(re) Disco-very # 013: Brainstorm: 1975-1979

[fabio]

(re) Disco-very # 013: Brainstorm: 1975-1979

Brainstorm was well known in Southeast Michigan as a very hot club act formed in the early 70s by Chuck Overton(leader, tenor and alto sax, vocals, writing), Treaty Womack Treaty (congas, flute, vocals, and writing) and Belita Woods (vocals extraordinaire, and writing).
Other members were Bob Ross (keyboards and writing), Larry Sims (trumpet and writing), Eugene Lamont Johnson (bass guitar, vocals and writing), Renell Gonsalves (drums and writing), and David Myles (guitar) Gerald Kent (lead & rhythm guitar)

The band was discovered by industry icon Clarence Avant, and recorded a demo locally. This led to a contract with Clarence's TABU label and recording sessions at Total Experience studios in Los Angeles, and later United Sound in Detroit, with Jerry Peters producing.

Bob Ross left the band in 1976 and William Lloyd Wooten, of the Dramatics, joined the group.

The first LP, Stormin, was released for Tabu in 1977 and it features some upbeat, dance-oriented numbers. The energetic, soulful vocals of Belita Woods stand supreme. The two single releases were the socially uplifting "Wake Up and Be Somebody", written by Gerald Kent, and the incessantly groovin' "Lovin' Is Really My Game." The former (reached the R&B charts at number 48) has some Latin undertones on top of atypical R&B rhythms, and the latter (heir biggest hit later that year) is more disco-seasoned which reached number 14 in the American Club chart. This track was also to become 1978 Billboard Magazine Light Radio/Heavy Disco Record of the Year. It was hot on the east coast and played regularly on such shows as Dance Fever, and was included in the Mike Meyers movie Studio 54.

The irony of this project, according to AllMusicGuide, is that the most popular song on it was never released. "This Must Be Heaven" is a highly sought-after composition, as is this album. Set in a romantic, utopian mood, the ballad gracefully builds to a jovial climax. This song is a quiet storm classic.
In April 1977 the group appeared on "Soul Train" , along with "Archie Bell and the Drells".

The second LP Journey to the light was completed in 1977 and published in 1978.
There was reason to believe that Brainstorm might go on to become huge, but regrettably, this sophomore effort, was a commercial disappointment. The LP didn't provide any major hits, and the only people who bought it were Brainstorm's hardcore followers. Regardless, Journey to the Light is generally excellent. Brainstorm had a gem of a lead singer in Belita Woods, who really soars on tunes that range from Stevie Wonder's funky "Every Time I See You, I Go Wild!" to the quite storm pearl "If You Ever Need to Cry" and the jazzy, Roy Ayers-ish "Brand New Day." Nor are the lead vocals of Trenita Womack (who is featured on the slow jam "Loving Just You") and Deon Estus anything to complain about. One can speculate on the reasons why Journey to the Light wasn't as commercially successful as Stormin' — some would argue that none of the songs had as much disco and dancefloor appeal as "Lovin' Is Really My Game." At any rate, this is an album that should have done a lot better.

Brainstorm went on tour with Marvin Gaye, the Isley's , Johnny Guitar Watson , Rose Royce and many other artists. In early 1978, they shared stage in Washington DC with an up-and-comer named Peabo Bryson . Singers Delbert Nelson and Misty Love joined the tour, adding wonderful vocals.

A third LP, Funky Entertainment, was released in 1979.
It's often been said that if an R&B act didn't have a lot of dancefloor appeal in the late '70s, it could forget about being commercially successful. That isn't necessarily true; Frankie Beverly's Maze, just to give one example, was never a dancefloor favorite — and yet, all of its late-'70s albums went gold. Nonetheless, having disco appeal certainly didn't hurt. When Brainstorm's second album, Journey to the Light, failed to sell, some people reasoned that it was due to a shortage of up-tempo material. So with its third and final album, Funky Entertainment, the Detroit band decided to go for maximum disco appeal and make up-tempo songs a top priority. While Journey to the Light was primarily an album for listening, Funky Entertainment is very dance-oriented. In fact, the ballad "You Put a Charge in My Life" is the only thing on the LP that isn't aimed at the dancefloor. Obviously, Brainstorm was hoping for another "Lovin' Is Really My Name" — nothing on this LP is in a class with that hit, although exuberant tunes like "Popcorn," "Hot for You," and "A Case of the Boogie" are mildly catchy, if unremarkable and contrived, examples of late-'70s disco/funk. Funky Entertainment wasn't a big seller, but it did enjoy some exposure in dance clubs. At the same time, there were die-hard Brainstorm fans who felt that by neglecting ballads, slow jams, and quiet storm material, the Motor City residents were selling themselves short creatively. And, to be sure, Funky Entertainment is the least-essential and least-memorable of Brainstorm's three albums.

Thanks to soultracks.com and AllMusicGuide

[Salsoul1975]

Here's a bit of strange-but-true trivia:

"Lovin' Is Really My Game" was used in a 1977 ep of "The Gong Show". An act calling themselves "The Latin Duo" danced to that song. They didn't get gonged! :icon_razz:

One of their great tunes is "Hot For You". A real derriere-shaker if you ask me.