The Rimshots -

The Rimshots were an American funk band that recorded the original theme to the syndicated music-dance TV series Soul Train in 1971. After two singles and an album on A-I Records in 1972, the band released four singles on All Platinum/Astroscope in 1974, followed by a three-single/one-album run on Stang Records between 1975 and 1976.

Members: Jonathan Williams (bass), Mozart Pierre-Louis (organ), Walter Morris (guitar), Tommy Keith (rhythm guitar), Bernadette Randle (piano, clavinet), Clarence Oliver (drums)

Background

The Rimshots formed in Englewood, New Jersey, around the in-house musicians at the All Platinum/Stang label family run by Joe and Sylvia Robinson. Their core lineup included guitarist Walter Morris, rhythm guitarist Tommy Keith, drummer Clarence Oliver, bassist Jonathan Williams, and keyboardist Bernadette Randle.

Morris, Williams, and Oliver came from the Richmond, Virginia, area and backed the Moments, an All Platinum/Stang vocal group with major early-1970s R&B hits. Keith came from Philadelphia and worked in the Robinson label circle as a songwriter and producer. Randle came from St. Louis and entered the Englewood studio circle through producer Michael Burton.

Soul Train

The Rimshots released their debut album, Soul Train, in 1972 on A-I Records.

The album presents nine funk and soul titles performed by bassist Curtis McTeer, drummer Ronald Smith, rhythm guitarist Mike Watson, and keyboardist Nate Edmonds on electric piano, organ, and piano. Sammy Lowe wrote the orchestrations, and Joe Richardson assisted with lead guitar.

A1. “Neighbor! Get Your Own” (3:10) – Edmonds, Covington
A2. “A Hot Day in Harlem” (3:10) – Edmonds, Watson
A3. “Love, True Love! (Please Pass My Way)” (3:50) – Richardson
A4. “In Cold Blood” (3:35) – Edmonds

B1. “Soultrain Part 1” (2:13)
B2. “Soultrain Part 2” (2:50)
B3. “Born Funky” (3:15) – Richardson
B4. “Coastin’ and Crashin’ Part 1” (3:16) – Edmonds
B5. “Coastin’ and Crashin’ Part 2” (3:14) – Edmonds

Nate Edmonds engineered Soul Train at Soul Sound Studios in Englewood, New Jersey. Joe Richardson and Edmonds mixed the album.

The front cover presents a black-and-white line drawing of a steam locomotive with the album title at upper right.

A-I issued “Soultrain Part I” as a June 1972 single backed with “Soultrain Part II.”

Down to Earth

The Rimshots released their second album, Down to Earth, in 1976 on Stang Records.

The album presents nine funk and disco titles performed by bassist Jonathan Williams, drummer Clarence Oliver, lead and rhythm guitarist Walter Morris, rhythm guitarist Tommy Keith, organist Mozart Pierre-Louis, and keyboardist Bernadette Randle on piano, ARP synthesizer, and clavinet.

“Do What You Feel” snaps through a repeated command phrase and carries its rhythm idea into an instrumental second part. “Super Disco” drives the album’s charted dance side with compact band punctuation. Down to Earth includes a cover of Gary Toms Empire’s “7-6-5-4-3-2-1 (Blow Your Whistle).”

A1. “Now Is the Time” (3:15) – Morris, Goodman, Ray
A2. “Do What You Feel (Part 1)” (3:44) – Morris, Goodman, Ray
A3. “I Wanna Be Myself” (5:00) – Keith, Randle
A4. “Super Disco” (3:28) – Keith

B1. “Groove Bus” (3:15) – Ray, Goodman, Morris, Keith
B2. “Walter’s Inspiration” (3:27) – Morris, Randle
B3. “Being Down to Earth” (3:15) – Morris, Goodman, Ray
B4. “Do What You Feel (Part 2)” (3:15) – Morris, Goodman, Ray
B5. “7-6-5-4-3-2-1 (Blow Your Whistle)” (3:05) – Cook–Greenaway

Al Goodman, Walter Morris, Harry Ray, and Tommy Keith produced Down to Earth. The Rimshots recorded the album at All Platinum Recording Studios in Englewood, New Jersey, with engineers Goodman and Allan Tucker. Sammy Lowe wrote the orchestrations, and Tucker cut the lacquer.

Down to Earth appeared in a sleeve designed by Dudley Thomas with cover photography by Randall Phillips and liner photography by Bob Monkton. The front cover places white title lettering over a dark image with a curved illuminated form, and the back cover presents a framed group portrait on a purple field.

Stang issued “Do What You Feel (Part 1)” as a 1975 single backed with “Do What You Feel (Part 2).”

In June 1976, Stang lifted “Super Disco” as a single backed with “Groove Bus”; the A-side reached No. 49 on Billboard Hot Soul Singles and No. 7 on Disco Singles.

“7-6-5-4-3-2-1 (Blow Your Whistle)” reached No. 26 on the UK Official Singles Chart in 1975 on All Platinum. Down to Earth reached No. 41 on Billboard Soul LPs.

Discography: