The Stylistics
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend on Sea
5th November 2017
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend on Sea
5th November 2017
The Stylistics was formed in Philadelphia, PA in 1966 from two groups, "The Percussions" and "The Monarchs". When members from each group were drafted or went on to further their education, the remaining members under the guidance of their English teacher Beverly Hamilton joined forces and changed the name to "The Stylistics". After working locally for a number of years, the group was approached by Bill Perry who asked if they would be interested in recording. Their first song "You're a Big Girl Now" was recorded at Virtue Recording Studio, a local studio in Philadelphia. This song was written by the group guitarist at the time, Robert "Doc" Douglas and Road Manager, Marty Bryant.
The sessions cost Bill Perry a little over $500.00 to produce and was released locally. It was soon picked up in the tri-state area and before long, it became a number 1 hit in Philadelphia and a few other cities. Bill was interested it promoting the record national but didn't have the resources.
After the success of "You're A Big Girl Now", Avco wanted to naturally follow up with an album release. Hit veteran producer Thom Bell was contacted and was hired to produce the group's first album. The album was entitled "The Stylistics" and from that album came "Stop, Look, Listen to your Heart", "You Are Everything" and "Betcha By Golly Wow". The success of the first album was phenomenal for that time along with an unheard release of six singles in total. The ball continued to roll with the release of their second album entitled "Round Two". The Stylistics were becoming known as the Philly group with the sweet love songs. (Check out Discography for the full list of album releases.)
The Philadelphia group recorded a remarkable 10 straight-top ten hits during the early 1970s inc. the Grammy nominated hit ‘YOU MAKE ME FEEL BRAND NEW’, plus ‘CAN’T GIVE YOU ANYTHING (BUT MY LOVE)’, ‘YOU ARE EVERYTHING’, ‘BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW’, I’’M STONE IN LOVE WITH YOU’, ‘LET’S PUT IT ALL TOGETHER’, ‘BREAK UP TO MAKE UP’ plus many more.
Friends since junior high school, Herbert Merrell and Airrion Love have managed to keep their institution of 70's music alive. It was thought to be the end of the Stylistics following the departure of their original lead singer in 2000, but Eban Brown joined and as in life "THE SHOW MUST GO ON"
Airrion Love, took some time to talk about the Stylistics career ahead of their forthcoming UK tour.
The sessions cost Bill Perry a little over $500.00 to produce and was released locally. It was soon picked up in the tri-state area and before long, it became a number 1 hit in Philadelphia and a few other cities. Bill was interested it promoting the record national but didn't have the resources.
After the success of "You're A Big Girl Now", Avco wanted to naturally follow up with an album release. Hit veteran producer Thom Bell was contacted and was hired to produce the group's first album. The album was entitled "The Stylistics" and from that album came "Stop, Look, Listen to your Heart", "You Are Everything" and "Betcha By Golly Wow". The success of the first album was phenomenal for that time along with an unheard release of six singles in total. The ball continued to roll with the release of their second album entitled "Round Two". The Stylistics were becoming known as the Philly group with the sweet love songs. (Check out Discography for the full list of album releases.)
The Philadelphia group recorded a remarkable 10 straight-top ten hits during the early 1970s inc. the Grammy nominated hit ‘YOU MAKE ME FEEL BRAND NEW’, plus ‘CAN’T GIVE YOU ANYTHING (BUT MY LOVE)’, ‘YOU ARE EVERYTHING’, ‘BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW’, I’’M STONE IN LOVE WITH YOU’, ‘LET’S PUT IT ALL TOGETHER’, ‘BREAK UP TO MAKE UP’ plus many more.
Friends since junior high school, Herbert Merrell and Airrion Love have managed to keep their institution of 70's music alive. It was thought to be the end of the Stylistics following the departure of their original lead singer in 2000, but Eban Brown joined and as in life "THE SHOW MUST GO ON"
Airrion Love, took some time to talk about the Stylistics career ahead of their forthcoming UK tour.
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The Stylistics will be performing in Southend on November 5th, and the sold out tour continues until January 18. As you tour the UK nearly every year, how has it changed over the years?
For one thing, our audiences have become younger. Maybe because some of our songs have been done by other artists and some of our younger fans were raised on the music. What do you think is the secret of the Stylistics’ longevity? Definitely the love of our music. If there still wasn’t an interest, we wouldn’t be here. |
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The audiences obviously love to hear all the famous hits. However, does the show contain any newer material or cover songs by other artists?
No not really! We know what our fan base wants to here and that’s what we give them. We have recorded cover songs, for example, You’ll Never Get to Heaven, but that was also a hit for us.
The original group members all knew each other from high school. How did they form the Stylistics and how did they get the name?
It was a combination of two groups the Monarchs and Percussions. When we graduated, members from both groups either went to college or to the military. We combined the remaining members and after deciding on a name that our guitarist at the time Robert Douglas came up with, we became the Stylistics.
In the early days, Thom Bell produced most of the big hits, such as Betcha by Golly Wow and Stone in Love with You. Later, the style changed and the Stylistics’ singles were big in the UK, but not so popular in the States. Why do you think that was?
When Thom Bell was producing us all of our songs came out on the R&B charts first. Thom hoped that our songs would cross over to the pop charts and some did. When we left Thom Bell, Hugo and Luigi presidents of our record company started producing the group, and their songs never touched the R&B chart but went straight to the pop charts. Most of our US fans felt we sold out.
The last album you made That Same Way was a few years ago, with the producer, Preston Glass. Do you think the Stylistics will be making more records in the near future?
Yes I did! But our UK record company released that one as a part of a compilation album instead of releasing it on its own......I think that was a big mistake and it showed in the sales.
One of your hit singles Can’t Give You Anything (but my love) was used in a Japanese advertising campaign. Do you have any problems with your hit records being used in this way?
No, we were happy that it happened. It increased out popularity because it was always a big sound. One of the guys in the commercial was from the group called Smap. They had a big TV show in Japan, and one year we were special guests and performed the song with them.
Out of all your famous hits, which one do the Stylistics like to perform most?
That’s a hard question, with four individuals I don’t think we could each agree on one song. But my favourite is You Make Me Feel Brand New.
What are the long-term plans for the group, and the two original members you and Herbert Merrell after this tour has finished?
Hopefully we can get a record deal, but mean while we’ll continue to tour. Japan and China are next, and then it’s back to cities in the US.
Interview - Jacquee Storozynski-Toll
No not really! We know what our fan base wants to here and that’s what we give them. We have recorded cover songs, for example, You’ll Never Get to Heaven, but that was also a hit for us.
The original group members all knew each other from high school. How did they form the Stylistics and how did they get the name?
It was a combination of two groups the Monarchs and Percussions. When we graduated, members from both groups either went to college or to the military. We combined the remaining members and after deciding on a name that our guitarist at the time Robert Douglas came up with, we became the Stylistics.
In the early days, Thom Bell produced most of the big hits, such as Betcha by Golly Wow and Stone in Love with You. Later, the style changed and the Stylistics’ singles were big in the UK, but not so popular in the States. Why do you think that was?
When Thom Bell was producing us all of our songs came out on the R&B charts first. Thom hoped that our songs would cross over to the pop charts and some did. When we left Thom Bell, Hugo and Luigi presidents of our record company started producing the group, and their songs never touched the R&B chart but went straight to the pop charts. Most of our US fans felt we sold out.
The last album you made That Same Way was a few years ago, with the producer, Preston Glass. Do you think the Stylistics will be making more records in the near future?
Yes I did! But our UK record company released that one as a part of a compilation album instead of releasing it on its own......I think that was a big mistake and it showed in the sales.
One of your hit singles Can’t Give You Anything (but my love) was used in a Japanese advertising campaign. Do you have any problems with your hit records being used in this way?
No, we were happy that it happened. It increased out popularity because it was always a big sound. One of the guys in the commercial was from the group called Smap. They had a big TV show in Japan, and one year we were special guests and performed the song with them.
Out of all your famous hits, which one do the Stylistics like to perform most?
That’s a hard question, with four individuals I don’t think we could each agree on one song. But my favourite is You Make Me Feel Brand New.
What are the long-term plans for the group, and the two original members you and Herbert Merrell after this tour has finished?
Hopefully we can get a record deal, but mean while we’ll continue to tour. Japan and China are next, and then it’s back to cities in the US.
Interview - Jacquee Storozynski-Toll
The Stylistics are playing at the following venues. Tickets for Southend's Cliffs Pavilion are available at www.southendtheatres.org.uk or call the box office on 01702 351135
26TH OCT GATESHEAD SAGE
27TH OCT REDDITCH PALACE THEATRE
30TH OCT : DUNSTABLE GROVE THEATRE
1ST NOV : STOCKPORT PLAZA
2ND NOV : WOLVERHAMPTON GRAND
5TH NOV : SOUTHEND CLIFFS PAVILION
7TH NOV : WESTERN SUPER MARE PLAYHOUSE
8TH NOV : BRISTOL COLSTON HALL
9TH NOV : YEOVIL WESTLANDS
11TH NOV : CHATHAM CENTRAL THEATRE
13TH NOV : BLACKBURN KING GEORGE’S HALL
21ST NOV : ST. ALBANS ARENA
24TH NOV : BARNSTAPLE QUEENS THEATRE
30TH NOV : LONDON INDIGO
1ST DEC : LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC
2ND DEC : WREXHAM WILLIAN ASTON HALL
26TH OCT GATESHEAD SAGE
27TH OCT REDDITCH PALACE THEATRE
30TH OCT : DUNSTABLE GROVE THEATRE
1ST NOV : STOCKPORT PLAZA
2ND NOV : WOLVERHAMPTON GRAND
5TH NOV : SOUTHEND CLIFFS PAVILION
7TH NOV : WESTERN SUPER MARE PLAYHOUSE
8TH NOV : BRISTOL COLSTON HALL
9TH NOV : YEOVIL WESTLANDS
11TH NOV : CHATHAM CENTRAL THEATRE
13TH NOV : BLACKBURN KING GEORGE’S HALL
21ST NOV : ST. ALBANS ARENA
24TH NOV : BARNSTAPLE QUEENS THEATRE
30TH NOV : LONDON INDIGO
1ST DEC : LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC
2ND DEC : WREXHAM WILLIAN ASTON HALL