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Post by MikeNYC on Jan 17, 2003 5:41:09 GMT -5
Why admit to something that is not so ,Jane? Otis didn't realize HE had it so good! When he performed to huge sellouts,hit after hit,REAL TALENT ! Why do you think Richard is saying the things that he says ? Underpaid? I don't recall Otis saying that . Richard is NOT my favorite Temptation,he has the same complaints as the rest of them. Differences with Otis ? Welcome to the club ! Richard worked hard to be a Temptation,thirty years. What did he do to deserve to be "Forced Out "?Dennis had three chances ? Dennis left on his own the first time,so it should be two chances,but chances at what ? Being underpaid by management ? Who is the lasion between management and the group ? Otis. So is that the way you look out for your groupmates? I never heard Otis say that about management,did you ? Heaven must be like this ? Otis is NOT the coach,he is more like the team captain,not coach! You know where you can look to see if what Richard is saying is true,I'm sure that if you wanted to see if Otis is telling it right,you know just how to do it. I did. ;D There are about ten others with the same story just about,are they all wrong ? Why ? And why do they all have differences with Otis ? Not because of me ! ;D Not because of singing lead. BUSINESS,just like everyone else! Ya think maybe Otis was the problem ? Did I say that? No,ten other people said it for me !   |
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Post by Ivory Fair on Jan 17, 2003 11:48:35 GMT -5
Darn it Richard! Hurry up and get that book published!  |
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Post by kim on Jan 17, 2003 12:30:21 GMT -5
Ivory growing up I had 45 of The Temptations' 70 music and my parents had a couple of 70's albums "House Party" and "Do The Temptations" and one of my favorite Tempt album "Song For You" I just don't remember any of Richard's leads. I only know of Dennis in the 70's and Damon as being a part of any of my favorite lead songs. Like I said I don't recall Richard singing lead on anything live.
Now Terry sings lead on some songs live but I can't say Richard did the times I saw him. And the time I saw Dennis I could have sworn he sang "My Girl" if he didn't that means I really didn't pay attention to Richard. Richard just never stood out for me kind of like Otis didn't. I was always a Paul and Melvin fan so I guess that's why Richard never stood out for me.
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Post by Ivory Fair on Jan 17, 2003 12:34:36 GMT -5
I just don't remember any of Richard's leads. You're gonna make me have to spend the afternoon finding and listing them all aren't you!  
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Post by kim on Jan 17, 2003 12:38:12 GMT -5
Noooo don't misunderstand me. I know he sang leads but they just weren't any of my favorites. Other than the verse in "I Can't Get Next To You" I don't remember Richard singing anything live when I saw him. And if he did that means that it didn't stick in my mind. But like I said I could have sworn that Dennis sang "My Girl" but I could be wrong. I know Ali sang "My Girl" the times that I saw them live while he was in the group.
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Post by Ivory Fair on Jan 17, 2003 12:51:39 GMT -5
Then you were lucky enough to see them later on down the road after Ali had been there a while. It's a mystery to some of us why Ali didn't sing the song from the moment he joined the group. Well, it's not a mystery, we KNOW why Richard sang it most of the time. But as much as we (you know me, my cats and the frog in my pocket ) like Richard, Ali did a better job with My Girl. And I hope you don't think we're picking on you. It's just that Richard seems like such a nice guy, I've never heard anyone say anything bad about him. So that why some of us are a little defensive. Put yeah, like Jonel said. Take another look at the Harrah's video, maybe it will refresh your memory. |
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Post by kim on Jan 17, 2003 13:10:04 GMT -5
I saw Ali sing 3 times with the group. (one night I saw two performances because we knew someone at the door) I know you guys are not picking on me everyone is entitled to their opinion. Besides if I felt anyone was picking on me I would tell Mike to straighten you out! LOL!!!  |
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Post by Aba21 on Jan 17, 2003 13:59:41 GMT -5
Hey Kim it seems like you caught the Temps first when Dennis was into his comings and goings and whenever he came back they featured him as much as possible in the rotation. If you saw Ali sing My Girl then it was just prior to Richard's departure from the group becaues all through the eighties except on rare occaisons he sang MY GIRL. I have always liked Richard and one of the reasons he sang MY GIRL is because Dennis didn't want to. Ali always did because he thought it was his song and he could sing it better than David.
This article just reinforces many of the things I have heard over the years with Otis and his business relationship with the other group members. I have heard Richard's story before from some others but until I see in his book and can see everthing, I won't dpeak on it. But it concerns me to say the least. Richard was there got 30 years and he was always one I liked and I could not understand his departure. To me it would seem you would want to keep as many of the guys who went through it all in the group as long as possible.
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Post by iratherlikeme on Jan 17, 2003 14:09:30 GMT -5
Are you for real? What was he on? |
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Post by Ivory Fair on Jan 17, 2003 14:26:11 GMT -5
Aba, I think that's one reason why I kind of feel sorry for Richard. I mean I've heard lots of reasons why he left, none of which name his actions as being the sole cause. It all comes down to a personal issue between he and Otis. And for them to be friends for so long, and for him to be in the group so long, it's just sad. I'm not assigning blame to either party, the whole thing is just sad.
Plus, when you hear him in interviews he always seems so upbeat and positive and funny. Just a likeable guy. Like I said, I know people who know him, people from all sides of the Otis issue, and have yet to hear anyone say anything bad about him.
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Post by Aba21 on Jan 17, 2003 14:35:57 GMT -5
When Ali joined the Temptations one of the songs he brought with him was Treat Her Like A Lady. It became as Otis would say a smash. The first Smash in a long time so he started off with a bang. He loved David, emulated him and thought he was actually better. He wanted to sing My Girl from the start but RICHARD(Kim) ;D was singing My Girl and it was the only Richard(Kim) lead when Hey Girl I like Your Style and Heavenly were not in the rotation. They stopped singing Isn''t The Night Fantastic after Glenn left. It was only when Richard(Kim)  was about to leave that Ali began to sing My Girl to my delight because of how I feel the song should be sung. My Girl has had a number of lives. When it was a hit they sang it in the middle of the show....no big deal. When it topped the charts they sang it next to last because losing you was how they went out(Ivory)  Then they began to sing it in a medley when Dennis joined. Paul sang it for a while but Dennis never really wanted to sing it because it was David's song. Then when Paul left Richard(Kim) ;D came in and Dennis sang it for a minute until Richard(Kim) too over and sang it for the duration of his tenure turning it into some kind of fun song that people got to come on the stage and mess up(me included many times). If you dispare the national anthem you get crucified for it(Rosanne Barr) and I felt My Girl is their NA and should be sung the right way even if I never got to back up there and sing it again in life. So for that reason alone, I was glad when Ali sang it. |
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Post by Aba21 on Jan 17, 2003 14:41:08 GMT -5
Yes Ivory, I feel the same way. Richard was not someone who would hang around the dressing room too long after a show but brefore the show he was just great to be around. We talked sports and music and just about anything and he was always a participant. He was ther too long to leave like that. He should have retired a Temptations as should have Dennis.
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Post by kim on Jan 17, 2003 14:54:59 GMT -5
Didn't Richard leave before Melvin died? The last time I saw the Temptations perform with Melvin was in either late 1989 or early 1990. Ali sang lead on "My Girl" I do remember that.
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Post by Ivory Fair on Jan 17, 2003 15:08:58 GMT -5
Yes Kim, Richard left in like '91 or '92 before Melvin died. Aba, isn't Richard a bit of a loner? I imagine that might have been a reason why he STAYED in the group so long. |
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Post by Ivory Fair on Jan 17, 2003 15:33:46 GMT -5
Anyway, we're all missing the most important part of that photo ............. look at all those guys wearing spectacles! Those Ruffin wannabes! ;D Just because you wear glasses doesn't make you David Ruffin! Isn't that right Mikey? |
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was about to leave that Ali began to sing My Girl to my delight because of how I feel the song should be sung. My Girl has had a number of lives. When it was a hit they sang it in the middle of the show....no big deal. When it topped the charts they sang it next to last because losing you was how they went out(Ivory)