Xavier – Point Of Pleasure

CD Description

Xavier – Point Of Pleasure

This eight-piece funk band featured Ernest “Xavier” Smith (lead guitar, bass, lead vocals), Ayanna Little (lead vocals), Tim Williams (drums), Ralph Hunt Jnr. (bass), Jeffrey Mitchell (guitar), Lyburn Downing (percussion), Emonie Branch and Chuck Hughes (vocals). Smith started in the mid 60’s as bass player with the Coasters. Between 1969 and 1973 he joined Wilson Pickett’s backing band the Midnight Movers, and later worked with Isaac Hayes and the Temptations.

In the late 70’s he moved to Hartford, Connecticut, where he transformed local act the Shades Of Directions into Xavier And LUV (Life’s Universal Vibration). The band joined Liberty Records, shortened their name to Xavier and released their first single, “Work That Sucker To Death”. This dance record with a positive message also featured George Clinton and Smith’s old friend Bootsy Collins. The record went into the USA R&B Top 10 and reached the UK Top 60 in 1982. Their follow-up, “Do It To The Max”, also reached the R&B chart.

One of the most favorite tracks of the album is the song “Love is on the one” with a bass line which reminds us of Michael Jackson’s Off the wall. Point Of Pleasure narrowly missed the Top 100. Despite this encouraging start Xavier did not chart again. The album is still very popular among 80’s music fans and has still a great demand because it is already out of print for many many years.

Tracklist

Xavier – Point Of Pleasure

01. Work That Sucker To Death 7:03
02. Rock Me, Sock Me 5:25
03. Dial The Love Man 5:22
04. Do It To The Max 5:56
05. What Goes Around 4:39
06. Truly Devoted 4:28
07. Love Is On The One 4:42

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