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Indianapolis Recorder Interview with Mint Condition
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Popular band is still in ‘MINT CONDITION’
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| During its 20-year journey Mint Condition has become known among fans as the true “Definition of a Band,” as described by the title of one of their classic albums. |
By BRANDON A. PERRY
During its 20-year journey Mint Condition has become known among fans as the true “Definition of a Band,” as described by the title of one of their classic albums.
The popular R&B/soul band best remembered for the 1991 song “Pretty Brown Eyes” will make an appearance in Indianapolis this Friday at the Madame Walker Theatre at 8 p.m.
For many listeners who enjoy the strong vocals and expressive musicianship of traditional soul music, Mint Condition is the oasis in a barren R&B landscape dominated by rappers and “light” vocalists who sing to mechanical sound tracks.
Mint Condition is the only contemporary self-contained Black band featured on mainstream radio. They continue to forge ahead with the music of the 21st Century while using a sound that pays homage to legendary groups such as Earth, Wind & Fire, The Commodores and The Isley Brothers.
After being discovered by producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the band dominated the charts with the quiet storm favorite “Pretty Brown Eyes.”
They went on to make some of the most romantic songs of the 90’s, including “Forever In Your Eyes” (1991), “U Send Me Swingin’” (1993), “Someone to Love” (1994), “What Kind of Man Would I Be” (1996) and “If You Love Me” (1999).
After a brief hiatus the group returned with the 2005 album “Living the Luxury Brown” which featured the hit single “I’m Ready.”
Mint Condition is promoting their current album “eLife” and a single from that release, “Nothing Left to Say” has received heavy airplay on the radio. The next single, “Moan,” was released to stations this week.
“The album is about having relationships in the context of our world today,” said bass player Ricky Kinchen.
The Recorder recently caught up with lead singer Stokley Williams and asked him to give us the latest on Mint Condition:
Recorder: Are you looking forward to returning to Indianapolis?
Stokley: Absolutely! It’s been a while since we performed there. The people there are always cool, nice and energetic.
What makes “eLife” different from your previous releases?
Well, we are living in an age where things are changing every day. Technology is moving music forward along with other aspects of our lives. The “e” in “eLife” stands for electronic, so these songs speak to life during a time when technology has taken a greater role in our lives.
What is the secret to keeping your sound fresh?
We’ve always been able to straddle the fence between the old school and new school, but at the end of the day we’re all about forward movement. We keep up with changes in the industry but we also like to keep our integrity and organic sensibilities, musically speaking.
Keri Lewis, your original keyboardist, left the group in 2001 to produce for his wife, Toni Braxton. Will he ever return?
We speak to Keri every now and then and see him occasionally. He’s doing great right now and there’s a chance he might join us for a few dates in the future. We’ll have to see what happens.
Many listeners yearn for the old days of classic R&B when it was truly romantic, had variety and was less mechanical. Do you think music will ever return to that level of quality?
I definitely understand what people mean when they say that. But I think there’s still a lot of good music out there, you just have to know where to find it. On the radio, we still have people like Jill Scott, Alicia Keys, Raheem DaVaughn, Musiq Soulchild and others. Some of the other artists, though, have to be found underground on the Internet and satellite radio. The musical world is forever changing with new artists, and we just have to keep up with it.
Anything to say to your fans?
Thanks for all the years of support. Check out our new album. It’s feel good music that has a lot of depth to it. You’ll love it!
Meant to be Mint
Mint Condition was formed 20 years ago by high school classmates Stokley Williams (lead vocals/drums) Homer O’Dell (guitar), Rick Kinchen (bass), Jeffrey Allen (saxophone), Larry Waddell (piano) and Keri Lewis (keyboards.) They were raised on the Minneapolis music scene that launched Prince, Mazarati, Sheila E. and Morris Day and The Time. Since their discovery by powerhouse producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis in 1989, Mint Condition has built a reputation for satisfying albums and engaging, intimate live shows.
Need ‘last minute’ plans?
Catch Mint Condition this Friday, May 29 at 8 p.m. at the Madame Walker Theatre, 617 Indiana Ave. Tickets are $29, $39 and $49. For more information call (317) 236-2099 or visit www.walkertheatre.com.
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