Post by Jonel on Apr 16, 2002 13:25:48 GMT -5
Otis Williams, still-smooth Temptations in town
April 12, 2002, The Sacramento Bee
By Fahizah Alim
Bee Staff Writer
--Otis Williams, the perennial leader and only remaining member of the original Temptations, obviously loves music.
For 40 years, he has kept alive the name and music of that great and influential R&B group of the 1960s and '70s. Williams' revamped five-man group is still recording, traveling and entertaining audiences around the world with its smooth harmonies and finely tuned choreography.
He will bring his updated Temptations to Sacramento on Saturday to perform at the Urban League's annual Unity Ball.
When Williams, 60, says he often turns his radio off when he's riding around in his car, that's a pretty strong statement of how he feels about much of today's popular music.
"When I listen to the stations, I hear music that is a reflection of a decadent society," Williams says in a phone interview from his home in Los Angeles. "The cussing, (the name calling), all for the sake of ratings. We are in a sad state of affairs.
"We are losing our soul for the want of the almighty dollar. There should be some redeeming qualities in this business."
Williams says he comes from an era when music was created to uplift and heal, not to denigrate. And he believes that still should be music's objective.
He doesn't buy the rationale that many of today's singers offer: that their lyrics are crude because they are reflecting their reality.
"Look," he says, "I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I come from Detroit's Black Bottom neighborhood. I know the truth.
"But music is supposed to be an ointment, soothing at times when people and the world are in upheaval. Today's music has stooped down so low with obscenities that the radio stations have to bleep out the lyrics."
Still, Williams says, radio stations are reluctant to play the music of the Temptations or other old-school groups, which he views as "sensuous and sensual, but leaves something to the imagination."
A popular group recently sent him a song for the Temptations to consider recording.
"I was reading the lyrics and there were some cuss words," Williams says. "I said, 'Don't they know us? We don't record no cuss words. We make clean music.' There should always be some good form of music around. That is why the Motown catalog will go on forever."
The Temptations released a new CD, "Awesome," last November, and Williams says his manager tells him that the disc jockeys won't play it.
"When you have been around as long as us - the O'Jays, the Whispers or Dramatics - and they won't play us, that's pretty sad," he says. "If it's good music it should be given a chance to be played.
"They are saying that young people don't want to hear good music. But they love it. Let the fans determine if something is good."
(continued next)
April 12, 2002, The Sacramento Bee
By Fahizah Alim
Bee Staff Writer
--Otis Williams, the perennial leader and only remaining member of the original Temptations, obviously loves music.
For 40 years, he has kept alive the name and music of that great and influential R&B group of the 1960s and '70s. Williams' revamped five-man group is still recording, traveling and entertaining audiences around the world with its smooth harmonies and finely tuned choreography.
He will bring his updated Temptations to Sacramento on Saturday to perform at the Urban League's annual Unity Ball.
When Williams, 60, says he often turns his radio off when he's riding around in his car, that's a pretty strong statement of how he feels about much of today's popular music.
"When I listen to the stations, I hear music that is a reflection of a decadent society," Williams says in a phone interview from his home in Los Angeles. "The cussing, (the name calling), all for the sake of ratings. We are in a sad state of affairs.
"We are losing our soul for the want of the almighty dollar. There should be some redeeming qualities in this business."
Williams says he comes from an era when music was created to uplift and heal, not to denigrate. And he believes that still should be music's objective.
He doesn't buy the rationale that many of today's singers offer: that their lyrics are crude because they are reflecting their reality.
"Look," he says, "I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I come from Detroit's Black Bottom neighborhood. I know the truth.
"But music is supposed to be an ointment, soothing at times when people and the world are in upheaval. Today's music has stooped down so low with obscenities that the radio stations have to bleep out the lyrics."
Still, Williams says, radio stations are reluctant to play the music of the Temptations or other old-school groups, which he views as "sensuous and sensual, but leaves something to the imagination."
A popular group recently sent him a song for the Temptations to consider recording.
"I was reading the lyrics and there were some cuss words," Williams says. "I said, 'Don't they know us? We don't record no cuss words. We make clean music.' There should always be some good form of music around. That is why the Motown catalog will go on forever."
The Temptations released a new CD, "Awesome," last November, and Williams says his manager tells him that the disc jockeys won't play it.
"When you have been around as long as us - the O'Jays, the Whispers or Dramatics - and they won't play us, that's pretty sad," he says. "If it's good music it should be given a chance to be played.
"They are saying that young people don't want to hear good music. But they love it. Let the fans determine if something is good."
(continued next)