Intentions / Si-berians / New Testament Band / Faces Interview

[boba]

Hi. Today on my radio show I did a very interesting interview with singers and musicians representing a bunch of different groups from the 43rd and Forrestville area (now known as Bronzeville) on the South Side of Chicago.

While still in grade school in the late 60s, Anthony Thomas and Wilson Drummer sang together in a group called the Chandelles. Inspired by a local group called the Symbols of Love, the group started singing together when they were only 9 and 10 years old, performing at local talent shows. A few years later, Thomas started Forrestville High school entered high school a year ahead of Drummer. Drummer stated singing with some other members in school, initially as the Dynamic Five. Two of the members left and were replaced by two other singers; the group changed their name to the Intentions.

The Intentions performed together for a year and a half before finally recording. The group was discovered by their future manager when they were just singing on a porch. Their manager took them to a north side studio called Les Tucker Studios to record; they were backed by the Pharoahs on the tracks. The Intentions' record, "Dig it (Shovel)" / "Blowing with the wind" was released on the local Tiki label (which was probably run by members of the Pharoahs). "Dig it" was a temptations-inspired, socially conscious group funk track. "Blowing in the wind" had a nice ballad sound. The record received a little radio play. The group performed in local clubs and broke up by the end of high school.

Drummer entered Forrestville High a year after Thomas. Drummer began to sing with other people in high school, eventually forming a new group. The group practiced for an entire year before starting to perform at local clubs; the group had a flashy, highly choreographed show. The group came up with the name the Si-berians and soon recorded a record. "This is the ending of our love" / "Crying really won't help the hurt" was released on the Ricardo label and was one of the best sweet soul two-siders to come out of Chicago. After releasing the record, the group went back to the studio to re-work the bass part, releasing a slightly different mix of the 45. Capitol records was interested in signing the group but their manager wanted to retain control of the recordings. The Si-berians stayed together for a couple of years after finishing high school, performing at local clubs.

By the mid-70s, vocal groups were going out of style and self-contained bands such as War and Earth, Wind, and Fire were becoming fashionable. Several members of the Intentions and Si-berians began to learn how to play instruments, playing in a church gospel group in Aurora. Thomas, Drummer, and original Intentions member Reginald Cotton left the Aurora group and began playing together again in Chicago, forming the New Testament Band after their gospel experience. The three members found some younger musicians from their neighborhood: Andre Cunningham, Kenneth Williams, and Reginald Crawford, forming the original nucleus of the New Testament Band.

The New Testament band played lots of local shows, building up a reputation in Chicago. The group continued to add more members, including lead vocalist Roscoe Elzy (previously of the group Hell's Family, who cut a single "Big Brother is Watching" on RCA). The group played larger venues, gaining a reputation for upstaging the larger local and national acts that they opened up for. Because the group was more focused on performing than recording, they ended up releasing only one single -- "Say yes" / "Get testamized" -- in 1981. The single was recorded at Sky Hero studios and initially released on the Sky Hero label before the group re-released the single on their own Tablet label. The single got local radio play but unfortunately was released at the same time two other songs called "Say yes" (by the Whispers and Lakeside) were on the charts. The song was also released only on 45, which also hurt the sales and play of the single as 12" singles had replaced 45s as the preferred single format. The group continued to perform together in Chicago through the mid-80s, until some of the band members left to pursue their careers.

After the New Testament Band broke up, the singing members of the group formed a new group called Faces. Faces released one single -- "Diamond eyes" on the SOC label out of Chicago. The single, which was also only released on 45, remained obscure and did not really receive radio play. In the mid-90s the New Testament Band reunited and played several shows in Chicago. Anthony Thomas became a leading vocalist on the house music scene in Chicago, singing both credited and as a ghost vocalist on many classic Chicago house records (including Joe Smooth's cut "The Promised Land"). Other members have also played in other bands since.

You can check out the interview at my interviews page at:

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

thanks,

Bob

[Guest Marcus B]

Hi. Today on my radio show I did a very interesting interview with singers and musicians representing a bunch of different groups from the 43rd and Forrestville area (now known as Bronzeville) on the South Side of Chicago.

While still in grade school in the late 60s, Anthony Thomas and Wilson Drummer sang together in a group called the Chandelles. Inspired by a local group called the Symbols of Love, the group started singing together when they were only 9 and 10 years old, performing at local talent shows. A few years later, Thomas started Forrestville High school entered high school a year ahead of Drummer. Drummer stated singing with some other members in school, initially as the Dynamic Five. Two of the members left and were replaced by two other singers; the group changed their name to the Intentions.

The Intentions performed together for a year and a half before finally recording. The group was discovered by their future manager when they were just singing on a porch. Their manager took them to a north side studio called Les Tucker Studios to record; they were backed by the Pharoahs on the tracks. The Intentions' record, "Dig it (Shovel)" / "Blowing with the wind" was released on the local Tiki label (which was probably run by members of the Pharoahs). "Dig it" was a temptations-inspired, socially conscious group funk track. "Blowing in the wind" had a nice ballad sound. The record received a little radio play. The group performed in local clubs and broke up by the end of high school.

Drummer entered Forrestville High a year after Thomas. Drummer began to sing with other people in high school, eventually forming a new group. The group practiced for an entire year before starting to perform at local clubs; the group had a flashy, highly choreographed show. The group came up with the name the Si-berians and soon recorded a record. "This is the ending of our love" / "Crying really won't help the hurt" was released on the Ricardo label and was one of the best sweet soul two-siders to come out of Chicago. After releasing the record, the group went back to the studio to re-work the bass part, releasing a slightly different mix of the 45. Capitol records was interested in signing the group but their manager wanted to retain control of the recordings. The Si-berians stayed together for a couple of years after finishing high school, performing at local clubs.

By the mid-70s, vocal groups were going out of style and self-contained bands such as War and Earth, Wind, and Fire were becoming fashionable. Several members of the Intentions and Si-berians began to learn how to play instruments, playing in a church gospel group in Aurora. Thomas, Drummer, and original Intentions member Reginald Cotton left the Aurora group and began playing together again in Chicago, forming the New Testament Band after their gospel experience. The three members found some younger musicians from their neighborhood: Andre Cunningham, Kenneth Williams, and Reginald Crawford, forming the original nucleus of the New Testament Band.

The New Testament band played lots of local shows, building up a reputation in Chicago. The group continued to add more members, including lead vocalist Roscoe Elzy (previously of the group Hell's Family, who cut a single "Big Brother is Watching" on RCA). The group played larger venues, gaining a reputation for upstaging the larger local and national acts that they opened up for. Because the group was more focused on performing than recording, they ended up releasing only one single -- "Say yes" / "Get testamized" -- in 1981. The single was recorded at Sky Hero studios and initially released on the Sky Hero label before the group re-released the single on their own Tablet label. The single got local radio play but unfortunately was released at the same time two other songs called "Say yes" (by the Whispers and Lakeside) were on the charts. The song was also released only on 45, which also hurt the sales and play of the single as 12" singles had replaced 45s as the preferred single format. The group continued to perform together in Chicago through the mid-80s, until some of the band members left to pursue their careers.

After the New Testament Band broke up, the singing members of the group formed a new group called Faces. Faces released one single -- "Diamond eyes" on the SOC label out of Chicago. The single, which was also only released on 45, remained obscure and did not really receive radio play. In the mid-90s the New Testament Band reunited and played several shows in Chicago. Anthony Thomas became a leading vocalist on the house music scene in Chicago, singing both credited and as a ghost vocalist on many classic Chicago house records (including Joe Smooth's cut "The Promised Land"). Other members have also played in other bands since.

You can check out the interview at my interviews page at:

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

thanks,

Bob

Great write up Boba.

I managed to bag the Si-Berians Crying Baby Won't Help The Hurt on ricardo a year or so back. Excellent

vocals and simply love the choone.

Never managed to get hold of the Intentions - Don't Forget That I Love You on Phillips.(take it they are the same band)?

Thanks for sharing,

Marcus

[boba]

Great write up Boba.

I managed to bag the Si-Berians Crying Baby Won't Help The Hurt on ricardo a year or so back. Excellent

vocals and simply love the choone.

Never managed to get hold of the Intentions - Don't Forget That I Love You on Phillips.(take it they are the same band)?

Thanks for sharing,

Marcus

no, the phillips group is a white group from Pennsylvania. This intentions only has a 45 on the Tiki label. There is another Chicago Intensions with an "s" that has many other 45s but their name is spelled with an "s" on all their records.

There are two presses of the Siberians on Ricardo with two different mixes. one is a more darker orange label with a crude, large font and the other is a yellow-orange label with a smaller font.

[Guest Marcus B]

no, the phillips group is a white group from Pennsylvania. This intentions only has a 45 on the Tiki label. There is another Chicago Intensions with an "s" that has many other 45s but their name is spelled with an "s" on all their records.

There are two presses of the Siberians on Ricardo with two different mixes. one is a more darker orange label with a crude, large font and the other is a yellow-orange label with a smaller font.

Thanks for info on Intent(s)ions Boba.

I've got the first press mentioned. Nice and thick slab of vinyl too.

[Kris Holmes]

whoa, i can see i'm gonna have fun checking out all those interviews, thanks for the heads up.