UB Black Music Month Spotlight: The Ladies of Klymaxx

Black Music Month is UB‘s favorite month of the year! We have some great features and interview pieces coming this month, so stay tuned!

Today we spotlight the extraordinary talents of one of R&B‘s first and until this day, only female bands, Klymaxx!

SOLAR Records‘ Klymaxx, originally consisted of eight woman. A self contained funk/rock band. Bernadette Cooper formed the band in Los Angeles in 1979.

Dick Griffey signed the ladies to his label SOLAR, which included the Whispers, Shalamar and Lakeside.

Their debut album “Never Underestimate the Power of a Woman” was written by members Bernadette Cooper (percussionist/ drummer) and Cherly Cooley (lead guitarist). Other members Ann Williams (rhythm guitar), Malsby (keyboards), Lorena Porter (lead vocalist), Robbin Grider (synthesizers), Judy Takeuchi (percussion) and Joyce Irby (bass/trumpet).

Inspired by the past generation of divas (Lynn Collins, LaBelle, Brides of Funkenstein, and Chaka Khan) as well as Prince’s computer blue funk, Klymaxx was on a mission to define their own sound.

“We’re extremely concerned about this because we are a woman’s band and our first record is `Never Underestimate The Power Of A Woman.’ Nothing could be farther from the truth.
“If the public and the music industry sees us as a group of women’s libbers,” Lynn Malsby stated at the time. “They won’t take us seriously. And this is serious to and for us. We are good musicians who happen to be women.”

Malsby, one of the two group members with formal musical training (Joyce is the other), penned “I Want To Love You Tonight” for the album. Members of Solar’s Lakeside wrote all other tunes on their debut, while Stephen Shockley and Otis Stokes handled production.

Bernadette, who was 22 had played with several male bands for seven years, actually pulled the group together. She placed a “free” ad in a local (non-music) paper for a keyboardist/singer. Malsby, trained in classical music, answered.

Bernadette heard about Ann and was advised of the neighborhood in which Ann lived. She rang doorbells until she found her. Lorena, who initially wanted to sing with Rose Royce, was recommended to Bernadette. Other members, she says, also came through offbeat methods.

Joyce explained that she was inspired by Lewis Johnson of the Brothers Johnson. “I bugged him to show me his technique when he appeared in my home town in North Carolina. I believe he did it just to get rid of me. But he was kind enough to make a tape for me that evening that I could study. I practiced from that tape until I thought my fingers would fall off.”

The ladies released two more albums for SOLAR; 1982’s “Girls Will Be Girls” and 1983’s “Girls in the Band.”

Later joining the fold was percussionist Judy Takeuchi and Robbin Grider on synthesizers.

With the release of the 1984 platinum album “Meeting In The Ladies Room,” Klymaxx became more self-contained, writing tracks and directing the sessions . “The Men All Pause” was co-produced by Steve Shockley, Bernadette Cooper and Joyce “Fenderella” Irby. “Joyce gave me the track, and I sat on the floor and wrote the lyrics in an hour. We began writing for ourselves because we were tired of men writing us subservient lyrics.” Bernadette shared, “We complained to Mr. Griffy, and he said, ‘Fine, make your own album.’ With those words, Klymaxx became a real band. We were emancipated, freedom is a beautiful thing.”

That album was released on Dick Griffey’s MCA. Ann Williams and Judy Takeuchi had departed. “I Miss You,” with lead vocals from Joyce, became the band’s first Pop Top 20 Billboard single. “Lock and Key,” produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, further established ‘ladies room‘ as the quintessential Klymaxx album.

Klymaxx was the first band Jam and Lewis recorded with back in 1982 after being fired by Prince. In the studio, Bernadette closely observed the duo at work. “I was completely inspired by them and their methods and approach to music,” she stated. “I watched, listened and learned.”

With the release of their 1986 classic self-titled album, the lead single “Man Size Love,” became the band’s highest charting Pop single reaching #15. Featured in the Billy Crystal & Gregory Hines action comedy, “Running Scared.” The song was written and co-produced by Rod Temperton.

The legendary George Clinton contributed to the albums second single “Sexy,” as he co-produced the banger. The song was another Top 20 R&B hit for the ladies.

“Divas Need Love Too” and “I’d Still Say Yes” featuring Howard Hewett, were also hits from the album. The latter was written by Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds.

Bernadette Cooper left Klymaxx in 1987 for a career as a producer and solo artist. She hand-picked the female vocal trio, Madame X.

“I just feel that I’ve conquered that whole thing,” she stated. “I’ve done the all-girl syndrome, if you will. Why leave when things are bad? The band’s career is healthy, and they can certainly do well without me.”

However there was drama behind the scenes; “Our vision, as a unit, simply changed. I was getting a lot of spotlight because of my fearlessness and outrageousness. If you didn’t notice me, I was going to make sure you did; this is the business of show. I wanted to be remarkable, the band wanted me to blend in which was very difficult for me to do. My personal mission is not to blend in, but to be innovative.”

Madame X was signed to Atlantic Records by industry veteran Sylvia Rhone. They released the hit single, “Just That Type Of Girl.”

Under the banner of her own Slap Me One Productions, she wrote, arranged, and produced three songs for Cheryl Lynn‘s debut album, “Start Over,” including the first single, “New Dress.”

Joyce “Fenderella” Irby released a solo album entitled “Maximum Thrust” in 1987. The album garnered two hit singles “Mr. DJ” featuring Doug E. Fresh, a #2 single and “She’s Not My Lover.”

Bernadette Cooper recorded a solo album, “Drama According to Bernadette Cooper” in 1990. The album contained the radio hit “Stupid.”

Malsby became an independent writer. Hardimon, married Solar writer/producer William Shelby. Along with Grider and Cooley, they enlisted drummer Maria Martinez and bassist Terry “Bambi” Wallace for the release of “The Maxx Is Back!” in 1990. The album featured two singles “Good Love” and “Private Party.”

The group reunited in 1994 for the reunion album, “One Day.” The album was released independently and didn’t chart. However the ballad released “All I Think About Is You” was classic Klymaxx with Joyce on lead produced by Dallas Austin.

In 2000 Joyce Irby along with Dallas Austin and Chris “Tricky” Stewart, worked on R&B singers Sammie‘s debut album.

In 2005 the ladies reunited again for VH1‘s “Bands Reunited.” Five members reunited, Cheryl Cooley did not participate in the performance due to friction between her and the other band mates, for unsuccessfully trying to trademark the name without the members knowing and forming her own version of Klymaxx.

After reuniting and performing, original members Bernadette Cooper, Joyce Irby and Lorena Stewart decided to tour. Which meant it was two Klymaxx groups performing with the name. One led by Cooley, while the original members toured together under the banner, Klymaxx featuring Bernadette Cooper.

In the end the court decided that the name can be used by any original member, however, to not mislead the public, the member’s name must be featured.

In 2009, the ladies appeared in an episode of the TV One series “Unsung.”

Last year Klymaxx was inducted into the “Women Songwriters Hall Of Fame” in Washington, DC. However founding member Bernadette Cooper, has stated the wrong Klymaxx was inducted. Which would be the current band led by Cheryl Cooley.

Check Out the Hits from Klymaxx!

1. “The Men All Pause”
(Bernadette Cooper – Fenderella)
Produced by Stephen Shockley
Issued as single Constellation/MCA 52486, November 1984
#5 R&B, #80 Pop

2. “Meeting In The Ladies Room”
(Reggie Calloway – Bo Watson – Vincent Calloway
Produced by Bo Watson and Vincent Calloway
Issued as single Constellation/MCA 52545, March 1985
#4 R&B, #59 Pop

3. “I Miss You”
(Lynn Malsby)
Produced by Klymaxx
Issued as single Constellation/MCA 52606, July 1985
#11 R&B, #5 Pop

4. “Lock And Key”
(Bernadette Cooper – V. Spino)
Produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
Issued as single Constellation/MCA 52714, November 1985
#47 R&B

#1-4 From the album Meeting In The Ladies Room, Constellation/MCA 5529 (1984)

5. “Man Size Love”
(Rod Temperton)
Produced by Rod Temperton, Dick Rudolph and Bruce Swedien
From the album Running Scared original motion picture soundtrack, MCA 31053 (1986)
Issued as single MCA 52841, July 1986
#43 R&B, #15 Pop

6. “Sexy”
(Bernadette Cooper)
Produced by Bernadette Cooper and Fenderella for Klymaxx, Inc.
Co-Produced by George Clinton
Issued as single Constellation/MCA 52934, October 1986
#18 R&B

7. “I’d Still Say Yes”
(Kenneth Edmonds – Greg Scelsa – Fenderella)
Produced by Fenderella for Klymaxx, Inc.
Issued as single Constellation/MCA 53028, February 1987
#7 R&B, #18 Pop

8. “Divas Need Love Too”
(Bernadette Cooper – Vincent Brantley – Rick Timas)
Produced by Bernadette Cooper for Klymaxx, Inc. and Vincent Brantley and Rick Timas for New Generation Productions, Inc.
Issued as single Constellation/MCA 53117, July 1987
#14 R&B

#5-8 From the album Klymaxx, Constellation/MCA 5832 (1986)

9. “Good Love”
(Ronald Spearman – Vassal Benford)
Produced and Arranged by Vassal Benford for Palm Tree Productions
Issued as single MCA 53771, April 1990
#4 R&B

10. “Private Party”
(Cheryl Cooley – Lorena Hardimon – Mark Sylvia)
Produced by Mark Anthony Sylvia for WY-7 Productions, Inc.
Issued as single MCA 53879
#62 R&B

#9-10 From the album The Maxx is Back, MCA 6376 (1990)

Take A Trip Down Memory Lane with A Band who Literally Changed the Sound of R&B Klymaxx!