The Stylistics

小簡介????繼Spinners樂隊和O'Jays樂隊之后，the Stylistics再度成為由Thom Bell成功包裝的費城風(fēng)格的樂隊。70年期間，樂隊共有12首單曲打入排行榜前十名，其中包括：You Are Everything，Betcha by Golly Wow，I'm Stone in Love With You，Break up to Make up和You Make Me Fell Brand New等。the Stylistics是70年代詞曲最流暢和最甜美的樂隊之一。所有的上榜歌曲均為情歌，經(jīng)Russel Thompkins Jr.的假聲的演繹后，歌聲變得無比的優(yōu)美和昂揚。這也是the Stylistics作品的印記。這些歌曲是Thom??Bell的最優(yōu)美的作品，也正是這些作品使the Stylistics成為了60年代末70年代初最成功的樂隊之一。樂隊至今已推出了22張專輯。
?? the Stylistics成立于1968年。當(dāng)時，費城主流樂隊的君王樂隊（the Monarchs)中的Russel Thompkins Jr.、James Smith和Airrion Love以及敲擊樂隊（the Percussions)的James Dunn和Herbie Murrell在各自的樂隊解散之后，便組成了新的the Stylistics樂隊。1970年，樂隊錄制了一首由他們的鋪路者Marty Bryant和Slims and the Boys樂隊的吉它手Robert Douglas合寫的一首情歌You're a Big Girl Now,該曲很快地區(qū)的熱門歌曲，繼而在1971年初，爬升到排行榜的第7位。
???? 不久，the Stylistics與實力雄厚Avco唱片公司簽了約。一入到Avco,the Stylistics便與著名的集作曲、制作與配器于一身的音樂人Thom Bell和作詞家Linda Creed合作。Bell對the Stylistics情有獨鐘，專門針對Thomkins的假聲寫了一系列的作品。這些歌曲很快就流行起來。每一首由Bell制作的單曲都進入了排行榜的前十名。而其中的You Are Everything、Betcha by Golly Wow、I'm Stone in Love With You、Break up to Make up和You Make Me Fell Brand New均是榜首精品。成為70年代布魯斯音樂的經(jīng)典。
???? 1974年春完成了“You Make Me Fell Brand New”之后，the Stylistics離開了Thom Bell繼而和Van McCoy合作，Van使樂隊轉(zhuǎn)向了一種輕柔、悠閑的風(fēng)格。1976年，樂隊轉(zhuǎn)與H&L唱片公司簽約后，唱片銷量一直下降。但他們在歐洲，特別是英國，仍然很受歡迎。此間的“Sing Baby Sing"(1975)、“Na Na Is the Saddest Word"(1975)、"Can't Give You Anything"(1975)以及“Can't Help Fallin in Love"(1976)均進入到英國排行榜的前五名。70年代后期，the Stylistics繼續(xù)錄制唱片和進行巡回演出，但樂隊已開始走下坡路。1980年，Dunn由于健康的原因退出了樂隊，第二年，Smith也步了Dunn的后塵。剩下的成員還在繼續(xù)進行翻唱舊作品的三重唱直到90年代。by Stephen Thomas ErlewineAfter the Spinners and the OJays, the Stylistics were the leading Philly soul group produced by Thom Bell. During the early 70s, the band had 12 straight Top Ten hits, including You Are Everything, Betcha by Golly, Wow, Im Stone in Love With You, Break Up to Make Up, and You Make Me Feel Brand New. Of all their peers, the Stylistics were one of the smoothest and sweetest soul groups of their era. All of their hits were ballads, graced by the soaring falsetto of Russell Thompkins, Jr. and the lush yet graceful productions of Bell, which helped make the Stylistics one of the most successful soul groups of the first half of the 70s.The Stylistics formed in 1968, when members of the Philadelphia soul groups the Monarchs and the Percussions joined forces after their respective band dissolved. Thompkins, James Smith, and Airrion Love hailed from the Monarchs; James Dunn and Herbie Murrell were from the Percussions. In 1970, the group recorded Youre a Big Girl Now, a song their road manager Marty Bryant co-wrote with Robert Douglas, a member of their backing band Slim and the Boys, and the single became a regional hit for Sebring Records. The larger Avco Records soon signed the Stylistics, and single eventually climbed to number seven in early 1971.Once they were on Avco, the Stylistics began working with producer/songwriter Thom Bell, who had previously worked with the Delfonics. The Stylistics became Bells pet project and with lyricist Linda Creed, he crafted a series of hit singles that relied as much on the intricately arranged and lush production as they did on Thompkins falsetto. Every single that Bell produced for the Stylistics was a Top Ten R&B hit, and several — You Are Everything, Betcha by Golly, Wow, Im Stone in Love With You, Break Up to Make Up, and You Make Me Feel Brand New — were also Top Ten pop hits.Following You Make Me Feel Brand New in the spring of 1974, the Stylistics broke away from Bell and began working with Van McCoy, who helped move the group towards a softer, easy listening style. In 1976, they left Avco and signed with H&L. The groups American record sales declined, yet they remained popular in Europe, particularly in Great Britain, where Sing Baby Sing (1975), Na Na Is the Saddest Word (1975), Cant Give You Anything (1975), and Cant Help Falling in Love (1976) were all Top Five hits. The Stylistics continued to tour and record throughout the latter half of the 70s, as their popularity steadily declined. In 1980, Dunn left the group because of poor health, and he was followed later that year by Smith. The remaining Stylistics continued performing as a trio on oldies shows into the 90s.