Page 6
June 21, 2000
Focus
The Temptations are Ear Resistible
Music
___________________ __ ___,
r.
. .
CONTItim TED SIQ&Y
for
T he P ortland
(The |jortbniò ©bseruer
OnsERVEB
The Temptations are roaring into
the 21s1 Century with their most
romantic, most enticing, most soul
satisfying suite o f songs in the
group’s brilliant 40-year history.
EAR RESISTIBLE represents the
pinnacle o f an art form, the sensuous
melding o f five masculine voices
into heartfelt expressions o f love
cherished, love lost, love found.
Love is the theme, and when it
comes to emotional intimacy, no
group sings with more passionate
fire.
The fire fueling the Temptations’
musical triumphs has been burning
for four decades: In the sixties it
was “My Girl”; in the seventies,
“Papa Was a Rolling Stone”; in the
eighties, “Treat Her Like a Lady”;
and in the nineties, “Stay.” In fact,
Phoenix Rising, released in 1998,
was the most successful project of
the Tem ps’ astoundingly successful
career, with sales approaching two
m illio n . Now in 2 0 0 0 , EAR
RESISTIBLE raises the standard
to a breathtakingly higher level.
The Temptations have rewritten
their own history with a record
whose fresh beats and blends will
delight a legion o f loyal listeners
while attracting new generations
looking for real-deal soul singing.
T he T em ps are contem porary
history. Contemporary because their
ever-evolving sound is one o f the
w onders o f pop entertainm ent.
History because their proud lineage
represents an important chapter in
the chronicle o f American music.
“We work to blend the two,” says
O tis W illiam s, the o rig in a l
, _ .:ii
Temptation who founded and still
leads the group. “We have built on
our history, we gain strength from
our history, yet at the same time our
style and our songs have never been
m ore rig h t-n o w , n e v e r m ore
contemporary. W e’re still a vital
part o f the scene.”
“When I tell people we are G od’s
group,” says Otis, a remarkably
m odest man, “ I do n ’t mean it
arrogantly. It’s just that we have
been tested time and again and keep
coming back. We have suffered the
death o f so many legendary singers
- Paul Williams, David Ruffin,
Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin.
O thers, like D ennis Edw ards,
Richard Street, Ali-Ollie Woodson
and Theo Peoples, have left, and
yet our unity is tighter, our sound
brighter and our popularity greater.
Someone has watched over this
group. Someone has protected our
integrity. Someone has said - just
go on singing and it’ll get better."
The mythology o f the Temptations
is a permanent part o f Americana.
* _ J
A D D E S IS T !
And
with C EAR
RESISTIBLE, the
musical myth takes on new meaning.
“We start out every project with a
firm commitment to finding the right
songs and right producers,” Otis
explains. “ It’s been that way since
Smokey Robinson and Norman
Whitfield supervised our hits, and
it remains that way today. The
Temptations are all about great
songs sung by great singers.”
T he irre s is tib ility o f EAR
R E SIST IB L E is rooted in an
abundance ofbedroom ballads. The
songs smolder with intimations o f
sweet sexuality. "That’s part o f our
legacy going as far back as the doo
wop o f the fifties,” Otis recalls.
“We grew up on the idea o f wooing
a w om an th ro u g h song. T he
beautiful ballad that praises your
lady and asks for consent is certainly
sexual, but even deeper. Sure, you
want her body, but what you want
most is her love, and there’s nothing
more sacred than that. “A songwriter
( Please see ‘Temptations’
page 4)
Music Galore &
Galore Paging
3213 NE Martin Luther King JR. Blvd.
Portland, OR 97212
503-288-9180
Black Music Month
Special
• 2 CD’s for only $25
• 2 Tapes for only $15
• 2 Pagers with services only $40
Limit 2
Only good at time o f purchase
Must mention ad at time o f purchase
New Summer Hours
Monday-Friday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
^ S a h tr d a v ^ L O O ^ n o ^ -O O J ^ ^