interesting article on "Tempts live in Japan"

[DrTemptation "Doc T"]

Just what we need, yet another Temptations reissue...(ho hum).
Well that's what I was thinking, until I actually opened up this little gem and threw it into
the CD player.

www.davisind.com/redirect/?d=newsletter_tempsjapan
In Japan - The
Temptations from HIP-O Select


Here is the track listing for In Japan - The Temptations

1. Plastic Man
2. I Can't Get Next To You
3. Love Woke Me Up This Morning
4. Medley: Get Ready - My Girl - The Way You Do The Things You Do
5. The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)
6. Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)
7. Cloud Nine
8. Introduction Of Band And Group
9. A Song For You
10. Masterpiece
11. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
12. Papa Was A Rolling Stone

These songs should all be quite familiar to you if you are reading this in the first place.
However what's different for me is that this is a LIVE show with the Temptations, from 1973,
featuring Dennis Edwards in his prime and backed by a crack FUNK band (under the musical
direction of Mr. Cornelius Grant).

(It's a badd azz show)

In addition to being a great concert, there are also some interesting moments
(that only happen during live shows)

1. Melvin Franklin was the emcee of the show and does all of the introductions
(that was a surprise to me)

2. At the beginning of "The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)" the Temptations/band go into
this SERIOUSLY HARD CORE EAST COAST STYLE SLOW JAM/DOO WOP STYLE HARMONIZING to the point
where I expected to hear the voice of Harry Ray (of the Moments next....lol)

3. They must have been warming up, cuz right after here comes Richard Street taking the lead
on the then current "new release" Hey Girl (I Like Your Style), which to me was a MONSTER DOO
WOP STYLE song (and also my own personal favorite Temptations "slow jam")

4. First time for me hearing the song "Cloud Nine" live

5. etc

www.davisind.com/redirect/?d=newsletter_tempsjapan
In Japan - The
Temptations from HIP-O Select

The packaging is also EXACTLY true to what the original was. The CD package is made from
cardboard that is the exact same texture & feel as an LP, containing the ORIGINAL cover art,
liner notes, track listings, credits, etc and the CD itself comes in an "album sleeve" which
slides out (just like on an LP). It also comes with what must have been a poster in the
original?? (remember when they used to sometimes give u a poster inside of albums???). This
poster contains the lyrics to the songs done at the concert. On one side the lyrics are in
English and the other side the lyrics are in Japanese.

btw... this one was produced by Harry W.
(I now have on my glasses.....lol)
& it's also limited to 5000 individually numbered copies

I don't remember this when it first came out. But I'm glad it's been reissued, I'm really
enjoying listening to this concert, especially since never saw the Temptations perform live
during this period of time. And since I'm sure that there are many other folks out there who
never saw them live during this period, this CD becomes an "essential" one to own, because it
serves as a time capsule of the evolution of their sound, captured live in the early-mid
70's'.

www.davisind.com/redirect/?d=newsletter_tempsjapan
In Japan - The
Temptations from HIP-O Select

_________
Bob Davis
[e-mail]

[brunneng]

Thanks for posting it!


...I can make the seasons change...

[DrTemptation "Doc T"]

These songs should all be quite familiar to you if you are reading this in the
first place.
However what's different for me is that this is a LIVE show with the Temptations, from 1973,
featuring Dennis Edwards in his prime and backed by a crack FUNK band (under the musical
direction of Mr. Cornelius Grant).
(It's a badd azz show)
In addition to being a great concert, there are also some interesting moments (that only happen during live shows)

First time for me hearing the song "Cloud Nine" live

Bob,
At the risk of starting a war I'm gonna say that the post David Ruffin Temptations line up that included Dennis, Paul, Eddie, Otis and Melvin from late 1968 to 1971 was the tightest time for the groups live shows. The group had many incredible nights with most of the different lineups and this is not to say the David Ruffin era Temps were not incredible. They certainly were but during the next phase there was more money behind the group, a greater confidence after successfully handling "firsts" in their career, tighter orchestrations and even better sound systems at increasingly better venues. And Dennis Edwards could stand toe to toe with the best of the best. I gotta check out this CD recorded in Japan. The performance of "Cloud Nine" on "The Temptations Live at Talk of The Town" is awesome. If this performance suprasses that one it will be damn near historic.

Speaking of the Temps I have not seen them since they brought in former Spinners member GC Cameron. He's a singing brother as well and hopefully gives "The Otis Williams Singers" an identity.

For the record Dennis Edwards and The Temptations Revue put on a kick ass show and as Dennis says they do it "every time".

Ron


Temptations Live in Japan bringing out interesting comments.......Doc T

[Ivory]

I've said that the Japan album is their second-best live album, but the Tempts in the early seventies being BETTER at live shows than the Classic Tempt? Un-uh. No way. I obviously never saw either one, so maybe I'm not qualified to say, but just judging by the albums, I doubt it ever got better than when the Tempts performed at the Upper Deck.

[BASSSINGER]

DrTemptation said:

These songs should all be quite familiar to you if you are reading this in the
first place.
However what's different for me is that this is a LIVE show with the Temptations, from 1973,
featuring Dennis Edwards in his prime and backed by a crack FUNK band (under the musical
direction of Mr. Cornelius Grant).
(It's a badd azz show)
In addition to being a great concert, there are also some interesting moments (that only happen during live shows)

First time for me hearing the song "Cloud Nine" live

Bob,
At the risk of starting a war I'm gonna say that the post David Ruffin Temptations line up that included Dennis, Paul, Eddie, Otis and Melvin from late 1968 to 1971 was the tightest time for the groups live shows. The group had many incredible nights with most of the different lineups and this is not to say the David Ruffin era Temps were not incredible. They certainly were but during the next phase there was more money behind the group, a greater confidence after successfully handling "firsts" in their career, tighter orchestrations and even better sound systems at increasingly better venues. And Dennis Edwards could stand toe to toe with the best of the best. I gotta check out this CD recorded in Japan. The performance of "Cloud Nine" on "The Temptations Live at Talk of The Town" is awesome. If this performance suprasses that one it will be damn near historic.

Speaking of the Temps I have not seen them since they brought in former Spinners member GC Cameron. He's a singing brother as well and hopefully gives "The Otis Williams Singers" an identity.

For the record Dennis Edwards and The Temptations Revue put on a kick ass show and as Dennis says they do it "every time".

Ron


Temptations Live in Japan bringing out interesting comments.......Doc T

I have to agree. Live At London's Talk of The Town was by far the best, with Live at The Copa coming in second. I enjoyed them live at Chappies, but the sound quality was not that great. But, I don't care how you look at it.
The Temptations are consumate performers, and "The Review" is equally entertaining. Having the priviledge to see every line-up past to present.