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MASS PRODUCTION
STORY
THE
Ricardo Williams, LeCoy Bryant, James Drumgole, and Tyrone Williams explains how Mass Production was formed. It started in Norfolk VA., where the group members had been performing in separate bands before merging together. Tyrone, Ricardo, and LeCoy had formed a group in 1969, while they were in junior high school. The group was called the Soulnifics, which performed the popular soul/R&B tunes of the day. Later, two additional singers were added to the group and the name was changed to The Movements. “We used to rehearse in Ricardo and Tyrone's mom living while she watched”, reminisced LeCoy , with a smile. The group’s singing style at that time was similar to the popular singing groups of that era (The Delfonics, O'Jays, Stylistics, etc.). The Movements released two singles, Let’s Get Involved and You Don’t Know, which became local hits. After graduation from high school, The Movements changed its musical direction and group makeup by splitting from the trio of singers (Monroe Case, Melton Stancil and Arthur Coppage) and bringing on board James Drumgole (trumpet), Larry Marshall (vocals), Gregory McCoy (sax), Reginal Case (bass), and Rodney Phelps (guitar), and thus MASS PRODUCTION was born.
At first, the band focused mainly on soul-driven R&B during their early years. But, as time went on, they redirected their efforts towards funk. “By the time we all merged together in 1974, self-contained funk bands were at the forefront,” explained Tyrone Williams. “When we witnessed the success of groups such as Earth Wind and Fire, Kool and the Gang as well as Mandrill, that's when our band decided to focus on funk and instrumentals.”
The band members entered Norfolk State College and that's where they met Agnes “Tiny” Kelly through a friend of LeCoy's cousin. “Agnes had moved to Norfolk from Newburgh, NY to also attend Norfolk State College,” explained LeCoy in conversation. “I'd heard her sing at a few college-related functions and asked if she wanted to join the band.” Ricardo added, “We were looking for a female singer to handle some of the lead vocal work in the group. LeCoy recommended Tiny and we offered her a spot immediately.”
When Mass Production won a battle-of-the-bands contest in Norfolk, the prize was a contract with Pepper Productions – a company out of New York, owned by the talent show's promoter, Ed Ellerbee. “He was producing many battle-of-the-bands shows at black colleges and universities throughout the south,” said Tyrone Williams, “Ed liked the fact that we could do Funk, Jazz, Soul, Rock as well as R&B. So after we won the contest, Ed signed us to his production company and in turn, got us the deal with Cotillion Records in 1976. Ed’s friend, Kelly Isley of The Isley Brothers was instrumental in advising the group during contract negotiations. At this time, the group changed its home base from Norfolk to New York City. It was also during this time that Kevin Douglas was added as a member playing bass guitar.
The years 1976 through 1978 brought three albums by the band – Welcome To Our World, Believe and Three Miles High. During that time, Mass Production enjoyed a great degree of creative freedom in the studio. “Cotillion and Ed Ellerbee never told us what to record or how to make a record in our early years,” said James Drumgole. “We all wrote songs – either in teams or individually. At times, there would be literally dozens of songs we'd come up with, per album. The writers would play their tunes and we'd vote on the best ones to cut for the albums. Those songs were chosen by unanimous vote, because if one person out of the group didn't like that one, it would throw off the balance for the rest of the band.”
In 1979, the band released its fourth album, IN THE PUREST FORM, This album contained the track that became their biggest hit, Firecracker. Ricardo expressed, “I wrote 'Firecracker' to express my feelings for a young lady I was attracted to at the time. She lived up the street from where I lived and would see her walk through the neighborhood, but I never met her”. Ricardo added, “when I cut the demo, it was not my intention to be the lead singer. But Tyrone heard what I was doing and said I should sing lead.”
NOTE*** That young lady, Carla, eventually became Ricardo’s wife***
“When Cotillion released the album, the selection “Fired Up” was the first single release, however ‘'Firecracker” was getting a lot of airplay on college radio stations,” said LeCoy. “The college stations were the first to play the song. Then, commercial R&B radio followed throughout the south, and then the Midwest, until finally the big stations up north added the record. Soon, the pop stations were on the single. But it was thanks to college radio and our tours through universities at the time, that 'Firecracker' became successful.”
Due to the band's success, group members were recruited by parent company, Atlantic Records, to produce/compose works for The Trammps (1980's “Breathtaking View”) , the Detroit-based ADC Band, as well as several cuts on Ben E. King’s Music Trance album. Henry Allen, president of Cotillion Records, also called on the band to lay down demo tracks for Stacy Lattisaw and Johnny Gill.
Mass Production recorded 4 more albums for Cotillion/Atlantic Records:
MASSTERPIECE (1980)
TURN UP THE MUSIC (1981)
IN A CITY GROOVE (1982)
“83 (1983)
In 1981, on a return visit to Norfolk to see family, the 1981 Mazda RX7 Ricardo Williams and LeCoy Bryant were riding in, experienced mechanical failure causing the vehicle to crash into a concrete embankment. LeCoy escaped the accident with a fair amount of cuts and bruises, but Ricardo was not so fortunate. Along with cuts and bruises, Ricardo’s arm and leg on his left side were broken in several places. This was not good news for a drummer. This resulted in several operations where rods and pins were embedded in the broken bones to help with the healing process. The band had engagements, as well as studio time to complete while Ricardo convalesced. But as we know, sometimes out of tragedy a blessing comes forth. Samuel Williams, the younger brother of Ricardo and Tyrone, moved to Teaneck, NJ (where the band had relocated) to assume the duties of drummer. Sam also brought song writing and vocal abilities to the group. When Ricardo recovered enough to return to the band, he focused on singing and song writing, and Sam became the permanent drummer.
Although many music research sites mention that Mass Production disbanded in the mid-1980s, the team of Ricardo Williams, Tyrone Williams, Samuel Williams, LeCoy Bryant, James Drumgole, and Larry Marshall say that isn’t the case. “We never split up,” LeCoy stated. “The band continues to perform.
Sadly, we lost three really great members – Gregory McCoy, Emmauel Redding, and Rodney Phelps.
So let it be known, Mass Production’s World of Merry Music is still turning and they are Fired UP!!, still touring and recording a new album.”
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