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  1. #1
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    Supremes vs High Inergy

    when motown introduced High Inergy, they created some angst with Pedro, Mary and the Supremes because one of the Gordy sisters was quoted with saying they could be even bigger than the Supremes, to which Pedro made a comment that it makes no sense to bring in a new group like this unless you plan on phasing out the old one

    would Turnin' On and the material HI recorded in 77 have been strong material for the Sups?

    if mary had accepted Motown's offer to manage the group, they could have certainly continued w the Hollands and done the MS&S album, IMO. but then in 77, where would they have gone? would motown have leveraged this HI content and help reinvigorate the Sups?

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    I think YOU CAN'T TURN ME OFF was originally planned for Diana but I can't recall where I read this info.

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    I think the same outcome would have happen. It was time for Mary to move ahead and while The Mitchell sisters had some great vocals but after You Can’t Turn Me Off, the group went no where.

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    Possibly, but other then “You Can’t Turn Me Off” i never thought anything they recorded that great.
    The group had the youth factor on their side which probably helped push sales of “YCTMO”. Had the song been given to the Supremes, i still doubt it would have hit.
    I do think MS&S made for a far more vocally dynamic group then HI.

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    Very interesting proposition. If Motown had so little to offer High Inergy that they couldn’t get beyond one medium hit, maybe we’re expecting too much of them concerning The Supremes.

    As an aside what is the point of spelling it INERGY ?Is it a clever spelling I’m not understanding ?

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    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    when motown introduced High Inergy, they created some angst with Pedro, Mary and the Supremes because one of the Gordy sisters was quoted with saying they could be even bigger than the Supremes, to which Pedro made a comment that it makes no sense to bring in a new group like this unless you plan on phasing out the old one
    Motown knew the Supremes were a once-in-a-lifetime phenomena. High Inergy were never going to be bigger than the Supremes. Everyone at Motown knew that. I think this statement was made to give a boost to promote High Inergy.

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    They called themselves High Inergy, meaning that they all had inner energy and spirituality. I loved this group and have to question whether many of you even heard their stuff on subsequent records. Some of it was fantastic! Barbara and Vernessa were phenomenal singers and both were so good that they made their living post group by session singing and recording jingles.Their vocals on Love Is All You Need are off-the-charts great, right up there with Chaka Khan IMO. The group was going to tour with Diana Ross in or around 1985, but something happened with DR's insurance, if I recall correctly, and they were dropped from the tour. The song So Right was stellar soul/pop from the mid 80's.

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    I always thought it was curious that the Supremes would release "High Energy" in 1976, and Motown would introduce High Inergy a year later.

    Looking at the cover of "HE", it's pretty nondescript, and I wonder if there was ever any confusion between the release and the group.

    Maybe I'll just grasping at straws, but it's a question worth asking out loud.

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    I thought the cover of High Energy was classic, simple, direct and powerful. Maybe a little dated by today's standards, but back when I was a kid I thought it was cool as hell.

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    Quote Originally Posted by BobbyC View Post
    They called themselves High Inergy, meaning that they all had inner energy and spirituality. I loved this group and have to question whether many of you even heard their stuff on subsequent records. Some of it was fantastic! Barbara and Vernessa were phenomenal singers and both were so good that they made their living post group by session singing and recording jingles.Their vocals on Love Is All You Need are off-the-charts great, right up there with Chaka Khan IMO. The group was going to tour with Diana Ross in or around 1985, but something happened with DR's insurance, if I recall correctly, and they were dropped from the tour. The song So Right was stellar soul/pop from the mid 80's.
    Have to disagree Bobby. I find most of their material quite bland and uninspiring. Don't hear any Chaka similarities in there from the sisters, though perhaps a whisper of a lower pitched Denise Williams’s......One mans gold and all that.

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    i'm really only familiar with their 1 big hit. other fans have talked about their potential. Given You can't turn me off, i could hear MSS doing that song and i think that more funky, slower dance number with a little more sex appeal and heat would have worked well with the group

    of course the girls would have had to ditch those goddamn jesus robes and green chiffon dresses and sex it up a little lol. nothing hootchie but a bit more sexy

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    High Inergy : BACK IN MY ARMS AGAIN

    https://youtu.be/4LVHP4tRbqo

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    Quote Originally Posted by marybrewster View Post
    I always thought it was curious that the Supremes would release "High Energy" in 1976, and Motown would introduce High Inergy a year later.

    Looking at the cover of "HE", it's pretty nondescript, and I wonder if there was ever any confusion between the release and the group.

    Maybe I'll just grasping at straws, but it's a question worth asking out loud.
    You've heard this story from me before, but your post gives me a chance to repeat it. In 1976, I worked behind the counter of a little record shop and as a Supreme fan, always pushed their latest release. No one seemed interested in the latest Supremes album, High Energy, when I pointed it out to them. I still remember them saying "Oh that group is played out". So I took a piece of masking tape and covered part of the album that said "The Supremes" Then I showed it to customers and said it was a new High Energy album. No lie, right?

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    I played a cut or two for them and they bought the album. A few of them called me up when they got home to tell me that I tricked them, but that they really liked the album. The following year, there was a new group called High Inergy.

    After seeing that reaction from people in 1976 from the Supremes name, I always wondered if maybe they would have been successful if they left the Supremes name behind and started anew away from Motown

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    I have all of the HI albums from the 70s and I think only one from the 80s. They were fantastic in my book. It's not so much that the songs themselves are these grade A tunes and lost hits, but it's the sound of the singers that make the songs worthwhile. They have some really nice ballads, but they really soar on the disco tunes. A lot of very fast songs. The ladies had a ton of vocal energy and the faster disco cuts really allowed them to show it off. I can't say I'm surprised that the group never took off beyond "Turn Me Off". That song might be the most commercial song they released, maybe even the most they recorded. But from a pure "how they make me feel" standpoint, I rate HI very...well, high.

    It's my understanding that a number of the HI initial cuts [[I'm guessing some of their first album) was intended for Diana, and according to one of the members, Diana actually recorded some of them first. I think some of it fit Diana, but MSS? No way. HI really had a youthfulness about them that fit the recordings, of which had a youthful air also. MSS was too sophisticated for HI's recordings, IMO.

    Had MSS continued on, maybe another Holland brothers album would have been the next move. Might have been interesting if Stevie took another stab at it, since Susaye was now in the group.

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    Quote Originally Posted by milven View Post
    You've heard this story from me before, but your post gives me a chance to repeat it. In 1976, I worked behind the counter of a little record shop and as a Supreme fan, always pushed their latest release. No one seemed interested in the latest Supremes album, High Energy, when I pointed it out to them. I still remember them saying "Oh that group is played out". So I took a piece of masking tape and covered part of the album that said "The Supremes" Then I showed it to customers and said it was a new High Energy album. No lie, right?

    Name:  high-energy-supremes-lp-cover.jpg
Views: 542
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    I played a cut or two for them and they bought the album. A few of them called me up when they got home to tell me that I tricked them, but that they really liked the album. The following year, there was a new group called High Inergy.

    After seeing that reaction from people in 1976 from the Supremes name, I always wondered if maybe they would have been successful if they left the Supremes name behind and started anew away from Motown
    i always liked the cover art to High Energy. i thought it was a very interesting drawing. and while i realize some were disappointed or felt that such a beautiful and glamorous group should be in a photo on the cover, i think this worked well. especially with the personnel change. wonder what the art would have been if Cindy hadn't departed.

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    Quote Originally Posted by BobbyC View Post
    They called themselves High Inergy, meaning that they all had inner energy and spirituality. I loved this group and have to question whether many of you even heard their stuff on subsequent records. Some of it was fantastic! Barbara and Vernessa were phenomenal singers and both were so good that they made their living post group by session singing and recording jingles.Their vocals on Love Is All You Need are off-the-charts great, right up there with Chaka Khan IMO. The group was going to tour with Diana Ross in or around 1985, but something happened with DR's insurance, if I recall correctly, and they were dropped from the tour. The song So Right was stellar soul/pop from the mid 80's.
    Thanks Bobby , that answers that!
    went past me, maybe spelling it Innergy would’ve made it more clear for the slower amongst us .

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    Quote Originally Posted by milven View Post
    You've heard this story from me before, but your post gives me a chance to repeat it. In 1976, I worked behind the counter of a little record shop and as a Supreme fan, always pushed their latest release. No one seemed interested in the latest Supremes album, High Energy, when I pointed it out to them. I still remember them saying "Oh that group is played out". So I took a piece of masking tape and covered part of the album that said "The Supremes" Then I showed it to customers and said it was a new High Energy album. No lie, right?

    Name:  high-energy-supremes-lp-cover.jpg
Views: 542
Size:  85.1 KB


    I played a cut or two for them and they bought the album. A few of them called me up when they got home to tell me that I tricked them, but that they really liked the album. The following year, there was a new group called High Inergy.

    After seeing that reaction from people in 1976 from the Supremes name, I always wondered if maybe they would have been successful if they left the Supremes name behind and started anew away from Motown
    That's a great story Milven. It definitely makes you wonder.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    i always liked the cover art to High Energy. i thought it was a very interesting drawing. and while i realize some were disappointed or felt that such a beautiful and glamorous group should be in a photo on the cover, i think this worked well. especially with the personnel change. wonder what the art would have been if Cindy hadn't departed.
    I liked the cover art too. Reminded me of the Lincoln Center Poster.

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    With four Supreme voices on the album, this cover art was the perfect solution.

  19. #19
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    Were the andantes on it too?
    oh well ….never mind

    if we are voting, the High Energy cover for me is excellent.
    Thoughtful and fun yet classy.
    Last edited by Boogiedown; 09-08-2022 at 04:13 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by bradsupremes View Post
    Motown knew the Supremes were a once-in-a-lifetime phenomena. High Inergy were never going to be bigger than the Supremes. Everyone at Motown knew that. I think this statement was made to give a boost to promote High Inergy.
    This makes sense. High Inergy wasn't much of anything! And it was nothing more than a comment.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Boogiedown View Post
    Were the andantes on it too?
    oh well ….never mind

    if we are voting, the High Energy cover for me is excellent.
    Thoughtful and fun yet classy.
    i like it too. clearly it's mary standing in the background with scherrie on the left of the image and susaye [[shorter) on the right. the stop movement is even sort of modernized here.

    one thought though

    the album is entitle "high energy" which IMO implies heat and passion and energy.

    so is white the right color for the album background? it is an energized enough color to reflect the tone of the album and title?

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    Quote Originally Posted by bradsupremes View Post
    Motown knew the Supremes were a once-in-a-lifetime phenomena. High Inergy were never going to be bigger than the Supremes. Everyone at Motown knew that. I think this statement was made to give a boost to promote High Inergy.
    Another thing, I don't think it was any secret by 1973-1977 that the Supremes were unhappy with Motown. Jean and Mary especially were vocal about it.

    Did High Inergy think they had a chance with the label, if THIS is how the label was treating The Supremes?

    This connects also to how Mary was unsatisfied with how they dealt with her solo career. Did she think that something suddenly was going to be different?

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    I have all of the HI albums from the 70s and I think only one from the 80s. They were fantastic in my book. It's not so much that the songs themselves are these grade A tunes and lost hits, but it's the sound of the singers that make the songs worthwhile. They have some really nice ballads, but they really soar on the disco tunes. A lot of very fast songs. The ladies had a ton of vocal energy and the faster disco cuts really allowed them to show it off. I can't say I'm surprised that the group never took off beyond "Turn Me Off". That song might be the most commercial song they released, maybe even the most they recorded. But from a pure "how they make me feel" standpoint, I rate HI very...well, high.

    It's my understanding that a number of the HI initial cuts [[I'm guessing some of their first album) was intended for Diana, and according to one of the members, Diana actually recorded some of them first. I think some of it fit Diana, but MSS? No way. HI really had a youthfulness about them that fit the recordings, of which had a youthful air also. MSS was too sophisticated for HI's recordings, IMO.

    Had MSS continued on, maybe another Holland brothers album would have been the next move. Might have been interesting if Stevie took another stab at it, since Susaye was now in the group.
    RanRan
    I'm with you. I think I may have all their albums as well. They have some fantastic album one being the remake Don't Cha Love It. Michelle and Linda were good singers [[verified personally to me by one their producers)but I noticed on many of the albums, once Vernessa left they used additional backing vocalist. Like Syreeta they stayed with the company a long time without a major hit after You Can't Turn Me Off.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    I think some of it fit Diana, but MSS? No way. HI really had a youthfulness about them that fit the recordings, of which had a youthful air also. MSS was too sophisticated for HI's recordings, IMO. .
    Are you saying Diana’s lack of sophistication when compared with MS&S made for a better fit as regards those HI recordings.

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    Quote Originally Posted by rod_rick View Post
    RanRan
    I'm with you. I think I may have all their albums as well. They have some fantastic album one being the remake Don't Cha Love It. Michelle and Linda were good singers [[verified personally to me by one their producers)but I noticed on many of the albums, once Vernessa left they used additional backing vocalist. Like Syreeta they stayed with the company a long time without a major hit after You Can't Turn Me Off.
    It's mind boggling why some acts stayed at the label so long but couldn't make anything happen. Or better yet, why Motown kept them around so long when it appears there wasn't a major push to make something happen. I guess one could make the argument that giving HI a spot on Motown 25 was a great promotional tool, but beyond that, what was Motown doing? Makes no sense to me.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
    Are you saying Diana’s lack of sophistication when compared with MS&S made for a better fit as regards those HI recordings.
    Lol Not exactly. I don't think anyone could accuse Diana of lacking sophistication. However, one of the characteristics of her talent was this playfulness she often displayed, both on her recordings and on stage. There's some guy that does these Youtube videos where he breaks down the vocals of singers rather thoroughly. He has yet to do a whole video on Diana [[my fingers are crossed that it's on his to do list) but one of his early video series was compilations of vocal categories, for instance a video on sopranos. Diana was spotlighted there as, I believe, a light lyric soprano. Syreeta was also spotlighted in the same category. He described this category as being child like. I'm no voice analyst, as I am not trained in that regard, so I can't say whether his analysis is "correct" or not. What I will say is that it makes sense. Because of the high, thin, and I guess nasal sound, of her voice, it can come across much more youthful than Scherrie or Mary's voices. Susaye's voice is obviously high, but I just don't think her voice would have fit many of the HI tunes either.

    MSS needed more adult material, youthful enough for the kids to dig, but grown enough for the Supremes' adult fans to relate.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    Lol Not exactly. I don't think anyone could accuse Diana of lacking sophistication. However, one of the characteristics of her talent was this playfulness she often displayed, both on her recordings and on stage. There's some guy that does these Youtube videos where he breaks down the vocals of singers rather thoroughly. He has yet to do a whole video on Diana [[my fingers are crossed that it's on his to do list) but one of his early video series was compilations of vocal categories, for instance a video on sopranos. Diana was spotlighted there as, I believe, a light lyric soprano. Syreeta was also spotlighted in the same category. He described this category as being child like. I'm no voice analyst, as I am not trained in that regard, so I can't say whether his analysis is "correct" or not. What I will say is that it makes sense. Because of the high, thin, and I guess nasal sound, of her voice, it can come across much more youthful than Scherrie or Mary's voices. Susaye's voice is obviously high, but I just don't think her voice would have fit many of the HI tunes either.

    MSS needed more adult material, youthful enough for the kids to dig, but grown enough for the Supremes' adult fans to relate.
    More then relieved.

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    High Inergy's song Hold On kicked plenty azz. Listen to Bob and you will learn.

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    Quote Originally Posted by BobbyC View Post
    High Inergy's song Hold On kicked plenty azz. Listen to Bob and you will learn.
    With Susaye’s distinctive voice on lead, supported by Mary & Scherrie doing their stuff it just might have kicked some proverbial ass. As it stands, could almost be any black girl group from the 70’s singing this.
    Only my meek and very humble opinion of course.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    Lol Not exactly. I don't think anyone could accuse Diana of lacking sophistication. However, one of the characteristics of her talent was this playfulness she often displayed, both on her recordings and on stage. There's some guy that does these Youtube videos where he breaks down the vocals of singers rather thoroughly. He has yet to do a whole video on Diana [[my fingers are crossed that it's on his to do list) but one of his early video series was compilations of vocal categories, for instance a video on sopranos. Diana was spotlighted there as, I believe, a light lyric soprano. Syreeta was also spotlighted in the same category. He described this category as being child like. I'm no voice analyst, as I am not trained in that regard, so I can't say whether his analysis is "correct" or not. What I will say is that it makes sense. Because of the high, thin, and I guess nasal sound, of her voice, it can come across much more youthful than Scherrie or Mary's voices. Susaye's voice is obviously high, but I just don't think her voice would have fit many of the HI tunes either.

    MSS needed more adult material, youthful enough for the kids to dig, but grown enough for the Supremes' adult fans to relate.
    that's a good description on things. I agree that while both DR and the Supremes embodied sophistication, they were different types or different interpretations of it. completely agree with your description of Diana. with the supremes, what's interesting is the individual members of the group could also do slight interpretations of this too. for Mary, i think her image in the 2 photos on MS&S perfectly sum it up. tall, regal, the anchor of the group, she doesn't even have to try to be sophisticated, she just is.

    Scherrie was the bubbly, happy one with the bright smile and easy elegance. Susaye is sort of the smoldering sexy one.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
    With Susaye’s distinctive voice on lead, supported by Mary & Scherrie doing their stuff it just might have kicked some proverbial ass. As it stands, could almost be any black girl group from the 70’s singing this.
    Only my meek and very humble opinion of course.
    oh i could definitely hear it!! also fun to hear Susaye add to the song with her ad libs and sky-high notes. and actually it even sounds a little like her voice, slightly

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    Quote Originally Posted by BobbyC View Post
    High Inergy's song Hold On kicked plenty azz. Listen to Bob and you will learn.


    I'm impressed!

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    Didn't [[basically) only two of the girls do the singing [[The Mitchell sisters)? The rest
    were pretty much dancers? Thought I read that somewhere.

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    Yeah that's true, Lakeside.

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    Boogie--thanks for giving Hold On a chance. The whole album was fantastic. One magazine called it an "unusually great pop record."

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    Quote Originally Posted by lakeside View Post
    Didn't [[basically) only two of the girls do the singing [[The Mitchell sisters)? The rest
    were pretty much dancers? Thought I read that somewhere.
    There was a thread on this site some time back that basically said that the Mitchell sisters were the strongest singers in the group but that they all sang. One poster mentioned that he had a conversation with one of the group's producers and he confirmed that all four girls recorded vocals, with Michelle even doing a lead. I also remember someone posting that Barbara did a lot of background vocals with session singers as well.
    Last edited by reese; 09-10-2022 at 08:53 AM.

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    Michelle sang lead on Didn't Wanna Tell You on their second album. Linda never had a solo. The Mitchell sisters did the vast amount of singing because they were pitch perfect and learned songs very quickly. Vernessa left the group shortly after their second album Stepping Out was recorded and she opted for a career in gospel.

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    I am friends with both Barbara and Vernessa Mitchell and can tell you that the story of High Inergy and Motown is rather bizarre to say the least. They are lovely ladies and both are incredible vocalists. I'd put Vernessa's vocal on YCTMO as worthy of a Grammy nod.

    The follow up lps in the 70s were basically disco fluff...indeed Shoulda Gone Dancin', wow! First time I heard it I said this is cheap disco and the few times I listen to it now I still feel that way. The Frenzy lp was recorded after Vernessa washed her hands of the group and it's a desperate attempt to find a new disco sound with disappointing results. It wasn't until their fifth lp that the group, now under Barbara who did all leads and most of the backing vocals, began to show some promise. Their 80s lps, especially the last three are great Motown soul.

    Gwen Gordy discovered the girls at a Pasadena Bicentennial show. They were then two singers [[the Mitchells) augmented by the frenzied dancing of Linda Howard and Michelle Martin who did little singing. Berry Gordy was close to his sisters and Gwen was always his champion. He allowed Gwen to sign them to Motown against his better judgment because he was trying to rid himself of Mary's Supremes and concentrate on self-contained groups. He had no interest in another girl group. They were headaches with constantly changing members.

    Gwen also brought on board some new writers and producers, namely Kent Washburn, who recently passed. Kent told me when he heard Vernessa sing he was obsessed with her voice and took the group under wing. YCTMO had already been recorded by Millie Jackson and three other cuts, Let Me Get Close To You and Love Is All You Need were rejected by Diana Ross, to the chagrin of Berry Gordy. Love Is All eventually went to Tata Vega. BTW, Don't Leave Me This Way was also rejected by Ross. Thelma Houston put that in orbit and this was sort of meant as punishment to Ross for "acting up" if you will.

    Nobody could deny the hit potential of YCTMO. With no promotion the song began to take off. The year 1977 was a dry one for Motown, very few hits so when the company saw the interest in the song they put a massive push behind it and the lp. Both were huge. But Motown still wasn't sure what to do with a group that had two singers and two dancers.

    During this period Mary Wilson was suing Motown for lack of support for her Supremes. Gordy wanted that group gone. He saw in HI a means by which to show Mary, once and for all, the HE [[Gordy) decided who was going to be a star and only he. Thus Mary and Pedro took offense. By the following year, Mary and Pedro had basically been starved into surrender and he gave her and the other two Supremes the same type of recording contract he gave any newcomer, five year obligation to the artist but Motown had the yearly option to drop that artist. We know what happened there.

    After this HI floundered. Their second lp was quite disappointing with no real direction. Only Lovin' Fever had hit potential but Motown sat on it for months without releasing it. By they time they put it out the momentum was gone.

    Vernessa Mitchell disliked Berry Gordy's dictatorial approach to his female artists. She also had a religious rebirth and decided that was the direction she wanted to go in. Even though Barbara was equally talented with perfect pitch, this really sank the group. The third lp, the dismal Shoulda Gone Dancin' was released with no photo of the group.

    Barbara has told me she never knew why she was kept on and constantly in the studio recording songs that either went nowhere or were never issued. One producer finally told her the "chairman" liked a large body of work on his artists in case they found fame on other labels.

    Barbara finally hooked up with George Tobin who had great success with Smokey and Kim Carnes. The excellent He's A Prentender made some noise mostly on the west coast but by the time the lp was released Tobin took Barbara under wing and brought her to MCA as a soloist. MCA was very interested in them but Gordy would not release Barbara, thus sabotaging her solo career. She released two excellent lps on other labels in the mid 80s then started a family and sang jingles and did background sessions. She and Vernessa returned to their home state of Georgia and Vernessa has had a very successful gospel career with several dance hits.

    The group made a great appearance on Motown 25. Careful camera angles hid the fact that Michelle Martin was no longer there. She had some type of breakdown during the rehearsals and was swiftly replaced by Pat Douglas, a noted dancer in LA. If you look closely at the tape you can see Douglas looking toward Linda Howard for cues as she had so little rehearsal. Motown offered Douglas an insulting amount of money to sign on which she refused, so High Inergy was reduced to a duet. Shortly after Barbara said goodbye and only Linda was left.

    God bless Linda, she showed up in Suzanne dePasse's office with two new girls saying they were going to be the new High Inergy. That idea was immediately shot down and the group was now dead and buried.

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    This song was pretty late in HI's career [1982], but there something about it that sticks in my head. There was a single version, but here's the 12-inch:



    If I recall correctly, wasn't this the song they sang on Motown 25?

    Another song that I like from earlier in HI's career [1977] is "Love Is All You Need" from their first album. Relaying back to the conversation about the Supremes singing some of those early HI songs, I could hear MSS singing this song with Scherrie belting the verses and Mary taking some lines here and there. Plus, I like the idea of "love" being a theme for The Supremes. I love [hee-hee] the part where HI sings, "Love is all you need... L-O-V-E!" Definitely like this song for HI and could hear The Sups taking a crack at it post-MSS LP for what could have been the next album had things gone differently.

    Last edited by danman869; 09-10-2022 at 10:56 AM. Reason: added years for the releases of "He's A Pretender" and "Love Is All You Need"

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    I loved their second album!!

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    What a fascinating thread. You folks have so much information which is just so interesting to reflect on. I had the groups first four or five albums but I rarely if ever played them. I do remember loving the song “Love s All You Need” but I don’t remember any other songs aside from their big hit, and I think I really just collected them because they were Motown.

    It seems a very expensive luxury to have two girls in the group who only danced and didn’t sing. That almost seems like a doomed proposition from the start. What did they do when the other girls were recording? Did they participate in royalties from recordings if they didn’t have anything to do with them? It’s an interesting conundrum. I can see why it was an idea which was difficult to live with, so to speak.

    I’d love to hear their music again. I wonder if there’s a good compilation out there of their material.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Boogiedown View Post
    Were the andantes on it too?
    oh well ….never mind.
    You are hilarious!

    I guess if there was really truth in advertising, we’d have to wonder who would be pictured on “Return of the Marvelettes”…or the Milli Vanilli album!

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    Quote Originally Posted by milven View Post
    You've heard this story from me before, but your post gives me a chance to repeat it. In 1976, I worked behind the counter of a little record shop and as a Supreme fan, always pushed their latest release. No one seemed interested in the latest Supremes album, High Energy, when I pointed it out to them. I still remember them saying "Oh that group is played out". So I took a piece of masking tape and covered part of the album that said "The Supremes" Then I showed it to customers and said it was a new High Energy album. No lie, right?


    I played a cut or two for them and they bought the album. A few of them called me up when they got home to tell me that I tricked them, but that they really liked the album. The following year, there was a new group called High Inergy.

    What a great story! You know, they say that this was even done by some major labels; for example, the Paul Revere and the Raiders album “Alias Pink Puzz” was called that because advance promotional singles were issued attributing the songs with Pink Puzz as the group, not revealing that it was actually Revere and the Raiders, as that group was considered trite by that point and not given much rock “cred”, so to speak.

    Of course this tactic isn’t always successful. Remember the Darnells?
    Last edited by kenneth; 09-12-2022 at 06:10 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by kenneth View Post
    What a fascinating thread. You folks have so much information which is just so interesting to reflect on. I had the groups first four or five albums but I rarely if ever played them. I do remember loving the song “Love s All You Need” but I don’t remember any other songs aside from their big hit, and I think I really just collected them because they were Motown.

    It seems a very expensive luxury to have two girls in the group who only danced and didn’t sing. That almost seems like a doomed proposition from the start. What did they do when the other girls were recording? Did they participate in royalties from recordings if they didn’t have anything to do with them? It’s an interesting conundrum. I can see why it was an idea which was difficult to live with, so to speak.

    I’d love to hear their music again. I wonder if there’s a good compilation out there of their material.
    That must have been a very sticky situation , these budding friends entertaining that way on stage but how do you translate that to records . Good point Kenneth.
    to that they were ahead of their time incorporating dancers into their shows which in pop music would in the eighties become almost mandatory , especially for big ticket tours.

    I see Motown only released the one single from their debut LP. Odd for a label that likes to milk a release dry…. Especially considering they had potential at this point and the momentum needed to be kept going.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Boogiedown View Post
    That must have been a very sticky situation , these budding friends entertaining that way on stage but how do you translate that to records . Good point Kenneth.
    to that they were ahead of their time incorporating dancers into their shows which in pop music would in the eighties become almost mandatory , especially for big ticket tours.

    I see Motown only released the one single from their debut LP. Odd for a label that likes to milk a release dry…. Especially considering they had potential at this point and the momentum needed to be kept going.
    The other 2 ladies sang but they were not the lead singer. It's Michelle on lead on the song I Didn't Wanna Tell Ya. Not sure if Linda sang lead with the group but I know she did background work as well as stint with Sister Sledge. Linda also released a solo single right before her death. Now these didn't have the pipes of Barbara and Vernessa but they did sing

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    Quote Originally Posted by Boogiedown View Post

    I see Motown only released the one single from their debut LP. Odd for a label that likes to milk a release dry…. Especially considering they had potential at this point and the momentum needed to be kept going.
    If I'm not mistaken, LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED was the second single released from their debut album.

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    I went to YouTube and listened to Linda Howard's "I'm not Mad". She certainly could have done a lead [[or more) in High Inergy.

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    Quote Originally Posted by kenneth View Post
    What a great story! You know, they say that this was even done by some major labels; for example, the Paul Revere and the Raiders album “Alias Pink Puzz” was called that because advance promotional singles were issued attributing the songs with Pink Puzz as the group, not revealing that it was actually Revere and the Raiders, as that group was considered trite by that point and not given much rock “cred”, so to speak.

    Of course this tactic isn’t always successful. Remember the Darnells?
    Remember when Donny Osmond's "Soldier of Love" was released? It was promoted as a "mystery singer" and brought him back to the top of the charts.

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    Mary--same thing happened with the Temptations back in the 90's. They put out a record in a plain white sleeve without their name on it, and sure enough radio played the song. Sad that radio here in America seems to turn on bands from the golden era.

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    Quote Originally Posted by marybrewster View Post
    Remember when Donny Osmond's "Soldier of Love" was released? It was promoted as a "mystery singer" and brought him back to the top of the charts.
    I never knew that! That’s very interesting.

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