Honey

by

Ohio Players

Edit

I won't lie to you - the first time I bought this album, when I was 16, it was because of the cover. Other kids in school listened to the Beatles and The Police and stuff, I wanted Parliament, Earth Wind and Fire and - The Ohio Players.

When I got home and opened the spread I was .. speechless. What a babe!

But then, as the needle hit those grooves and I turned up the volume, I finally got to know about The Ohio Players.

The cover's photographer is Richard Fegley - of Playboy fame. Here he did a nice variation to the Playboy covers: the monthly where's the bunny search turned into a where's the bee?

My all time favorite ballad is Sweet Sticky Thing.

A great melody, or better two melodies, the slow ballad-like start and then the pushy chorus with those terrific horns; the perfect combination of pushing drums, high chant, sexy horns and ... Satch's amazing sax. Jazzy, seducing, it still amazes me when I listen to it for the tenthousandth time.

Love Rollercoaster (say what?) is a close second. The same pushy drums and chant, but more of a midtempo tune. Or Fopp's hard funk. You need to have this, trust me.

A stomping masterpiece with some of the greatest horns in history (and a great sense of humor)

Oh, and the babe's still good (although a bit small on cd...)