Interview 1994-05

N.Y.～Atlanta / then to The Temptaions

A: Then I quit The Blue Notes and moved to New York, and I was driving a limozine for the first year.
J: Driving a limozine ?
A: Yeah, I was a limo-driver, and got chance to meet a lot of stars, you know, I met Stevie Wonder, I met Rick James, I met Village People, RIchie Family, all different people.
I met them when I was driving a limogine.
J: You did ?!
Didn't you sing in New York ?
A: Ah... yeah, I sang at some clubs, at a club called "Cellar", like a basement.
J: Where was it ?
A: It was on 96th and Columbus Avenue in New york. It is not there any more.
J: What a kind of club was that ?
A: It was a restaurant club that they have a live band in it, restaurant bar.
And I was recording same time, trying to, you know write some songs and put some recording together.
J: Were they by your name ?
A: Yeah, but it was just a demo. But I wasn't hired as music, I couldn't work in New York. So I moved to Atlanta Georgia. And that's when I got a chance to work to play at a Jazz Club and play with performing musicians from S.O.S.Band. And then I joined this band called "Nightworks",and I played congas and singing.
J: I know you can play congas very well.
(When he came to see my band back in '91, he sang and played congas with us)
A: Yeah, hahaha...
And that's when The Temptations came to the town, this is 1983, now. I stayed in New York from '79 to 81, and working around with different bands in Atlanta until 1983. And I joined The Temptations, that was 1983.

Ali-Ollie with The House Rockers (1992)

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A:	Then I quit The Blue Notes and moved to New York, and I was driving a limozine for the first year.
J:	Driving a limozine ?
A:	Yeah, I was a limo-driver, and got chance to meet a lot of stars, you know, I met Stevie Wonder, I met Rick James, I met Village People, RIchie Family, all different people. I met them when I was driving a limogine.
J:	You did ?! Didn't you sing in New York ?
A:	Ah... yeah, I sang at some clubs, at a club called "Cellar", like a basement.
J:	Where was it ?
A:	It was on 96th and Columbus Avenue in New york. It is not there any more.
J:	What a kind of club was that ?
A:	It was a restaurant club that they have a live band in it, restaurant bar. And I was recording same time, trying to, you know write some songs and put some recording together.
J:	Were they by your name ?
A:	Yeah, but it was just a demo. But I wasn't hired as music, I couldn't work in New York. So I moved to Atlanta Georgia. And that's when I got a chance to work to play at a Jazz Club and play with performing musicians from S.O.S.Band. And then I joined this band called "Nightworks",and I played congas and singing.
J:	I know you can play congas very well. (When he came to see my band back in '91, he sang and played congas with us)
A:	Yeah, hahaha... And that's when The Temptations came to the town, this is 1983, now. I stayed in New York from '79 to 81, and working around with different bands in Atlanta until 1983. And I joined The Temptations, that was 1983.