Motown Rarity? Bruno & The Bad Boys [[Bruno Radolini)

[Graham Jarvis]

Bruno & The Bad Boys From the U.S. HBO special in 1987 “The Return Of Bruno”[Guess Who] Does anybody know anything about the "HBO" special & the 45?

Only issued as a demo in the UK [Why?] not aware that the UK had access to HBO in 1987? The 45 also has a spoof printed 1966 Demo summary with it.

Attachment 19608

[reese]

Bruce Willis [of the tv series MOONLIGHTING]was signed to Motown in the late 80s. I gather Bruno was a fictional musical character he did that was the focus of a mockumentary for HBO.

The first album, THE RETURN OF BRUNO, contained a hit remake of RESPECT YOURSELF featuring June Pointer.

The song listed on the promo, COMIN' RIGHT UP, is also on the album.

[PeaceNHarmony]

Perhaps the all-time low for Motown.

[Graham Jarvis]

To make it even worse, Motown even issued an Album on Bruno!

[paul_nixon]

To make it even worse, Motown even issued an Album on Bruno!

In point of fact they released two albums this promo was sent out to us in the UK press by a good friend of mine Nicki Denaro head pf press at Motown UK and it was all very tongue in cheek. At the time it didn't matter they we didnt get HBO Willis was supposedly a big enough name to sell the spoof character and records on its own merits.

[Graham Jarvis]

Thanks Paul, still pretty naff though, how many were pressed ?. Still interesting for the completists. [[I have one with Nicki's Motown sticker)

[marybrewster]

Perhaps the all-time low for Motown.

Irene Ryan?

[paul_nixon]

Irene Ryan?

You've obviously never heard the Ding Dongs release

[Graham Jarvis]

Paul
Yes I have, The Album cover made me smile but I passed it by, fortunately they never issued it on 45, I would have had a copy otherwise, i have all of the 45's good & bad, the bad from memory [no offence as some might like them] :
Captain Zap, Gil Askey, Irene Granny Ryan, Dickey & The Poseidons, Boones & Pat Boone Family, The Allens, Bob Horn & Bruce Willis.
Makes you wonder which one is the worst of all!

[144man]

To be honest, I rather enjoyed the first Bruce Wills album. Apparently, he was a big Motown fan and didn't want to record for any other label, so his heart was in the right place. The album, "The Return of Bruno" reached #4 in the UK chart in 1987, and the singles "Respect Yourself" and "Under the Boardwalk" #7 and #2 respectively.

[144man]

Paul
Yes I have, The Album cover made me smile but I passed it by, fortunately they never issued it on 45, I would have had a copy otherwise, i have all of the 45's good & bad, the bad from memory [no offence as some might like them] :
Captain Zap, Gil Askey, Irene Granny Ryan, Dickey & The Poseidons, Boones & Pat Boone Family, The Allens, Bob Horn & Bruce Willis.
Makes you wonder which one is the worst of all!

Not sure if it's fair to judge novelty records by the same standards applied to normal recordings. They're there purely to make money without any pretensions to artistic integrity or creation of a masterpiece.

[Graham Jarvis]

Not sure if it's fair to judge novelty records by the same standards applied to normal recordings. They're there purely to make money without any pretensions to artistic integrity or creation of a masterpiece.

Thanks for the chart positions for the Bruno record and the others, really surprised!
I absolutley agree to Motown making money for any record issue, I invested and paid for every one of the 45's as listed.

Did you buy any of them or do you have a copy?
If you need any of the sound files let me know.

[Jaap]

And The Temptations do the backing of Bruce/Bruno's version of "Under the Boardwalk."

[144man]

Thanks for the chart positions for the Bruno record and the others, really surprised!
I absolutley agree to Motown making money for any record issue, I invested and paid for every one of the 45's as listed.

Did you buy any of them or do you have a copy?
If you need any of the sound files let me know.

Thanks but unfortunately, I think I have all the really bad ones in some form or other.