"TRUTH IN RHYTHM" - Bernadette Cooper (Klymaxx), Part 1 of 2
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- Опубліковано 6 лип 2024
- 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 1 of 2; see Part 2 here • "TRUTH IN RHYTHM" - Be... ): 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
LEGAL NOTICE: All video and audio content is protected by copyright. Any use of this material is strictly prohibited without expressed consent from original content producer and owner Scott Goldfine, dba FUNKNSTUFF. For inquiries, email info@funknstuff.net. TRUTH IN RHYTHM is a registered U.S. Trademark (Serial #88540281).
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Scott thanks for getting Bernadette Cooper on. listening tonight.
Klymaxx one of the baddest bands in the industry fa sho🔥🔥🔥💯💯💯🔥❤️❤️❤️
Klymaxx remains one of the most innovating and thrilling groups to ever form. They should be inducted into the ROCK N ROLL HALL OF FAME.
One of my favorites from the mid eighties
Cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm a big fan of Bernadette. I can't wait!!!!!!!!!! I know she has a lot to say!!!!!!!!
The original it girl, Ms.Look good herself, Bernadette Cooper. Still love her.
Big up Coop, I still love you. Funk on baby doll!
Loved "DRAMA"... I just had a... " FLASH BACK"....and had the song on my mind all week.. looked it up on UA-cam and it lifted up my spirit. (Despite being in quarantine)😀... THANKS BERNADETTE ❤️❤️❤️!
I enjoyed this interview with Bernadette Cooper who co-founded my favorite group of all time Klymaxx but please get my girl Joyce "Fenderella" Irby on for an interview. The woman is a legendary bass player and beautiful vocalist, producer, writer and arranger. She can bring another great interview. She's keeping the name, music and integrity of Klymaxx alive. Other group members "Cheryl Cooley" and Bernadette to a degree seem to think they are more important than the the group as a whole. Joyce could just have a solo career but chooses to represent Klymaxx and I want her to win she is exceptionally talented. My dream would be for my group to set aside differences and do a tour it would be huge. We the fans miss them but I'm happy that Bern did the interview but I'd like to hear Joyce Irby talking about her funky journey. 🎸🎵
Already had Cheryl and now Bernadette, so Joyce next makes sense. Probably sometime in 2020.
@@FunknstuffNet I'm looking forward to it in 2020.
"Men-All-Paws" is an apt title!
Nice interview she's great 😀
Bernadette Cooper I remember Klymaxx I want see what look like Today
I was done when she said Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis wrote Nasty Girl for Klymaxx. PRINCE wrote Nasty Girl for Vanity 6, and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis wrote Nasty for Janet Jackson. I had to stop at that point.
Bernadette kind of resembles Ronnie Spector in the photo
Thanks for this interview. I loved it! She's correct about Jimmy and Terry working with the first. The Girls Will Be Girls album came in 1982. The SOS Band On The Rise album came out in 1983. So like she said, it could have a cross between both artist that Jimmy and Terry was doing. But they didn't get fired for producing the outside groups, they got fired because they missed the tour with Prince. They were working on the SOS Band album in Atlanta and got snowed in and could not make it back to the tour. Its always told as if he fired them for working on the SOS Band project, but that's not true. But love the interview and now going to listen to part two. Great work Scott:)
Good point, wonder if they hadn't missed the Time show how much longer that arrangement could have worked. Imagine if the Jam-Lewis production era had remained under the Paisley Park umbrella.
@@FunknstuffNet Now that's something to think about. I never cared to much for the Paisley Park artist material. I did like The Family album ok. But at the time it came out, there was nothing I really liked but Screams of Passions. My favorite Paisley Park album is Mavis Staples "The Voice". I did like her first one Time Waits for No One, but it was just ok. It grew on me. But George Clinton, Mad House, Good Question, Carmen Electra, were just not that good to me. But I could say the same for Jam and Lewis Perspective label. The Sounds of Blackness, and Ann Nesby solo project were the only Perspective artist I really cared about as a whole. Raj-anee, Solo, Lo-Key? were just hit and miss projects Lisa Keith solo album was a big disappointment, after waiting so long after sharing lead vocals on "Making In Love In The Rain". However, now that you mentioned it, I would have loved to hear what Jimmy and Terry would have done with the Paisley Artist. I'm sure The Family, Sheila E, Mavis Staples, and probably even Carmen Electra (because of her dancing skills and along with a good video) would have had bigger hits if Jimmy and Terry had produced their Paisley Park projects. I think they both (Jimmy and Terry / and Prince) would have benefited. I know you like Funk, but did you like any of the artist projects from those two labels (Paisley Park and Perspective)?
I mostly agree with you. I really liked the Mavis album and of course The Family. Most else fell short.
@@FunknstuffNet Scott, I always found that strange that they could have really big hits for artist on other labels, but could never really capture that magic on their own labels. I know for the Mavis "the Voice" album, she said it got caught in the fight between Prince and WB. But even before the fight with WB, the first album "Time Waits For No One" didn't chart well. I think Vanity 6, The Time and Apollonia 6 albums did better than anything on Paisley Park, and they were actually on the WB label.
Jimmy and Terry also recorded tracks for Girls In The Band album in 1983 that was never released. They were probably recording the SOS Band album at the same time at Larrabee Sound
Great interview I would like the interview with all the group members separately even though I did see the one with Cheryl Cooly which I enjoyed
Been thinking about Joyce Irby?
They're all disjointed and performing under the klymaxx name . Ridiculous!!
Exactly! 💯 I’m sure they’d get some love, MONEY, and respect if they all join together.