The Lost Generation - The Sly, Slick And The Wicked (1970)
By Papa Funk
** VERY,VERY RARE GEM'S **
Chicago soul vocal group the Lost Generation had their
biggest hit with “The Sly, Slick and the Wicked,” a mellow ballad that
hit number 14 R&B and number 30 pop in the summer of 1970. The group
members were lead singer/songwriter Lowrell Simon, Fred Simon, Jesse
Dean, and Larry Brownlee. Brownlee had been a member of the singing
group the C.O.D.’s, whose single on the local Kellimac label, “Michael
(The Lover),” made it to number five R&B in 1965. Born March 18,
1943, on Chicago’s south side, Lowrell formed a childhood friendship
with Gus Redmond. As a teenager, Lowrell was a member of the LaVondells,
a vocal group. Dropping the first two letters from their name to become
the Vondells, the group had a local hit with “Lenore” on the Marvello
label. Soon afterward, the group broke up. One of the members, Glen
Murdock, teamed with local singer Joyce Kennedy to sing lead vocals for
the funk/rock group Mother’s Finest.
After Dean completed his stint in the Army, he joined
Lowrell, Fred, and Brownlee in the Lost Generation. Childhood friend
Redmond, who was now head of promotion and marketing for Brunswick
Records, introduced the group to producer Carl Davis in 1969. The single
“The Sly, Slick and the Wicked” was co-written by Lowrell, Brownlee,
and Redmond. The hit tied for trade publication Record World’s 1970
Record of the Year award with the Jackson 5′s “ABC.” The release also
generated enough money for Brunswick to buy itself out from its owner,
Decca Records. On the flip side was “You’re So Young but You’re So
True.” The next single, “Wait a Minute,” was written by the Chi-Lites’
Eugene Record. The Simon-Brownlee-Redmond trio wrote “Someday” and
“Talking the Teenage Language.”
All were included on The Sly, Slick and the Wicked, released in the fall of 1970. After their last chart hit, “Your Mission (If You Decide to Accept It) Part 1,” the group disbanded. Brownlee and Simon joined Curtom act Mystique featuring Ralph Johnson, the former lead singer of the Impressions. The group charted with three Bunny Sigler-produced singles: “Is It Really You?,” “What Would the World Be Without Music?,” and “It Took a Woman Like You.” Lowrell Simon co-wrote and co-produced the track “Keep on Playing the Music” on their self-titled debut LP. Lowrell Simon dropped his last name and signed to entertainer Liberace’s AVI Records; the single “Mellow Mellow Right On” b/w “You’re Playing Dirty” went to number 32 R&B in 1979. He also produced and co-wrote tracks for the Gemigo/Curtom act the Notations. One single, “Think Before You Stop,” charted in 1985. Sadly, Larry Brownlee died in 1978 in Chicago.
All were included on The Sly, Slick and the Wicked, released in the fall of 1970. After their last chart hit, “Your Mission (If You Decide to Accept It) Part 1,” the group disbanded. Brownlee and Simon joined Curtom act Mystique featuring Ralph Johnson, the former lead singer of the Impressions. The group charted with three Bunny Sigler-produced singles: “Is It Really You?,” “What Would the World Be Without Music?,” and “It Took a Woman Like You.” Lowrell Simon co-wrote and co-produced the track “Keep on Playing the Music” on their self-titled debut LP. Lowrell Simon dropped his last name and signed to entertainer Liberace’s AVI Records; the single “Mellow Mellow Right On” b/w “You’re Playing Dirty” went to number 32 R&B in 1979. He also produced and co-wrote tracks for the Gemigo/Curtom act the Notations. One single, “Think Before You Stop,” charted in 1985. Sadly, Larry Brownlee died in 1978 in Chicago.
Heavenly harmonies on vinyl, Chicago’s Lost Generation
consists of two sets of brothers: Lowrell and Fred Simon, and Jessie and
Leslie Dean. They never went platinum or gold but their biggest record
Sly, Slick & the Wicked influenced hundreds of groups; a Cleveland, a
Californian, and an East Coast group have all named themselves Sly,
Slick & Wicked. Ironically, though it was intended as a warning to
women, the song appeals more to men. Brunswick wasted the bouncy “You’re
So Young but You’re So True,” on the back of “Talking the Teenage
Language” (not included). A silky smooth “Wait a Minute,” with its
hesitating beat, went to #25 in the R&B chart. They do enjoyable
renditions of Chairmen of the Boards’ “Give Me Just a Little More Time,”
the Moments’ “Love on a Two Way Street,” and the Delfonics’ “Didn’t I
Blow Your Mind.”
One of the greatest harmony soul albums to ever come out of
Chicago – a sublime batch of tracks that showed that the mighty talents
of The Lost Generation could easily match the best vocal group work
coming out of the east coast at the time! The sound here is somewhere in
the moody, mellow territory of early Moments or Whatnauts – tunes that
are steeped in older vocal group traditions, but turned towards a more
badass mode for the 70s – a style that still keeps some sweet and
fragile aspects in tact, but which also has a great undercurrent of
darkness too! The group get some great help in the studio here from
arranger Tom Washington, bandleader Willie Henderson, and producer
Eugene Record – the last of whom was already figuring out how to record
vocals wonderfully with his own group, The Chi-Lites. Titles include the
group’s amazing single “The Sly The Slick & The Wicked” – recorded
with an amazing echoey feel that’s worth the price of the album alone!
Other tracks include a few remakes of tunes from their contemporary
harmony competitors – with ttles that include “Love Land”, “Love on a
Two Way Street”, “Someday”, “Sorry I Can’t Help You”, “You’re So Young
But You’re So True”, “Wait A Minute”, and “Give Me Just a Little More
Time”.
Spearheaded by brilliant songwriter and vocalist Lowrell
Simon, The Lost Generation was one of Chicago’s finest smooth soul
groups. While never attaining the commercial heights of their label- and
city brethren the Chi-Lites, the two albums they cut for Brunswick are
definitely worth seeking out. And, if you’re like me and like some
‘rough edges’ ’round smoother soul, the Lost Generation is your bet.
‘The Sly, Slick and the Wicked’, released in 1970, naturally
contained the group’s epynomously titled biggest selling single. A fine,
slow burning soul ballad featuring heavy echoes on the chorus and
heavenly harmonies throughout. The interplay between the delicate
strings and, probably Quinton Joseph’s, more funky, hard drumming make
“The Sly, Slick and the Wicked” a Chicago Soul classic.
In a similar vein is the late night soul groove “Love on a Two Way Street”. Really tight brass here, and that inimitable, classy, sophistcated orchestration that never gets too intrusive. The group’s spin on The Chairmen of the Board’s “Give Me Just a Little More Time”, on the other hand, is almost a carbon copy of the original.
The first uptempo tune here is “You’re So Young But You’re So True”, bumping along a frantic bass line, featuring more brilliant, busy arrangements by Tom Tom Washington.
The following two songs, “Sorry I Can’t Help You” and “Someday”, both are exquisite, dreamy, sweetly orchestrated ballads. The latter charted in 1971 and is embellished with some spot-on rainstorm effects.
More upbeat is a rousing rendition of Charles Wright & The Watts 103d Street Band’s “Love Land” – again staying fairly true to the original -, after which the group heads home one more for the sweet, smooth soul vibe of “Didn’t I Blow Your Mind”, a nice interpretation of the big Delfonics hit.
Probably the most surprising cut here is the stupidly rocking “Wasting Time”; a stuttering groove monster with Lowrell waiting on his date in a steamin’ club, with the rest of the group bantering behind him: “She should’a been here by now!”…
Closing this set is “Wait a Minute”, a track inspired by their first hit, “The Sly, Slick and the Wicked”. More heavy use of echo here, as well as shimmering, tastefully arranged strings, as the group glides through this lullaby-like ballad.
A fine Chi-Soul album by a very underrated group.
In a similar vein is the late night soul groove “Love on a Two Way Street”. Really tight brass here, and that inimitable, classy, sophistcated orchestration that never gets too intrusive. The group’s spin on The Chairmen of the Board’s “Give Me Just a Little More Time”, on the other hand, is almost a carbon copy of the original.
The first uptempo tune here is “You’re So Young But You’re So True”, bumping along a frantic bass line, featuring more brilliant, busy arrangements by Tom Tom Washington.
The following two songs, “Sorry I Can’t Help You” and “Someday”, both are exquisite, dreamy, sweetly orchestrated ballads. The latter charted in 1971 and is embellished with some spot-on rainstorm effects.
More upbeat is a rousing rendition of Charles Wright & The Watts 103d Street Band’s “Love Land” – again staying fairly true to the original -, after which the group heads home one more for the sweet, smooth soul vibe of “Didn’t I Blow Your Mind”, a nice interpretation of the big Delfonics hit.
Probably the most surprising cut here is the stupidly rocking “Wasting Time”; a stuttering groove monster with Lowrell waiting on his date in a steamin’ club, with the rest of the group bantering behind him: “She should’a been here by now!”…
Closing this set is “Wait a Minute”, a track inspired by their first hit, “The Sly, Slick and the Wicked”. More heavy use of echo here, as well as shimmering, tastefully arranged strings, as the group glides through this lullaby-like ballad.
A fine Chi-Soul album by a very underrated group.
* Available on The Sly, Slick and the
Wicked / The Young, Tough and Terrible, a twofer combining the group’s
two albums, adding as bonus tracks the single-only releases “Talking the
Teenage Language”, “Pretty Little Angel Eyes” and “You Only Get Out of
Love (What You Put In)”.
The Lost Generation - Young, Tough And Terrible (1972)
By Papa Funk
Chicago soul vocal group the Lost Generation had their
biggest hit with “The Sly, Slick and the Wicked,” a mellow ballad that
hit number 14 R&B and number 30 pop in the summer of 1970. The group
members were lead singer/songwriter Lowrell Simon, Fred Simon, Jesse
Dean, and Larry Brownlee. Brownlee had been a member of the singing
group the C.O.D.’s, whose single on the local Kellimac label, “Michael
(The Lover),” made it to number five R&B in 1965. Born March 18,
1943, on Chicago’s south side, Lowrell formed a childhood friendship
with Gus Redmond. As a teenager, Lowrell was a member of the LaVondells,
a vocal group. Dropping the first two letters from their name to become
the Vondells, the group had a local hit with “Lenore” on the Marvello
label. Soon afterward, the group broke up. One of the members, Glen
Murdock, teamed with local singer Joyce Kennedy to sing lead vocals for
the funk/rock group Mother’s Finest.
After Dean completed his stint in the Army, he joined
Lowrell, Fred, and Brownlee in the Lost Generation. Childhood friend
Redmond, who was now head of promotion and marketing for Brunswick
Records, introduced the group to producer Carl Davis in 1969. The single
“The Sly, Slick and the Wicked” was co-written by Lowrell, Brownlee,
and Redmond. The hit tied for trade publication Record World’s 1970
Record of the Year award with the Jackson 5′s “ABC.”
The release also generated enough money for Brunswick to buy itself out from its owner, Decca Records. On the flip side was “You’re So Young but You’re So True.” The next single, “Wait a Minute,” was written by the Chi-Lites’ Eugene Record. The Simon-Brownlee-Redmond trio wrote “Someday” and “Talking the Teenage Language.” All were included on The Sly, Slick and the Wicked, released in the fall of 1970. After their last chart hit, “Your Mission (If You Decide to Accept It) Part 1,” the group disbanded. Brownlee and Simon joined Curtom act Mystique featuring Ralph Johnson, the former lead singer of the Impressions.
The group charted with three Bunny Sigler-produced singles: “Is It Really You?,” “What Would the World Be Without Music?,” and “It Took a Woman Like You.” Lowrell Simon co-wrote and co-produced the track “Keep on Playing the Music” on their self-titled debut LP. Lowrell Simon dropped his last name and signed to entertainer Liberace’s AVI Records; the single “Mellow Mellow Right On” b/w “You’re Playing Dirty” went to number 32 R&B in 1979. He also produced and co-wrote tracks for the Gemigo/Curtom act the Notations. One single, “Think Before You Stop,” charted in 1985. Sadly, Larry Brownlee died in 1978 in Chicago.
The release also generated enough money for Brunswick to buy itself out from its owner, Decca Records. On the flip side was “You’re So Young but You’re So True.” The next single, “Wait a Minute,” was written by the Chi-Lites’ Eugene Record. The Simon-Brownlee-Redmond trio wrote “Someday” and “Talking the Teenage Language.” All were included on The Sly, Slick and the Wicked, released in the fall of 1970. After their last chart hit, “Your Mission (If You Decide to Accept It) Part 1,” the group disbanded. Brownlee and Simon joined Curtom act Mystique featuring Ralph Johnson, the former lead singer of the Impressions.
The group charted with three Bunny Sigler-produced singles: “Is It Really You?,” “What Would the World Be Without Music?,” and “It Took a Woman Like You.” Lowrell Simon co-wrote and co-produced the track “Keep on Playing the Music” on their self-titled debut LP. Lowrell Simon dropped his last name and signed to entertainer Liberace’s AVI Records; the single “Mellow Mellow Right On” b/w “You’re Playing Dirty” went to number 32 R&B in 1979. He also produced and co-wrote tracks for the Gemigo/Curtom act the Notations. One single, “Think Before You Stop,” charted in 1985. Sadly, Larry Brownlee died in 1978 in Chicago.
" Must Have Before Die "
Fantastic group soul from Chicago – and the hardest to find
of the two albums by The Lost Generation! The record is a killer batch
of spacey soul cuts, with very dope arrangements by Tom Washington,
Eugene Record, and Cliff Davis. The title cut’s a monster, and a very
fitting follow-up to their earlier “Sly, Slick, & Wicked” track –
and the album features 2 versions (vocal and instrumental) of a cut
called “This Is The Lost Generation”, a very righteous soul groove with a
heavy production tip. Other titles include “Sure Is Funky”, “Thin Line
Between Love & Hate”, and “Tired Of Being Alone”.
Trying to keep up consistency, The Lost Generation came
up with an album titled similar to its premier output. ‘The Young, Tough
and Terrible’ was released in 1972 and is pretty much in the same vein
as its predecessor.
The big exception, however, is the clever, political funk track “This
Is the Lost Generation”. Bubblin’ over a smouldering groove, Lowrell
Simon’s lyrics are inspired and to the point, poignantly pointing out
the differences between ‘the generation gap’, e.g. attitudes towards
life before and after the rise of Black consciousness, as espoused by
Blacks themselves. Beautiful, jazzy guitar licks, flutes and a slight
Latin vibe give this amazing track a ‘blaxpo’-sound that’s unlike
anything else on this album – or, for that matter, on their first LP.
Covers had always been a forte of the band, and on their second jam they went for true-to-the-original renditions of Al Green’s “Tired of Being Alone” and The Persuaders’ “Thin Line Between Love and Hate”. A little less orthodox material was culled from Detroit’s psy-soul outfit The 8th Day; their smash hit “You’ve Got to Crawl Before You Walk” gets the Lost Generation treatment here. Most appealing of all is their rendition of Ashford & Simpson’s bouncy “One More Bridge to Cross”.
The originals are were its at, though. Brunswick producer Richard Parker wrote the well-grooved, mid-tempo cruiser “All In the Course of a Day” – a great slice of Chicago Soul featuring those big arrangements that never get in the way of the Funk – as well as the uptempo, horn induced smoker “Paulette”.
Lowrell Simon, the group’s leader, wrote far less for this LP as he had for the Lost Generation’s first outing. But his “Sure Is Funky” does rank as one of his finest achievements. As the title implies, this is a hard socking slab of gutbucket funky soul: crashing drums, distorted wah wah guitars and a fat, fat bass line. Simon also had a hand in writing the title track, which, despite its ominous wording, actually is a very smooth, soft ballad.
Closing the disc is a fantastic instrumental version of “This Is the Lost Generation”; the same drilling groove, this time lavishly smothered with jazz guitar riffin’.
Maybe not as strong as its predecessor, but tracks such as “This Is the Lost Generation” (both the vocal and instrumental) and “Sure Is Funky” make ‘The Young, Tough and Terrible’ another must have for Chicago Soul buffs.
Covers had always been a forte of the band, and on their second jam they went for true-to-the-original renditions of Al Green’s “Tired of Being Alone” and The Persuaders’ “Thin Line Between Love and Hate”. A little less orthodox material was culled from Detroit’s psy-soul outfit The 8th Day; their smash hit “You’ve Got to Crawl Before You Walk” gets the Lost Generation treatment here. Most appealing of all is their rendition of Ashford & Simpson’s bouncy “One More Bridge to Cross”.
The originals are were its at, though. Brunswick producer Richard Parker wrote the well-grooved, mid-tempo cruiser “All In the Course of a Day” – a great slice of Chicago Soul featuring those big arrangements that never get in the way of the Funk – as well as the uptempo, horn induced smoker “Paulette”.
Lowrell Simon, the group’s leader, wrote far less for this LP as he had for the Lost Generation’s first outing. But his “Sure Is Funky” does rank as one of his finest achievements. As the title implies, this is a hard socking slab of gutbucket funky soul: crashing drums, distorted wah wah guitars and a fat, fat bass line. Simon also had a hand in writing the title track, which, despite its ominous wording, actually is a very smooth, soft ballad.
Closing the disc is a fantastic instrumental version of “This Is the Lost Generation”; the same drilling groove, this time lavishly smothered with jazz guitar riffin’.
Maybe not as strong as its predecessor, but tracks such as “This Is the Lost Generation” (both the vocal and instrumental) and “Sure Is Funky” make ‘The Young, Tough and Terrible’ another must have for Chicago Soul buffs.
* Available on The Sly, Slick and the
Wicked / The Young, Tough and Terrible, a twofer combining the group’s
two albums, adding as bonus tracks the single-only releases “Talking the
Teenage Language”, “Pretty Little Angel Eyes” and “You Only Get Out of
Love (What You Put In)”.
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Pass is: MustHaveBeForeDie
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