Next Movement / Magical Connection Interview And Four Tops Focus

[boba]

Hi. Today on my radio show I interviewed two members of the Next Movement. The Next Movement formed in April 1972 and were from the south side of Chicago. Original member Samuel Thomas Jr. lived around 79th street and was singing in a group with his older cousins called the Magic Four. The other group members -- Carnell Haywood, Earl Shelby, Guy Sutton, and Alonzo Pickens -- lived in Stateway Gardens, the housing at 35th and State that was home to many other Chicago groups such as the Lost Generation. The group originally formed as the Magical Connection when Sam's manager, James Hall, brought Sam to Lonnie Hampton, the manager of the other group members. The Magical Connection cut their first record, "Hey girl why you wanna take my heart" in 1972 on Hall's Solar Sun label. Most of the group members were not even teenagers and the record had a Jackson Five-inspired bubblegum sound. The single got local airplay and the group appeared on the local Chicago Soul Train promoting the song.

A year later, after a management change, the group changed their name to the Next Movement. They released their second single (a Jackson Five styled ballad), "Everywhere you go", in 1973 on Lonnie Hampton's Crown Town record label. The group's band, the Shadow of Shades (also consisting of kids), played the music on the record. The group continued to perform local shows throughout high school. In 1976, the group did a show with Red Foxx; Foxx liked the group and took them to Las Vegas for a two-week engagement. Although Foxx wanted to keep them in Vegas, the group ended up returning to Chicago due to some management issues. Although they recorded several more times, the Next Movement never released any more material in the 70s.

The Next Movement finally released their next record in 1980 when they signed to Lucky Cordell's GEC label. The group recorded and released a whole LP. "You're the one" was released as a single off of the album, but the cut "Never stop dancing" got the most play as an album cut. Lucky took the group to New York's Prelude records and they released a single, "Let's work it out" in 1982. The group changed management again and released another single, "All I do" on Gus Redmond's Nuance label in 1984. "All I do" spent 8 weeks on the national Billboard R&B Charts, peaking at number 69, and was the group's biggest hit.

The group continued to perform throughout the 80s. In 1992, the group went to a music convention in Atlanta and were discovered by a couple of promoters who took them to Las Vegas to perform at the Aladdin Hotel. They performed at the Aladdin for a year and have stayed in Vegas, performing continuously since their initial move. They currently have a website -- www.thenextmovementshow.com -- that describes their current engagements as well as the new music they are releasing. Interestingly, two years ago, an ebay auction sold a studio acetate of the Magical Connection's "Hey Girl" along with an unreleased cut from the same session called "Jackson Man". The artist name was not marked on the record and it was sold as an unreleased Jackson Five recording and it sold for 4200 pounds (over $8000)! You can check out my interview on my page at:

https://www.sittinginthepark.com/interviews.html

I also did a Four Tops focus in tribute to Levi Stubbs, who passed away last week. You can listen to the Four Tops focus at:

https://www.sittinginthepark.com/10-19-2008-FourTops.mp3

The playlist is:

Nature planned it

In these changing times

Are you man enough

Midnight flower

Still waters run deep

Just seven numbers

Since you've been gone

Ain't no woman like the one I got

thanks for your interest,

Bob

Edited October 20, 2008 by boba

[binsy]

Hi. Today on my radio show I interviewed two members of the Next Movement. The Next Movement formed in April 1972 and were from the south side of Chicago. Original member Samuel Thomas Jr. lived around 79th street and was singing in a group with his older cousins called the Magic Four. The other group members -- Carnell Haywood, Earl Shelby, Guy Sutton, and Alonzo Pickens -- lived in Stateway Gardens, the housing at 35th and State that was home to many other Chicago groups such as the Lost Generation. The group originally formed as the Magical Connection when Sam's manager, James Hall, brought Sam to Lonnie Hampton, the manager of the other group members. The Magical Connection cut their first record, "Hey girl why you wanna take my heart" in 1972 on Hall's Solar Sun label. Most of the group members were not even teenagers and the record had a Jackson Five-inspired bubblegum sound. The single got local airplay and the group appeared on the local Chicago Soul Train promoting the song.

A year later, after a management change, the group changed their name to the Next Movement. They released their second single (a Jackson Five styled ballad), "Everywhere you go", in 1973 on Lonnie Hampton's Crown Town record label. The group's band, the Shadow of Shades (also consisting of kids), played the music on the record. The group continued to perform local shows throughout high school. In 1976, the group did a show with Red Foxx; Foxx liked the group and took them to Las Vegas for a two-week engagement. Although Foxx wanted to keep them in Vegas, the group ended up returning to Chicago due to some management issues. Although they recorded several more times, the Next Movement never released any more material in the 70s.

The Next Movement finally released their next record in 1980 when they signed to Lucky Cordell's GEC label. The group recorded and released a whole LP. "You're the one" was released as a single off of the album, but the cut "Never stop dancing" got the most play as an album cut. Lucky took the group to New York's Prelude records and they released a single, "Let's work it out" in 1982. The group changed management again and released another single, "All I do" on Gus Redmond's Nuance label in 1984. "All I do" spent 8 weeks on the national Billboard R&B Charts, peaking at number 69, and was the group's biggest hit.

The group continued to perform throughout the 80s. In 1992, the group went to a music convention in Atlanta and were discovered by a couple of promoters who took them to Las Vegas to perform at the Aladdin Hotel. They performed at the Aladdin for a year and have stayed in Vegas, performing continuously since their initial move. They currently have a website -- www.thenextmovementshow.com -- that describes their current engagements as well as the new music they are releasing. Interestingly, two years ago, an ebay auction sold a studio acetate of the Magical Connection's "Hey Girl" along with an unreleased cut from the same session called "Jackson Man". The artist name was not marked on the record and it was sold as an unreleased Jackson Five recording and it sold for 4200 pounds (over $8000)! You can check out my interview on my page at:

https://www.sittinginthepark.com/interviews.html

I also did a Four Tops focus in tribute to Levi Stubbs, who passed away last week. You can listen to the Four Tops focus at:

https://www.sittinginthepark.com/10-19-2008-FourTops.mp3

The playlist is:

Nature planned it

In these changing times

Are you man enough

Midnight flower

Still waters run deep

Just seven numbers

Since you've been gone

Ain't no woman like the one I got

thanks for your interest,

Bob

Hi Bob,

Always loved ' How did we get to this' from the LP. Great stuff

Mark

[boba]

Hi Bob,

Always loved ' How did we get to this' from the LP. Great stuff

Mark

thanks. they also recently put up a myspace page:

https://www.myspace.com/thenextmovementshow

[Karlm]

Cool will take a listen to the Next Movement interview soon. I caught their concert when visiting Vegas in July. They performed some great covers, everything from Bobby Womack "That's the way I feel about cha" to Chuckii Booker "Games" as well as a acapella version of "How did we get to this (the letter" requested by me and my girlfriend.

Bob did you get to hear any unreleased material? Shame a talented group like that didn't release more records. Seems like Heaven & Earth got all the promotion.

[boba]

Cool will take a listen to the Next Movement interview soon. I caught their concert when visiting Vegas in July. They performed some great covers, everything from Bobby Womack "That's the way I feel about cha" to Chuckii Booker "Games" as well as a acapella version of "How did we get to this (the letter" requested by me and my girlfriend.

Bob did you get to hear any unreleased material? Shame a talented group like that didn't release more records. Seems like Heaven & Earth got all the promotion.

no, they said they didn't have tapes of their unreleased contemporary gospel lp from 1977, I'm sure it would be good.

the unreleased lyde fisher giles material (last week's interview) was great. Karl, all that would be right up your alley.

[Djmelismo]

Hi Bob!

Enjoyed that Four Tops mix/tribute.

"Are You Man Enough", "Still Waters", Ain´t No Woman",

some of my favourite Four Tops moments,

they did cut some wonderful tunes in the early 70´s.

Will check out the Next Movement/Magical Connection interview too.

Very much looking forward to hearing it.

Best regards

Mel

[boba]

Hi Bob!

Enjoyed that Four Tops mix/tribute.

"Are You Man Enough", "Still Waters", Ain´t No Woman",

some of my favourite Four Tops moments,

they did cut some wonderful tunes in the early 70´s.

Will check out the Next Movement/Magical Connection interview too.

Very much looking forward to hearing it.

Best regards

Mel

Thanks, I always preferred the late motown and abc material to their early motown. I always thought motown promoted them as a pop group.