Press Archive
"Color Me laid Finds New Shades Of Success With Mature 'Remember'"
by Chuck Taylor
Billboard
August 22, 1998
When the four guys in the pop/R&B outfit Color Me Badd graduated from high school in the 1980s, they each went to college for a semester before realizing a higher power was calling.
"We told our parents we were moving to New York to make a go of our music," says group member Sam Watters. "We moved into a one-bedroom apartment, all sleeping on the floor - sharing the space with our manager and his girlfriend."
For the next two years, they got quite an education, learning the ins and outs of the music biz and sending out demos of their creamy blend of R&B harmony to any and all that might find a place for them. The next step is a familiar one to top 40/R&B pundits of this decade. The group's first single on Giant, 1991's "I Wanna Sex You Up," catapulted Color Me Badd to No.1 on the Hot R&B Singles chart and No.2 on the Hot 100. The hit from the soundtrack to "New Jack City" was followed by "I Adore Mi Amor," which topped both charts, then by "All 4 Love," which hit No. 1 on the Hot 100. As a result, the group's debut album, "C.M.B.," went triple-platinum, reaching No.3 on The Billboard 200.
In all, the act has cranked out eight top 30 Hot 100 hits. Things changed in 1996, however, when the act's fourth album, "Now & Forever," failed to ignite. After 12 years of pushing all the right buttons, the boys suddenly found themselves in limbo land. Many groups in such a position subconsciously plot their downfalls amid tough times, letting frustrations fester within the group. Not these guys. They stuck it through, arranged a gracious release from their Giant recording contract, signed with Epic, and today are in the midst of a stunning comeback.
"Remember When," the first single from the upcoming "Awakening," opened boldly on the Hot 100 the week of July 25. In its fifth week on the chart, it's at No. 65. The savory, harmony-rich ballad is classic Color Me Badd, as warm and embracing as a soft kiss. Written by CMB - Watters, Mark Calderon, Bryan Abrams, and Kevin Thornton - with longtime producer Louis "Kingpin" Biancaniello, it's "basically about losing something you didn't want to lose and are willing to do anything to get back," Watters says. "There's desperation; it's a begging type of song to get somebody back."
While the group's new album leans toward R&B, "Remember When" is musically styled straight down pop avenues. "We weren't even thinking about that when we were writing it," Watters says. "It's just a great melody, a great song. We decided to try and not force it to be anything and lust let people decide." Other songs, however - like the slow-grooving funk-fest "Love Is Stronger Than Pride," the reggae/hip-hop-flavored "It's Gonna Be Alright," and the shuffling "Farmer's Daughter"- walk the line. Says Watters, "It is our objective to have some songs on both formats."
After 14 years together, the members of Color Me Badd are pretty well-versed in the business aspects of their career. Watters talks of the radio business, demographics, and record-label dealings like a seasoned player. "An artist needs to keep up with radio, listen to radio, and understand where it's going," he says. "Take a station like [WHTZ] Z100 in New York. With our first album, that was a top 40 station. With our second album, it was more alternative. Then with our third album, it was back to top 40. Now, it's our main station target again. "Radio really controls a lot of what happens in the music business," he adds. "When a lot of stations left the top 40 format, we noticed a lot of pop music wasn't fitting [in] as much as it used to. Now, with Spice Girls, Hanson, and the Backstreet Boys, top 40 is at the top of the ratings again. That has a lot of power with what's going on and what works in the music industry overall. Timing is so important."
True enough. Top 40 is on a roll, with more outlets than it's had in a decade. "Luckily, we are at a point with top 40 music where things are thriving again," says Tom Poleman, PD of Z100, the most-listened-to station in the U.S. "There's great diversity, which is key for a top 40 station: mass appeal. That means mainstream pop next to rhythm music next to rock, which just makes for a more interesting radio station." And how does Color Me Badd fit into the equation? Like candy, according to Richie Aqui, music director of mainstream top 40 KIKI Honolulu. "Women love this record all across the board," Aqui says. "It debuted at No.1 in sales here, which is phenomenal. People in Hawaii know their ballads, and this looks like a big winner."
Many, of course, have assumed that words like those weren't likely to be uttered about Color Me Badd again, given the lack of success of its previous project Watters, however, shrugs off the time out of the spotlight. "We don't feel like we really ever went anywhere," he says. "It's just a new phase of the same career. We've seen some peaks and valleys. And now, it's not as scary, because we can concentrate on what we really want to do. "There's a lot to be said about not giving up," Watters adds. "This business is not for the weak-willed. It takes courage to even dive into this business in the first place; you have to have a certain kind of personality."
Maintaining such confidence, the group didn't attempt to stray too far from its familiar blend of R&B on "Awakening," holding on to producer Biancaniello and sticking close to its influences. "We all came up in an R&B atmosphere," says Watters. "Our high school was mainly black. We went to a black church-and were the only white guys there. We started off doing doo-wop a cappella and really look up to the Temptations, the Four Tops, Sam Cooke-those types of R&B pioneers. That's where our writing style comes from. It's really us, and there's no reason to try and change that" Watters adds that the group members spend a lot of time communicating with fans over the Color Me Badd World Wide Web site. "We wanted to concentrate on giving the fans something that they really want to hear from Color Me Badd. We wanted to make this record for them."
To further satisfy their fans' desires, the band is eager to hit the road after its current two months of radio stops and is exploring a few group-tour options. In addition to U.S. interest, CMB has a strong following in Southeast Asia and Japan. " 'Now & Forever' went [to] No.1 over there," Watters says. "We're definitely going to hit them hard. Other regions include parts of Europe, Canada, possibly South America, and Australia."
The guys are also recording some tracks in Spanish, including a song with Jon Secada for the soundtrack to the CBS TV show "Touched By An Angel," due this winter (*1). Beyond that, says Watters, there are no limitations. "There is a secret to longevity and that's friendship," he says. "You can always find four musicians that can gel really well, but that doesn't mean they're happy. We love being around each other and are genuinely happy when we're together, whether we're playing Giants Stadium or some little club. We've been doing it since we were kids; we have no intention of stopping now."