TBOZ: How did Tony Toni Tone get started?

SAADIQ: Actually the Tonies is my High School group and my brother was in a band called Alpha Omega. I was in a bunch of little bands like Hot Water and Bio Surge. The Tonies was my R&B band and we were the baby band to my brother’s big band. So they guys in his band broke up and in high school I hooked up with Tim, Carl Wheeler, my cousin Elizah, Antoine Hale, and all these kids I went to school with. But my dream was to play in my band with my brother. So he got in my band called Hot Water at that time and we became the Tonies in 86′. I left and went to play with Tim on the Sheila E and Prince tour so the band went on hiatus for about two years. When we got back from tour, we got back in the band with my brother.. .We played from club to club to club for about a year in Oakland. We took a demo tape to the producer of The Timex Social Club and Club Noveau. We got a record deal in 88′ and that is how the Tonies was started.

TBOZ: Boy you have been around. That is major.

ED: I remember jamming to “FEELS GOOD” when I was like 12.

TBOZ: As a musician you definitely have allot of soul. Besides Larry Graham from whom do you draw inspiration?

SAADIQ: Areatha Franklin. Stevie Wonder. Of course Prince, Carlos Santana, and allot of 60′s groups like the Mamma’s and Poppa’s. I come from a melody driven place where I hear the melody before I hear anything else.

TBOZ: I have to tell you I was a fan already before I met you. Before I half way begged, “Please Please be on TLC’s album.” I don’t think people really know how much of a producer and writer you are more so than just the artist side. I loved working with you. I have to say he was one of the best producers ever and we have the jamming song on the TLC album called “So Dumb”. People don’t really know all the people you have worked with talk about some of the artists. I was amazed.

SAADIQ: My first actual production that I did outside of the Tonies-and I did not know what the hell I was doing and it sounds like it-

TBOZ: No! What song was it ? (Laughter)

SAADIQ: Ralph Tresvant, it was cool …I was a fan too.

TBOZ: What song?

ED: “Sensitivity”. (Laughter)…..Don’t tell me you did Sensitivity.

SAADIQ: Nah man, that’s knowing what you doing.

TBOZ: That song is good!

SAADIQ: It was in the House Party movie. You (TBOZ) was probably in that movie.

TBOZ: Don’t tell nobody.

SADDIQ: It was “Yo Baby.”

TBOZ: How did it go?

SAADIQ: (Singing) Yo Baby, Yo Baby, Yo.

TBOZ: Oh, that song was good. Guess you are critiquing yourself.

SAADIQ: Yeah, it could have been allot better. Ralph Tresvant was my first production. Later on I started working with Dangelo, Angie Stone, The Bee Gees, John Cougar Melloncamp…..

TBOZ: What did you do for John Cougar Melloncamp?

SAADIQ: I stayed out in Indiana for like a month playing bass, singing background, and writing. It was pretty fun. He put a whole pot of different people together; even a producer who worked with Madonna. Other than that, Kelly Price, Ginuine, of course TLC…I work with so many people now that I can even remember

Click Numbers Below To Read All Five Parts Of Interview

Print PDF

Related posts:

1. Raphael Saadiq Stone Rollin
2. Sweet Tea Ethics: Ed Garnes Anthony David Talk Soul Music Songwriting
3. Ed Garnes Femi Kuti Talk Music/Freedom

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5