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Discussing the Diaspora as seen through an internal Black lens
Babyface: The PlayList Of A Legend
March 3rd, 2008
My interiew, Friday before last with Babyface as published in this weeks Nashville Pride (well, minus some of the multimedia stuff that you obvioulsy can’t put in a hardcopy newspaper)
There’s one thing that artist like Whitney Houston, Karen White, Boyz II Men, Bobby Brown, and Tony Braxton have in common – multiple hit records written and or produced by Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds.
There were times in the early 90s where when you thought of certain artist, you automatically thought of Babyface; as his signature graced many a classic soul record to be. With musical partner such as Darryl Simons and L.A. Reid, he crafted a name for himself as the man to go see for quality hit music, and continues a nearly 3 decade long legacy of hit making, this all the while crafting his own multi-platinum recording career.
I’m a child of the 80s, and like others of our multi-talented multi-musical icons such as Prince and Michael Jackson, Babyface is approaching decade number 5. But Babyface’s road to legend was not as direct as the 2 aforementioned.
He didn’t have his first solo hit song nor album until his 30s. He emerged out of Indianapolis with funk and soul Manchild in the 70s, scoring a modest hit with “Especially for You” in 1977. As the band disbanded at the end of the decade, the multi-musician, Babyface found new success as a songwriter and arranger.
In 1983 he scored his first major songwriting hit “Slow Jam” for Midnight Star and then in 1987 giving temporary resurgence to 70s/early 80s soul group the Whispers by penning “Rock Steady”.
By this time he had formed the R&B group The Deele which included L.A. Ried on the drums. They hit pay dirt throughout the 80s with such songs as “Body Talk” “Shoot ‘Em Up Movies” and “Two Occasions”
The Song “Two Occasions” I thought was cleverly referenced in Mariah Carey’s 2005 hit “We Belong Together” singing “and then I hear Babyface, I only think of you as breaking my hear”. If you 80s R&B you get, if not, it’s okay.
[Check out Babyface on the keyboards in his Beddazler outfit and open shirt – ha ha ha]
After writing and producing some 70 top 10 hit, and releasing 7 solo studio albums of original music, Babyface brings us “Playlist”. Babyface is now touring in support of the project.
“Playlist” was released in late 2007 and contains 8 classic folk-rock songs from Edmunds youth, along with two new personal pieces.
Fret not though; if your looking to be wooed by appeals to “The Cool In You” or flattery of your “Whip Appeal”, Babyface will not only be playing the joints on his new release; but a wide array of his classic material. I checked with his tour promoter Adensia Dowers to be sure.
The reinterpreted tracks on “Playlist” include “Wonderful Tonight” (Eric Clapton); “Shower the People” and “Fire and Rain” (James Taylor); “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” (Bob Dylan); “Please Come To Boston” (Dave Loggins); “Longer” (Dan Fogelberg); “Time in a Bottle” (Jim Croce), and “Diary” (Bread).
Edmonds told me via phone last Friday that this “record was done from songs that inspired me to play guitar.” He speaks of the fond memories he has of this play list of some of his personal favorites. I asked him would it be fair to classify this album as an acoustic album, and he agreed.
While one may find this type of folk-rock a departure from Babyface’s R&B style; as he notes, “Playlist” follows the sound tradition of one of his biggest solo hits, “When Will I See You Again”, an acoustic gem. And why would we be surprised that a multi-instrumental musician who has produced music from the likes of Gladys Knight to TLC to Madonna to Fall Out Boy would have both the desire and capacity to musically expand his wings onto broader horizons. “I like all kinds of music” he told me, “I think everyone else should too”.
The album also contains two new songs, “Not Going Nowhere” and “The Solider Song”. The first is a heart felt reassuring tune for his children regarding his stance in their lives despite divorce from their mother, and the second inspired by a friend’s child serving in Iraq.
Babyface told me that L.A. Reid, who is the Chairman Island Def Jam Music Group, wanted him to have new music on the album, while Edmonds himself didn’t initially plan to. He said he didn’t want to just do ballads; but something inspiring, in tune with the rest of the album. “You can’t just sit down and write a classic” he explained, “so I just wanted to do something that was meaningful to me”.
I wanted to know how he comes about songwriting, by sitting down and just writing something, or do things just come by inspirations (a requisite question for all great song writes), “both ways” he responded. Sometimes it comes from inspiration, and sometimes “I just sit down to write for that purpose right then”.
Oh, and as for L.A. Reid, the two band mates turned golden goose production team, turned successful co-label owners of LaFace Records are working together again….well, sort of. As stated above Reid is Chairman Island Def Jam Music. In having brought Babyface to the label Edmunds says Reid convinced him it would be a good situation because “it’s great to have someone who believes in your music”. Who could be a greater believe than Reid who was there for much of the magic.
But if you’re hoping to see the combo bang out new tracks together, it’s not happening. Babyface says he’s broached Reid about producing together again over the last couple of years, but that Reid has no desire to get back into producing.
You can listen and watch clips of his new music from “Playlist” at Babyfacemusic.com
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Yobachi Boswell is creator and publisher of BlackPerspecitve.net. I’m a writer, activist and political watcher based in Nashville, Tennessee. I’ve also been know to do some spoken word and MCing in my day.
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Babyface is truly a legend. Quality music, such that he has written, can not be duplicated.
Hey, nice interview, Yobachi. I knew that Face was accomplished but I didn’t realize he’d done that much in a relatively short period of time.
Urban Thought, he makes quality music indeed. I think I’ll go support this album at the stores.
Vanessa, thanks! I learned some new stuff doing research for this interview as well. For instance, I’d had no ideal he wrote “Rock Steady”, that was a pleasent surprise. He giggle and just said “yeah” when I told him that.
I’m jealous, how did you pull this one? I have to finish the interview, I’ll be back to say more.
Mrs. G, One thing that helps me get interviews and credentials for events is I’m tied to an actual hardcopy news paper as a freelance writer. So I can call up promoters or whoever and say I’m Yobachi with the Nashville Pride.
And basically that’s what I do, I call folks up and ask, and more often than not I get what I’m asking for; or something close to it.
But I do ask for realistic stuff. Some times the editor of the paper hands me things, like when she needed someone to interview former football player Eddie George. So I didn’t have to do anything to get that one; but just by being affiliated to the paper it was offered to me.
Great Interview! your about to explode!
Thanks man. I hope I can parlay this into some more opportunities. One was already allude to by the handler who call to me before handing the phone off to Babyface.