Pointer Sisters

[davidh]

just for FYI, two new Pointer albums are available on cd thru Big Break Records, Energy and Serious Slammin. just ordered mine.

[carlo]

Thanks for the heads up! I just bought a reissue of "Energy" a few years ago from Wounded Bird Records, so I'm not entirely sure if I will buy this new edition. I will probably order the reissue of "Serious Slammin".

[soulster]

I'd rather buy the Wounded Bird Reissues.

[Kamasu_Jr]

I'd rather buy the Wounded Bird Reissues.

Serious Slammin wasn't very good in my opinion.

[soulster]

Serious Slammin wasn't very good in my opinion.

Not the album, the mastering. Wounded Bird doesn't screw with the sound as much as bbr does.

I don't care for any of the Pointer Sisters albums after "Break Out".

[Kamasu_Jr]

Not the album, the mastering. Wounded Bird doesn't screw with the sound as much as bbr does.

I don't care for any of the Pointer Sisters albums after "Break Out".

I agree with you again Soulster. Break Out was kind of the peak. Personally, I'd rather have a good Pointer Sisters' "best of" that gives a solid overview of what they did rather than all of the LPs they released.

[davidh]

i liked SERIOUS SLAMMIN .thought it had some great songs on it inc MOONLIGHT DANCING.also Be There is included on the cd for the first time.

[Kamasu_Jr]

i liked SERIOUS SLAMMIN .thought it had some great songs on it inc MOONLIGHT DANCING.also Be There is included on the cd for the first time.

i never listened to that album more than once. But that's just me. I didn't care for it.

[BayouMotownMan]

The Serious Slammin lp kicked. Moonlight Dancing should have been a hit record. Norman Whitfield worked on that project with Richard Perry. The material was top notch and the lp got great reviews. RCA lost it however; the Pointers were considered an "old group" now, even thought they sounded and looked better than ever.

When they went to Motown, I found the Right Rhythm lp disappointing. I think I listened to the SBK cd once

[carlo]

Out of their final three studio albums, I dislike "Right Rhythm" the most and I like "Only Sisters Can Do That" the most. I really like "It Ain't A Man's World", "Tell It To My Heart", "Eyes of a Child", "Don't Walk Away" and "Only Sisters Can Do That".

[soulster]

I agree with you again Soulster. Break Out was kind of the peak. Personally, I'd rather have a good Pointer Sisters' "best of" that gives a solid overview of what they did rather than all of the LPs they released.

There is one that was issued by BMG. I have it. It's a double CD.

[Glenpwood]

Love the Pointers and their two best LP's in my opinion were Black & White and Break Out [[Re-release with the remixes/I'm So Excited). Contact was good but had no killer singles save Dare Me so their momentum slowed. I was always surprised they got to keep working with Richard Perry after Hot Together failed to go Gold. Serious Slammin' was decent but the New Jack Swing elements didn't play to the girls strengths. I agree RCA wasn't promoting them since the sales of the Dirty Dancing soundtrack alone paid everyones salaries that year.

[soulster]

Glen, you didn't like the single "Freedom" from "Contact"?

[Constantin]

Even though I have everything the Pointer Sisters recorded, IMO, the main problem in the 80's was that Richard Perry's goal wasn't to make classics but to have radio hits with the sound of the moment. "Break Out" was great in 1983 with its elements reminding Prince's "1999" of Jackson's "Thriller" [[the first song recorded for the album, "Nightline", a song that would set the entire flavour of the lp, was first intended for "Thriller"). But those albums don't age too well. I remember that "Hot Together" was a flawless album for me in 1986 but 25 years after I seldom listen to it. There is something mechanical in the production, with all those studio sharks creating a synth. sound drowning the sisters qualities in the process [[the album "Contact" being their low point). And it's worse regarding the long versions, generally quite uncreative. Even if they are a real group, three lead singers [[and not as usual the same lead singer and two background vocalists) who sing very well with a real energy, something is missing: maybe the lyrics are too generic. But Perry's production is better than the Minneapolis producers they had on their 1990 Motown album! Paradoxically the material that could have been their Perry-produced 1990 album finally made an awesome album for Thelma Houston [["Throw you down").

Some minor mysteries:
1. Why Bonnie Pointer never reunited with her sisters?
2. Why "Nightline" was omitted from "Break Out" second pressing? It couldn't have stayed on the lp with "I'm so excited"? For instance, Whitney Houston's 1985 and 1987 albums are 47 and 53 min. long.
3. Why "Operator" has two different mixes and "I need you" two different 12" mixes, with only little differences?
4. Why the additional lyrics and ad-libs on "Goldmine" are not on the lp version but only on the dance mix?
5. Why on the "Be there" 12" single, on the back of the sleeve we can read © 1985 RCA and © 1987 MCA? When was the song actually recorded? And why is it produced by Walden and not Perry?
5. Why "My life" was released in 1986 and re-released slightly remixed in 1988? Is there a Thompson/Barbiero extended remix somewhere in the vaults?

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[soulster]

Some minor mysteries:
1. Why Bonnie Pointer never reunited with her sisters?

Family issues.

2. Why "Nightline" was omitted from "Break Out" second pressing? It couldn't have stayed on the lp with "I'm so excited"? For instance, Whitney Houston's 1985 and 1987 albums are 47 and 53 min. long.

Consistency?

3. Why "Operator" has two different mixes and "I need you" two different 12" mixes, with only little differences?

"I'm So Excited"

Because they could?

4. Why the additional lyrics and ad-libs on "Goldmine" are not on the lp version but only on the dance mix?

It's on the 45 too. Afterthought.

5. Why on the "Be there" 12" single, on the back of the sleeve we can read © 1985 RCA and © 1987 MCA? When was the song actually recorded? And why is it produced by Walden and not Perry?

Apperantly, it was recorded and produced in 1985 by NMW when they were still on RCA.

5. Why "My life" was released in 1986 and re-released slightly remixed in 1988? Is there a Thompson/Barbiero extended remix somewhere in the vaults?

Perhaps they liked it so much they thought they would give it another try.

[Motown Andy]

As a Pointer Sisters fan, I have several favorites that have changed through the years. I'm a big fan of the Serious Slammin' LP, but not Hot Together or Only Sisters Can Do That. My favorites change all the time, sometimes Steppin', sometimes Special Things, sometimes Break Out, sometimes Contact. The 12" of Dare Me has been on a 25 year constant rotation!

Constantin, all of your questions have one simple answer: Richard Perry.

I love all of the Pointer Sisters reissues on BBR. I think they do a great job, from the liner notes, to the interviews with the Pointers and Perry, to the mastering, to the artwork. I think it's pretty crappy what some of BBR's competitors have done to smear them and try to stop them.

Here's an incredible video shot by my cousin Avarie of the brief magical moment the Pointer Sisters reunited in 2009. The Pointer Sisters [[Ruth, Bonnie & Anita) with Ruth's son Malik and rapper T-Double:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQjTbXRPZlE

[soulster]

My favorite Pointer Sisters music was made when they were on the Blue Thumb label in the 70s.

[Constantin]

Constantin, all of your questions have one simple answer: Richard Perry.

:-)

I love all of the Pointer Sisters reissues on BBR. I think they do a great job, from the liner notes, to the interviews with the Pointers and Perry, to the mastering, to the artwork. I think it's pretty crappy what some of BBR's competitors have done to smear them and try to stop them.*

I agree.