DUKE FAKIR AND THE FOUR TOPS… After fifty years in the business the FOUR TOPS are still going strong. Blues and Soul’s BILL BUCKLEY talks to original member DUKE FAKIR about their legacy and current plan.

The story of the 4 Tops story is one of incredible togetherness and longevity. The group first came together over 50 years ago when Levi Stubbs and schoolmate Abdul “Duke” Fakir went to a friend’s Detroit birthday party and started singing with another pair of friends – Renaldo “Obie” Benson and Lawrence Payton. There was an immediate musical chemistry and, as was the way, they formed a group – the Four Aims. Payton’s cousin, Roquel Davis helped them to get an audition with Chess Records, but the Chicago label insisted on a name change to avoid confusion with harmony group the Ames Brothers. Thus the 4 Tops were born and soon they cut their first record – ‘Kiss Me Baby’. After stints with Red Top, Riverside and Columbia, the Tops found themselves at Motown, and the rest, as the cliché goes, is history.

The sad deaths of Lawrence (1997) and Obie (2005), along with Levi’s illness could have meant the end of the road for the veteran group but with new members Theo Peoples, Ronnie McNeir and Lawrence Roquel Payton Jr – the Tops are still alive and very much kicking. “We are still the 4 Tops”, enthuses Duke, “together, we’re keeping the legacy alive and with Lawrence Jr. we’ve got real Tops’ pedigree. We’re working all the time.” Duke, though admits, it was difficult to continue after Lawrence’s passing. “It was very hard to carry on. The three of us wanted to chuck it all in – but we carried on as trio. Then Levi got ill and frail so we brought in Theo. Then Obie died so suddenly. It broke my heart .He was one of my best pals. He had so much energy, but you know Roquel’s full of energy too and now we have Ronnie McNeir as well. The new guys are so good that they give me the energy to keep going –but its all bitter-sweet”.

Ronnie McNeir and Theo Peoples also, of course, have solo careers – and their own new albums on the way. Duke though sees no problem with that. “It’s fine for them to do their own things. But the 4 Tops have priority – they’re really committed to the group’s legacy.” Intrigued, I wanted to know if the charismatic Levi Stubbs had ever hankered after solo stardom too. Duke’s response was a resounding no. “Back then we were always happy being the 4 Tops. We loved it. Levi loved it too – that’s the way we were. You know Berry Gordy wanted Levi to go to Hollywood and act in ‘Lady Sings The Blues’ , but without the three of us in it too he wouldn’t go”.

The new 4 Tops are currently completing an album. Duke recalled how it came about. “We were working in the studio on songs for a compilation of re-recordings of Motown songs when we met Deniece Smith. She has a label – Jenny-Jenny – and she introduced us to an upcoming writer called Paul Hill who had a song she thought perfect for the 4 Tops.”.

The song ‘East West’ (with Theo Peoples on lead) is a gentle ballad featuring the Tops’ hallmark harmonies. Produced by Michael J Powell, it’s out at the end of July with the album following on shortly after. The album’s songs are mainly originals, but the high spot promises to be a re-recording of ‘I’ll Never Leave Again’ – a song that originally featured on their Casablanca album, ‘Tonight’. The tune is an Earl Klugh melody to which Lawrence Payton added lyrics back in 1981. But, as Duke Reminded me, it was Obie Benson who was the main song smith in the classic Tops’ line up. During their ABC period the group recorded a number of Benson’s songs including ‘Sweet Understanding Love’ and ‘Am I My Brother’s Keeper’. Obie’s most famous song, though, is ‘What’s Going On’ and Duke was quick to dismiss the myth that the Tops had rejected the song. “We never recorded it ’cos we were never offered it – simple. Obie lived right round the corner from Marvin and they’d always be writing together. It’s their song”.

Duke is delighted to be back in the studio but with over fifty years in the business I wanted to know what he saw as the biggest changes in the music he loves. “You know back in the 60s songs were love songs or happy songs; they touched people. Today lots of songs are too personal – they don’t touch people like they used to. Nowadays its more about rhythm – there’s no pretty chords anymore. Business is different too. I’m still learning, but the digital thing has changed things 100%. No wonder the big companies are singing the blues”.

And after such a distinguished career, I needed to know what did Duke consider to be the high spot – “Well awards are always high spots, so I guess being inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame stands out. But the real high spot is the fact that we stayed together for so long. It was a lifetime endeavour and we kept our commitment to each other”… and disappointment? “The passing of my buddies. You never expect it. Lawrence’s death was devastating – I couldn’t believe it. It was the saddest time of my life. There will never be anything like the original 4 Tops”. And Levi Stubbs, how is he? “Levi’s doing fairly will. He had a couple of minor strokes of course and is in a wheel chair. He lives right round the corner from me in Detroit and we’ve just celebrated his birthday together. He’s holding up well. There’ll only ever be one Levi Stubbs”. And what about the future for Duke Fakir? “I’m just happy to still be here. I’m going to do this just as long as I can get to the stage – there’s no retirement in sight for me – no end.”

The UK can see Duke and the Tops take to the stage in the Autumn when their show hits our shores. “On stage” Duke told me, “you’ll see Theo handle most of the leads – though Ronnie does some of the softer songs and Roquel kinda marshals us. He has a great ear for ‘now’ music and I can’t wait to be back in England. I love it. The Tops love our UK fans dearly and wherever we play we always get a fantastic reaction. The UK has a fond place in all our hearts”.

BILL BUCKLEY

THE 4 TOPS’ ‘EAST WEST’ RELEASED AT THE END OF JULY ON JENNY JENNY RECORDS

Executive Producers: Abdul Fakir & Lawrence Roquel Payton, Jr.

Produced by: Michael J. Powell

Written by: Paul Hill

Recorded at Harmonie Park Studios, Detroit, MI.

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