"TRUTH IN RHYTHM" - Bernadette Cooper (Klymaxx), Part 2 of 2
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- Опубліковано 29 лип 2019
- Brought to you by FUNKNSTUFF.NET and hosted by Scott Goldfine - musicologist and author of “Everything Is on THE ONE: The First Guide of Funk” ― “TRUTH IN RHYTHM” is the interview show that gets DEEP into the pocket with contemporary music’s foremost masters of the groove.
Featured in TIR Episode 102 (Part 2 of 2): Musician-composer-producer Bernadette Cooper, founder of the most successful all-female funk-R&B band of all time -- Klymaxx. Signed to Solar Records in 1980, the group released six albums between 1981 and 1994, although Cooper left after the first four. A seventh album, Girls in the Band, was intended for 1983 release but was held back as the band switched from Solar to MCA Records. Other Klymaxx band members included Lorena Shelby, Cheryl Cooley, who has also been featured on TRUTH IN RHYTHM, Robbin Grider, Lynn Malsby and Joyce “Fenderella” Irby. It was their third album, 1984’s Meeting in the Ladies Room, that sent them into the stratosphere. In addition to the funky hit title track, that album also included another floor-burner in The Men All Pause and the great ballad I Miss You, which became a pop crossover smash. The platinum-certified set went top 10 on the R&B chart and top 20 pop.
The group had the benefit of working with legendary producers, musicians and songwriters that included Steve Shockley, Otis Stokes and other members of labelmates Lakeside, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis of Morris Day & the Time, and Midnight Star’s Reggie and Vincent Calloway. Other notable songs and hits from Klymaxx’s Cooper era include Never Underestimate the Power of a Woman, All Fired Up, Wild Girls, Girls Will Be Girls, Heartbreaker (I’m Such a Mess), Multi-Purpose Girl, The Man in My Life, All Turned Out, Sexy, I’d Still Say Yes, Man Size Love and Divas Need Love Too.
In the mid-1980s, Klymaxx became ubiquitous on the radio, in the clubs and on TV with music videos and in-person appearances. These were fierce women blazing a trail no one else had by playing their own instruments, exhibiting confidence and style to spare, and producing a stream of catchy funk, R&B and pop. In all, they notched seven top 20 R&B hits and three top 20 pop. However, by 1986 things were beginning to fracture within the ranks and Cooper flew the coop. Her first post-Klymaxx project out of the gate was almost as successful. She put together a three-woman singing group called Madame X, producing, composing and playing much of the music on their self-titled 1987 album that included the sultry hit Just That Type of Girl. The sexy and seductive album, which unfortunately would be the only one for Madame X, also included I’m Weak for You and some other electro-funk winners.
Cooper resurfaced in 1990 with her sterling solo debut, Drama According to Bernadette Cooper. Also featuring Chuckii Booker, Teena Marie, Amp Fiddler and an uncredited Lenny Kravitz, the set was an outstanding effort packed with superlative funk embellished with modern nuances. It got lost in the corporate music shuffle, but is highly recommended. Coincidentally, 1990 was the same year that saw the first release using the Klymaxx name that did not include Cooper -- and it showed as it did not approach the Drama LP. The last Klymaxx studio album dropped in 1994 and featured Cooper on one song, 4 the Ole Dawg N U. She otherwise had no involvement in that project. Cooper was then absent from the music industry for the century and well into the next. She pursued other interests including the retail clothing business and writing novels, until returning to the stage as Klymaxx Featuring Bernadette Cooper, which is one of at least three touring versions of the band that also include lineups led by Irby and Cooley. In 2015, Cooper released Last Diva on Earth Episode 1: Planet Sexy, which tosses out several Klymaxx tropes. The group’s legacy continues to resonate not only musically but also culturally as evident by recent Saturday Night Live parodies.
Here, Cooper shows she still has attitude and moxie to spare, just as she did decades ago as the personality behind Klymaxx’s sassy persona. She addresses every aspect of the group’s herstory and discusses what comes next. Note that she elected to appear off camera.
RECORDED JUNE 2019
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Thanks. I am late but this is appreciated. Too, there is nothing like seeing a guitar in the background😊
Wooow. She gave it uppp😮😮😮..🤘🏾.Much Respect to the women, of klymaxxx🤘🏾🛸🛸
A great interview from a great musician.
Wow! Loved this. I would like to say "there is no Klymaxx without Bernadette". She IS Klymaxx. We love you Bernadette. I love your solo project and knew the whole song by heart. I also loved what you did for Cheryl Lynn "New Dress" album (producer and writer). The Bands Reunited she was referring to was a VH1 project. I don't think it's on youtube, but I'm sure I have the vhs around here somewhere. I recorded it and was so happy to see them together again. Yes, there was some drama (according to Bernadette Cooper:) Thanks again Scott! This was excellent.
Wait---you mean to tell me Bernadette Cooper work on Cheryl Lynn's album "New Dress"? That was a bad ass project too. 🎤🎶🎶
@@lindatiff43 LOL. Yes, that was a bad ass project. I agree 100. Yes, Bernadette did the single "New Dress", and one called Married Man. The album title and song had a double meaning for Cheryl. The album was "Start Over". She was sign to her new label, after being with Columbia her whole career. So the song "New Dress" was referring to her new sound, new look and new label. Listen to the song again and you will hear Ms. Coopers sound all over it LOL.
@@verbatimmags thanks and l will surely listen to it again. I have the album. And remember "if you were mine" and new dress being performed on soul train?. Jamming. I have all the stuff Ms. Cooper did back then.
Wow. I'm so excited for this. I was just talking about her this morning. I met a guy at my job (Mike Hightower) you can look him on discog. He played with her and wrote some songs for her, Madame X, etc. He was saying how he still talks to her from time to time. Please ask her about her solo album. I loved that project. Teena Marie was on there as well.
Great interview ! I love your interview style ! Bernadette is so inspiring to still be in the game thru all the changes that the music industry has seen take place.
Yesssssssss I love it!!!! How can we follow her music and what she has going on?
John B. was the YabYum artist
Yeah she was trying to remember Jon B when she mentioned the white Babyface guy, around 23 minutes into the interview.
42:46 - She references TV One’s “Unsung,” but she’s actually talking about VH1’s “Bands Reunited,” but she corrected herself at 44:00.
Scott do you think you could get Belinda Lipscomb from Midnight Starr (Midnight Starr), or Sharon Bryant (Atlantic Starr). I know these groups had Unsungs, but I would like to hear from these female leads of the group to hear their side. Belinda has been with Midnight Starr for a long time. I wonder if the record label ever wanted her to go solo, or just what the industry was like for her being the only female in the group. Bernadette spoke on how women didn't often get along in groups. Did Belinda have a better experience being it was all men. Also, in regards to Sharon. We know about the Atlantic Starr situation via the Unsung. But after she left the group, they had their biggest success. She did a solo album, but only one. I don't think she's after toured just as Atlantic Starr featuring Sharon Bryant. The Bernadette Cooper interview spoke on how bands are allowed to us the groups name, if they include featuring the artist from the original group that's headlining. Thanks for your channel. This is great information for old school fans who don't know the complete backstory. Sure, I would love to an original Klymaxx reunion. But I understand her. People grow and move on.
I have been in contact with Jonathan Lewis for some time to have him and his brother on to discuss Atlantic Starr. He seems interested but has yet to make it happen. I had Reggie Calloway on for the Midnight Star story but also recently reached out to Belinda.
@@FunknstuffNet That's cool. Thank you Scott. I would love to hear Belinda's story. I saw the Unsung Atlantic Starr, and kind of know their story. But I know you would go deeper into each album and I do like that. What about Joanne McDuffie (the lead singer of the Mary Jane Girls). I think she was with Rick as a background singer before the Mary Jane Girls were actually formed. They have never had an Unsung. So many of us fans, don't really know what happened in the group, and why did it break up. They only released 2 albums, but actually finished a 3rd one called Conversations for Motown, and it was never released and shelved. I actually have a copy of it. It had great songs like Where's The Party, Shake Me, and Walk Like A Man was on that project. That songs was also a soundtrack song to the movie "A Fine Mess". The 45rpm was released on Gordy / Motown, but the album got shelved. The single reached 41 on the US Pop charts, and was their second highest pop song. In My House reached #7. They charted high on the R&B charts, but those two singles were their highest pop songs. Also, I spoke to one of the engineers who worked with The Stone City Band on their albums and said JoJo was the only really singing in the studio and the Waters family (who I think Bernadette mention was the Madam X album) did the actual background vocals on the songs. But she was around the Funk, so I think she would a good person to interview. But keep the good work. I really enjoy your channel and I'm a subscriber and will tell friends to watch.
I recently reached out to all the former MJ girls, no replies so far. Summer is challenging because a lot of the artists are preoccupied with shows.
@@FunknstuffNet That makes sense. I do see a lot of the summer jams and old school funk shows on tour and many of those artist are on the the bill. Thanks and I'll keep enjoying what you do and the artist you do have. I was just throwing some suggestions out there and the reason why I thought would be to interview. Thanks again!
@@verbatimmags you are awsome. To wonder what it's like for the women in these groups. There are plenty of women fans who, like me, wonder what women did to stay afloat amongst the men good and bad.
Wow, sh*t gets REAL in this portion of the interview. Nice. 😳😳😳
Nice channel!
jon b - yabyum
I would love for you Scott to get a interview with Starlena Young female singer formerly of Slave/Aurra/Deja I know she was only female singer in Slave/Aurra wondering about her experiences in those groups etc that would be a great interview
Thanks for the input, will look into it. Have you watched Curt Jones' TRUTH IN RHYTHM?
@@FunknstuffNet Not all of it but it was interesting
Those were bad ass songs in the 70 and 80's got a meeting the ladies room and many more those girls knew the funk of music I still like the 🎵 don't make songs like that anymore 😇😇🎵🎶🎶🌹🌹🌹🍗🍷be safe
At 22:40 she's talking about Jon B. He was on Yab Yum. But I thought Tracey Edmonds put him on...?
I heard him refer to Bernadette as "Miss Cooley" 58:53 and "Cheryl" 59:06...(I know it was in error LOL)
Damn, all this time and you would be first to notice!
Yeah man Size love was o the Bill Crystal Gregory Hines Film Running Scared 1986
Yo Scott. GET CHUCKII!
Sorry, been while since taped this show, so Chucki Booker?
FUNKNSTUFF Yes sir. Chuckii Booker and BTW...Great interview with Nelson George. I am a fan of his multifaceted works
She looks busted...
She is broke to the highest Klymaxx...