#06-06

Nézem azokat a csoportban, akik túl vannak ilyen vagy olyan plasztikai műtéten és boldogok az eredménnyel. Nem mind szép nők (férfiakat szerintem nem engednek be a sok pucér fotó miatt) , de ami mindenkinél megváltozik, a kép magáról és ezen keresztül a tartása. Fizikailag és lelkileg is. Ugyan, ki szeretne, fogadna el engem így, hogy nagy az orrom, lóg a mellem, dudorodik a pocim, stb, stb. Nade ÍGY... így már érek annyit, mint bárki más! Hihetnénk hogy ezt gondolják. Pedig én nem ezt látom. Nem ettől változik meg a tartásuk. Önértékelési zavart okozó stb stb írta a zárójelentésemre a doki. MI A FASZ? nekem nincs önértékelési zavarom. Csak utáltam, hgy öregnek látszom. De amúgy én ismerem az értékeimet és tudom, hogy szerethető vagyok és, és, és.... forgattam magamban a szót, hogy „önértékelési zavar”. Hogy az vajon azonos azzal, ha nem tudod elfogadni, hogy megcsócsál az idő? Azonos azzal, amikor látod más arcán átsuhanni a meglepődést, hogy a beszélgetés alapján fiatalabbnak gondolt és ezt a pillanatot nem szereted? Hogy amibe belekezdenél és az arcod kell adnod hozzá, úgy gondolod, nem szeretnéd. Mert eltolódtak az arányok és belül több lendület kevesebb ránc, kívül meg fordítva? Önértékelési zavar. Nyilván az. De a tartást nem a szebb mell, piszébb orr vagy a simább arc adja. Hanem az, hogy végigcsinálja az ember. Kitalálja, keresi, konzultációra jár, utánaolvas, és elszenvedi az egészet. meg persze megteremti rá a pénzt, ami azért elég húzós és a TB nem fizeti, leszámítva pár indokolt és dokumentált esetet. Mondjuk egy 30 kilós fogyás, ami 6 hónapig sikerül fenntartani és a háziorvos dokumentálta az egészet. Akkor megcsinálják a korrekciós műtéteket. Szóval a tartás. persze, irigylem azokat, akik megkapták gyerekkorukban a „fantasztikus vagyok úgy ahogy vagyok” kártyát és hírből sem ismerik az önértékelési zavart. Azt én is érzem, hogy az ember egy ilyen után felemeli a fejét, és azt mondja: elég volt. Ne történjen meg, hogy most újabb szarságot húzok elő a puttonyból, hogy jó, ezt sikerült megcsinálni, de van más ami miatt boldogtalan vagyok. Ahogy a szorongók teszik. Ha nincs szörny az ágy alatt, akkor majd lesz a szekrényben. Elég. Szóval az ember nem azért emeli fel a fejét mert azt gondolja, hogy „szép”, hanem azért mert tett magáért valamit. Amit addig nem engedett meg magának. És amikor felemeli a fejét, akkor lesznek dolgok amiknek megváltozik a perspektívája.

William Everett (Billy) Preston (September 2, 1946 – June 6, 2006) was an American musician whose work included R&B, rock, soul, funk and gospel. A virtuoso keyboardist, particularly on Hammond organ, Preston was recognized as a top session musician in the 1960s, during which he backed artists such as Little Richard, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and the Beatles. He then went on to achieve fame as a solo artist, with hit pop singles including "That's the Way God Planned It", "Outa-Space", "Will It Go Round in Circles", "Space Race", and "Nothing from Nothing". In addition, Preston co-wrote "You Are So Beautiful", which became a number 5 hit for Joe Cocker, and Stephen Stills asked Preston if he could use his phrase "if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with" and created the hit song.

Preston was the only musician to be credited on a Beatles recording other than the group's four members: the group's number-one hit "Get Back" billed as "The Beatles with Billy Preston". Preston continued to record and perform with other artists, notably George Harrison after the Beatles' break-up, and Eric Clapton, and he played keyboards for the Rolling Stones on many of the group's albums and tours during the 1970s.

Early life and career

Preston was born on September 2, 1946 in Houston. When he was three, the family moved to Los Angeles, where Preston began playing piano while sitting on his mother Robbie's lap. Noted as a child prodigy, Preston was entirely self-taught and never had a music lesson. By the age of ten, Preston was playing organ onstage backing several gospel singers such as Mahalia Jackson, James Cleveland and Andraé Crouch. At age eleven, Preston appeared on Nat King Cole's national TV show singing the Fats Domino hit, "Blueberry Hill" with Cole. Also at eleven, he appeared in the W.C. Handy biopic starring Nat King Cole:St. Louis Blues (1958), playing W.C. Handy at a younger age.

In 1962, Preston joined Little Richard's band as an organist, and it was while performing in Hamburg that Preston met the Beatles. In 1963, he played the organ on Sam Cooke's Night Beat album and released his own debut album, 16 Yr Old Soul, for Cooke's SAR Records label. In 1965, he released the album The Most Exciting Organ Ever and performed on the rock and roll show Shindig! In 1967, he joined Ray Charles' band. Following this exposure, several musicians began asking Preston to contribute to their sessions.

Relationship with the Beatles

Preston first met the Beatles as a 16-year-old in 1962, while part of Little Richard's touring band, when their manager Brian Epstein organized a Liverpool show, at which the Beatles opened. The Washington Post explained their subsequent meeting:

Preston is one of several people referred to as the "Fifth Beatle". At one point during the Get Back sessions, John Lennon proposed the idea of having him join the band (to which Paul McCartney countered that it was difficult enough reaching agreements with four). Preston played with the Beatles for several of the Get Back sessions, some of the material from which would later be culled to make the film Let it Be and its companion album. Preston also accompanied the band for its rooftop concert; the group's final public appearance. In April 1969, their single "Get Back" was credited to "The Beatles with Billy Preston", the only time such a joint credit had been given on an official Beatles-sanctioned release (as distinct from an unsanctioned reissue of some Hamburg-era recordings on which they were the backing group for Tony Sheridan). The credit was bestowed by the Beatles to reflect the extent of Preston's presence on the track; his electric piano is prominent throughout and he plays an extended solo. Preston also worked, in a more limited role, on the Abbey Road album, contributing to the tracks "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" and "Something".

In 1978, he appeared as Sgt. Pepper in Robert Stigwood's film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, which was based on the Beatles' album of the same name, and sang "Get Back" as the penultimate song.

Post-Beatles solo career

Signed to the Beatles' Apple Records label, in 1969, Preston released the album That's the Way God Planned It, produced by Harrison, the title song from which was a hit single in Britain. His relationship with Harrison continued after the Beatles' break-up in 1970; Preston was the first artist to record Harrison's subsequent international hit "My Sweet Lord", on his 1970 album Encouraging Words, which Harrison co-produced with Preston. He appeared on several of Harrison's 1970s solo albums, starting with All Things Must Pass; made a notable contribution to the Concert for Bangladesh, the Harrison-organized 1971 charity benefit; performed with the ex-Beatle on his 1974 tour of North America; and played at the 2002 Concert for George tribute, held at London's Royal Albert Hall. Preston also worked on solo releases by Lennon and Ringo Starr.

In 1971, Preston left Apple and signed with Herb Alpert's A&M Records. The previous year, he contributed to another hit single when Stephen Stills asked to use Preston's phrase "if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with", a song on Stills' self-titled debut solo album.

Following the release of I Wrote a Simple Song on A&M, Preston's solo career peaked at this time, beginning with 1972's "Outa-Space", an instrumental track that further popularized the sound of the clavinet in funk music. The song reached number 2 on the USBillboard Hot 100 and topped Billboard's R&B chart, before going on to win the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. "Outa-Space" sold over 1 million copies in America, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA in June 1972.

Over the next two years, Preston followed up with the US chart-topping singles "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing From Nothing", and the number 4 hit "Space Race". Each of the three singles sold in excess of 1 million copies. American Bandstand host and executive producer Dick Clark enjoyed "Space Race" so much that he used the instrumental for the mid-show break for virtually the remainder of its run.

From 1970, Preston played keyboards (including piano, organ, clavinet and various synthesizers) for the Rolling Stones, sometimes alongside pianists Nicky Hopkins and Ian Stewart, on their albums Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main St, Goats Head Soup, It's Only Rock 'n Roll and Black and Blue. As the band's primary touring keyboardist from 1973 to 1977, he also performed as a support act with his own band (including Mick Taylor on guitar) on their 1973 European Tour. A Munich performance was documented in the live albumLive European Tour 1973. In 1974, along with Beach Boy Dennis Wilson, he composed one of Joe Cocker's biggest hits, "You Are So Beautiful". On October 11, 1975, he was the first musical guest on Saturday Night Live's series premiere episode (along with Janis Ian). Preston's 1973 song "Do You Love Me" was the basis for the Rolling Stones' track "Melody", released on Black and Blue in 1976. Although two of his songs ("Nothing from Nothing" and "Outa-Space") were included in the band's 1976 live sets, the Stones and Preston parted company in 1977, mainly due to a disagreement over money. He continued to play on solo records by Stones members and made appearances on the band's 1981 Tattoo You and 1997 Bridges to Babylon albums.

Preston's solo career began to decline after 1976. After five years with A&M, he signed with Motown Records. In 1980, he duetted with Syreeta Wright on the ballad "With You I'm Born Again", which reached number 4 on the charts in the US. Failing thereafter to match its success, Preston left Motown in 1984 and focused on session work. He served as musical director for Nightlife, a late-night talk show hosted by David Brenner that lasted one season from 1986 – 1987.

Legal troubles

In 1991, Preston was arrested and convicted for insurance fraud after setting fire to his own house in Los Angeles, and he was treated for alcohol and cocaine addictions. In the same year, he was also arrested for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old Mexican boy, after picking him up at a gathering point for day laborers. After submitting to a drug test, he tested positive for cocaine. That year, he entered no-contest pleas to the cocaine and sexual assault charges. He was sentenced to nine months at a drug rehabilitation center and three months of house arrest.

Preston overcame his problems in the early 1990s, toured with Eric Clapton, recorded with Gary Walker, one of the vocalists in his Los Angeles-based band, and worked with a wide range of other artists. He also toured with Ringo Starr and appeared on the 1990 live album Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band. He was invited to become a member of The Band in 1991, after the death of piano player Stan Szelest. He performed on tour with the group, but the sentencing from his cocaine and sexual assault charges ended the collaboration.

Later work

In 1997, Billy Preston recorded the album You and I, in Italy, with Italian band Novecento. The album was produced by Vaughn De Spenza and Novecento members Lino and Pino Nicolosi.

In 1998, Preston played organ during the choir numbers on the UPN comedy show Good News. The same year he sang and played synthesizer in the film Blues Brothers 2000, as part of the super group, The Louisiana Gator Boys.

While touring and fighting his own health problems, Preston received the news that on November 29, 2001, George Harrison had died (having long suffered from throat cancer). Preston, among many of Harrison's longtime friends, performed in the 2002 Concert for George at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Preston's performance of "My Sweet Lord" received critical acclaim. Additionally, Preston sang "Isn't It a Pity", provided backing vocals on most of the other songs, and played the Hammond organ for the show. Ringo Starr called him one of the greatest Hammond players of all time (in the theatrical version of the concert).

In 2002, Preston appeared on the Johnny Cash album American IV: The Man Comes Around, playing piano on "Personal Jesus" and "Tear-Stained Letter".

In 2004, Preston toured with the Funk Brothers and Steve Winwood in Europe, and then with his friend Eric Clapton in Europe and North America. After he finished touring with Clapton, Preston went to France, where he was featured in one episode of the Legends Rock TV Show. His performance included a duet with Sam Moore singing "You Are So Beautiful"; this was Preston's last filmed concert.

In 2004, Preston performed as a jazz organist on Ray Charles' Genius Loves Company, an album of duets, on the song "Here We Go Again" with Charles and Norah Jones.

In March 2005, Preston appeared on the American Idol fourth season finale. Playing piano, he performed "With You I'm Born Again" with Vonzell Solomon (who finished the contest in third place). The same year, he recorded "Go Where No One's Gone Before", the main title song for the anime series L/R: Licensed by Royalty.

Preston played clavinet on the song "Warlocks" for the Red Hot Chili Peppers album Stadium Arcadium (2006). Although very ill by this point, he jumped out of his bed after hearing a tape of the song given to him by the band, recorded his part, and went back to bed.

Preston's final recorded contributions were the gospel-tinged organ on the Neil Diamond album 12 Songs (2005), and his keyboard work on The Road to Escondido (2006) by Eric Clapton and JJ Cale.

In late 2005, Preston made his last public performance, in Los Angeles, to support the re-release of the 1972 movie The Concert for Bangladesh. Preston played a three song set of "Give Me Love", "My Sweet Lord", and "Isn't It a Pity", with Dhani Harrison and Ringo Starr joining on guitar and drums respectively for the last song.

Personal life

Billy Preston was brought up in the African-American gospel tradition; he was a committed Christian throughout his life and he openly expressed his faith in works such as his 1970s hit "That's the Way God Planned It". However, his personal beliefs were sometimes at odds with the attitudes and musical expressions of the secular world of rock & roll in which he often worked - while he was apparently willing to put his religious views aside when working on tracks like John Lennon's openly atheistic song "God", he was reported to have been particularly uncomfortable with having to perform "Sympathy for the Devil" while touring with the Rolling Stones in the early 1970s. Preston was also deeply attached to his mother, for whom he wrote the song that became his best-known composition, "You Are So Beautiful".

Although the details did not become fully known to the general public until after his death, Preston struggled throughout his life to cope with his sexual orientation, and the lasting effects of the traumatic sexual abuse he suffered as a boy. Although his homosexuality became known to friends and associates in the music world (such as Keith Richards) Preston did not publicly come out as gay until just before he died. This was reportedly partly due to the fact that Preston felt that his sexual orientation conflicted with his deeply held religious beliefs and his lifelong association with the church, so he remained "in the closet" until shortly before his death. Keith Richards' autobiography, Life, mentions Billy Preston's struggles with his sexuality.

In an interview for a 2010 BBC4 radio documentary on his life and career, Preston's manager Joyce Moore revealed that after she began handling his affairs, Preston opened up to her about the lifelong trauma he had suffered as the result of being sexually abused as a boy. Preston told Moore that at about the age of nine, after he and his mother moved to Los Angeles from Houston to perform in a touring production of Amos 'n' Andy, he was repeatedly abused by the touring company's pianist. Preston told his mother about the abuse, she did not believe him, and failed to protect him. The abuse subsequently went on for the entire summer, and Preston stated that he was also later abused by a local pastor.

Another traumatic incident, which reportedly affected Preston deeply, occurred in the early 1970s, while he was engaged to actress/model Kathy Silva. At this time Preston had become close friends with musician Sly Stone, and made many contributions to Stone's recordings of the period (including the landmark album There's a Riot Goin' On). According to Moore, Preston was devastated when he came home one day to find Stone in bed with Silva (who later famously married Stone on stage at Madison Square Garden). According to Moore, Silva's affair with Stone was the trigger that led Preston to stop having relationships with women - it was after this incident that he began abusing cocaine and having sex with men, and Moore has stated that she saw his drug abuse as his a way of coping with the internal conflicts he felt about his sexual urges.

Preston lived in London for a time, possibly around 1969-1971, but he moved back to the USA in the early 1970s.

Miles Davis's album Get Up with It (1974) features a track called "Billy Preston" in his honor.

Death

Preston had battled kidney disease in his later years, brought on by his hypertension. He received a kidney transplant in 2002, but his health continued to deteriorate. He had voluntarily entered a drug rehabilitation clinic in Malibu, California, at the suggestion of guitarist Is'real Benton, and suffered pericarditis there, leading to respiratory failure that left him in a coma from November 21, 2005. Preston died on June 6, 2006, in Scottsdale, Arizona, of complications of malignant hypertension that resulted in kidney failure and other complications. His funeral was held on June 20 at the Faithful Central Bible Church in Inglewood, California, where his remains were interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery.

Discography

Studio albumsStudio EPLive album

1974: Live European Tour 1973 (A&M Records)

Gospel albums

1965: Hymns Speak from the Organ (Exodus Records, EX-53)

1973: Gospel in My Soul (reissue of Hymns Speak from the Organ)

1978: Behold! (Myrrh Records, MYR-1070)

1980: Universal Love

1994: Ministry of Music (D&K Records, D&K 86003)

1996: Words and Music

2001: Music from My Heart

Charted albums

Footnotes: 1 Charted in 1972

SinglesAs a guest/session performer

1963: Night Beat (Sam Cooke)

1969: "Get Back" and "Don't Let Me Down" (The Beatles)

1969: Abbey Road (The Beatles)

1970: Let It Be (The Beatles)

1970: All Things Must Pass (George Harrison)

1970: John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (John Lennon) – piano on "God"

1971: Sticky Fingers (The Rolling Stones)

1971: The Concert for Bangladesh (George Harrison and Friends)

1971: There's a Riot Goin' On (Sly and the Family Stone)

1971: Live at Fillmore West (King Curtis and Aretha Franklin)

1971: Barbra Joan Streisand – keyboards and drums

1972: Exile on Main Street (The Rolling Stones)

1972: Wind of Change (Peter Frampton) – piano, keyboards, harpsichord, accordion

1973: Ringo (Ringo Starr) – Organ on "I'm the Greatest" and "Oh My My"

1973: Goats Head Soup (The Rolling Stones)

1974: Dark Horse (George Harrison) – electric piano

1974: Goodnight Vienna (Ringo Starr) – clavinet on the title track, electric piano on "Only You (And You Alone)"

1974: It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (The Rolling Stones)

1975: "You Are So Beautiful" (Joe Cocker)

1975: Extra Texture (Read All About It) (George Harrison) – electric piano on "His Name Is Legs (Ladies And Gentlemen)"

1976: Thirty Three & 1/3 (George Harrison)

1976: No Reason to Cry (Eric Clapton)

1976: Black and Blue (Rolling Stones)

1976: Love You Live (Rolling Stones)

1978: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band – also acted the part "Sgt. Pepper" in the film

1981: Tattoo You (Rolling Stones)

1982: Gone Troppo (George Harrison)

1985: "Till My Baby Comes Home" (Luther Vandross) – Plays organ

1986: "Great Gosh A'Mighty (Been a Long Time Comin')" – co-written with Little Richard – from the film Down and Out in Beverly Hills (sung by Little Richard)

1990: Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band – keyboards and vocals

1990: Giovani Jovanotti (Jovanotti) – keyboards and Fender Rhodes

1990: "Show Me Your Soul" - Red Hot Chili Peppers

1991: ...E La Vita Continua (Nino D'Angelo)

1993: Wandering Spirit (Mick Jagger) – "Sweet Thing", "Out of Focus", "[[Use Me (Bill Withers song)|Use Me]]", "Wandering Spirit" and "I've Been Lonely for So Long".

1996: Voyage of Dreams – Jephté Guillaume and the Tet Kale Orkestra – organ, strings on "Al Di Yo", "Go Tell Them", "Kanpe", "Get Up"

1996: Donnie McClurkin (Donnie McClurkin) – organ

1996: Love Brought Me Back (Helen Baylor) – organ

1996: El Equilibiro de los Jaguares (Jaguares) – organ /Hammond B3 on "Detrás de los Cerros"

1996: Peace Beyond Passion (Me'shell Ndegeocello) – keyboards on "Deuteronomy: Niggerman"

1997: Bridges to Babylon (The Rolling Stones) – organ on "Saint of Me"

1998: Undiscovered Soul (Richie Sambora)

2000: The Harsh Light of Day (Fastball) – keyboards on "You're An Ocean"

2001: Songs from the West Coast (Elton John) – Hammond organ on "I Want Love", "The Wasteland", "Love Her Like Me"

2001: Everybody Got Their Something (Nikka Costa) – Clavinet

2001: Reptile (Eric Clapton)

2001: One More Car, One More Rider (Eric Clapton, live) – DVD includes live performance of Will It Go Round in Circles

2002: Travelogue (Joni Mitchell) – Hammond B3 on the track "You Dream Flat Tires"

2002: American IV: The Man Comes Around (Johnny Cash) – piano on "Tear Stained Letter" and "Personal Jesus"

2003: The Colored Section (Donnie) – Hammond B3 on the last track: "The Colored Section"

2003: Concert for George – including "Isn't It a Pity" and "My Sweet Lord"

2003: Get Born (Jet)

2004: Me and Mr. Johnson (Eric Clapton) – also appears in the DVD companion Sessions for Robert J

2004: Crossroads Guitar Festival (Eric Clapton)

2004: Genius Loves Company (Ray Charles)

2005: 12 Songs (Neil Diamond)

2005: Back Home (Eric Clapton)

2005: Choose Love (Ringo Starr)

2005: The Concert for Bangladesh (George Harrison and Friends) (re-mastered version and video)

2005: Tough on Crime (Rebecca Pidgeon) – keyboards

2006: Stadium Arcadium (Red Hot Chili Peppers) – "Warlocks"

2006: The Road to Escondido (Eric Clapton]], J. J. Cale)

2006: Overnight Sensational (Sam Moore) - Hammond B3 on "I Can't Stand the Rain" and sings and plays on "You Are So Beautiful"

2007: Reach (Is'real Benton) – organ on "Have a Good Time"

2007: Imagine (Howard Hewett) – organ

Csak a lelkem mélyén érzem, hogy minden vicc ami a másik nem vagy egy nem kikerülhető szerepen általánosít, az valójában rohadtul káros a kapcsolatainkra, az érzelmi viszonyulásainkra nézve. Rossz dolgokat tanít, rossz dolgokat fogadtat el. Mármint azt teszi elfogadhatóvá, hogy általánosítani vagy a másikra mutogatni az rendbenlevő és egészséges. Amikor van egy vicc arról, hogy a flérfiak nem képesek egyszerre több dologra figyelni vagy többször el kell mondani nekik dolgokat, akkor olyan szívesen visszakérdeznék, hogy te ugyan miért élsz egy férfival, aki gyerek még? Mert amin viccelődsz az nem képesség, hanem annak a kérdése, hogy a másik ember mennyire teszi bele magát a kommunikációba vagy mennyire megúszásra játszik, mint a gyerekek. Nézd meg amikor egy férfi a kedvtelésével foglalkozik, áh, mennyi mindenre tud egyidejűleg figyelni, és valahogy nem felejti se a dátumokat, se a vásárlólistát. A zokniját otthagyó pasit csak akkor érzi egy nő cikiznivalónak, ha az még sosem vitte ki a zoknijával együtt a ledobott bugyit is. És amikor viccnek van szánva, hogy a tank fölé odaragasztotta valaki, hogy „diesel”, akkor megkérdezném, hogy vajon a jó segge miatt választottad ezt az ostoba nőt vagy mert rajta kívül senkinek sem kellettél? Az anyósviccek is irritálnak. A nevelőapám azt mondta, hogy neki volt a világon a legaranyosabb anyósa. Nagyon szerette anyám anyját. Pedig, szerintem, így visszagondolva, nem volt benne semmi extra. Nevetős, jóindulatú asszony volt, aki túl sokat nem tudott tenni a boldogulásukért, igaz, elég távol is volt hogy ne beszéljen bele dolgokba. Meg az is igaz, hogy az apám mellé állt sokszor. Hagyjad már, ne piszkáld mondta az örökké elégedetlenkedő anyámnak. Én is jóban voltam a pasim anyjával (amelyiknek voltak szülei) A mai napig lájkolgatja a psoztjaimat. Szóval, amin nevetsz, az azt hiszem megmutatja miféle ember vagy a szíved mélyén. Milyen előítéletek, megkülönböztetések vagy lenézések rabja vagy. Meg az empátiahiányt is, bár valójában az is lenézés amikor megveted a másikat azért mert baja eshet. Lehetne ilyen oktató szövegeket gyártani, hogy, ha a feleségedet hisztérikusnak vagy erőszakosnak tartod, akkor te valójában anyu ellen lázadsz. Ha a férjedet nem tartod képesnek rá, hogy kivigye a zokniját, akkor ne várd, hogy jó legyen a szexben mert vagy az egyikért vagy a másikért megveted őt. Ha az anyósodat egy sárkánynak tartod, akkor lehetséges, hogy ő látja, hogy milyen szar a kapcsolat amiben élsz vagy, hogy gyáva vagy valójában. Tényleg miért élsz egy olyan nővel, aki nem tudja, nem érti, hogy milyen benzint tankoljon? Hát nem a saját faszságodat posztolod ki ilyenkor? Ja, hogy te ezt nem tudod felmérni? Olyan sok sztereotíp viselkedés van, aminek a kiforgatása valóban vicces. Vagy kreatív megoldások problémákra. De általánosságban gúnyolódni a nőkön vagy a férfiakon, az nem vicces, hanem buta és káros. Na mindegy, ez ugyanaz a kör, mint az, hogy a nők ne várjanak tiszteletet addig, amíg van köztük, aki bármilyen módon pénzre váltja a nőiességét. Úgy sem értik, csak jönnek az egyedi esetekkel. Pedig, úgy egyetemesen, sosem fogják tisztelni a nőket csak megtanulják, hogy nem hasznos, ha ezt kimutatják. Kéne valami zsigeri tisztelet meg empátia. Tényleg tanítani kéne. Ah, arról akartam írni amikor egy pasi azt hitte hogy szűz vagyok, de akkor arról majd máskor.

Marvin Isley (August 18, 1953 – June 6, 2010) was the youngest member of the family music group the Isley Brothers and its bass guitarist.

Early life

Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Isley and his family moved to a home in Englewood, New Jersey in the summer of 1959. Isley eventually graduated from Englewood's Dwight Morrow High School in 1972. In 1976, he graduated from C.W. Post College with a degree in music.

Career

Marvin began playing bass guitar while in high school and by the end of the decade was being tutored and mentored by his elder brothers alongside elder brother Ernie and their friend, Chris Jasper, who was an in-law. By 1971, Marvin began performing bass guitar on The Isley Brothers' album, Givin' It Back. Within two years, he became an official member of the group. In addition to playing bass, he also provided percussion and also wrote or co-wrote some of the group's hits including "Fight the Power", "The Pride" and "Between the Sheets". Breaking away from the Isleys in 1984, he, Ernie and Chris formed the trio, Isley-Jasper-Isley, who had a hit in 1985 with "Caravan of Love". The group broke up in 1988 after Ernie Isley signed a solo recording deal. Three years later, Marvin and Ernie reunited with Ron Isley to reform the Isley Brothers. Marvin remained a member until complications from his longtime battle with diabetes forced him into retirement in 1997. Having been diagnosed with diabetes in his early 20s, Isley's condition worsened to the point where he had to have both legs amputated. Isley was inducted as a member of the Isley Brothers to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

Death

Marvin Isley died on June 6, 2010, from complications of diabetes at the Seasons Hospice within Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, at age 56. Besides his three brothers Ronald, Ernie and Rudolph Isley was survived by his wife Sheila Felton Isley, a son Cory, and two daughters, Sydney and Jalen.

Levi Stubbs (born Levi Stubbles, June 6, 1936 – October 17, 2008) was an American baritone singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the R&B group the Four Tops, a group known for a variety of Motown hit records and other songs created in the 1960s and 1970s. He has been noted by writers for his emotional, often dramatic, style of singing.

Stubbs was also a voice artist in film and animated television series, most famously having provided the voice of the alien plant in the 1986 comedic horror film Little Shop of Horrors (an adaption of the stage musical of the same name), as well as Mother Brain in the 1989 TV series Captain N: The Game Master. Stubbs was admired by his peers for his impressive vocal range, and influenced many later pop and soul artists, such as Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates.

Stubbs had five children. Living in Detroit, Michigan, for much of his life, including his last days, he was married to Clineice Stubbs for over 40 years until his death. His last performance was at the Four Tops' "50th Anniversary Concert" on July 28, 2004, at the Detroit Opera House.

Early life and music career

Born in 1936 in Detroit, Stubbs had a brother, Joe, who later became a member of 100 Proof (Aged In Soul), The Falcons, The Contours and The Originals. His cousin was Jackie Wilson. Stubbs attended Detroit Pershing High School, where he met Abdul "Duke" Fakir. He began his professional singing career with friends Fakir, Renaldo "Obie" Benson and Lawrence Payton, forming a singing group called the Four Aims in 1954.

Two years later, after signing with Chess Records, the group changed their name to the Four Tops. The name change was meant to avoid confusion with the then-popular Ames Brothers. The Four Tops began as a supper-club act before signing to Motown Records in 1963. By the end of the decade, they had over a dozen hits. The most popular of their hits (all of which featured Stubbs on lead vocals) include "Baby I Need Your Loving", "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)", "It's the Same Old Song", "Reach Out I'll Be There", "Standing in the Shadows of Love", "Bernadette", "Still Water (Love)", "Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)", as well as the late hit "Loco In Acapulco".

Although Stubbs was a natural baritone, most Four Tops' hits were written in a tenor range to give the lead vocals a sense of urgency.

Despite being the most prominent member of the group, Stubbs refused to have separate billing (in contrast to other Motown acts such as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles and Diana Ross and the Supremes), and he also turned down several offers for a solo career, out of loyalty to his bandmates. Stubbs and the other Tops remained a team until Lawrence Payton died in 1997, at which point Theo Peoples took his place. The Four Tops were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2013. They have sold over 50 million records worldwide.

During the band's long career it was signed to the Motown, ABC Dunhill, Arista and Casablanca record labels, and Stubbs' vocals influenced many later pop and soul artists, such as Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates. Hall has remarked that Stubbs' "unique" style rendered the Four Tops' material "timeless". Other musical peers expressing admiration for the Four Tops' work include Lonnie Jordan of War and Smokey Robinson of The Miracles, among many others.

In 2000, Theo Peoples replaced Stubbs as lead singer after Stubbs suffered a stroke, with Ronnie McNeir taking the place that Lawrence Payton originally held. Renaldo Benson died on July 1, 2005, leaving Duke Fakir as the only surviving member of the Four Tops' original lineup. Stubb's final performance with the Four Tops was at the group's "50th Anniversary Concert" on July 28, 2004 at the Detroit Opera House.

Voice acting

Although not an actor per se, Stubbs provided the voice of the carnivorous plant Audrey II in the 1986 movie version of the musical Little Shop of Horrors and the voice of Mother Brain in the animated TV series Captain N: The Game Master (1989).

Stubbs also guest-starred in a number of TV shows as himself. Berry Gordy offered him the role of Louis McKay in the 1972 film Lady Sings the Blues, which would have starred him opposite Diana Ross as Billie Holiday. Stubbs turned the role down, however, once again not wishing to overshadow the other members of the Four Tops.

Critical reputation

Stubbs has been regarded by some as one of the quintessential male soul singers. According to AllMusic's Ed Hogan, the vocalist had a "pleading urgency in his voice that perfectly captured the longing anxiousness of the songs written by the producing trio of Holland-Dozier-Holland". War band member Lonnie Jordan later told Billboard.com he felt "blessed" to meet Stubbs, and thought that the Four Tops singer's "voice was so good he was just, like, from another planet."

Personal life

Levi Stubbs and his wife Clineice were married (for 48 years) from 1960 until his death in 2008. The couple had five children along with 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Stubbs features in Billy Bragg's 1986 song, "Levi Stubbs' Tears," about a woman whose Four Tops album brings her comfort through difficult times. The chorus goes:

"When the world falls apart, some things stay in placeLevi Stubbs' tears run down his face."

Death

Stubbs was diagnosed with cancer in 1995, and later he was no longer able to tour with the group after suffering a stroke. He died in his sleep on October 17, 2008, at his home in Detroit. A memorial service for Stubbs was held at the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit on October 27. Many of Stubbs' friends from the music industry attended including Berry Gordy, Martha Reeves, Brian Holland, Ali-Ollie Woodson and Dennis Edwards. Detroit City Council member JoAnn Watson, along with Martha Reeves, presented a resolution naming Stubbs' birthday "Levi Stubbs Day" in Detroit. Stubbs is interred at Detroit's historic Woodlawn Cemetery.