Post by FastNFancy on Mar 11, 2005 17:26:15 GMT -5
Posted on Thu, Mar. 10, 2005
Temptations in 2005? It's just your imagination
MARK KEMP
The Charlotte Observer
Am I the only one who gets annoyed by musicians who tour as the Temptations or Lynyrd Skynyrd, capitalizing on the names of once-great-but-long-gone groups?
This weekend, an ensemble calling itself the Temptations will sing the hits of that legendary Motown act with the Charlotte Symphony at Ovens Auditorium. You'll pay $18 to $58 to see the show.
Folks, these are not the Temptations -- it's a Temptations cover band featuring original baritone singer Otis Williams. Younger replacement singers do the lead parts on classic songs such as "My Girl."
Another band that tours around as the Temptations Revue at least includes David Ruffin-replacement Dennis Edwards, who actually sang the lead parts on several late-'60s Temptations hits, such as "Cloud Nine," "Psychedelic Shack" and "Papa was a Rolling Stone."
I have no problem with aging singers continuing to sing. But if a group's members are so far removed from the group that scored the hits, they should change the name or call themselves a tribute. And they should charge tribute-band prices.
The Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band that calls itself Lynyrd Skynyrd is performing tonight in Ft. Myers, Fla. Know how much they're charging? $30.
You can see Appetite for Destruction, the ultimate Guns N' Roses tribute band, at Amos' SouthEnd on Saturday for a mere $8 to $10. And the music is fine -- if the music of tribute bands floats your boat.
Groups work hard to find the chemistry that leads to hits like the Temptations' "My Girl" and "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," or Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" and "The Ballad of Curtis Loew." When a tribute band with a few surviving musicians cashes in on that hard work with tired, by-the-numbers reconstructions, it cheapens the original.
Temptations in 2005? It's just your imagination
MARK KEMP
The Charlotte Observer
Am I the only one who gets annoyed by musicians who tour as the Temptations or Lynyrd Skynyrd, capitalizing on the names of once-great-but-long-gone groups?
This weekend, an ensemble calling itself the Temptations will sing the hits of that legendary Motown act with the Charlotte Symphony at Ovens Auditorium. You'll pay $18 to $58 to see the show.
Folks, these are not the Temptations -- it's a Temptations cover band featuring original baritone singer Otis Williams. Younger replacement singers do the lead parts on classic songs such as "My Girl."
Another band that tours around as the Temptations Revue at least includes David Ruffin-replacement Dennis Edwards, who actually sang the lead parts on several late-'60s Temptations hits, such as "Cloud Nine," "Psychedelic Shack" and "Papa was a Rolling Stone."
I have no problem with aging singers continuing to sing. But if a group's members are so far removed from the group that scored the hits, they should change the name or call themselves a tribute. And they should charge tribute-band prices.
The Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band that calls itself Lynyrd Skynyrd is performing tonight in Ft. Myers, Fla. Know how much they're charging? $30.
You can see Appetite for Destruction, the ultimate Guns N' Roses tribute band, at Amos' SouthEnd on Saturday for a mere $8 to $10. And the music is fine -- if the music of tribute bands floats your boat.
Groups work hard to find the chemistry that leads to hits like the Temptations' "My Girl" and "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," or Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" and "The Ballad of Curtis Loew." When a tribute band with a few surviving musicians cashes in on that hard work with tired, by-the-numbers reconstructions, it cheapens the original.
I guess the man has bills to pay! 
