The Man and his Words....

[Queenie]

The Temptations without David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams! Strange, but true - that is the sad situation as of today. There was enough talk flying around when David was replaced within the group; Eddie's departure caused further speculation; now, it is confirmed that Paul Williams is no longer a Temptation having just come back from a lengthy spell of absence from the group, during which time Richard Street substituted. First Paul was away, Eddie suddenly wasn't there and when Paul was due to return, he simply didn't. So, what is the problem with the Temptations, undoubtedly the world's top vocal group until a short time ago?

I think it's a simple case of jealousy," David Ruffin told me, having just come into his house from 'mending' his 'Easy Rider' style Chopper- motorcycle. "But, as long as Melvin and Otis are there, there will always be a Temptations. But there's even more to it - Norman Whitfield, who has probably done more for the Temptations than any other one person, is now taking more interest in his own group, Undisputed Truth. I think he may be upset that Paul, Eddie and myself are no longer there - Norman lives right next door to Eddie, you know, just down the road from me.

David Ruffin's solo career has always been a mystery to me. Motown does not possess a man with a more expressive voice than David -for proof, listen to "My Whole World Ended", his first and by far most successful solo single. "I don't think the company has a down on Jimmy and me," said David, in defense of Motown. "But you can't talk to them any more, Berry's 3,000 miles away now. After, "My Whole World Ended" (a million seller!), the company chose the follow-up as "I'm So Glad I Fell For You". I was upset and I said that they were sending me back to church! Things are a little better now, though, and I'm just working on a new album with Smokey Robinson that I am really happy with. My new single, "You Can Come Right Back To Me", comes from that session and I like it. I've still got a few months left on my contract and I'll sit still till then, at least.

A few months ago, David recorded an album with his older brother, Jimmy, and, although not promoted to it’s fullest in either Britain or the States, the album sold well enough. But it was the idea of the Ruffins rather than the Company. Incidentally, David was horrified to learn that "Stand By Me" remained unissued in Britain!

But the mystery concerning the Temps remains. Paul's place has certainly gone to Richard Street, formerly of the Monitors. Eddie's replacement now looks set to go to Damon, a young man from Baltimore, who sang previously with the Vandals (who might well be the same group who recorded for the Isleys' T. Neck label). "But they're just cheating the public now," David believes. "People still expect Eddie, Paul and me when they see the Temptations. They are the voices they know although, in all honesty, Dennis Edwards can be considered a true Temptation."

In the not-to-distant future, though, there is a distinct possibility that a new group will be formed - if only for recording purposes! The group could consist of David and Jimmy, Eddie, Paul and Dennis. Can you imagine that quintet on record together?

Purely a personal opinion, but the trouble does lie with Otis and Melvin, who in all honesty are the least important to the public’s eye. If Norman Whitfield’s top songs do go to the Undisputed Truth before the Tempts, anything can happen. But, let's hope that the Motown superstars do get on record, it could develop into Motown’s best yet-and that would take some beating.

[Queenie]

Another great Article with his partner and crime..


BLUES & SOUL
Music Review
No. 501 Jan. 19-Feb 1, 1988

DAVID & EDDIE: The Magic Continues




They've been acknowledged as two of the most well-known 'Voices' in black music: between them, these men have sung on some of the true classics in popular music-... My Girl...Just My Imagination...I Wish It Would Rain.. - the list is impressive by anyone's standards.

After the reunion tour with their former colleagues.." The Temptations".. at the start of the Eighties, David Ruffin and Eddie Kendrick (he dropped the 's' a few years back) hooked up with John Oates and Darryl Hall for a special night at the famous Apollo Theatre in New York. That engagement led to a whole new chapter in their careers which includes a just recently released album on RCA and an opportunity to catch up with these two gentlemen, who seem to become real 'characters' when they're together, if our interview was anything to go by!
David explains that their initial hook-up with Hall & Oates was by no means their first contact with the guys. "We knew them way back in '65, '66, when they were part of a group, The Temptones in Philadelphia. That's of course, when we were in The Temptations and we used to offer them support and encouragement in what they were doing. They'd come see all the shows at the Apollo and even back then, they expressed how much they wanted to perform there.
Apparently, the duo had a tough time catching up with Eddie once they were scheduled to do a show there in 1985, "but eventually, they tracked me down," he says, "and I spoke with David. We agreed it was a good idea so we spent four days rehearsing with them and then did the show."
It was during their rehearsals that David took the opportunity to play John and Darryl a tape of songs he'd cut in 1982-83. "I had been shopping a deal so it seemed to make a lot of sense to play the songs to the guys. When they eventually heard the tape - the night before the show - they got interested and told me they were considering setting up some kind of deal with RCA to bring in other artists. One thing led to another," says David, "and we did the album."
"We had a bunch of people to work with - Gene McFadden, Ronnie McNeir, Rahni Song and Jay King." King, the man behind Club Nouveau, decided to cut the inimitable duo on a Sly classic, "Family Affair". "When he first told us about it, I didn't like the idea," says David, bluntly. "I mean it's hard to kick someone's behind, especially someone like Sly. He's a helluva artist so I was wary about doing it. But as you can see, it turned out to be great."
Eddie adds his input to David's comments and the verbal banter between them prompts the question - do these two volatile guys ever fight with each other? After all, neither were exactly silent members of the Temptations.
"Fight, man? All the time," roars David. "Naw, man, we don't fight," adds Eddie with a laugh. "More like, we egg each other on, especially when it comes to singing."
"I'd say that we know how to get the best out of one another," says David. "After all, we have been around each other for a little while!"
David says since 1973, "we've been bouncing back and forth with each other in our solo careers" although Eddie points out that they've been touring seriously together only in the last two years. Their show includes some Temptations' tunes such as "I Could Never Love Another" and "I Wish It Would Rain" with both gentlemen contributing highlights from their respective solo careers: Eddie includes "Keep On Truckin'" and "Boogie Down" whilst David performs "Walk Away From Love" and "My Whole World Ended". Now they'll be adding songs from the new album which both men feel is a strong collection.
"We have some nice grooves in there," they agree. "Including," David chuckles, "some songs to lay back with and to get laid with!" Clearly not a man to mince words, our Mr. Ruffin!

Neither gentlemen has much to say about their reunion stint with The Temptations other than that the experience "was successful to the end of the tour, we enjoyed some of it and then we went our separate ways."
David and Eddie spent almost a year on the road with that situation but then, touring has been a constant factor for both men since their early days with The Temps. They still enjoy the chance to travel "except when we have to fly and make stops all over the place. But being able to get out there and perform before the public is still a great opportunity and," says David, "I'm just glad that we can give so many people so much joy through music."
Eddie confesses that when he started out with music as his career, "I thought it would be much easier. But I've weathered the waters," he states candidly. "I never knew that I'd still be doing this so many years later, " says David, "but I knew I always wanted to sing." "That's because you couldn't do nothin' else!" Eddie chirps in. "Well, I'm a pretty good cook and I'd have made a good mechanic too!" responds his partner.
Although their current work situation together is their main focus, David and Eddie say that they do anticipate doing solo projects again. "We're open to doing anything - we look on our work together as like the ship, the anchor. At any time, we can fly away from the ship and then come back to it until such time as we don't need it anymore. The bottom line is that we enjoy working together."

Asked what they'd like to achieve in the future, David says that "a starring role in a movie" would be very satisfying. Eddie is a little more philosophical, reflecting that "I've done everything that I wanted to do and it's like a 360 degree turn to me now. I can clean up some things, mistakes I've made and I know I won't do them again."
David and Eddie see themselves as "trendsetters rather than followers in this business - we're good singers and we do good music" but when it comes to defining exactly what they see themselves as in relationship to the business, they're not exactly in accord!
"We're singers first, then entertainers," says Eddie.
"Naw, man, we're entertainers, not just singers!" David responds, "There are a lot of 'singers' in the business who shouldn't be in it, frankly. If you want my opinion, they give this business a bad name."
Mr. Ruffin declines to mention anyone in particular but the point is made.
The truth is, whether you relate to David Ruffin and Eddie Kendrick as great singers or entertainers, they have been providing some serious vocal magic for over two decades now and they obviously have no plans to change that

[Common]

Hey NDF! I have the first article that you posted. Very interesting, isn't it? Wouldn't it have been something to had a group that consisted of David, Jimmy, Paul, Dennis & Eddie?? My question is to everyone here is do you any of you think that if this group had come to fruition, it would've been just as big as the Tempts or would it have flopped?

[BeesNVMe]

This group would have definitely put The Tempts out of business cuz it had 'the voices.' Afterall, that's what we wanted...'the voices!' They just would have been The Tempts with a new name.