Motown has been going through a period of transition recently…or what you might call a bout of spring cleaning of their roster of artists. Out in recent months have gone such artists as the Commodores and the Dazz Band amidst omnipresent rumors of other acts leaving for pastures new.
Fresh blood within the company has with a few exceptions, been neither commercially nor artistically successful in comparison to the glorious past. It’s been a relatively bleak period but the signs are good for a plausible upturn in fortune with such new signees as Stacy Lattisaw and Chico DeBarge.
Chico Debarge is probably the strongest new artists with an album that has been very well received in the U.S. media and is selling very well over there especially in New York and Los Angeles. The first single taken from the album, “Talk To Me”, is shooting up the black and dance charts and crossing into the pop charts. In view of all this, B&S Was quite keen to talk to the lad concerned.
However the combination of the traditionally dodgy Atlantic phone line couple with the fact that Chico was suffering from a heavy bout of laryngitis, resulted in a very difficult situation-- I heard about 20% of whatever he said.
First of all, 20 year old Chico is from THAT family but has never been part of the group because initially he preferred sports to music--especially basketball--but he soon changed his mind.
"Music if safer and you can sit down. It’s also a hell of a lot more fun! But seriously, music is in my blood and also it’s far more lasting than sport. I do want to be remembered for what I’ve achieved,” he says.
Still the question begged as to why he’s chosen a solo career rather than join the family group, particularly when he’s already written songs like “Your Wear it Well” for them.
“Basically I’m very different to what my family has done, if you listen to my album, then you’ll appreciate that I don’t sing like they do--nor do I have the same musical direction. I’m different whether for good or bad, so it wouldn’t have been compatible to work as part of them."
“As to a solo album, I wanted the freedom that this album has given me. I wrote and co-produced some of the tracks and had the choice of other producers.”
So Chico is giving the impression that he’s been none too keen on his family’s musical output in recent times…but that’s not the case now. Debarge has just finished an album set for release early next year for which Chico has co-produced 2 tracks.
“The L.P. is really good. Before I think they were guilty of being over-safe and slightly tame--but not now!” he enthuses. “It’s awesome and it’s really gonna blow your mind!”
“Our eldest brother, Bobby, who’s 30, is the most gifted in our family. He’s the best producer, songwriter and singer, but for some reason, he won’t record… he’ll only put it on tape. So he’s the only one I want to work with directly and we plan to do something soon.”
Turning to his own music, success seems guaranteed in the U.S. but as is the whim of American artists nowadays, he is possibly a bit too rock-influenced for our tastes. He describes his music as raw and aggressive and labels it “funk-rock”. His list of influences would make many a B&S reader hold their hands up in honor - Tears for Fears, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel And Genesis! I tactfully put it to him that perhaps the L.P. was too rock oriented for Europe. “No, I don’t think that’s the case -- it’s very international and has got something for everybody.”
Already it appears that I may be wrong as “Talk to me” looks certain to enter the top 75 soon and with the album released in a couple weeks, the probable next single “Cross That Line” is much more soulful and the best track on the LP.
The interview comes to a premature end as Chico’s voice almost completely gives in. Yet he manages to say “Tell Europe I love them!” Pretty soon we’ll see if the feeling’s mutual.
Written by A. Kirkwood for Blues and Soul Magazine, 1986
Transcribed for the web by www.thedebarges.blogspot.com
1 comment:
It interesting to read these older articles knowing the artist he is now--more soul than "funk-rock". I just love Chico, he's great.
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