MovieChat Forums > The Temptations (1998) Discussion > Otis the most level-headed temptation?

Otis the most level-headed temptation?

posted 16 years ago by matttattack
10 replies | jump to latest

I know there has been a lot of talk about Otis being the "level-headed" one and the guy who had to make all the good calls, but from what I've gathered from everything I've read, and even the movie itself, I can't help but feel like Eddie was the most fair, unbiased, and level-headed member of the group. He (at least in the movie) insisted that Al was out of the group and that improved them so much with the addition of Ruffin. He fought for Ruffin to stay in the group because while he was a problem he knew they would be a better group WITH him Eddie wanted the Temps to be the best group they could be. When that didn't happen and they gave Ruffin the boot it hurt the group in my opinion and many will agree with me. He wanted to stick more to the classic 5 era song styles that made them so well loved and recognized. They were a VOCAL group, there is no reason for them to have 9+ minute songs with long instrumental breaks. I felt like their Psychedelic albums had way more filler than the older ones, and that the "evolution" of the group's sound was too contrived. It sounded a little forced and happened way to fast.

He also saw the group as a brotherhood and not just a name and a paycheck that needed to keep coming like Otis did. I agreed with him completely about what happened with Paul and how he wanted the group to do what they needed to help Paul out and keep the Temps going AS THE TEMPS and steer them away from becoming the tribute group I now consider them to be. Otis was so big on no man being bigger than the group (perhaps because he was the only member that would not have been able to pull off a solo career), and I can't help but feel Otis had no gratitude. Otis NEEDED them. None of them needed Otis. Eddie, Paul, David and Melvin (not that Melvin ever would) could have booted Otis and had their own group with Richard or anyone else in Otis' place and it would have been fantastic. I just feel like he needed to show more respect for the members not only as very essential components to the group he could have never been in without them, but also as people. In the book, Otis came off like he was always scouting for new talent.

Eddie said in an interview that he started making the decision to leave around 65 and it was unrelated to the Paul incident. He said things with Motown weren't proper and it was clear to him that the group was working with people who didn't have their best interests at heart. He wanted to do a solo record while still staying in the group because he wanted to sing the style of music that Norman stopped writing after Dennis joined, but the group refused him the opportunity. The Paul thing was the final straw for him because you could tell he just didn't feel at home anymore. And why should he have? Band politics caused them to become a faded negative of the group they used to be and still should have been and the only people he felt any kinship and respect from in the past were all gone (maybe with the exception of Melvin.)

Does anyone else agree with me on this?

Also, I DO feel like Richard was a true and credible member of the Temps who brought something of his own to the table and did deserve a place within the group, but I can't help but feel like Damon Harris was simply an Eddie Kendricks imitator, minus the style and personality he had. To me, the minute Eddie left, the Temps died forever. Opinions?

[–] tcfw35 15 years ago

I think Otis wrote the book that the movie was based on. Why would Otis write himself to be the power hungry lack of freindship person that he clearly was. Even with his rose colored view of himslef in the movie you can see that he kicked people out instead of working with them. He highlights others faults while down playing his own ( he showed some people having an affiar but just alluded to his own. )Otis killed Paul! Temptations forever unless you are human and make a mistake.- then its Tempation until I can't control you.
I think the temps in thier hey day were the best, but Otis needs a paycheck and has to keep the group alive.
Team everyone else but Otis!

[–] euronymous781 15 years ago

Sorry, but I feel like neither of you truly understand how things go down in the music business. If you did, you MIGHT feel a bit more compassionate towards him instead of seemingly branding him as some self-righteous bastard who may have essentially ruined a good thing. You ARE obligated to make rash decisions or else lose your career. It's really an all too sad reality.

Nobody in any musical group like theirs would want to be in a "David Ruffin and The Temptations" kind of situation. Otis, Paul, Eddie, and Melvin busted themselves to get to where they were -- on Motown. Unless the movie was incorrect, David Ruffin kept missing shows because of his drug problems. Regardless of how much of an iconic character Ruffin was, it was costing the whole group money (like Otis' character said "we get paid based on all Temps being there")

Of course Otis wanted Paul to get better, but in the music business you NEED to keep going, taking up every opportunity, not putting a tour on hold because of someone's alcoholism. If The Temptations did that for the sake of Paul, they wouldn't have had the staying power they did. They would have been faded out of the picture quickly soon after. It's sad, but it's also the reality of it.

Honestly, you guys are making him seem like some egomaniac who didn't care about the well-being of the guys who helped him gain success. Otis only sang lead vocals on (I believe) one or two songs in the entire duration of The Temptations' musical career. A guy in the background usually doesn't try to seek money and fame all too often. If you heard any of his more recent interviews he really had nothing but positive, ungrudging things to say about all of them. If I recall correctly, Motown management actually ran to Otis when there was a conflict in the group.

In my opinion I'd say Melvin was the most level-headed. Sure he wasn't very assertive and didn't jump in and try to solve things, but he seemed much more kind of "stay out of the picture" and I believe that's what makes him the most level-headed. But to be honest I actually haven't looked TOO closely at their entire biography.

[–] Gunhaver 15 years ago

Euronymous781 please take a bow, because that was beautiful. People often forget that the music business, is just that -- a business. While the OP wrote a very well-written post, I'm afraid I have to disagree with most of what was stated.

Eddie, Paul and co. may have initially viewed the group as a brotherhood, but when that brotherhood is converted to a business, then you have to treat it as such. Business before friendship, at least if you don't want to be out of a career. Otis was put in a lot of tough positions where heart-breaking decisions had to be made. As a person whose worked in the industry for quite some time, I know first-hand how it is to have to fire formerly well-behaved and trust-worthy bandmates whose behaviour and loyalty to the band went south. I know what it's like to have to continue on performing as a band without one or more of the key members who helped make the band a success, because addictions, negative habits, medical conditions and/or personal demons rendered them unable to continue on. It's hard, especially when (inevitably) friendships within the band are formed. People really need to get off Otis' case. He's no saint, but I'm sure he's no villain either. That's how the business is, unfortunately, and if you can't take the heat, then stay the hell out of the kitchen.

Friendships that can withstand the trials and tribulations of the music industry, are just another example of TRUE friendships.

"Hey I'll have you know I have never once hated on moronc. How could anyone not like moronc?"

[–] matttattack 15 years ago

Upon letting my thoughts run wild and trying to capture them in real time I now see that this post took a slight detour from where I intended it to go. It was mainly supposed to be about Eddie. I guess all the Otis stuff ended up in there simply because he's the one that's gotten the majority of the credit for making the good calls, although I'm pretty sure they made decisions as a band. I don't view Otis as a villain whatsoever and I apologize if it came off that way. You all make good points, however.

[–] Gunhaver 15 years ago

It was a great post, man. We were just simply discussing what you wrote. You said nothing wrong.

"Hey I'll have you know I have never once hated on moronc. How could anyone not like moronc?"

[–] euronymous781 15 years ago

Yeah I did see an interview with Eddie from decades ago where he did have a bit of scorn against Motown. If I remember correctly he said that Berry Gordy was incredibly distant from the group, never really made them feel like a family, etc.

[–] Sparky48 15 years ago

Regarding your post, I have mixed views. First, I would have to disagree that Eddie was the most "unbiased" member of the Temps. I think his concern for Ruff and Paul was personal and subjective, because these two group members were his closest friends. I remember the scene from the movie where he said at Paul's burial that he "lost his lifelong best friend,"having known Paul since they were teens. And in other scenes of the movie where Eddie constantly socializes with Ruff after both of them left the group during the 70s, it was pretty obvious that the two were very tight. I think his concern over Ruff and Paul's existence with the Temps was purely personal, and not for reasons of business.

I saw no problem with the musical changes that the Temps underwent during the 70s. The Rock music influences and long instrumentalization of certain songs did result in major hits like "Cloud Nine," "Psychedelic Shack," and "Papa Was a Rolling Stone." The truth is that Whitfield successfully facilitated the group's transition to new musical trends.

Regarding Eddie's departure from the group leading to its demise, I think the Temps would have most likely played out anyway, even if Eddie had stayed. By the mid 70s, vocal R&B groups were starting to become passe and giving way to band groups like Earth, Wind & Fire, Parliament, the Commodores, and War, and not to mention the advent of Disco music. Trends in the music industry--as well as the generation of fans--were changing, and I think the public had grown tired of seeing guys dressed in glitter suits, doing dance steps, and singing antiseptic love songs. Truth is, no musical act can stay hot forever.

However, I would agree with you that Otis was the group's most dispensable member, and you're right when you contend that "Otis NEEDED them. None of them needed Otis." I always thought that it was ironic that he was the de facto leader of the Temptations, when at the same time he was obviously the group's least talented member. What's also ironic--and somewhat hypocritical--is that Otis constantly asserted that, "No one man is bigger than this group," and yet when the Tempts first started out, they were dubbed "Otis Williams & the Distants."

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] b-touch 13 years ago

From most of what I've read (which is a lot), I'm not sure if Otis wasn't honeslty the most level-headed, but he certainly wasn't the easiest to get along with, nor was Eddie. Eddie was hot-tempered and quick to argue/fight, Paul had his drinking problem, Ruffin was Ruffin, Otis was a rather demanding "hall monitor" type, and Dennis drifted between devotion to the group and getting lost in a Ruffinesque haze in drug abuse.

Melvin was easy-going and a bit meek, usually deferring to Otis on group decisions.

-Firing Ruffin was the right decision; he was immensely talented, but he was not a team player. It didn't hurt sales or bookings - they won a Grammy with their first post-Ruffin single. Also, Kendricks didn't fight for Ruffin to stay in the group, but he regretted firing him soon afterwards.

-Otis did exactly what he needed to do to help Paul: they took Paul off the road and kept paying him the same amount of money as if he were still in the group while giving him time to get better. I'm not quite sure what else the other 4 should have done for Paul other than what they did. The rest was up to Paul to get treatment and get clean - he did try; he just died before he could finish.

It would not have made any sense to keep Paul in the group in his condition - aside from the drinking, his lungs were weakened and he had to travel with oxygen.

-Paul's condition was not "the final straw" for Kendricks - the final straw for him was Otis in general. Paul stayed in the Tempts after it was decided Kendricks would be leaving.

[–] jefgg 10 years ago

I actually like The Temptations psychedelic soul era. The Temptations have frequently been compared to The Four Tops. I have always liked The Tempts better than The Tops. The Tops had about a four year run as hit makers. The Tempts had a much longer run on the charts. And if you listen to The Tops' music after a while it's "the same old song" ... pun intended. The Tempts songs had a lot more variety.