The Ikettes

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The Ikettes were one of the first back-up groups mentioned by name in the history of rock 'n' roll and thus a forerunner of today's girl groups . The American trio became known in the early 1960s mainly because of their strong-voiced and dance-loving support for the " Ike and Tina Turner Revue" . He also made it into the American Top 40 a few times. The Ikettes also made a contribution to two Frank Zappa albums .

history

Early years

The founding of the vocal trio is closely linked to Ike and Tina Turner's first single Fool In Love , which became a huge hit in the late summer of 1960. To promote this production live, Ike Turner put together a backup trio - after all , the soul star Ray Charles had great success with his background trio The Raelettes at the time . The first line-up of the Ikettes included Robbie Montgomery, Venetta Fields and Jessie Smith.

The Ikettes interwoven difficult and electrifying dance choreography with their singing. The female trio - long hair, mini skirts and high heels - caught on with the audience. With added value in mind, Ike Turner didn't leave the Ikettes alone in the background of the stage. He eventually brought it out as an independent act on another label. With Dolores Johnson as the front singer (and now Tina Turner in the background), the single I'm Blue (The Gong Gong Song) reached number 19 on the pop charts in spring 1962 - for the Ike and Tina Turner Revue that was the most significant success since Fool In Love . Hip-hop group Salt 'n' Pepa took elements from I'm Blue for their hit Shoop in 1993 . For this reason, Ike Turner had rights to Shoop as a composer and lyricist.

Several singles ( Troubles On My Mind , Heavenly Love , Prisoner of Love ) were released on various labels . However, the success of the first work could not be repeated. The Ikettes eventually developed into a kind of “revolving door employment agency for session singers”, as the web fanzine girl group Chronicles noted about this time. The Turner Revue meant a steady income for the singers.

The comeback

The situation changed in 1965. The pop artists from the island, inspired by black blues music , came to the USA as a “British invasion” - from which the black musicians there also benefited. The Ikettes too: Peaches 'n' Cream made it into the Top 40 in 1965, followed in the same year with (He's Gonna Be) Fine, Fine, Fine and I'm So Thankful - the Ikettes were again successful. Her style would influence a number of greats in pop music, including Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones , on whose tours in 1966 and 1969 she appeared as an opening act. At that time Phil Spector wrote the song River Deep - Mountain High for Tina Turner . That led Ike Turner to put Tina back in the spotlight. He wanted to give his revue new momentum - knowing the Ikettes in demand behind him.

The break

After the Ikettes had not received any royalties for their hits, they were paid like all "normal" Revue members, they left Ike Turner, who subsequently refused to perform as Ikettes. So they tried to be commercially successful as The Mirettes for a few more years. In 1970 the original Ikettes finally dissolved.

Ike Turner continued to use the previously successful product name Ikettes . Behind Tina Turner, the new Ikettes never achieved the success of their predecessors. They were also denied another jump into the charts.

Cooperation with Frank Zappa

In March 1973, Frank Zappa and his The Mothers of Invention took a break from touring to record new pieces in the Bolic Sound studio - the studio of Ike and Tina Turner. Zappa was able to engage the Ikettes for some background vocals. Ike Turner's condition was that none of the singers - Tina included - was allowed to receive more than 25 dollars per sound track, i.e. the amount that Turner himself paid his singers. The studio owner also forbade a "credit" for Tina and the Ikettes on the later Zappa albums.

The vocal passages were difficult for the Ikettes. Tina Turner didn't have the problems: "Shit, man, I could sing that with a blindfold and a broomstick in my ass," she said when she heard the choir passage of the song Dirty Love . After a rehearsal and three further recordings - one for each of the three vocal parts - the recording was on tape. Tina Turner and the new Ikettes can be heard on the albums Over-Nite Sensation and Apostrophe (') .

The end

The story of the new Ikettes ends in 1976 when Ike and Tina Turner split. In 2006 Lyrica Garrett, one of the Ikettes, appeared in Germany together with Ike Turner at the Nokia Night of the Proms .

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Tina Turner fansite in Germany ( Memento from September 30, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) (as of: September 13, 2006)
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g Girl Group Chronicles ( Memento from April 28, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) (Status: September 13, 2006)
  3. ^ Gema: Online database - musical works
  4. ↑ Peaches 'n' Cream (US catalog number Modern 1005) reached number 36, I'm So Thankful (US catalog number Modern 1011) number 74; see Whitburn, Joel: Top Pop Singles 1955-1993 . Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Ltd., 1994, p. 289
  5. ↑ United Mutations (as of September 13, 2006)
  6. ↑ a b Barry Miles : Zappa . Rogner & Bernhard, 2005. ISBN 3-8077-1010-8

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