DiscoMusic.com

Pattie Brooks

Interview with singer/actress Pattie Brooks conducted by Dayna Newman.

Pattie Brooks was a Disco artist signed to Casablanca Records during the late 1970s and is best known for her classic Disco hit, After Dark. The following interview with Pattie Brooks in 2009 was conducted by DiscoMusic.com member Dayna Newman.

Pattie, you have quite an impressive list of television and movie appearances: The Smothers Brothers, The Dinah Shore Show, Henry Mancini's Young Generation, The Bobby Darin Show, Soul Train, American Bandstand, Dance Fever, Johnny Carson, The Midnight Special...

You were also in one of my favorite prison movies "I love all that carrying on" and played "The Disco singer" in The Fifth Floor a prison movie with Robert Englund (of Freddy Kruger fame).

OMG, I forgot I even did that. That was so long ago, that feels like it was another time and another girl did that thing.

No, you did it (both laughing). You were also in Battlestar Galactica one of my favorite shows in the day. Plus one of my favorite cult classics Cleopatra Jones. How was the acting experience for you?

Well you know, oddly enough, I did the singing on Cleopatra Jones and what happened was they called me in to sing Am I Blue. Another girl and I were on stage doing backup, but my voice was being lip synced by Brenda Sykes. So that's how that all came about so basically I was doing backup to my own solo voice that Brenda was lip Syncing.

Tell me about your work in L.A. before you were working with Casablanca Records.

I was an L.A. session singer so I use to do alot of work with Capital, Motown and everything. I would run from studio to studio backing up on different albums Diana Ross, Helen Reddy, Olivia Newton John... the list goes on. We were session singers... Demos, I would do a lot of demo sessions, so it was that type of thing. Then I got a call from a girl that said you know what, there's a producer looking for a singer and I had just come off the road with Ann Margret and Helen Reddy.

How were those ladies to work with?

Oh, they were fabulous, Ann Margret was just a doll. She and her mother were the best. Very talented, she had her army around her. She was fabulous.

What about Diana Ross? I'm quite the Rossaholic.

I never really did get to meet her even though I worked on her albums, but I did meet her in passing at Suzanne Depass' wedding.

I don't believe the worst in people until I see it for myself or hear it from a very reliable source.

Me either. Ann, was absolutely the best. I mean and Roger Smith he took care of us when we did the Hilton. I was Ann's contractor so I would hire the other two singers and train them and get the act together. That's basically what I was doing. I was even Donna Summer's back up singer before I got signed.

I did back up for Jermaine Jackson, King Harvest... there was a bunch even Barbra Streisand. Later on in 2004 we did a democratic convention here at The Kodak Theater, that was the last time I worked with Barbra. I got to see her again with Mr. Brolin.

Oh really! How was that?

Oh it was wonderful and David Foster was the musical director at the time so it was really really nice.

You have had a very exciting life.

Well you know in and out of a lot of different people's projects including my own for what is was worth at the time.

Plenty, Plenty! (both laughing). That's why I'm interviewing "you".

At that time Casablanca was "THE" label to be on.

I have some questions from members from DiscoMusic.com so don't hold me responsible (both laughing). On the real, we have very knowlegable members, I was just kidding.
One DiscoMusic.com member, Donald Cleveland, said that one of the main reasons he got into the music business was to date you, he said it never happened to his dismay.

Who is Donald Cleveland?

(both laughing) Girl he's a DiscoMusic.com member and he's somehow in the business I can find out, I don't know if he's cute or not, but he's a gentleman (both still laughing).

The name escapes me, I'd have to see a face or something.

I know that's right - or a body (both laughing again) No offense Donald... (We're not laughing at you, but just giggling like girls do about men), and he wanted me to tell you that you are eternally beautiful.

Ohhhhhhh well, tell him I said thank you.

Reading you saying it will be enough for him. Another DiscoMusic.com member, DiscoFunk, wanted to know how it was working with Bunny Sigler on the Party Girl LP?

That was hilarious. First of all, I don't even know why they put me with him it was so far fetched that I would be with Instant Funk and Bunny Sigler. It wasn't the right producer, it could have been, but I don't think he really knew what to do with me. But he was funny I tell ya. I laughed the whole time we were doing Party Girl and all those songs off that album. Some of those songs really had potential. They just needed to be worked a little more and promoted. The thing again is promotion. You can have the best voice and the best producers, but if the company doesn't promote you, you can forget it.

I agree promotion is SO important that will make or break an artist in most cases.

Before Thelma Houston went into Disco I used to back up on her other albums that were more R & B over at Motown and she did this great album I forget the name of it, but it was myself and two other girls backing her up and the next thing I knew it was shelved. You know that's what they do. It was a write off and a lot of us were like write-offs at that time and that's how it went. Unless you had the big guns behind you it was really hard to get your product out there.

Thelma is such a sweetheart. Another member from DiscoMusic.com, Cory, wanted to know who wrote After Dark because he has two copies and on one copy the song is credited to Simon and Sabrina Soussan and the other credits you as the writer?

"Pattie" pronounces the names of Simon and Sabrina Soussan correctly "very french"

(both laughing) You can tell by my Scarlett O Hara accent I'm just a southern girl french isn't my strong point.

Sabrina wrote the lyrics and she was the wife of Simon at the time. Unless I through in a "the" or a "This" or whatever and they said lets give her credit for it, I don't remember that. If that's the case we're still looking for him because he hasn't paid anybody! You know how that goes.

Do I ever, if you have ever read any of my other interviews you will see how hard I call all that shady business out! In 1977 you were signed to Casablanca did you like working with Casablanca and was it at all like a family like I hear some record labels are?

It was for certain people you know. I was kind of removed from them I mean we were and we weren't. I had my children at the time so I kind of distanced myself from them because they were so eclectic and crazy and so risque so I would kind of stay to myself and do the mommy things, but when I was on I was on. Whenever they had me on TV or all of the shows I was there. Soul Train all of them, I wasn't really, really close to any of them when I think back. I knew them all and we were cordial, we had a good time, but I never really hung with them.

Did you get along well with Neil Bogart ?

Yea, again it was very cordial With Neil and Joyce Bogart, and because of Donna Summer I had worked for Donna, for Casablanca before I was signed so I had that kind of relationship.

When Donna Summer was on Soul Train and sang Winter Melody was that you in the middle of the back up girls?

Yeesss, with those crazy wigs on.

I could tell that was you by your pretty face. Does being called a Disco Diva in any way make you feel pigeon holed or do you see it as a compliment?

A little bit of both. What was funny was before I got signed I didn't even know what Disco was because I had been traveling like I said with Ann Margret, Helen Reddy and all that here in L.A. I had been singing with different bands, R B doing covers you know and doing the demos and I didn't know what this whole Disco thing was until Simon introduced me to After Dark and he told me they were going to put it in the movie Thank God it's Friday, and After Dark it was a club hit, it got played and it still gets played on the radio now. The black R & B stations saw it as Euro Disco or club music so I never heard it on black stations, because it wasn't R & B.

I would hear it on the pop stations.

Yeah I would hear it there and then of course when the dance radio started you would hear it. I heard it the most in New York, Miami and San Francisco.

I use to hear it on the only urban station we had in Tampa called WTMP a small AM station so I think it depends on what DJ is spinning and if they like it or not.
Let's face it back then a DJ could make or break a record in some cases especially if you lived in the boonies.

That's true, and at one point the DJs were bigger star than the artist. Look at Jellybean Benitez and all those people that came through.

Right look at Frankie Knuckles, Larry Levan, Little Louis Vega and so many more.
Bernie the owner and administrator of DiscoMusic.com wants to know how it was working with Simon Soussan and Alec R Costandinos?

Oh Simon was very erratic.

Call it out girl, don't be shamed, Call it. (both laughing)

Musically, Simon had it all in his head. He wasn't one that had it written out so it was always jumbled. He would be sitting there dictating to the musicians what he wanted. He loved strings so it was all about his arrangement with the percussion and the strings that's why there's a big percussion break in After Dark and then there's the strings the sweeping strings everywhere. It's just crazy. He would just go with it and do his thing and of course the guys were all mad at him because a lot of times they weren't getting paid. They had to really go after him to get that money, and even to this day people are looking for him.

He sounds like he doesn't need an umbrella when it's sunny because he serves up plenty of NATURAL SHADE! (both laughing) What about The Mr Alec R.Costandinos?

I didn't have that much interplay with Alec because he had that other group Love & Kisses. He's very, very nice, I was in New York once and he was at a recording studio there doing a theme for a movie, but he was very, very nice.

Next is a question from my personal Moose, haha, Stephan L.Freeman another DiscoMusic.com member who is a great DJ / remixer who has worked with some great artists, he wants to know how you felt when the title for the film After Dark was changed, just after filming began, to Thank God It's Friday and were you aware that you had recorded, what was the original title-track for the film?

Now the way I got it was, I went in to record After Dark and that it was going to be the number one song on the soundtrack. Simon again, I don't know what his dealings or anything were, That's what I heard it was supposed to be the featured song.

See Stephen surprises me with the knowledge and things he knows and to his "credible" knowledge that was suppose to be the name of the film.

Oh see now I didn't know that. He probably knows more than I do.

Girl, he knows a lot more than most people will ever know. This is a quote from Stephen (Manny Slali & Bob Stone's remix of "Heartbreak In Disguise" is, in my opinion, the quintessential American Disco record for 1978. And a stellar example of Pattie's vocal talents.) (I've just finished writing a small piece about it, since I'm featuring it in Episode 3 of "Back To Music") That's a radio show Stephen has on live365.com on Discoteria radio. A station that Bob from the site created.

So is that going to be on the Internet?

Yes, it's on the internet. I will get the details as to when it will be on and let you know. Stephen also asks: if you had as much fun, recording Take Good Care Of My Baby / What's A Girl To Do?, with Paul Jabara, as it sounded because your Guest Appearance on that track, took it to a whole other level, bordering on comedic theatre?

Yes, it was. Well everyone that knew Paul Jabara knew he "was" comic theatre and we had a great time with that. As a matter of fact, we performed it on American Bandstand. I don't know if that one comes up because Dick Clark is so funny about his archives. It was Paul and I we did American Bandstand and it was just hilarious it was his brainchild of how he wanted to do Take Good care of My Baby.

So was he really that quirky and fun?

Oh, very quirky and so much fun. Paul Jabara was a lot of fun and very creative.

Bob From Canada, also a DiscoMusic.com member, wants to know what it was like working with Donna Summer?

Magnificent, she was kind of tentative at first, but when they first called me to help her I guess she had been living in Germany. She came here and had her daughter Mimi with her. I got the other two girls and Michael Peters was the choreographer and we did her first show and she just blossomed. I remember she was always not embarrasssed, but shy about the Love To Love You Baby image which was very sexual, and she was funny she is a very funny girl. Finally when she got to really sing was when she did MacArthur Park and she called me in one day and I heard it and I said OMG you wanted to be heard... this is it girl, it was just fabulous and from then on you know it was just like whew, because she has this powerful voice.

DiscoMusic.com member, Remicks, would like me to convey to you that when he listens to I Feel Love he heard another female's voice on the track almost as strongly as Donna's... mirroring Donna... as far as he's concerned you both shared that vocal?

Is that what he said?

That's what he said girl.

OMG, It's been so long ago, we did the backgrounds and I know I was probably singing right along with her because I had the root of the chord so I probably was mirroring her.

Another DiscoMusic.com member, Thom, wanted to know how you felt when you heard your tracks being played in the clubs?

The first time was with Mark Paul Simon and as we walked in I heard the music and the people were screaming and carrying on. I went what the heck? Then they had me walk up a catwalk and and I had on these Charles Jourdon heels, I could hardly walk over this grated kind of floor in those heels.

Don't be shamed honey, Anybody who knows designers or shoes knows you will NEVER find a pair of Joudons at Payless. OK? (both laughing) You probably had on some Norma Kamali fashion too?

I had on something very draped with a plunging neckline. It was a jumpsuit. Then they said let's go meet the DJ so as I went to meet the DJ a spotlight hit me right in the face and he went Pattie Brooks and the people were screaming I was like what In the world? Because I had never been to a club before. Of course all the boys were just GAGGING?

L.O.L., now you know that's a good thing when the boys gag that means your letting them HAVE IT! What club was this?

Club One, Oh they were having a ball and I had no idea, They put a microphone in my hand and I started singing right there.

Let's talk about After Dark. Easily one of the greatest Disco songs of all time. Do you still have a passion for this song and does it hold a special place in your heart?

Oh yes, I think it came through at a time we were all having a lot of fun, I mean there will never be another time like that again.

NEVER

Anybody that was around for the experience will tell you It was just a fabulous creative wonderful time. I remember going to Fire island and hearing After Dark on Fire Island.

OH girl I bet you never saw so many fine men in one place in your life.

Oh girl, I'm tellin' ya, it was just unbelievable and when I did my show in New York I mean After Dark was like the biggest thing going, and I really didn't realize till years later because my heart was doing R & B and more funky kind of stuff and that's not what I was given... I was given After Dark. I love jazz too and people would be like I had no idea you could sing jazz because you did Disco. It's because Disco was light singing,it goes again with being pigeon holed. Look at Aretha Franklin when she did opera when she pulled off that opera Aria I mean if you have a voice and if your inclined to sing anything, you can do it.

I know you have worked with and probably toured with a lot of artists as well can you tell me who you really loved working with and was there anyone who you didn't shall we say "care for"?

They were all basically nice people. They all had their little quirky things that made them, them. Ann Margret was great. Helen Reddy was a aloof, but she had Jeff and she was into her own world. Donna was fine... she was funny, she had her daughter and all the crazy people around her at that time.

Have you ever performed at the Copa in ft Lauderdale?

I'm pretty sure I did. I was there when Divine was booked as well. I remember her and Mark Paul Simon the boy wonder of Casablanca that's what I call him.

The shows at The Copa were always so late... Who was Mark Paul Simon?, I mean what was his job title?

He was over the Disco part of the label and special promotions. I guess this was towards the end of the Disco era. He did get his own label called Earmark. So Mark would travel with me, he was over my show that featured all the songs from my albums and like you said before It was late, late at night. Here and Atlanta, San Francisco, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Well girl as the song states "The Freaks Come Out at night" "both Laughing." Did you like the movie Thank God it's Friday and did you get any royalties from it?

(A bit hesitant) Um yeah, when I look back at it, it was definitely timely you know for It's time. As for the royalties, let's not get into that.

As Jerry Springer would say: That's a whole different show (both laughing). If you could be transported back to any day of any year for any event, could you think of one that really stands out that you would LOVE to have a Deja Vu affair with?

Studio One, The one woman show there, that was my introduction to everybody... people from Motown... everybody was in the audience, Donna Summer was there. It was really a star studded evening. I really got to do my own show in California. Where "the Children" are as you say "me LMAO" The Studio One Back Lot. They had there own show area, they had fans with my picture on them. The tables had candles and there was thunder and fog I think I came out singing Love Shook so that to me was a highlight and it was written up and I got really good reviews.

You and Randy Crawford worked together if I'm not mistaken do you still keep in contact with Randy?

Yea, In fact we worked with Jaye P Morgan.
Jaye P was a wonderful singer. She was on Johnny Carson one night and she sang You Can't Hide Love and she did a jazz version of it it was fabulous.

I mean if she had you and Randy Crawford backing her she had to be good. If you girls were her backup I'm scared a her" lol... Are you still in contact with Randy?

No, I was in the store shopping one day and I heard someone say Pattie and I looked up and it ws Randy. She had been in Europe, she does a lot of stuff in Europe. And Jaye P, the last time I saw her was at the Catalina bar and grill it's a jazz spot here. Jaye P Morgan is the lady that taught me the most.

REALLY?

Yes, she didn't let ego get in the way, she let Randy have solo's and myself as well. She was that confident in herself that she wasn't worried about how we sang and that really taught me a lesson. I haven't heard from her in years, but I would love to.

How did you get your start in the music business, who do we have to thank for that?

Oh Boy, I'll break it down to you real fast. I saw an ad in the paper... there was this local coach Basia Maxwell. I was over here in Hollywood so I went to her because I was working as "get this" as a PBX operator "laughing" I went to see her and she said: "you need to be doing something right now." and Philamina Smight said there was an audition for the Smothers Brothers and I said what do you do on an audition. I had never been on one before. She said just go there and sing a song. Little did I know I go over to CBS and there's Nelson Riddle the famed musical director for Frank Sinatra and everybody else had his band down in his room and the guy who was doing the hiring for the show said just sing a song.

I sang one of my mothers favorite songs and he said smile, then he said "You're hired."
I went WHAT! and I imemdiatly quit my job and started working for the Smothers Brothers.
Then from there it snowballed into working with Henri Mancini and I was doing a lot of jingles and commercials on TV and radio.

Our Miss Brooks is a timeless enduring album, it's now a piece of music history. How happy are you that you went on that journey?

I'm very happy, it's my past. What's funny is I use to watch American Bandstand and I would say I'm going to be on this show... and lo and behold my path led me to American Bandstand so I really feel that everything I set out to do I have accomplished.

Not many people know that your daughter Yvette Barlowe was one of the Mary Jane Girls responsible for such hits as in My House and Wild and crazy Love. How proud of her are you?

Oh I'm so proud, because she was the youngest one and Rick "James" had called me and asked if she was ready and I said sure, try her out and see, Let her try it out and do it and let her spread her wings.

Last question, How do you keep yourself looking so young and sexy as us girls with inquiring minds want to know?

Keep the stress away, get plenty of sunlight, take care of your body and it will take care of you. Your body is a temple and treat it as such that's the key.

Pattie thank you so much I have had so much fun and learned allot as well.

Oh Dayna thank you as well and I cant wait to read it.

Pattie Brooks Related Links:

• Pattie Brooks at DiscoMusic.com


• Pattie Brooks official website


• Pattie Brooks at MySpace

About the author:
Dayna Newman is a disco enthusiast, former booking agent. She is also the creator of DVA Music, has done graphic work for many old school artists and proud member of DiscoMusic.com. A big thank you to Dayna for all her hard work and willingness to conduct and write this wonderful interview with Pattie Brooks. Of course a big thank you to Pattie for being so generous with her time.

Please link to this page using this URL:
http://www.discomusic.com/people-more/14193_0_11_0_C/

Posted by: Dayna*

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