to Bad Weather sounded like the worst likely Motown record ever to get charted. Some people here liked it, but it was still radio dumpster material.
Needless to say, 1973 was a TERRIBLE year for the Supremes and the year where things started to come to an end for them.
It was issued in March 1973 and again in May 1973 with the background vocals brought forward. Motown had planned a third release and then Jean dropped the bombshell that she was finished. Both releases had the same cat no.
Johnny I sent you a private message
I was totally disappointed in BW, it didn't even sound like Jean. In concert she killed it. The vocal she has on Soul Train was da bomb.
I couldn’t agree more. It rocked live, but the single was horrifying. I was surprised to like it live and, in the 90s when I first heard Mary do it, she rocked it as well.
it took me a while to warm up to BW. now i think it's fun and funky. but i still question if it was the right song for the girls. IMO there's limited to no melody on it. jean always "souled" things up when singing live but the recorded versions usually contained a simpler, more straight-forward lead recording. trying whistling BW - nearly impossible. the melody line [[what there is) is all over the place and jumps all around.
also i don't think it's a "group" sound. Stevie was used to producing a lead [[usually himself) and then backing vocals. I think the record could have been more exciting had L and M had more to do other than ooooo. true lynda is pretty exciting on the ending but that's about it.
Actually Sup Fan, Stevie wrote the track with Lynda in mind as lead singer. Motown nixed this.
Bad Weather sounds like a track Syreeta would've done.
I'm sorry, it was Melissa Manchester
Hmm, if it didn't work on the Supremes or Melissa, doubt it would work on anything else. Stevie basically gave them a "bad" track, which is only "good" when discussing Stevie Wonder's music. Like I love the track itself but yeah some other Motown male act could've probably done it justice though I somehow doubt it?
I've loved Stevie Wonder as a 60's Motown Star and as a 70's Mega Star.I know he's produced for Syreeta, Spinners, Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway and written so many classic songs recorded by so many great recording artists [[Aretha, Barbra, Chaka, Rufus, Michael Jackson).So it's strange that I am underwhelmed by Bad Weather and The Force Behind The Power. Just unfortunate happenstance?
I really like both "Bad Weather" and "Force Behind The Power". "Force" charted quite well here in the UK.
This is such an interesting thread as regards group politics and what was was going on behind the scenes at the time. There is so much stuff i never knew about.
BayouMotownMan, have you ever thought of writing a book?.
I like both too, although I don't like "Bad Weather" as much as I used to, and I like "Force" far better than I used to. As a kid I hated "Force", but as an adult I dig it. I especially love when she did it on Arsenio. Still, looking back, I don't think "Force" should've been a single.
I've assisted several writers on books, I'm trying to get Peter Benjaminson to do a book on all versions of Supremes. I'd help with that, but no I won't do any books
She may have gotten a second album which also would have bombed.
Are you referring to Mary, PeaceN? Trust me, Motown never intended for there to be a second lp. Mary thought so as well that is why she started recording with Gus Dudgeon and charging these sessions to Motown. When Motown found out, she was dropped.
Mary's only solo lp is known as a contract breaker. Mary had a strong case against Motown. Motown starved her and Pedro out with endless legal maneuvers until Mary had to hock furs and jewelry and then sell her home in Hancock Park. When they got her where they wanted her, they offered a 5 yr solo contract with yearly options. The Ferrers jumped at it, the lp was issued with little fanfare and the yearly option was enforced. Mary was out.
I remember a huge painting of Mary Wilson's solo album prominently displayed at Tower Records on Sunset Blvd. in the summer of 1979. Was Motown not involved in that promotion, or was it purely Tower Records? It was a gorgeous display and album cover and surely must have caught attention on the Sunset Strip. Of course, I went in and bought it because it was Mary Wilson, years before all the drama.
Motown paid for that. As I recall Mary had an lp signing at this location so the record company had to support her. As I understand it was only up for a few days
Oh. No wonder she left after the first solo album!
Lynda would have slayed "Bad Weather." Just listen to her wail on the background vocals. It could have also been a potential transition if Jean just wanted out, and Lynda was moved into the lead spot. We do know Mary, Cindy, and Lynda sounded great together.
Another thought about Lynda: they could have tied in her history with Wonderlove by having her sing "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" instead of "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You." To my mind Lynda was the most undervalued member of The Supremes.
'But cha' are in the chair Blanche. 'Ya ARE in the chair!'
i think they should have done more to promote their "famous" producers in their shows. Smokey, Jimmy Webb and Stevie. They should have acknowledged their working with these guys in their stage patter and dialog. Also they could have done a quick medley of the producers hits and maybe added in an album track or two.
by the time the girls were working with even Smokey, their recording careers had declined. anything that could have helped draw attention and publicity should have been taken advantage of
Agreed. And doing album tracks would've also helped album sales. This was the age of the album. The industry no longer hinged on hit singles and an album full of filler surrounding the hit to make some extra cash. The fact that the girls were still doing some of the same showtunes instead of more stuff from whatever recent album they had at the time, surely didn't help album sales or public interest.
i completely agree. their own music was sensational - why always disregard it and perform other people's stuff?? that has always puzzled me
When they released FJ, it had been about a year since the Smokey special. but they easily could have taken the medley all the stars sang on there and done something with it. I actually really like the FJ album. the cover photo was fresh and fun, the music was great. light but great.
I always thought they should tour and be promoting the albums. if nothing else that would have helped freshen the show up each year. perhaps this is all a more modern approach but imagine if they actually had a set, so to speak. all white with red accents, labeled Floy Joy. as the opening [[i'd go with YWSSL) song starts, the set could either turn and open up to reveal the girls, in similar white outfits, positioned around the white patio table from the cover.
All of the outfits could be white, except maybe the middle costume change which would be a red or pink outfit. They had the white poncho pantsuits, the white remade chandelier gowns, the white central park outfits, the white FJ cover outfits, the white gowns with long sleeves and all the bugle beads. then the red Ed Sullivan pantsuits, the red gowns worn during the Touch photo shoot.
the concert program should have been marketed along these lines
and then doing a smokey medley. maybe a "Sunshine" medley with Auto Sunshine, Shine On Me, Here Comes the Sunrise very 70s! lol
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