New Temptation group

[janebse]

There is some kind of misunderstanding. I did not say Berry. I said Motown, and actually it was one of Berry's sister who was working on registering the name "Temptations." There had been an earlier group in the East who had used that name. That group had disbanded, and they all wanted to be sure they had sole rights to the name. By "they all" I mean both Motown and the Temptations. My impression was that all of the Temptations loved the name and wanted it registered. I have heard that Paul said, "[The name] gives us a lot of live up to" or words to that effect.

And I think it was a group desire to get the name registered. And at the same time Berry's sister also thought it would be a good idea. No one was trying to undermine anyone. I really do not know enough about the legalities, but I do know names must be copyrighted or registered, and that you cannot use someone else's business name. I know that a few years later Paul used the phrase, "The Temptations organization.."

I think if someone really is curious they could look in the official records and see how the name is registered.

[MikeNYC]

You got it twisted hun,first of all I have a three tempt rule too,and the crap that I read in this thread is a very good comedy routine,but in a serious discussion,it's ....WRONG ! Was there a Temptations before Eddie,Paul,David,Mel or O ? NO So throw Jordan and the Bulls out the window,the Bulls were around before Jordan was born,he's media hype at best. By all accounts,Abdul-Jabbar is the GREATEST PLAYER to ever play the game,Jordan will never score more points than Kareem,and Kareem never scored over fifty points in one game and Jordan doesn't have more career points than Jabbar .That's one myth done away with. The Review don't need to deceive anyone,when they hear Dennis,they know who he is . Eddie and David said that they blamed themselves too in what happened. Remember nobody speaks for me better than me,I don't need anyone to speak for me and if they do,and you listen....that's on you! The WALL STILL stands,why do you keep slammin' your head against it ? You are not gonna break it down,so why are you still trying ? The group always being Otis's group is a matter of opinion,which I don't share and for good reason which I have stated over and over. You don't have to accept it ,just don't be mad when I dismantle your arguments with the truth. Nobody stops Aba from saying that he's a former Net,nobody stops Clinton from being called Mr. President. I have said this before. If the current group is all that,sing your own songs,the ones that you recorded.What I know,I know,and I happen to know more than what Otis told you. I'm not sticking my head in the sand,why don't you take yours out of the sand .Open yourself up to it all,like I did. Unless you are afraid. I was not,I know better,sorry. Aba does too,and I'm not speaking for him,but I know that he knows better. He's seen some of the things I've seen. All I say is don't stop someone else from feeding their family. Especially if they helped you feed yours. There is enough money for everybody,so don't stop someone because you feel threatened. Do your thing,and stop ,as Kim would say "Hateing" the others who are just trying to make a living. Nobody's stuck in the past,why,because I know the history? Correctly ? And back it up ? I can't help it. If we want to be real about it,you have to question the business deals,shakey at best. You want to talk about Kim English,why sue Woodson,for the song Treat Her Like A Lady ? He wrote it. And before you make a mistake and say so did Otis,if that's the case then why sue ? You are equal partners. Right? All the educated people on this board have an answer for that ? Why does it seem that everyone in the group can't deal with success but Otis ? Take your head out of the sand. Anybody that tried to bring up their concerns was branded an ego-tripper. For demanding their money ? All nineteen of them? Why not be comfortable with Eddie ,who did bring his half to the group in the first place? What reason for not thinking that he could do the job? What did Otis bring to the group? Melvin. What did Eddie bring to the group? Paul,the harmonies,the dress style and the greatest tenor in the world! What did Paul bring to the group? Movement,was their creative force,and a fantastic baritone.David brought a distintive voice to the group ,he gave them that extra that put them ahead of the rest,inspired the four headed mic,was the first one to say that something's not right on the business end. Dennis Edwards was their BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER,he stepped in for Ruffin and established an identity for himself that no other member that came into the group has done since him.That's what makes that statement about 1968 seem silly. :PAba Otis doesn't even want them billed as ex tempts,is that the American way ? Not even in New Jack City is that The American Way.Jane ,Otis did not take legal action to the name until 1976 when they left Motown,the name was given to Otis & Melvin ,not Otis alone. Another myth destroyed.Question; who said that Otis should give up the name in favor of the ex members? Should the name Temptations be used to title a cd of ex members solo hits,and they can't bill themselves as the title of the cd?Should I go to Atlantic City after the Hall Of Fame to see the Tempts,because they advertised the Hall of famers in the newspaper,only to be disapointed to see the Imitations,instead ? Should I have sued for false advertisment ? Did I have a right to feel cheated? Or is this a bad analogy as Ivory would like you to believe? :PThis is the turth,which I have stated and got no answers. Eddie,David and Dennis would not have acted like that,but if they acted like YOU TRULY KNOW OTIS DID Aba,then yes I would say the same thing about them ,and you know it ! ;D Let's keep it real here,pal ! The late seventies,early eighties,all were in the same boat,hitless and needing a boost. That's a fact. So why do we act like the ex-members come crawling back when the fact is they met each other half way ? When the facts are shown to you ,you want to ignore it? I didn't write it so don't blame me! And I always say,look for yourself if you dare. Don't take my word for it. The younger posters do that,I don't want them to get it wrong,Paul never came on stage and said,"pass the 40,shortie ! Otis didn't sing all the background parts Dennis and David didn't hate each other and Eddie was not the only one who wanted David back in the group. except for one,every member that left the Temptations left for business reasons,not ego or inability to handle stardom. No hate here,just the truth,no matter how much you highilght it the truth still stands....just like the WALL !

[Ivory Fair]

No one was trying to undermine anyone.

Otis says in the passage I quoted before, "when we found out what had been done behind our backs we were upset." So I take it Otis thought Motown (read: the Gordys) were being shady.

Yeah Kalisa, I think you're right about that. "Former Lead Singers" was not an option, which I've never understood. That to me is a WHOLE lot less confusing than "Temptations Review."

[Aba21]

I think I said in my post PERSONAL AND BUSINESS REASONS ASIDE. The story is way too complicated to look at from any other angle. To determine what was done a time line needs to be established. However, I have heard Otis say it was left to him early on to handle the business. One: If that is so then why didn't someone in the group who may have disagreed with him force a vote to stop him. If he only brought Melvin with him and Eddie, David and Paul were in one corner, he should have been outvoted. Seems to me those weren't the only votes that counted and that brings someone else in the mix which again says that Otis is not the total blame for this situation. That really is the only point I'm making in this whole deal. Stop bashing the man until we hear from Berry Gordy, Richard Street and Dennis Edwards. And who knows when that will happen. Any of them could write a book with class and dignity and say what really happened without trying to hurt the others.

Two: Why was he left to handle the business? Did he single handedly just take over? I am only talking about the classic era. We know what happened later on. It still concerns me that people think Otis put David out of the group. He did not. It was the Motown Organization or Berry who had the final say and you can't convince me of anything else. And don't bring up the miniseries here please. It did not happen that way. Even David says THEY on Street Gold. Who is they? No doubt Otis probably wanted him out but I don't think he had the power to do it alone.

As far as the singing of what songs when and where or even how is not my concern. I di know Otis group has the right to sing all the songs in the catalog whether you like them singing them or not. The others can sing them too. If they choose not to sing a song because they feel that they shouldn't sing it, that's a choice they make.

I know what Kim English tried to do and I have a pretty good idea why. All I'm saying to y'all is make a WILL. If you don't you see what can happen!

The other thing I wasn't aware of is that they can't bill themselves as Ex=Temptations. Now that I think is wrong because that's just what they are. There's no reason not to let them do that.

[Ivory Fair]

No doubt Otis probably wanted him out but I don't think he had the power to do it alone.


Come on now Aba, you know Otis is single-handedly responsible for David leaving, Eddie leaving, Paul leaving, everybody leaving, the war in Vietnam, the gas price surge of the 1970's, heat waves, snow storms, pestulance, famine, death, destruction, the 2000 Florida ballot fiasco, the 1919 Chicago Black Sox scandal, the Hedi Bowl, AND the alternator going out on my car last month just to name a few things! ;D

But seriously, Mikey, here's what I still don't understand. Why do you make such a BIG deal about the Tempts singing songs "they didn't record" when one of them DID record on them, yet you say nothing about the Review singing the same songs when NONE of them were on the original recordings. I mean I could care less, I'll listen to anyone singing those song as long as they sound good. Heck, I'd even listen to seafan and Kalisa doing a drunken duet of "My Girl" in a karaoke bar even if they sounded bad, I'm easy to please. But you KEEP bringing that up. I mean it's cool if you only want to listen to original vocalists singing oldies, but what's good for the goose.......

[Ivory Fair]

But "having equal voting rights" and being a leader aren't the same thing. ......... All of the US Senators have equal voting rights, but just one of them is the Majority Leader. Those are not mutually exclusive statements.

See Mike, now THAT'S a good analogy.

[Aba21]

Wow this turned into a great thread. Ivory don't push it when you say '''kalisa2 and Davidseafan. I saw them singing at the concert. ;D ;D I better be careful for I get my butt kicked by by buddy out in sunny CA.

Both you and Kalisa make points that say the same thing I'm screaming. It is not TOTALLY Otis' fault. There is enough blame to go around for all of them to get some.

But Kalisa...how could the voting rights be equal if ther are five of them? To be equal there has to be 4 or 6. Six had to be Berry and then it was equal and he was the deciding equal vote. Hey! I explained that like Iviry would have. Convoluted and crazy at best. You understood though, right? ;D

[Ivory Fair]

Kalisa, like I just said I don't have a problem with the Review singing whatever they want because I know they'll do it WELL. I make a big joke about them singing Stay and I think they'd be well-advised not to do it simply because as a group that has been ACCUSED of trying to mislead the public they should avoid all appearances of inpropriety. But when it comes right down to it, I don't think they shouldn't be ALLOWED to sing it.

I get the impression that, for whatever reason, Otis is reluctant to say he's the leader. There's an interview I have where he's asked that very question and he says something along the lines of the group is a democracy, blah, blah, blah. Then Blu chimes in to sing his praises and how every group SHOULD have a leader and how O has such a good business head and how they all rely on him, so I don't know if it comes out of humilty or what. I think if you asked him today he'd say the same thing, the group is a democracy when we are all smart enough to know better.

[Ivory Fair]

Oh my, Kalisa has just confessed to loving Otis! Somebody call Hell and see if it's frozen over! ;D

[Ivory Fair]

Now this may be a difficult question to answer since I'm sure it's only recently that most of us have had so MANY fellow Tempt fans in our lives, but did the notion that Otis is the anti-Christ come about AFTER the movie or was that something that people believed even before then?

[Aba21]

Hey Dahlin'....maybe...just maybe she loves Otis cause she had a good time in NYC...you think?

[Ivory Fair]

You think he's not grooming Ron to take over.?

Nope. But I think Ron might think Otis is grooming him to take over.

maybe...just maybe she loves Otis cause she had a good time in NYC...

Well, if she had so much fun because Otis WASN'T there, imagine what a ball she'll have when he IS!!!

[Aba21]

That's pretty good...Iv. Why wouldn't he be? And what then will happen when he does go? Your opinion dahlin" cause you know what I'm here after!

[Ivory Fair]

Aba, I'll turn it back on ya, what makes YOU think he's grooming Ron to take over?

But unless O's figured out a way to make money from the grave, what reason does he have to groom ANYONE to take over?

[Ivory Fair]

Now wait just one minute, the Review can sing whatever they want but the Tempts should only sing Tempts songs? Huh? Why's that?

And, oh yeah, if it was up to me I'd rather they not sing the song. It comes across as a jab at the Tempts, and as much as I believe you and seafan when you say how sweet they are how they never say anything disrespectful about the Tempts, I can't help but believe they aren't doing it with a "screw you" attitude. Of course they're within their rights to do so, but it breaks my number one life rule of not being "nice."

Surely you don't think it's JUST a matter of them "trying new material" as Dennis apparently once claimed?