The Original Rap / Hip Hop Record Label, formed in 1979 (and Surprisingly only in Business for about 7 Years) by Husband and Wife, Joe and Sylvia Robinson, Milton Malden and with the Financial Backing of Morris Levy, who already owned Roulette Records.
Sylvia Robinson who had already had an Hit Single, reaching Number 1 in the US R&B Chart in her own right some 6 Years previous with "Pillow Talk" under the name of just "Sylvia" incidentally she had hoped that "Al Green" would Record this Track, but he turned it down as he thought it was too Risque and it was against his Religious Beliefs!
were Credited for being the First Group to Popularise Rap / Hip Hop Music! It was also the First Rap record to get into the US Pop Charts at Number 36.
In early 1980 the Robinson's brought out Morris Levy's Share in Sugar Hill Records.
By 1986 SHR had Signed a Controversial Distribution Deal with MCA Records, which ended up in a Lengthy Court Room battle and eventually the Record Label had to Close Down!
They had by this time Amassed in Total, 26 Gold Records!
Nearly some 10 years later "Rhino Records" had Purchased all the Master Tapes from SHR, and then went about "Re-Releasing most of the Music made by SHR!
In 2002 the Recording Studios used by SHR in Englewood, New Jersey was Destroyed by Fire!
In this Series of Posts, I will writing about a Particular Classic Soul/Funk Album from the 60's 70's and 80's
The one's that stand out in my Mind, as The Best Soul/Funk/Jazz/R&B Albums ever Released. All of them, I would have purchased as Vinyl many Years ago and also I have many of them on CD today.
You may have a Differing view (as we all do) on these Choices, but these are my Favorites!
The First Track "Energy of Love" is my Favorite, what a Great Track that is!
The Album contained a Couple of Great Remakes from other Artists, including:
Rainy Days and Mondays, a Carpenters Original from 1971. A Great Remake, but I liked the other Remake even more, the Great Track, Be Thankful For What You're Got, written by (and a Hit for) William DeVaughan ( I dont know which Version is the Best!).
The other 3 Tracks I used to play all the Time back then and Now on CD (in the House and Car) are "A Nice Girl" Whats Easy For Two" and "Everyones a Star"
Incidentally, do think, like me that "Everyones a Star" is very Similar to "Be Thankful"
All and All, this is a Great Album, I'm still Playing it some 37 Years later, so it must have Something!
The Album had 3 Single releases, they were Tracks A.3, A.2 and A.1 in that order.
The Intruders Originally formed in 1960 as a Doo-Wop Group, by around 1966 they had linked up with Songwriters and Producers, Gamble and Huff, during the 60's they had several Tracks Released on the Gamble Record Label.
During their time "The Intruders" had several Different Line-Up changes, and in 1975 they Disbanded after about a 6 Album Career, when they Re-Formed in 1984, with a Release on a British Record Label, non of the Original Members were Present!
