The Internationals / Persuaders

[Roburt]

Although he started out as a reputable booking agent, bringing many top soul stars to the UK to tour, Roy Tempest morphed into just about the most notorious guys on the UK music scene from August 67.

Starting with the Fabulous Temptations (Velours) & the Original Drifters (Invitations), he started to book fake groups on UK tours. The groups didn't know what was happening at first, in fact when Sam, Erv & Tom (the Diplomats) turned up to play a UK club in October 67 they saw a poster advertising the Isley Brothers. Great said Sam, we're friends with those guys ... and then he was told that THEY were the Isley Brothers that night.

Anyway, Roy Tempest was making bigger profits from his 'fake group' tours than he was from booking the likes of Garnett Mimms, the Coasters, Larry Williams & Johnny Watson, Solomon Burke, etc. So he kept bringing (mainly) New York based groups over here to tour, advertising them as a more famous outfit.

Beacon Records put a 45 out here on the 1st March 68; the Show Stoppers  -- Ain't Nothing But A House Party (originally Apple Records were gonna license the track).. Before the end of March it was on the UK pop Top 40 chart and an immediate opportunity presented itself to Roy T. The group were quickly brought over to the UK on a lightning trip to promote the cut & they appeared on Top of the Pops on 18th April (68). A quick dash around a number of UK music mags for interviews, etc and it was time to return to Philly. But the 45 continued to climb the pop charts till that May, the track was filling dance floors in every UK club / ballroom ... but the group weren't here to fill the demand for them to play live gigs.

In stepped, Roy T and a group were booked to play a UK tour; the International Showstoppers. They sang "Ain't Nothing But A House Party" and lots of other recent US soul hits to good audience reaction. But the Showstoppers they weren't. In fact they were actually a New York based group, the Internationals. Returning to New York, the group landed a record deal with D-Or Recording (no doubt, mentioning their recent successful UK tour). In 69 they had a 45 out ("Give A Damn") and this sold well locally. A 2nd 45 followed in 1970 ("Beautiful Philosophy"). But the group members weren't getting on and they also came into dispute with their manager.  The group effectively broke up with 2 members leaving the group. But 2 new members were added; Charles Stodghill and (briefly) Richard Poindexter joining and under a new name (the Persuaders) the new outfit was soon enjoying even greater success( on Win Or Lose / Atco).

Joe Coleman was to become a member of the rejigged group in the mid 70's, joining the outfit when True Reflection (1972 - 75) broke up. After his brief spell as a Persuader, he joined Mirage who cut for RCA (1978). He was also a member of the Platters but by the early 80's he'd gone solo.

Members of all the groups involved hade enjoyed success at various times & many of their old group /solo recordings have stood the test of time well. Some of them have even been reissued due to continued demand for some of the old tracks.

HAS ANYONE DONE a full group history / timeline that makes the above unfolding story more clear & easy to understand ?

ALSO, does anyone remember seeing the group when they performed live in the UK in 1968. ?   

Fine deep soul from the Internationals ...

 

[Roburt]

Anyone know how Rudy Love came to give the Persuaders his song "Hey Sister" and also how he came to play on their 'It's All About Love' album (Calla; 76).