PART ONE

THE UNITED KINGDOM
PRESENT DAY …

SEVENOAKS, KENT, ENGLAND … 8.15AM

IT’S RUSH HOUR AND PAUL (A 44 YEAR OLD ACCOUNTANT) IS DRIVING HIS NISSAN ASTRA (AT A CRAWL) TO THE OFFICE. HE TURNS ON THE WIRELESS. THE DIAL IS ALREADY ON SMOOTH FM “… AND THAT WAS ‘ARE YOU READY FOR LOVE’ BY ELTON JOHN”, THEN AN ANNOYING CAR INSURANCE AD BEGINS. HE HATES AUDIO SPAM SO HE SURFS FOR ANOTHER CHANNEL. THE SEARCH FINDS RADIO 2- IT’S IN MID SONG “… YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE SO HELPLESS TOO, AND YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DOOO HOOO,” HE TURNS IT UP “… COULD IT BE IM FALLING IN LOVE?” FORGETTIN WHERE HE IS FOR A SEC HE WAILS ALONG  “… WITCHA BABY!!!”

BARKING, LONDON, ENGLAND 8.16AM

THEO IS 3 DAYS FROM HIS 14TH BIRTHDAY; HE’S WALKING TO SCHOOL, LISTENING TO HIS BRUV’S IPOD (BORROWED WITHOUT PERMISSION). TRACK HE’S GOT ON IS NUMBER 4 ‘SAY SOMETHIN’ BY TALIB KWELI, BUT HE DOESN’T KNOW THE TITLE LET ALONE WHERE THE SAMPLE CAME FROM (‘THEME FROM LA’S TEAM’ BY THE THOM BELL ORCHESTRA).  

AT SCHOOL ALREADY AND KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR THEO IN THE PLAYGROUND IS ALYSSA, HER BFF HAS GOT HER BRIGHT PINK MOBILE PHONE PLAYING THE SUGABABES SONG ‘BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW’ … SINGING ALONG ALYSSA HOPES THEO SEE’S HER.

YOU, ME, PAUL, THEO & ALYSSA ALL HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON. EVERYONE ON THIS ISLAND DOES, NO MATTER WHAT AGE, WE ALL KNOW THE MUSIC OF THOM BELL. IT’S THERE EVERYDAY, ON RADIO’S, IN ADVERTS, PLAYING IN A SHOP & SAMPLED ON OUR FAVOURITE BLACK MUSIC TRACKS. YET SOMEHOW THOM BELL IS NOT A HOUSEHOLD NAME IN THE UK. SOMEHOW THE SWEET SOUL GENIUS PRODUCER, WRITER, ARRANGER & CONDUCTOR OF ARTISTS RANGING FROM THE DELFONICS TO THE STYLISTICS TO THE DETROIT SPINNERS TO JOHNNY MATHIS TO ELTON JOHN TO DIONNE WARWICK TO NEW YORK CITY, SOMEHOW THIS BLOKE IS NOT AS WELL KNOWN AS BURT BACHARACH, PHIL SPECTOR, GEORGE MARTIN, GAMBLE & HUFF, BRIAN WILSON OR HOLLAND, DOZIER, HOLLAND. IT’S NO ARGUMENT, HE’S EQUALLY AS TALENTED. SJP LOVES HIS MUSIC, IN FACT SO MUCH WHEN WE GOT THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO THE MASTER FROM HIS HOME IN WASHINGTON STATE, NR. THE CANADIAN BORDER (HE HAD JUST SPENT THE “WEEKEND” MOWING HIS LAWN) WE ALMOST RENAMED THE WEBSITE INHONOUROFTHOMBELL.COM

NOW IF U’R GONNA ALLOW US THE TIME TO TELL THE THOM BELL STORY … THERE’S A COUPLE OF THINGS YOU NEED TO DO.

1ST) GET COMFY,

2ND) MAKE YOURSELF A HOT CHOCOLATE OR POUR YOURSELF A GLASS OF WINE.

3RD) HAVE A SPINNERS OR STYLISTICS ‘BEST OF’ AT THE READY. YOU’LL NEED IT.... NOW OUR STORY BEGINS IN THE 40’S.

THE BEGINNING!
THOM PLAYING PIANO FOR GIRLS - “YOU SAW RIGHT THROUGH THAT IMMEDIATELY!”

THOMAS BELL DROPPED INTO THE WORLD IN 1943, IN KINGSTON - JAMAICA. HE WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAMILY RULES BEFORE HE’D EVEN STARTED SCHOOL. THERE WERE 3 OF ‘EM: 1) YOU HAD TO BE A MUSICIAN 2) YOU HAD TO BE AN ARTIST & 3) YOU HAD TO LEARN A TRADE.

“BEING A MUSICIAN WAS JUST APART OF GROWING UP IN MY FAMILY. ALL 10 OF US, MY MOTHER, FATHER, SISTERS & BROTHERS WERE ALL MUSICIANS. WITH 1 OF THE 3 RULES THEY WOULD HELP YOU THROUGHOUT YOUR LIFE, I CHOSE EARLY & GOT MY FIRST DRUM SET WHEN I WAS 4 ON CHRISTMAS DAY. ALL MY GRAND KIDS LAUGH NOW WHEN THEY SEE THAT PHOTO”

AS WELL AS CHOOSING DRUMS, LEARNING PIANO WAS COMPULSORY IN THE BELL HOUSE. “MY MOTHER SAID ‘YOU MUST ALSO PLAY THAT PIANO BECAUSE ALL OTHER INSTRUMENTS WILL COME EASY TO YOU IF YOU CAN PLAY THAT.’ THING IS YOU CAN USE ALL YOUR FINGERS & PLAY ALL THE NOTES ON A PIANO. WHEREAS OTHER INSTRUMENTS DON’T WORK LIKE THAT, TRUMPET YOU CAN ONLY PLAY WITH ONE HAND, GUITAR TWO HANDS BUT ONE FOR RHYTHM. THERE IS NO HARMONY WITH THE NOTES. BUT IF YOU LEARN TO MASTER THE PIANO THEN YOU ARE ABLE TO SEE THE WHOLE WORLD IN HARMONY.” AS BELL’S PLAYING GOT BETTER HE STARTED PERFORMING RECITALS BUT HE QUICKLY DISCOVERED IT WASN’T FOR HIM “I KEPT HEARING BRAHM & BEETHOVEN ONE WAY AND I WOULD LIKE TO DEVIATE!” SO A PROMISING CLASSICAL CAREER, PLAYING ALL OVER THE EAST COAST OF AMERICA AND AS AN ACCOMPANIST FOR HIS SISTER’S BALLET, WAS CUT SHORT. HE’D STILL ACCOMPANY HER AND BECAME IN DEMAND WITH HER FRIENDS “GIRLS WOULD ASK ME TO PLAY WHILST THEY DANCED. BUT PLAYING OTHER PEOPLES MUSIC WAS BORING.” SO WHY DID HE CONTINUE? MAYBE IT WAS NICE TO BE IN DEMAND WITH THE GIRLS? “AH THAT WAS VERY GOOD! (LAUGHS) YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD, YOU SAW RIGHT THROUGH THAT IMMEDIATELY!”
AT THAT TIME, IN HIS TEENS THOM WAS STRICTLY INTO HIS CLASSICAL MUSIC, THAT IS UNTIL HE HEARD A LIL’ FELLA CALLED ANTHONY GOURDINE.

“I REALLY DID NOT GET INTO R&B OR POP UNTIL LITTLE ANTHONY & THE IMPERIALS TEARS ON MY PILLOW THAT GRABBED ME & WOW I WAS HOOKED FROM THERE BOY!”
EVENTUALLY THOM WOULD WORK WITH LITTLE ANTHONY BUT FOR NOW HE WAS JUST STARTING OUT LIKE ANOTHER YOUNG PHILADELPHIAN R&B FAN, KENNY GAMBLE.

KENNY GAMBLE & TOMMY BELL!
“‘SOMEDAY’ SAID KENNY, ‘I’LL GET BY’ SAID TOMMY”

“KENNY WENT TO SCHOOL WITH MY SISTER, ONE NIGHT SHE WAS HELPING HIM WITH HIS HOMEWORK AT OUR HOUSE. I WAS HAVING MY PIANO LESSONS AT THE TIME AND HE CAME OVER AND INTRODUCED HIMSELF AS A SONGWRITER, HE SAID ‘MAYBE WE COULD GET TOGETHER SOMETIME?’

THAT WAS IT. I WAS 17 AT THE TIME AND HE WAS 16, A WEEK LATER WE SAT DOWN AT MY HOUSE AND STARTED WRITING.” INFLUENCED BY POP DUO DON & JUAN THEY FORMED A DUO CALLED KENNY & TOMMY, AND THE FIRST SONG THEY WROTE (& RELEASED ON HERITAGE) WAS THE DOO WOP SOUL SONG SOMEDAY WITH THE EQUALLY DOO WOP SHOO WOPP’D I’LL GET BY FOLLOWING NOT LONG AFTER. “I TELL YOU WE WERE GONNA BE SINGERS BOY!” (LAUGHS)

TOGETHER THEY CONTINUED SINGING IN CLUBS AT NIGHTIME, FOR BELL SOMEWHAT RELUCTANTLY “I CHOSE TO BE A PIANIST, THE SINGING THING WAS JUST AN IDEA FOR ME BUT GAMBLE WANTED TO BE A SINGER SO OFF HE WENT AND I CARRIED ON PLAYING PIANO!  SINGING WOULD HELP ME AS A WRITER LATER ON. IT WORKS BETTER IF YOU’RE ABLE TO SING THE SONG TO THE ARTIST. BECAUSE IM A TENOR IVE HAD MY MOST SUCCESS WITH TENORS, LIKE THE DELFONICS & THE STYLISTICS, I SING IN THAT KEY SO IT’S MUCH EASIER FOR ME & THEM. IT’S HARDER FOR A WRITER/PRODUCER TO EXPLAIN A SONG (IF THEY CAN’T SING) BECAUSE A NOTE ON AN INSTRUMENT CAN BE HEARD DIFFERENTLY. BUT WHEN I’D SING IT TO AN ARTIST LIKE LOU RAWLS OR JOHNNY MATHIS THEY’D SAY ‘HELL YEAH I GOT IT’ STRAIGHT AWAY!” BELL STARTED PLAYING PROFESSIONALLY AT THE BIG THEATRES, THE UPTOWN, THE REGAL, THE HOWARD & THE HARLEM APOLLO.  PLAYING BEHIND THE DELLS, SAM COOKE, THE BLUENOTES, SOLOMON BURKE, JERRY BUTLER & ALSO A GROUP FROM DETROIT CALLED THE SPINNERS. AS A GIGGING THEATRE MUSICIAN BELL LEARN’T THE ROPES QUICKLY “IF YOU PLAYED A WRONG NOTE ON STAGE OR THE WRONG TEMPO THEN YOU WOULDN’T GET PAID!”  GAINING HIS PLAYING CHOPS AT THAT TIME THOM STUDIED EVERY TYPE OF MUSIC INCLUDING GOSPEL, JAZZ & BEBOP, BUT AS THE EARLY 60’S GOT GOING IT WAS GETTING TOUGHER TO PAY THE MORTGAGE. “WHEN I WAS 22, GAMBLE & I WERE SINGING AND PLAYING AT NIGHTIME. HE WAS SAYING “IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE IM GOING TO GET ANYWHERE” AND YOU KNOW SOMETIMES SOME PEOPLE WANT TO GET THERE A LITTLE FASTER THAN OTHERS. I FELT THAT I WAS GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL BUT YOU CANT RUSH SUCCESS OR RUSH FAILURE. FAILURE COMES IN ITS OWN GOOD TIME & SO DOES SUCCESS. SO I SAID TO MY WIFE “WELL IM GONNA KEEP ON TIL IM 25, IN 3 YEARS AND IF I DON’T DO SOMETHING BY THAT TIME I’LL QUIT AND GO ON AND DO SOMETHING ELSE.”

SO WAS THE MISSUS GIVING HIM GRIEF AT HOME? “OH YEAH! SHE FELT SHE WANTED MORE. BUT EVEN THEN I HAD A HOUSE BUT I DIDN’T HAVE A CAR BECAUSE I DIDN’T DRIVE. QUINCY JONES & I USED TO LAUGH BECAUSE NEITHER ONE OF US DROVE.  MY 2ND WIFE TAUGHT ME TO DRIVE LATER ON BUT BACK THEN MY FIRST WIFE THOUGHT I SHOULD BE MAKING MORE MONEY. THAT WAS BEFORE I EVEN HAD ANY CHILDREN!”

BUT SUCCESS WAS NOT FAR AWAY “BEFORE MY 25TH BIRTHDAY I HAD MY FIRST NUMBER 1 SONG. THAT WAS 1968. THE SONG WAS LA LA MEANS I LOVE YOU BY THE DELFONICS.

THE DELFONICS ERA & BECOMING A PRODUCER!
“WE DIDN’T HAVE MONEY TO GET AN ORCHESTHRA … SO I DID IT MYSELF”

THOM TOOK A JOB AS A STUDIO MUSICIAN AT CAMEO PARKWAY, WHO WERE RIDING HIGH WITH CHUBBY CHECKER & BOBBY RYDELL AT THE TIME. HOWEVER A NEW COMPANY WAS MAKING ITS PRESENCE FELT.

“MOTOWN WAS KICKING EVERYBODY’S BACKSIDE SO THEY FOUND OUT ONE OF THE SECRETS OF MOTOWN WAS HAVING A STUDIO BAND. INTIALLY MY JOB AT CAMEO WAS AS A LEAD SHEET WRITER, BUT THEY FIGURED THAT MOTOWN WAS A BLACK COMPANY, WITH A BLACK RHYTHM SECTION SO THEY LOOKED AROUND IN THE BUILDING TO SEE WHO WAS BLACK & ALSO A MUSICIAN! SO THEY ASKED ME “CAN YOU START A RHYTHM SECTION?” AND I SAID “OF COURSE I CAN!” BUT I DIDN’T KNOW THE FIRST THING ABOUT BEING A STUDIO MUSICIAN. SO I PUT THE BAND TOGETHER & WE PLAYED FOR CURTIS MAYFIELD & BARBRA STREISAND. AT THIS POINT THE COMPANY WASN’T DOING VERY WELL, SALES WERE LOW. I WAS THERE FOR A SATURDAY AUDITION AND A MAN (STAN WATSON) BROUGHT IN A GROUP CALLED ‘THE 5 GUYS’. THEY ASKED ME “CAN YOU PRODUCE RECORDS?” AGAIN I SAID “SURE I CAN” BUT OF COURSE I COULDN’T. BUT I FIGURED I’D LEARN. RENAMED THE DELFONICS AT FIRST I CHOPPED THEM DOWN TO 3, BECAUSE 1 REALLY COULDN’T SING AND THE OTHER WAS GOING INTO THE ARMY. I CONVINCED THE GUITAR PLAYER TO STOP PLAYING (HE WASN’T VERY GOOD) AND I TOLD HIM TO SING LEAD INSTEAD.”
THE GUITARIST WAS WILLIAM HART AND HE WAS A WRITER TOO “TOGETHER WE CAME UP WITH HE DON’T REALLY LOVE YOU. BUT WHEN I TOOK HIM INTO THE STUDIO WE DIDN’T HAVE ANY MONEY TO PAY FOR STRING PLAYERS & AN ORCHESTHRA SO I PLAYED MOST OF THE INSTRUMENTS MYSELF.” UNHEARD OF AT THE TIME, THE INSTRUMENTS THOM OVERDUBBED INCLUDED TIMPANI, PIANO, A CELESTE AND ORCHESTHRA BELLS. EAT YOUR HEART OUT PRINCE. THOUGH CONSTANT OVERDUBBING GIVES THE SONG ‘HE DON’T REALLY LOVE YOU’ A GARAGE SOUL FEEL, THE CATCHY CHORUS IS A TASTER FOR THE SONGS TO COME. ANOTHER SONG THOM PRODUCED CALLED RAIN BY THE FOUR LARKS DISPLAYS THE MAJOR INFLUENCE OF THE TIME, AS THOM ADMITS “MOTOWN WAS THE HOTTEST THING OUT THERE & THAT’S WHAT PEOPLE WANTED. BEST OF ALL WAS SMOKEY ROBINSON, YOU LISTEN TO HIS LYRICS “LIKE A SNOWBALL ROLLING DOWN A HILL … IT’S GROWING” HE WAS FANTASTIC. ALOT OF THINGS INFLUENCE YOU AND IT SOUNDS SIMILAR UNTIL YOU START PUTTING THINGS IN & TAKING THINGS OUT AND HONING IT TO WHERE YOU WANT IT.” ONE OF THE THINGS THOM “PUT IN” WAS THE TENOR/FALSETTO VOCALS THAT WERE A SIGNATURE OF THE EARLY 60’S PHILLY SOUND ON CUTS LIKE THIS IS MAGIC BY THE BALLADS.

“OH YEAH – WE HAD DONNIE ELBERT TOO AND LITTLE JOE WHO SANG PEANUTS THOSE TENORS WERE SYNONOMOUS WITH PHILADELPHIA.”

ENCOURAGED BY THE RESULTS OF THE DEBUT AND A 2ND SONG CALLED YOU’VE BEEN UNTRUE STAN WATSON THEN FORMED THE PHILLY GROOVE LABEL AND WITH BACKING FOR A FULLER PRODUCTION THE DELFONICS & THOM CRANKED OUT THEIR BIG HIT RECORD CALLED LA LA MEANS I LOVE YOU. THE DRUM FILL SAYS IT ALL, GARAGE BAND SOUL OVER LUSH INSTRUMENTATION, SIMPLY ONE OF THE MOST DEVASTATINGLY ROMANTIC SONGS EVER MADE.

THE SESSION PLAYERS – MFSB!
“WE DIDN’T GET INTO BLACK, WHITE, PINK & GREEN - ONLY WHO COULD PLAY!”

BELL WENT ON TO PRODUCE 3 COMPLETE ALBUMS FOR THE DELFONICS, WITH A HIT ON EACH LP, IN THE PROCESS CREATING A SWEET LUSH SOUL SOUND UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE ON THE HOT 100. ONE OF THE TRADEMARK PRODUCTION TOUCHES THAT WOULD GRACE BELL’S BEST SOUL SONGS OF THE ERA WAS HIS USE OF THE SITAR, TURNED FROM AN EAST INDIAN INSTRUMENT PREVIOUSLY ONLY USED SPARINGLY IN PSYCHADELIC POPULAR MUSIC TO A SWEET SOUL SIREN, PLAYED MOSTLY BY GUITARIST BOBBY ELI (MOST OF THE SESSION PLAYERS AT THIS TIME USED BY GAMBLE, HUFF & BELL WOULD FORM THE NUCLEUS OF PHILLY BAND & LATER 70'S HITMAKERS MFSB), WHERE DID THE INSPIRATION COME FROM? “IT CAME FROM GEORGE MARTIN, THE BEATLES, RAVI SHANKAR & I LISTENED TO EAST INDIAN, GREEK & RUSSIAN MUSIC AND THEY USE A GUITAR CALLED THE BALALAIKA (*WE HAD TO GOOGLE THE SPELLING) SOUND IS WHAT AFFECTED ME … SOUND. WORDS DON’T DO ANYTHING FOR ME BUT SOUND DOES. SOUND IS WHAT TURNS ME ON. WHEN YOU’RE RAISED AND BROUGHT UP IN THE ENVIROMENT OF AN OBOE, OR A BASSON, AN ACCORDION OR AN ENGLISH HORN, THAT WOULD BE HOW YOU HEAR IT. IF ANOTHER PERSON IS BROUGHT UP WITH GUITAR AND STEEL GUITAR, THEY GONNA USE THAT. ALOT OF R&B RECORDS MADE IN NASHVILLE BY JOE TEX AND JOE SIMON. THEY WERE CUT WITH NASHVILLE/COUNTRY MUSICIANS, THEY WERE WORKING WITH WHITE MUSICIANS. OUR RHYTHM SECTION IN PHILADELPHIA HAD BOB BABBIT (JAMES JAMERSONS BASS UNDERSTUDY AT MOTOWN), BOBBY ELI, BILL NEALE, AND TJ TINDALL. WE DIDN’T GET INTO BLACK, WHITE, PINK & GREEN WE ONLY GOT INTO WHO COULD PLAY!”

ASIDE FROM EARLY ATTEMPTS BY GAMBLE & HUFF TO INCLUDE THE SITAR IN SOUL WITH MIXED RESULTS ON THE DRELLS HERE I GO AGAIN & JERRY BUTLER’S CLOSE TO YOU LOVE (AND A SUCCESSFUL MID-TEMPO DAN PENN PRODUCTION CRY LIKE A BABY BY BLUE EYED SOULSTERS THE BOX TOPS) HOW DID BELL IMAGINE THAT IT WOULD FIT ON A LUSH SOUL RECORD?

“WE USED TO TRY THINGS TO SEE IF IT WOULD WORK. GEORGE MARTIN WAS A FANTASTIC ARRANGER/PRODUCER BECAUSE HE COMES FROM A CLASSICAL END BUT APPLIED IT DIFFERENTLY (TO POP) AND HE WORKED EXTREMELY WELL WITH THE BEATLES AND ONE OF THE GREAT TUNES WAS ELEANOR RIGBY – THAT STRING QUARTET HE USED ON THAT, PLAYING THE PICATO LINE (HE SINGS) “DUUM DUUM DUUM DUUM” AND MARTIN ARRANGED CONTRARY MOTION LINES GOING WITH HIS VIOLAS AND THAT WAS SOMETHING ELSE BOY! THAT CAME FROM HIS CLASSICAL BACKGROUND. THE THINGS I DID CAME FROM MY BACKGROUND TOO.” THE PICATO ARRANGEMENT IS USED TO GREAT EFFECT ON THE DRAMATIC NURSERY RHYME SOUL OF READY OR NOT HERE I COME (LATER COVERED BY THE FUGEES). IN 1970 BELL DID A FINAL ALBUM ON THE DELFONICS, INCLUDING ANOTHER OF SOUL’S FINEST VOCAL HARMONY GROUP CUTS DIDN’T I BLOW YOUR MIND THIS TIME (THE SONG IS THE SWEETEST REVENGE EVER ON RECORD) BUT AFTER LP #3 PHILLY GROOVE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH DISTRIBUTION, BELL EXPLAINS “SO I DECIDED THAT’S IT! ALL I WANT TO DO NOW IS BE AN ARRANGER”

1970 BELL THE ARRANGER!
“YOU CAN’T MAKE CHICKEN SALAD FROM CHICKEN MANURE”

WHILST BELL WAS ENJOYING SUCCESS KENNY GAMBLE & NEW WRITING PARTNER LEON HUFF HAD FORMED A FORMIDABLE PARTNERSHIP, GETTING HITS ON THEIR OWN ACT THE INTRUDERS (COWBOYS TO GIRLS)AND BALANCING THAT WITH AN OUTSIDE PRODUCTIONS ON THE SOUL SURVIVORS (EXPRESSWAY TO YOUR HEART) & ARCHIE BELL & THE DRELLS. EVENTUALLY THEY GAVE BELL A CALL.

“IN ORDER TO BE A PROFICIENT ARRANGER I HAD TO GET EXPERIENCE SO GAMBLE & HUFF HAD JUST STARTED TO DO A LOT OF WORK WITH JERRY BUTLER (ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE), THE O’JAYS (ONE NIGHT AFFAIR), WILSON PICKETT (DON’T LET THE GREEN GRASS FOOL YOU) & DUSTY SPRINGFIELD (A BRAND NEW ME) SO THEY ASKED ME TO COME OVER AND GIVE THEM A HELPING HAND AT WRITING ARRANGEMENTS. SO WHAT I DID WAS LEND THEM SOMETHING TO WHAT THEY WERE DOING. THAT WOULD TAKE THEM FROM ONE THING AND SMOOTH THEM OUT AND I COULD HELP IT GET ONTO THE POP STATIONS AS WELL AS THE R&B STATIONS, SO I WENT OVER TO THEM AND IN 1970 I WORKED WITH THEM FULL TIME.”

ON BELL’S ARRANGEMENT OF A BRAND NEW ME HE PROVIDES THE AMAZING MELODIC KEYBOARD LINE PLAYED JUST BEHIND THE BEAT … WHERE DOES THE ARRANGERS JOB STOP AND THE PRODUCERS BEGIN?

“A SONG CAN GO IN 200 DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS BUT ALL YOU DO IS WRITE THE MUSIC ONTO THE PAGE, ARRANGE THE (INSTRUMENTAL) PARTS AND THEN YOU’RE OUT. BUT A PRODUCER DOES THE RHYTHM, THE VOICES, THE STRINGS THE PRODUCER PUTS THE WHOLE THING TOGETHER. YOU CAN DO IT A NUMBER OF WAYS. AS AN ARRANGER YOU CAN MESS UP A SONG TOO. IF WHAT YOU’RE WRITING IS COMPLETELY LEFT OF WHAT THE SONG IS DOING YOU’RE GONNA MESS UP AND THEY ARE GONNA GET RID OF YOU. EVENTUALLY AT NEPTUNE/PIR I DIDN’T HAVE THE TIME TO DO IT ANYMORE, BOBBY MARTIN (ANOTHER PHILLY LEGEND, MOST NOTABLY PRODUCING THE MANHATTANS) AND I WERE THE MAIN ARRANGERS BUT WE DIDN’T HAVE THE TIME BECAUSE WE WERE PRODUCING MORE. OTHER GUYS CAME IN JACK FAITH, ROLAND CHAMBERS, RICHIE ROME, BOBBY ELI & DEXTER WANSEL. A LOT OF THEM STARTED WRITING ARRANGEMENTS – BUT THERE ARE ARRANGERS AND THERE ARE ARRANGERS. JUST BECAUSE YOU WRITE IT DOWN IT DOESN’T MEAN IT’S GONNA FIT. AND VICE VERSA FOR THE SONG IF THAT’S NOT RIGHT ALL THE ARRANGEMENTS IN THE WORLD WERENT GOING TO HELP IT – YOU CANNOT MAKE CHICKEN SALAD OUT OF CHICKEN MANURE!” BELL WOULD GO ON TO ARRANGE MANY SOUL KILLERS INCLUDING I MISS YOU FOR HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUENOTES, BACKSTABBERS BY THE O’JAYS (BELL SAID TO GAMBLE & HUFF “GIVE ME AT 8 MORE BARS AT THE FRONT & I’LL GIVE YOU A NEW BEGINNING” THE INTRO TO BACKSTABBERS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST MOMENTS IN 70’S SOUL), DROWNING IN THE SEA OF LOVE JOE SIMON, I CANT STOP DANCING ARCHIE BELL & THE DRELLS, IT’S THE SAME OLD LOVE THE COURTSHIP & JOE NANCY WILSON.

THE STYLISTICS!
“CREED I GOT IT, LET’S GO”

“I SAID I WAS ONLY GONNA DO ARRANGING FOR A YEAR OR SO … BUT IN 1971 AVCO RECORDS CALLED ME” HIT PRODUCTION DUO HUGO & LUIGI (SAM COOKE & DELLA REESE) LEFT RCA AND STARTED THE AVCO LABEL FINANCED BY THE AVCO EMBASSY MOTION PICTURE COMPANY. THEY HAD PICKED UP DISTRIBUTION ON A LOCAL HIT OUT OF PHILADELPHIA CALLED YOU’RE A BIG GIRL NOW BY A GROUP CALLED THE STYLISTICS, BELL PICKS UP THE STORY...

“THEY SENT THE PRODUCERS OF THAT SONG INTO THE STUDIO TO DO A FOLLOW UP AND THEY COULDN’T DO IT. SO NOW THEY’RE IN BAD SHAPE, THAT’S WHEN THEY GOT IN TOUCH WITH ME.” SOMEONE HAD TOLD THEM ABOUT A HOTSHOT PRODUCER CALLED THOM BELL WHO HAD PRODUCED THE DELFONICS “I SAID “LET ME LISTEN TO THEM!” AND I LISTENED TO RUSSELL THOMPKINS JR, AIRON LOVE AND HERB MURRELL AND I FELT I COULD A JOB WITH THEM. RUSSELL’S VOICE REALLY SET MY CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING. SO THEY SET THE DEAL AND THEN WE STARTED. THE FIRST SONG I DID WITH THEM WAS STOP LOOK AND LISTEN.  WE COULD ONLY DO THREE SIDES BECAUSE HUGO AND LUIGI DIDN’T WANT TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY WITH STRINGS AND HORNS BUT YET THAT WAS MY SOUND!  I TOLD THEM “LOOK IF YOU DON’T HAVE ANY MONEY THEN YOU DON’T WANT ME TO PRODUCE BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I DO!”” BUT NOT LONG AFTER ‘STOP LOOK LISTEN’ WAS HIT THEY GOT THEIR CHEQUE BOOKS OUT AND SAID TO ME “OK MAN WE WANT YOU TO DO AN ALBUM”. THE RESULT IS THE SELF TITLED STYLISTICS DEBUT RECORD & ONE OF THE GREATEST EVER SOUL GROUP HARMONY ALBUMS.

THOM BELL & LINDA CREED’S WRITING ROOM AT 309 BROAD STREET, PHILLY (COURTESY OF NELSON GEORGE)

THE LOVE & PEACE DREAM WAS OVER IN 1971 & AMERICA WAS WAKING UP FROM AN ALMIGHTY 60’S SIZED HANGOVER, MARVIN HAD BROUGHT OUT WHATS GOING ON & SLY ANSWERED IN A SLUR THERE’S A RIOT GOIN’ ON, SO IT'S FITTING THAT THE SENSITIVE STYLISTICS COMMENT ON THE TIMES PEOPLE MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND IS DELIVERED LIKE 2 NEIGHBOURS TALKING WITH CONCERN OVER THE GARDEN FENCE. COUNTRY LIVING TAKES YOU TO WHERE THE “AIR IS FRESH AND CLEAN” & IF I LOVE YOU ADDS THE VOCAL TO WOMACKS ‘BREEZIN’ (LATER A HIT FOR GEORGE BENSON) THAT THE SONG SHOULD HAVE HAD. THE ALBUM HERALDED THE ARRIVAL OF BELL’S NEW SONGWRITING PARTNER. LINDA CREED FIRST STARTED PUTTING WORDS TO BELL’S MUSIC ON THE DUSTY SPRINGFIELD RECORDING FREE GIRL (BELL SAID OF DUSTY “I REALLY WANTED TO GRAB DUSTY SPRINGFIELD TO PRODUCE MYSELF BUT GAMBLE & HUFF HAD HER FOR ‘DUSTY IN PHILADELPHIA’. WHEN SHE CAME BACK, GAMBLE SAID “LISTEN MAN I NEED A SONG FOR DUSTY WOULD YOU WRITE ONE FOR HER?” THAT WAS ‘FREE GIRL’.” DUSTY WAS A NICE LADY BUT SHE NEVER STOOD UP FOR HERSELF, SHE WOULD ALWAYS WORK TO SATISFY YOU, EVEN IF SHE KNEW IT WAS WRONG”). THE BELL/CREED TEAM UP WAS DYNAMITE. LINDA CREED’S EMOTIONAL, ROMANTIC & INNOCENT LYRICS PERFECTLY COMPLIMENTING BELL’S MELODIC COMPOSITIONS. 2 SONGS CAPTURE THE MAGIC PERFECTLY, THE DROP DEAD GORGEOUS BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW, ORIGINALLY WRITTEN FOR CONNIE STEVENS - CONNIE'S LABEL THOUGHT THE TITLE TOO CORNY AND RELEASED IT UNDER KEEP GROWING STRONG (COMPLETELY MISUNDERSTANDING THE LYRIC IN THE PROCESS, BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW IS LIKE A FANTASY OUT TO CAPTURE THAT THUNDERBOLT MOMENT, THE "BLOODY HELL SHE'S FIT" FEELING) - & ANOTHER INCREDIBLE SONG. BELL DESCRIBES HOW THE LATTER CALLED YOU ARE EVERYTHING CAME TOGETHER;

“CREED AND I WE WERE ODD WRITERS. IF WE SAT DOWN AND DIDN’T HAVE ANY IDEAS WE COULDN’T WRITE ANYTHING. OTHER WRITERS WOULD GO TO THE BAR AND DRINK SOME WHISKEY OR TAKE SOME DOPE BUT WE WERENT INTO THAT. WE WERE STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN SQUARE PEOPLE. WHAT WE WOULD IS WE WOULD GET OUT AND WALK AROUND. I ALWAYS FELT THAT THE WAY YOU WROTE IS “WHAT YOU FELT, SMELT OR DEALT” (LAUGHS) OR TO EXPLAIN; WHAT WAS DONE TO YOU, WAS DONE TO SOMEONE ELSE OR YOU DID TO SOMEBODY!  SO WE GOT OUT AND WALKED A FEW BLOCKS AWAY, WE WERE CROSSING THE STREET AND THERE WAS THIS GUY COMING IN MY DIRECTION WHO KEPT LOOKING AROUND AT AN INDIVIDUAL, WHEN THE TRAFFIC STOPPED AND THE LIGHTS CHANGED HE’S OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET STILL LOOKING AROUND AT THIS PERSON. THE DRIVERS WERE HONKING HORNS “GET OUT OF THE STREET YOU BUMS WHAT ARE YOU LAZY DRUNK OR SOMETHING?!” BUT THIS GUY WAS MESMIRIZED SO HE WENT BACK TO THIS PERSON AND HE’S RIGHT BY ME NOW, IM WATCHING HIM ALL THE TIME AND HE SAYS “MISS, MISS, YOO WHOO, MISS?” SHE SAID “YES?” AND HE SAID “OH IM SORRY I THOUGHT YOU WERE SOMEBODY ELSE” AND HE COULD NOT BELIEVE IT WAS NOT WHO HE THOUGHT IT WAS. I SAID “CREED I GOT IT, LET’S GO!” WE WENT BACK TO THE OFFICE AND I WROTE “TODAY I SAW SOMEBODY, WHO LOOKED JUST LIKE YOU. WALKED LIKE YOU DO, I THOUGHT IT WAS YOU, AS SHE TURNED THE CORNER I CALLED OUT YOUR NAME … I FELT SO ASHAMED WHEN IT WASN’T YOU”. THAT WAS MY LYRIC AND THAT’S HOW THAT SONG CAME ABOUT. WE WROTE FROM THINGS WE ACTUALLY SAW AND WE ACTUALLY DID. FELT, SMELT OR DEALT!”

THOM REHEARSING THE STYLISTICS!

THE 2ND ALBUM ROUND TWO FEATURED THE EXCELLENT BREAK UP 2 MAKE UP, BUT UNUSUALLY BELL & CREED WERE JOINED ON THE WRITING CREDITS BY KENNY GAMBLE.

“CREED AND I WERE WORKING SO HARD THAT SOMETHING ON THE 2ND VERSE OF BREAK UP 2 MAKE UP JUST WASN’T COMING OUT RIGHT (STARTS TO SING) “WHEN I COME HOME FROM WORKIN’ YOUR ON THE PHONE … TALKIN BOUT HOW BAD I TREAT YOU NOW TELL ME I’M WRONG” THAT WAS KENNY’S LINE SO HE GOT 10%! (LAUGHS) THAT WAS THE ONLY TIME THAT WE WERE STUCK AND I SAID LET ME GO FIND GAMBLE. HE’S A VERY REAL WRITER – HE WRITES FROM THE SOUL, I ALWAYS SAY THAT HE’S AN URBAN WRITER BUT I’M A RURAL WRITER!” BEING SO CLOSE TO GAMBLE WERE THEY EVER COMPETITIVE ABOUT THE MUSIC THEY PRODUCED? “WE NEVER HAD COMPETITION – IT WAS ALL FUN AND BUSINESS. WE LOVED WHAT WE WERE DOING. WE SET UP THE PUBLISHING COMPANY MIGHTY THREE MUSIC TOGETHER (GAMBLE, HUFF AND I) AND OWNED THE REAL ESTATE AT BROAD STREET (THE PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL OFFICES) AND THE STUDIO (SIGMA). WHEREAS GAMBLE AND HUFF OWNED PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL RECORDS BECAUSE I NEVER WANTED TO OWN A RECORDING COMPANY BECAUSE THAT IS A LOT OF WORK! I WANTED TO DEVOTE MOST OF MY TIME TO PRODUCTION. WE FELT IT WAS ALL THE SOUND OF PHILADELPHIA SO I DID ALL THE OUTSIDE PRODUCTION – THEY DID THE IN-HOUSE STUFF I DID THE OUTHOUSE STUFF. WITH THE IN-HOUSE I DID 60% OF THEIR ARRANGEMENTS AND PLAYED ABOUT 60/70% AT THE STUDIO ON THE O’JAYS, BLUENOTES, BILLY PAUL, 3 DEGREES & MFSB … ALL OF THEM. I WAS THE ORGAN AND PIANO PLAYER ALONG WITH HUFF AND SO WE REGARDED IT AS ALL PHILADELPHIA. IT MADE IT FUN THAT WAY BECAUSE IT MEANT WE CONTROLLED WHAT CAME OUT OF OUR END OF PHILADELPHIA.”

THOM CONTINUED TO HAVE PRODUCTION SUCCESS WITH THE STYLISTICS ON IM STONE IN LOVE WITH YOU, PEEK A BOO & YOU MAKE ME FEEL BRAND NEW BUT IT WAS TIME TO MOVE ON … “IN ’72 I STARTED GETTING BORED AGAIN! EVERYONE ELSE WAS DOING FAST STUFF AND I WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE COUNTRY DOING SLOW STUFF (LAUGHS).” AFTER SO MANY HIT RECORDS YOU’D THINK BELL WAS IN DEMAND AS A PRODUCER... YOU’D THINK. “I FOUND THAT WHAT HAPPENS IS THE ORIGINATOR SOUNDS LIKE THE IMITATOR. WHEN YOU DO WELL EVERYONE COPIES YOU AND IN THE END YOU DON’T KNOW WHO DID IT ORIGINALLY BECAUSE EVERYONE IS DOING IT NOW. WHEN THE DELFONICS WERE DOING WELL THEN CAME THE CHI-LITES OUT OF CHICAGO. EUGENE RECORD WAS VERY GOOD. HE WAS A REAL NICE GUY TOO. I THOUGHT HE DID A GREAT JOB WITH HAVE YOU SEEN HER, BUT IT WAS ALL FUSED FROM WHAT I HAD DONE JUST LIKE WHAT I DID WAS FUSED FROM WHAT OTHERS HAD DONE. THERE WAS ALSO THE WHATNAUTS OUT OF JERSEY, THE MOMENTS JERSEY, AND BLACK IVORY OUT OF WASHINGTON. BUT THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU’RE DOING WELL AND PEOPLE LIKE WHAT YOU DO – THEY GONNA COPY YOU JUST LIKE I COPIED OTHERS, I MAY NOT HAVE REALIZED WHERE’D I GOTTEN IT BUT ITS LIKE A MARATHON AND YOU JUST KEEP ON HANDING OVER THE BATON.” IN 1972 BELL PRODUCED THE MASSIVE HIT STOMPING BEAT DRIVEN  IM DOIN FINE NOW ON THE GROUP NAMED NEW YORK CITY (HE WOULD GO ON TO PRODUCE 1 AND HALF ALBUMS FOR THE GROUP – WITHOUT EVER REACHING THE PEAK OF THEIR DEBUT HIT) SIGNALLING A CHANGE IN THE TEMPO OF HIS PRODUCTIONS BUT IT WAS ANOTHER GROUP THAT HE WAS REALLY AFTER … 

TO BE CONTINUED!!!
IN PART 2 THOM’S WORK WITH THE SPINNERS, JOHNNY MATHIS & ELTON JOHN! DON’T MISS IT (A CLICK AWAY … HERE)