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The Temptations

Temptations, The

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The Temptations: Hit Was Written in a Car

Interview by Ronnie Oberman, Evening Star, The (Washington DC), 6 March 1964

IT TOOK the help of a "miracle" for the Temptations to come up with their first big hit, 'The Way You Do the Things You ...

The Supremes, the Righteous Brothers, the Beau Brummels et al: Cow Palace, San Francisco CA

Live Review by Mike Gormley, The Ottawa Journal, 27 February 1965

Righteous Sound Shakes 'Frisco ...

America Hits Back With Tamla Motown Attack

Report by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 20 March 1965

IN RETALIATION to the British craze sweeping the States, America launches its biggest-ever campaign to bring back the Yanks into the British charts in the ...

The Temptations — They're The Group With All Lead Singers!

Profile by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 30 July 1966

THE TEMPTATIONS, someone once said, look like football players (American style) but they neither sing nor dance like footballers. Instead, they have the coordinated grace ...

The Temptations, Band of Gold: The Trip, Los Angeles CA

Live Review by Pete Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 6 August 1966

Rock Group Packs 'Em In at Trip ...

The Temptations: The Trip, Los Angeles, CA

Live Review by Tracy Thomas, New Musical Express, 19 August 1966

Temptations go well at Los Angeles' Trip club ...

From The 'Perfect Society' Emerge The Temptations

Interview by Eden, KRLA Beat, 27 August 1966

THE TEMPTATIONS are another of the fine Motown groups... but they are not just another group! Five talented and witty individuals involved in the creation ...

Albums from The Temptations, Butterfield Blues Band, Marvin Gaye and Sammy Davis Jr.

Review by uncredited writer, Melody Maker, 15 October 1966

Temptations have got a big seller ...

The Temptations Tattle On Each Other

Interview by uncredited writer, Hit Parader, January 1967

MEL FRANKLIN:The four other members of the group are just fantastic performers — I can't think of any four other guys I would rather perform ...

Tamla Keeps Hits Rolling

Report and Interview by Alan Smith, New Musical Express, 25 March 1967

Wives taught us to dance — FOUR TOPS ...

The Temptations: Whisky a Go Go, Los Angeles CA

Live Review by Pete Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 1 April 1967

THE TEMPTATIONS, who probably are the best rhythm 'n' blues performing act of the '60s, are pulling in crowds to the Whisky a Go Go ...

Britain's Lulu Looks at America and the Hemlines

Report and Interview by Loraine Alterman, Detroit Free Press, 4 August 1967

TO US LULU is the name of a comic strip character, but to the British Lulu is the name of an adorable 18-year-old pop singer. ...

The Temptations: An Investment That Paid Off

Profile and Interview by uncredited writer, Hit Parader Yearbook, Winter 1967

ONE REASON the Beatles "retired" was that they were getting tired of touring. Everywhere they went, they were prisoners in their hotel and they hardly ...

Albums from the Supremes and Marvin Gaye

Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 11 January 1969

THOSE TAMLA GOODIES ...

Bettye Swann: The Soul View Now! (Capitol ST 190); The Temptations: Cloud Nine (Gordy GS 939)

Review by Pete Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 1969

Bettye Swann's "Soul" ...

Can You Put A Name To The Temptations?

Profile and Interview by Alan Smith, New Musical Express, 13 September 1969

I'VE ALWAYS had the feeling that although the Temptations have enjoyed good record sales in this country, they've never quite made it as people with ...

Motowners have Racial Problems

Report by Ann Moses, New Musical Express, 27 September 1969

SINCE SO many Motown artists are currently in the British charts, I thought I might pass on some things about them that have been circulating ...

Making Hits Is As Easy As Pie says Temps Dennis

Interview by Ritchie Yorke, New Musical Express, 4 October 1969

"MAKING HIT records," claims Dennis Edwards, lusty lead singer of the Temptations, "is like making cakes. You just need the right basic ingredients and you're ...

The Temptations: Mr. D's, San Francisco CA

Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 26 November 1969

The Temptations Get a Soul Transplant ...

Super Star Diana Right To Quit Supremes Say Temptations

Interview by Alan Smith, New Musical Express, 17 January 1970

ONLY THE absence of 'flu-bound Eddie Kendricks took the edge off the Temptations' arrival in Britain at the weekend, but the rest of them were ...

Temptations...

Interview by Royston Eldridge, Melody Maker, 24 January 1970

...talking to Royston Eldridge ...

The Temptations Came, Saw And Almost Conquered

Report and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 30 January 1970

AND SO, it's all over. The Temptations, first ambassadors of Soul and Motown have been and gone again. The question now is whether it was ...

The Temptations: The Talk Of The Town, London

Live Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 30 January 1970

ON ENTERING the exclusive surroundings of London's most popular dinner and entertainment club, my mind was engaged on the description that most journalists from the ...

Temps Aren't Puppets of Motown

Interview by Alan Smith, New Musical Express, 7 February 1970

ARE SOME of Tamla Motown's artists "Monkees of Soul"... professional acts who seem so puppet-like and programmed that they hardly come across as real people? ...

On Disc: Singles Reviewed By John E. Abbey

Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 29 March 1970

RECORD OF THE FORTNIGHT ...

The Temptations: Psychedelic Shack (Gordy 947 U.S.) — (Tamla Motown 11147 U.K.)

Review by uncredited writer, Blues & Soul, 8 May 1970

EXCLUSIVE! THE NEW TEMPTATIONS ALBUM IN DEPTH ...

The Temptations: Psychedelic Shack (Tamla Motown)

Review by Richard Williams, Melody Maker, 20 June 1970

SHAME, SHAME, shame... Motown's sold its soul for a spoonful of wah-wah guitar. Actually that's not quite true, because you can't totally obliterate the true ...

Eddie Kendricks: A Temptation No More

Report and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 16 April 1971

A MOTOWN News Release, dated March 19, 1971, confirmed something that we had been hearing about for several weeks – namely that Eddie Kendricks, lead ...

David Ruffin

Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 8 October 1971

THE TEMPTATIONS without David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams! Strange, but true – that is the sad situation as of today. There was enough ...

The best Temptations of them all?

Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 5 November 1971

MUCH HAS been written in B&S lately about the departure of Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams from the Temptations and, in all fairness, a lot ...

Temptations Special: Damon Harris and Richard Street

Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, April 1972

Rappin' with Damon Harris... ...

Temptations Special: Dennis Edwards

Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, April 1972

THE PAST year has seen some traumatic changes for the Temptations, changes that would certainly have wrecked any normal group's career to the point where ...

The Temptations, Carla Thomas: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Roger St. Pierre, New Musical Express, 15 April 1972

IF ELVIS himself had stepped onstage at the Hammersmith Odeon on Friday he could hardly have created more excitement than the Temptations stirred up with ...

The Temptations: Behind The Slick Veneer

Interview by Roger St. Pierre, New Musical Express, 20 May 1972

TALKING TO the Temptations can at times smack of talking to a tape-recording. So many of the answers are stock phrases, learned in Tamla Motown's ...

The Temptations, The Honey Cone: Circle Star, San Carlos CA

Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 21 June 1972

Temptations Have Never Been Better ...

Hitler's part in the rise of the Temps

Interview by Phil Symes, Disc, 13 January 1973

IS IT really eight years The Temptations have been with us? It really only seems like yesterday that Motown's senior male group were making a ...

The Temptations: The Tempts! On a nine-year winning streak

Interview by Robin Katz, Sounds, 17 February 1973

ROBIN KATZ talks to OTIS WILLIAMS ...

Following Darling David, it's the Temptations Sensation

Report and Interview by Roger St. Pierre, New Musical Express, 31 March 1973

ROGER ST. PIERRE ON THE BIG SOUL TOUR ...

The Temptations, the Stylistics: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland CA

Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 16 June 1973

Night Was Right, Thrill Wasn't There ...

The Temptations: Masterpiece (Tamla-Motown).

Review by Roy Carr, New Musical Express, 23 June 1973

AND SO it came to pass, dat one day de Nazz summoned Norman Whitfield — de man dat dotted de most funkiest of crotchets — ...

The Temptations: Masterpiece

Review by Wayne Robins, Creem, July 1973

It is 1978, and for the first time in half a decade, three consecutive Alice Cooper singles fail to reach the top fifty. Burbank has ...

Temptations' Paul Williams Dead at 34: Suicide

Report by uncredited writer, Rolling Stone, 27 September 1973

DETROIT — Paul Williams, 34, one of the original Temptations, was buried here August 24th. He died anonymously, barely two blocks from the Motown offices ...

The Temptations, The Spinners: Apollo Theater, New York NY

Live Review by Ian Dove, The New York Times, 14 April 1974

THE ATTRACTION at the Apollo Theater is actually a confrontation between two major soul singing groups, the Temptations, the headliners, and the Spinners. This is ...

Eddie Kendricks: The Son of Sagittarius

Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 7 May 1974

THE BRIGHTEST star on the horizon at the end of 1973 and beginning of 1974 was undoubtedly Eddie Kendricks, one-time lead vocalist with the world's ...

The Temptations: Uris Theatre, New York NY

Live Review by Vicki Wickham, Melody Maker, 7 December 1974

NEW YORK: The Temptations at The Uris on Broadway should have been an event — but instead it was a backwards step, just like going ...

The Temptations: Moving With The Times

Interview by Kevin Allen, Record Mirror, 25 October 1975

IT'S SURE tough work being a Temptation. Before replacing Damon Harris in soul music's top fivesome, Glenn Leonard not only had to learn the group's ...

The Temptations: Still temptin'

Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 28 October 1975

WHEN IT comes to successful vocal groups, the stalwart Temptations really have no peers. For over a decade now, they have reigned virtually uninterrupted over ...

The Temptations: House Party

Review by Cliff White, New Musical Express, 29 November 1975

IT'S COMFORTING TO have a few acts that you can rely on to keep supplying the goods, and The Temps certainly do deliver. ...

David Ruffin: Ruffin's Ready

Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 13 January 1976

IF YOU check your American charts this week, you'll find that David Ruffin – after a break of some two years – is riding both ...

The Temptations, Donna Summer, Bobby Womack, Archie Bell & the Drells: Radio City Music Hall, New York City

Live Review by Chris Charlesworth, Melody Maker, 6 March 1976

NEW YORK: A four-act show always runs the risk of dragging, even when the organisation is as meticulous as it was last Saturday at the ...

Soul Albums Reviewed

Review by Simon Frith, Street Life, 15 May 1976

Temptations: Wings of LoveMarvin Gaye: I Want YouLee Garrett: Heat For The Feets EVEN SOUL musicians grow old and, though black music has never ...

The Temptations: Wings Of Love (Tamla Motown)****

Review by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, 15 May 1976

VERY NEAT structure to the new Temps release. Side one has all the funk, all the dancers, and Side two has what you could call ...

Norman Whitfield: a gambler with some sure bets

Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 1 January 1977

NORMAN WHITFIELD has always been a ghost-like character in terms of his presence to music. As a producer and writer he has always been a ...

The Norman Whitfield interview

Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 1 February 1977

With three of his productions currently in the top four singles in this country, the timing could not have been better for this exclusive interview ...

The Revitalised Temptations

Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 20 December 1977

Some felt that the Temps wouldn't survive outside of Motown but the guys are happy with their initial tracks for Atlantic and plan to fight ...

The Temptations Revisited

Interview by Cliff White, Black Music, December 1978

Is rejuvenation just around the corner for the Temptations? Cliff White asked the questions during their brief British visit. ...

Temptations Thrive On Their New Found Freedom...

Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 16 January 1979

AFTER A rather disappointing first year with Atlantic Records, it looks as though 1979 will see the mighty Temptations searching in earnest to regain their ...

Temptations Reunited and on the Road Again

Interview by Geoffrey Himes, Baltimore Sun, 6 June 1982

IN THE MINDS of many, the greatest soul record ever made was the Temptations' performance of Smokey Robinson's 'My Girl' on Motown's Gordy Records in ...

Hall & Oates: The Fall + Rise of Hohl + Oates

Interview by Graham K. Smith, Record Mirror, June 1985

How Daryl Hall (né Hohl) and John Oates became the most successful duo in recording history. New York interview by Graham K Smith ...

Motown No Longer Lures Temptations Vet

Interview by Ben Fong-Torres, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 September 1986

Chill reheated career but Kendrick has bad memories ...

Berry Gordy: The Tracks of My Years

Interview by Michael Goldberg, New Musical Express, 18 August 1990

BERRY GORDY, the man who invented the "Sound of Young America", has seen the story of his monumentally influential Motown label told in a succession ...

Former Temptation David Ruffin Dies

Obituary by Michael Goldberg, Rolling Stone, 11 July 1991

DAVID RUFFIN, a former lead singer for the Temptations, died of a drug overdose in the early-morning hours of June 1st at the Hospital of ...

The Temptations' Final Frontier

Retrospective and Interview by Ben Edmonds, MOJO, August 2001

MOTOWN KING BERRY GORDY was royally miffed. None of his subjects could come up with a hit for the act many considered the finest in ...

Soul Deep: Motown

Retrospective and Interview by Barney Hoskyns, Radio Times, 2005

FOR SOME PEOPLE, the terms "Soul" and "Motown" are almost synonymous. When they think of soul music, timeless sounds and images of the Supremes and ...

Norman Whitfield, 1941-2008

Obituary by Dave Laing, The Guardian, 19 September 2008

He co-wrote and produced some of Motown's greatest hits ...

The Temptations: The Band That Took Motown Higher

Retrospective and Interview by Dorian Lynskey, The Guardian, 31 October 2008

FORTY YEARS ago this month, the Temptations released a single that would change the face of Motown. Martin Luther King Jr had been gunned down ...

Motown at 50

Retrospective and Interview by Alan Light, MSN.com, January 2009

FIFTY YEARS AGO this month in Detroit, a 29-year-old African-American songwriter named Berry Gordy, Jr – a former boxer, autoworker, and Army veteran – borrowed ...

Bob Babbitt, 1937-2012

Obituary by Dave Laing, The Guardian, 18 July 2012

One of the last surviving members of the Funk Brothers, the backbone of Tamla Motown ...

see also Dennis Edwards

see also Eddie Kendricks

see also David Ruffin

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