Ain't Too Proud- The Temptations

 Ain't Too Proud- The Temptations.

There must have come a point during the career of Berry Gordy when life couldn't have got any sweeter. The Temptations were at the height of their popularity, the Motown label was at its most prosperous and the sound of rhythm and blues combined with finger clicking soul music resonated so beautifully across the world that you had to be there to see it and believe it. But then again all was well in the land of Detroit and the funk factory was about to blossom within just a decade. The 1960s had already given us Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Junior and the All Stars, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the Detroit Spinners and a prodigious amount of musical excellence.

Last night my lovely wife and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary in some style in the heart of the West End of London with a star spangled West End musical about the life story of Motown's finest, The Temptations at the Prince Edward Theatre. We had already seen something akin to music heaven in the Jersey Boys, a musical homage to the stunning Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, the Kinks Sunny Afternoon and Carole King's Beautiful. We were truly privileged. 

During the 1960s Detroit was still looking for its next generation of music royalty, an all boy band from the country who would stop the world on its axis, capturing the imagination and breaking yet more barriers. Of course there were the painful obstacles of racism, intolerance and segregation to overcome. The Temptations of course were black and that in itself seemed unforgivably to prove a toxic concept for much of those who still remained in a permanent state of ignorance.

But as was clearly documented throughout 'Ain't Too Proud', the name of the Temptations musical, there was a real story to be told, a back story that was a salutary example of what happens when things go wrong but then redeem themselves when fortunes change dramatically for the better. For here were four guys from the country who'd come down to Detroit seeking fame, celebrity and sell out audiences at every concert stadium throughout both the USA and the rest of the world.

Of course the Temptations knew that they had to stamp their very special identity on the music business and they were surrounded by formidable competition. Smokey Robinson had already caressed the ears of the American public with 'Tears of A Clown', Marvin Gaye had just made inroads into the soul market with his sultry love themes, Stevie Wonder was the child prodigy who played the harmonica with effortless aplomb and Motown had suddenly found itself at the forefront of soul music genius.

After those first early years of development and maturity, the Temptations moved from the club and bar circuit before emerging chrysalis like into a fully fledged soul band. But as events were to prove, here were four powerful singers with giant and inflated egos, distinctive personalities and charisma dripping from their sassy grey suits and grey trousers. Soon there were the arguments, the clashes, the volatility, slanging matches, jealousies and deep rooted resentments. What we had here was a classic case of four men with rampant ambitions who couldn't quite hold it together but then kissed and made up.

And here was Berry Gordy asserting himself as the dominant force in the Temptations rise to fame. Gordy explained in no uncertain terms that if the boys wanted to be successful they had to keep their personal feelings to themselves rather than fall out with each other big time. When one of the former members quit the band at a very early stage, Gordy discovered David Ruffin. 

Brother of the equally as celebrated Jimmy, a solo singer who would make his way successfully into the American Billboard charts with his very own mellifluous voice, David announced himself. Soon David Ruffin and the Temptations would become inseparable. Ruffin was bold, brash and quite possibly conceited, convinced that nobody could match his magnificent voice. Soon he would become a disruptive force, demanding centre stage and most of the credit for the band's burgeoning success.

Before you could blink Ruffin and the rest of the band were at war with each other, complete loggerheads, feuding over artistic differences and then everything seemed to get too complicated. The hits would pour out from the Temptations songbook in uncontrolled profusion. The singles would multiply, the albums more platinum plated than ever before and live TV performances throughout America guaranteed at the prompting of Berry Gordy.

Then the Temptations found that they had Diana Ross and the Supremes breathing down their collective necks. Smokey Robinson was still confronting Berry Gordy in his office and almost bathing in his own glory. We knew that Motown had become a significant voice in its own right. It had become a major cultural institution throughout the States, a sound so unmistakable that you could almost hum the first couple of bars to all their songs.

The songs of course were destined to burst into our consciousness. There was initially 'Shout', covered by Scottish chanteuse Lulu during the 1960s. There were the breath taking sequences of dancing, bopping, eye catching athleticism on stage, beautifully choreographed routines that made you gasp with amazement. But very shortly there would be yet more bust ups, argy bargy altercations, Tammi Terrell's tragically early death at 24 and David Ruffin's explosive relationship with Terrell.

This would prove to be a recurring backdrop to American life. We knew at once that the presence of Dr Martin Luther King as one of the country's most vocal of political activists would come to dominate  proceedings back in Motown's now prolific recording studios. When King was shot dead most of the boys in the band would stop for a moment and consider everything that had gone before. By now Ruffin had left the Temptations but the purple suited Temptations were still going strong.

The Temptations repertoire of smooth soul would be unceasing. 'Can't Get Used to You', ' Please Don't Leave Me Now, the memorably iconic 'My Girl' and countless others would propel the group into the highest stratosphere although privately there was still bad blood. There were record contracts to be negotiated, another premature death of one of the members of the 'Temps' as they were to be affectionately to be referred to and more eyeball confrontations.

By now 'Get Heavy' and 'Just My Imagination' and ultimately 'Papa Was A Rolling Stones' were tripping off the tongues of the devoted fans. The boys were swaying their hips, moving across  stages with silky grace and boogying on down as if joined at the hip. It could have all so horribly wrong for the Temptations but somehow the good times were destined to be restored. 

The Temptations would continue to be the pioneers for those who would follow. 'If you don't know me by now' would be resurrected quite confidently and expertly by Simply Red and Mick Hucknall. The good ole boys from the country would remain undaunted and although no longer the recognisable name of today one of Motown's legends mean quite a lot to some of us. If you fancy a night of Motown music, pick up your tickets at the Prince Edward Theatre and just give into the Temptations. You'll never regret your decision.