One bag, maybe. Two bags, possibly. Fifteen bags, girl you knew. George O'Dowd, better known as Boy George, said he didn't know how fifteen bags of cocaine happened to be in his apartment in Manhattan. Mmm hmm. It sounds to me like someone was about to sermonize from the church of the poisoned mind.
Stacy Ferguson, aka the platinum locked member of the now defunct trio Wild Orchid, aka Fergie of The Black Eyed Peas, is working on a solo album. Formerly a kid on Kids Incorporated, Stacy has always had a stellar voice. If you're a Peas fan, you know what she can do. But for those of you who aren't, let's take a look back at the diva trio of Wild Orchid.
Stepping back to the late '90s, I was working in the NBC newsroom as an assignment editor and a general gopher ( the dichotomy was maddening ) on the weekends. One Sunday morning we were slated to have a musical act on the show. They were named 'Wild Orchid'. All I could think of was that naughty movie with Mickey Rourke. And then in walked three innocently beautiful girls chattering among themselves.
From the makeup room I heard them warming up. The hair stood up on the back of my neck. They may have looked like three innocent white girls, but they sounded like a full Gospel choir. Stacy, Stefanie, and Renee would soon become my obsession.
I ran to the makeup room and introduced myself. I remember Renee was the most talkative one of the bunch, but when Stacy spoke it was like angels singing. Stefanie kept asking for more coffee. After chatting away for a bit they rehearsed some more.
They were going to sing, a cappella, their first single 'Talk To Me' on the air. The show wasn't starting for nearly two hours, so they had plenty of time to warm up. As they began to really sing ( I swear the walls were shaking ) , one-by-one all of the people in the newsroom gathered near the door.
At some point a ringing phone drew me away from the crowd, but I'll never forget watching the three of them effortlessly harmonizing. It was magical.
'Wild Orchid' was name of their debut album. It's funky and sexy, laced with Gospel sounds and fierce harmony. 'Talk To Me' still sounds like it came out yesterday.
'Oxygen', their second and final album, didn't chart well in the US, but the album is as good as their first. Their powerful voices still leap out at you from each track.
Everybody needs a blast of vocal divas now and again. You can find both of their albums in places that sell second-hand CDs and records. If you stumble across them, pick them up. And let's hope that Fergie's new one, out next year, will be just as powerful.
With you in 4/4,
Peter Mavrik
peter@windycitymediagroup.com
