Four Tops & Temptations M.e.n Arena - 12/11/05

[Guest stash313]

Hi guys,

gonna be a top one this.

THE TEMPTATIONS & THE FOUR TOPS

MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS ARENA - SAT 12TH NOVEMBER 2005 7.30pm - doors 6.30pm

THE TEMPTATIONS are: G.C CAMERON, OTIS WILLIAMS, TERRY WEEKS, RON TYSON & JOE HERNDON.

THE FOUR TOPS are: ABDUL 'DUKE' FAKIR, RONNIE MCNEIR, THEO PEOPLES & ROQUEL PAYTON (Lawrence Payton's son)

The Temptations are currently in the studio recording their 61st album and first away from Motown since their ill-fated Atlantic albums of the late 1970's. Their next recording will be entitled Reflections and released on the Universal Music Enterprises label.

The Four Tops now spearheaded with original member Abdul 'DUKE' Fakir after the death this summer of Obie Benson and the retirement of Levi Stubbs now consist of Theo Peoples, Ronnie Mcneir and Lawrence Payton's son Roquel.

I have two tickets available for the upper tier of block 207 which are available at face value.

I no longer need these tickets and aren't looking for profit but just want to recoup the price I paid.

They are priced at £27 each £54 for the pair plus postage.

If interested or for more info e: livesey1@hotmail.com or PM me.

[Chalky]

Personally think Levi is irreplaceable as far as the Four Tops are concerned.....don't think anyone else could do the records justice.

[Guest stash313]

Personally think Levi is irreplaceable as far as the Four Tops are concerned.....don't think anyone else could do the records justice.

The Tops are a strange one Chalky, The Tempts have always had changes, David Ruffin himself was a replacement for Elbridge Bryant so in that way it is easier to stomach the constant changes of line up within the group.

But with The Tops its different, the guys stayed together for so long up until Lawrence Payton's death in the early 90's. Now with Obies death and Levi's illness, its a little hard to take to the line up of today, but rest assured they carry on the spirit of their departed brothers and a group with Ronnie Mcneir and Theo Peoples in it are alright in my book.

I saw them back in 2003 and Theo Peoples another former tempt although no Levi certainly did them justice and retained the spirit of Levi Stubbs whilst putting the songs in his own context and style.

As anyone who has been will know these two groups are still some of the most captivating and proffessional groups performing.

[Bearsoul]

Personally think Levi is irreplaceable as far as the Four Tops are concerned.....don't think anyone else could do the records justice.

I AGREE !!!!!

'THE TOPS' IT AINT ! OR EVER COULD BE ....THEY HAD SOMETHING SPECIAL BEFORE MOTOWN AND AFTER AND THAT CAN'T BE REPLICATED , TO TOUR AS 'THE TOPS' SEEMS

A BIT WEIRD . THE TEMPS HAVE SEEN SO MANY CHANGES THAT IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT HARD TO ACCEPT .....YET ANOTHER LINE-UP.

IT SHOULD BE BILLED AS A TRIBUTE TO 'THE TOPS ' featuring MR FAKIR.

I'M NOT DOUBTING THE QUALITY OF THE OTHER ARTISTS INVOLVED BUT TO ME ,ALSO, IT'S NOT 'THE TOPS' WITHOUT LEVI STUBBS VOICE.

CHRIS M

[Chalky]

The Tops are a strange one Chalky, The Tempts have always had changes, David Ruffin himself was a replacement for Elbridge Bryant so in that way it is easier to stomach the constant changes of line up within the group.

But with The Tops its different, the guys stayed together for so long up until Lawrence Payton's death in the early 90's. Now with Obies death and Levi's illness, its a little hard to take to the line up of today, but rest assured they carry on the spirit of their departed brothers and a group with Ronnie Mcneir and Theo Peoples in it are alright in my book.

I saw them back in 2003 and Theo Peoples another former tempt although no Levi certainly did them justice and retained the spirit of Levi Stubbs whilst putting the songs in his own context and style.

As anyone who has been will know these two groups are still some of the most captivating and proffessional groups performing.

The Tempts never the same after Ruffin and Kendricks, that era was THE Temptations IMO. the early 70's also provided some great output with Dennis Edwards etc but once that era was done that was it for the Temptations IMO....didn't reckon much to the later stuff and thought even less of the constant changes.

As with the Tops...maybe a different group name would be better cause they can never be the Tops, even with one of the original members.

[Guest]

The Tempts never the same after Ruffin and Kendricks, that era was THE Temptations IMO. the early 70's also provided some great output with Dennis Edwards etc but once that era was done that was it for the Temptations dn't reckon much to the later stuff and thought even less of the constant changes.

Chalky can't agree there mate, Temptations Phoenix Rising as got to be one of the best all round modern Soul albums in my collection from the bill track "Stay" to "I'm calling you" & "That's what friends are for " this is Soul of the highest order, I know it's from 1998 but it's on the CD player most weeks and I cant say that of a lot of the modern soul CD's I've splashed out on the last 8 years.

[Guest stash313]

The Tempts never the same after Ruffin and Kendricks, that era was THE Temptations IMO. the early 70's also provided some great output with Dennis Edwards etc but once that era was done that was it for the Temptations IMO....didn't reckon much to the later stuff and thought even less of the constant changes.

As with the Tops...maybe a different group name would be better cause they can never be the Tops, even with one of the original members.

I'm biased I know but its a little bit of a sweeping generation.

The mid 70's produced one of the finest soul albums of that decade in song for you with such gems as

SONG FOR YOU

FIREFLY

HAPPY PEOPLE

MEMORIES etc, in my opinion truley great soul music. The group moved to Atlantic and although unsuccesful chart wise the albums were different and a pleasure to hear.

Back at Motown and the likes of Power, Who's She Seeing Now and Standing on the top.

Again in the last decade as Phoenix Rising states his name sake was one of the most consistent albums of the 90's, followed up by Earisitable, Awsome and the fantastic Legacy.

When Lawrence Payton passed away the Four Tops continued touring as a threesome named The Tops. Although this solved the problem of the name it also took something away from the group, namely income. The name Four Tops is known the world over The Tops could be any group from an advertising point of view.

[Guest Ms Murray]

The Tempts never the same after Ruffin and Kendricks, that era was THE Temptations IMO. the early 70's also provided some great output with Dennis Edwards etc but once that era was done that was it for the Temptations IMO....didn't reckon much to the later stuff and thought even less of the constant changes.

As with the Tops...maybe a different group name would be better cause they can never be the Tops, even with one of the original members.

I consider myself to be very fortunate as I was lucky enough to see the Temptations, including Dennis Edwards, Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin, when they got together to do a brief tour of England in 1991. I went along to Southport Floral Hall, together with a few others from Preston and Pete Lawson, who was living in Southport at the time - it was thanks to him that we got the tickets. They put on a great and very moving performance.Sadly very shortly afterwards David Ruffin died, followed by Eddie Kendricks the year after.

Good to have those kind of memories though!