Lowrell Simon: You're Playing Dirty

When I bought this LP, in 1983, it was not worth more than a pack of chewing gum. And I was into my "deny that I ever liked disco"- period. But I loved "Love Massage", the 12" from 1981 that I uploaded on my YouTube channel yesterday. Because of it, I bought the "Lowrell" LP from 1979. I didn't appreciate it at all back then. It's been sitting in my shelf for more than 20 years without getting any love from me! I'm gonna love it to death now, maybe even take it out to dinner and wine and dine it. :) I so want this on CD, but as far as I know, it's just on special Japanese import, very expensive.

Lowrell Simon must be camera shy, at least I have tried to find a decent photo of the man. This LP, simply called "Lowrell" , came out on AVI records, is very anonymous looking. AVI was apparently co-owned by Liberace's manager and was home to Captain Sky as well. The whole Lowrell LP is good, not one bad track on it!

Ed Hogan at All Music Guide is a reliable source for a good bio and the one on Lowrell Simon is no exception:
"Lowrell Simon aka Lowrell was a member of Chicago soul group the Lost Generation and also had an '80s hit with "Mellow Mellow Right On," which has been the source for numerous raps and samples, most notably Massive Attack's "Lately," Markie Dee, and Chicago rapper Common.

Produced by Chi-Lites producer Carl Davis for New York-based Brunswick Records, the Lost Generation's biggest hit was "The Sly, Slick and the Wicked," a number 14 R&B hit in the summer of 1970. Co-written by group member Larry Brownlee (who died in 1978), Brunswick promotion man Gus Redmond, and Simon, the record is a mellow ballad anchored by a strong, shouting lead vocal. Engineered by studio great Bruce Swedien at Chicago's Brunswick branch studio, the track has some startling pre-sampling effects ("wicked! wicked!"). The single tied for trade publication Record World's 1970 Record of the Year award with the Jackson 5's "A B C." The release also generated enough money for Brunswick to buy itself out from its owner, Decca Records. The group also included Simon's brother Fred and Jesse Dean. An Ohio group appropriated the song's title as its name.

Though the group never had a hit as big as "The Sly, Slick and the Wicked," the Lost Generation charted with "Wait a Minute" (number 25 R&B, late 1970), "Someday," and "Talking the Teenage Language." After their last chart hit, "Your Mission (If You Decide to Accept It) Part 1" (on Innovation Records), which hit number 65 R&B in fall 1974, the group disbanded.

Simon contributed to the movie soundtrack to the 1974 Gordon Parks Jr. film Three the Hard Way starring Jim Brown, Fred Williamson, and Jim Kelly. The soundtrack LP featured the Impressions. In the early '80s, he began recording for AVI Records as Lowrell. His solo debut Lowrell (released fall 1979) boasted a production roster of the Chi-Lites' Eugene Record, Bruce Hawes, arranger Thomas "Tom Tom 84" Washington, and the cream of local musical talent. The second single, "Mellow Mellow Right On," went to number 32 R&B in fall 1979. Other tracks from the LP that garnered attention were the first single, "Overdose of Love," "You're Playing Dirty" (originally the flip of "Mellow..."), and "Smooth and Wild." Other songs Simon wrote or co-wrote include "Keep on Playing the Music" by Mystique featuring Ralph Johnson from their 1976 Curtom/Warner Bros. debut, the popular LP track "All About the Paper" by Loleatta Holloway on her self-titled 1979 Gold Mind/Salsoul album, and "Dance Master" (part one and two), a hit single by Chicago soul mainstay Willie Henderson in 1974."

Category:

Music

Tags:

• lowrell
• simon
• playing
• dirty
• breath
• avi
• mellow
• overdose
• love
• chicago
• funk
• soul
• disco
• eugene
• record
• gus
• redmond
• bruce
• hawes

[imcdownsound]

You said "Ed Hogan at All Music Guide is a reliable source for a good bio and the one on Lowrell Simon is no exception".

I say: (smiling sheepishly),"That's sweet"-Ed Hogan,main contributor to the book,"All Music Guide To Soul".

[missfunkyflyy]

@imcdownsound Well, I am only telling the truth. ;) I recall you from way, way back, even before AMG, when you helped me write a bio on Instant Funk. That was in the stone age of the Internet and world wide web. Good to meet you again!

[blakew111]

Lowrell is my fathers uncle. I will pass the message on for the nice comments.

[missfunkyflyy]

@blakew111: Is that right? Wow! Please tell him that he has huge fan in Sweden! And many fans who love his music to this day. I'd love to talk to him and get some more background information. If he's got an e-mail address, please inbox me.

[blakew111]

Lowrell is my fathers uncle

[missfunkyflyy]

@blakew111, that is just cooler than I have words for, Lowrell is a wonderful writer/arranger/producer artist, so many people love his music! Please tell him him from me and thank him for all the music! Is he still actively singing and performing?

[TheDoodle999]

Genius!!!



[missfunkyflyy]

@TheDoodle999 I agree, the entire LP is great! I bought it on Japanese CD for that very same reason, even though I have the vinyl. ;D

[TheDoodle999]

Oh man can't believe that ALL tracks weren't hits, to me they are! Beautiful stuff!!!