TLC

"Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg" had a video shot for both the original version and the remix. It proved to be the definitive end to the band's checkered career when Sterling Morrison died of cancer in 1995. The videos for "Diggin' On You" and "No Scrubs" use remixed or alternate versions of the actual single: "Digin' On You" is presented in "L.A.'s Live Mix", and "No Scrubs" is presented in an alternate version featuring a rap from Left-Eye. or record — an MTV Unplugged album was proposed — Cale and Reed fell out again, breaking up the band once more. All singles had a music video shot for them except for the following: "Silly Ho", "I'm Good At Being Bad", "Damaged", and "Come Get Some". Before the band could tour the U.S. TLC was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame on September 28, 2002. Cale sang the songs Nico had performed with the group.

Fox passed on the show, which was eventually picked up for development by UPN. There was a brief reunion of the original lineup in 1993, resulting in a European tour — opening a few concerts for U2 — and a live album, Live MCMXCIII. On June 25, 2004, T-Boz and Chili announced that they were pitching a reality television show to Fox Television, where contestants would compete for a chance to record a single and perform in concert with the two of them. broke up, Songs for Drella was the first time the pair had worked together in decades, and rumors of a reunion began to circulate. In 2003, LaFace released Now and Forever: The Hits, a TLC greatest hits album with a new song, "Come Get Some," featuring Lil Jon and Sean Paul of the Youngbloodz. Though Morrison and Tucker had each worked with Reed or Cale since the V.U. The group, introduced by Britney Spears and Carson Daly, showed a video montage dedicated to Lopes, and went on to perform songs against video footage of Lopes performing the same songs, and wearing the same outfits, that were appearing onstage. In 1990, Reed and Cale released Songs for Drella, dedicated to the recently deceased Warhol.

In June 2003, at Zootopia, an annual concert hosted by New York radio station Z100 held at Giants Stadium, TLC appeared in what was announced to be their last performance. In 1988, Nico died of a brain hemorrhage on the island of Ibiza. TLC went on tour in support of 3D with just T-Boz and Chili. Maureen Tucker raised a family before returning to small-scale gigging and recording in the 1980s. Its follow-up, "Hands Up," featured only T-Boz and Chili in its video. 3D was only a lukewarm success; the album only sold one million copies and "Girl Talk" (US #28) was the only single to reach the US Top 40; "Hands Up" never charted and a third single, "Damaged," made it to #53. Lou Reed and John Cale, in the meantime, enjoyed long and winded solo careers. The first single for 3D was "Girl Talk," the video for which featured T-Boz and Chili alone in live-action segments and Left-Eye in animated segments. Some have regarded Squeeze as a travesty, but others have argued the album — while certainly not up to the standards established on the previous Velvet Underground albums — is a respectable, if not especially noteworthy effort.

Left-Eye had already completed her vocals for six songs; the remainder were performed by T-Boz and Chilli alone, who gave reverence to Left-Eye on a number of the tracks. Sesnick managed to secure a recording contract with Polydor and so Yule recorded Squeeze under the Velvet Underground name with Deep Purple drummer Ian Paice and some unknown session players. The decision was also made that TLC would be retired after the release and promotion of 3D; Left-Eye would not be replaced. When Atlantic decided to release a live recording from 1970, Live at Max's Kansas City instead of letting the current band record a new album, its members drifted apart, leaving Yule and manager Steven Sesnick alone with the brand name. It was decided by TLC and Dallas Austin that they would complete the remainder of their fourth album, to be called 3D, which also featured production from Rodney Jerkins and Missy Elliott & Timbaland. The band played shows in England, Wales, and the Netherlands, some of which end up on the 2001 box set Final V.U.. Her funeral was held on May 3, 2002, with thousands of fans and admirers in attendance. His replacement was singer/keyboard player Willie Alexander.

Left-Eye was the only passenger not to survive the crash; it was believed that she was not wearing her seat belt. in English, and left the group for an academic career with the University of Texas at Austin. The SUV went into a spin and flipped over, rolling into a ditch. before doing a tour of Europe. By that time, however, Sterling Morrison has finally obtained his B.A. On April 25, she and six others were riding through La Cieba in an SUV when Left-Eye suddenly swerved to avoid hitting an oncoming car. radio favourites, and the band, now featuring Walter Powers III on bass with Doug Yule promoted to lead vocals and guitar, went on the road once more, playing the East Coast of the U.S. Dallas Austin got TLC back into the studio in early 2002 to begin recording their fourth album, and Left-Eye took her cleansing trips on her free days. Although Loaded's spin-off single "Who Loves the Sun" did nothing, the album itself is something of a muted triumph. "Sweet Jane" and "Rock and Roll" became U.S.

Since about 2001, Left-Eye had spent most of her time-off in self-discovery, including frequent trips to Honduras for spiritual cleansing. Disillusioned with the lack of progress the band was making and feeling pressured by manager Sesnick, Reed decided to quit the band and did so in August 1970, just prior to the release of Loaded. She was to be marketed with a darker, more dangerous image than that of pop-friendly TLC, but no material was ever released by Tha Row during Left-Eye's lifetime. Drums were actually played by several people, including Yule, engineer Adrian Barber, sessioneer Tommy Castanaro, and Doug Yule's brother Billy. In January 2002, she signed a solo deal with notorious label mogul Suge Knight, to record solo albums for his Tha Row Records under the name "N.I.N.A." ("New Identity Non-Applicable," and also slang for a handgun). Though Tucker had retired from the group due to her pregnancy, she received a performance credit on Loaded. Perturbed by her label's lack of support, Left-Eye made the album available for listening via streaming audio on her website. He was particularly bitter about the truncation of "Sweet Jane".

A video was shot for the single "The Block Party" by Hype Williams, but the video, the single, and the album were never released in America, and overseas marketing of the album was only moderate. The album was remixed without Reed's approval. In 2000, LaFace released Supernova, but only for international markets. had performed. The couple's high-profile romance ended in 2003; the breakup was the main subject mater of Usher's Confessions, which became his most successful album. Atlantic Records signed the Velvet Underground for what would be their final studio album, Loaded. The album's title refers to Atlantic's request that the band produce an album "loaded with hits." The album contained "Sweet Jane", one of Reed's best known songs and the most accessible pop songs the V.U. Chili and Dallas Austin separated in 2000, and Chili began a relationship with fellow LaFace recording artist Usher Raymond. were on his list, along with Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention.

On June 14, 2001, Rison announced that he and Left-Eye were engaged, but the wedding plans were eventually cancelled. In 1969, MGM Records president Mike Curb wanted to purge any drug- or hippie-related bands from MGM, and the V.U. Left-Eye and Newman eventually called off their wedding, and Left-Eye began dating Andre Rison once again. Indeed, most of Reed's early solo career's more successful hits were reworked old Velvet Underground tracks, released for the first time in their original version on VU, Another View, and later on Peel Slowly and See and The Quine Tapes. Her bandmates, family, and label worried until Left-Eye showed up on the August 14, 2000 broadcast of Inside Edition, stating that she and her new boyfriend Sean Newman had gone looking for wedding rings. After Reed's departure, he later reworked a number of these songs for his solo records ("Stephanie Says", "Ocean", "I Can't Stand It", "Lisa Says", "Coney Island Baby"). For an entire week, no one was able to find or contact her. The rest of the recordings, as well as some alternate takes, were bundled on Another View.

Left-Eye did not attend T-Boz's wedding; when she also did not turn up for a scheduled press conference and a family gathering, T-Boz and Chili announced to the press that Left-Eye was missing, in hopes of finding her. John Cale rejoined, briefly, for a few of these recording sessions. In 2000, she released a book entitled Thoughts.., which featured essays and anecdotes from her personal and professional life, and her poetry, including the two poems that were the basis for "Unpretty" and "Dear Lie." She also appeared on the soundtrack for the animated film Rugrats In Paris. This album had a transitional sound between the whisper-soft third album and the pop-rock anthems of their final record, Loaded. They would remain together until 2004, when T-Boz, stating that Mack-10 frequently terrorized her, filed for separation. The Velvet Underground recorded a lot of material that was never officially released due to disputes with their record label. What many consider the prime of these sessions were released many years later as VU. T-Boz married rapper Mack 10 in August 2000, and the couple had a daughter, Chase, that same year. The album's influence can be heard in many later indie rock and lo-fi recordings. The album also features Maureen Tucker's only featured vocal performances, "After Hours", a song that Reed said was so innocent and pure he couldn't possibly sing it himself.

After the conclusion of the successful FanMail tour, the ladies took some time off and pursued personal interests. Reed's songs and singing were generally quiet, and almost confessional in places. Left-Eye did, however, begin recording her solo album, Supernova. The Velvet Underground was recorded in late 1968, and released in March of 1969. The ladies eventually settled the feud, and The Challenge was never followed through. Morrison's ringing guitar parts and Yule's melodic bass guitar and harmony vocals are featured prominently. In its November 28, 1999 issue, Entertainment Weekly ran a letter from Left-Eye that challenged her groupmates to record solo albums and let the fans judge which of the three was the most talented:. This resulted in a gentler, more folk music-influenced sound for their third record which showcased the songwriting styles that would inform Reed's later solo career.

Her contributions to the songs had been reduced to periodic eight-bar raps, and studio session singers often took her place on the background vocals for the groups' songs. Before the release of their third album Reed fired the classically trained Cale, replacing him with Doug Yule. During and after the release of FanMail, Left-Eye made it known to the press on multiple occasions that she felt that she was unable to fully express herself working with TLC and Dallas Austin. A play on the title "White Light/White heat" was used for the punk rock band Social Distortion's Album "White light/White heat/White trash". Like CrazySexyCool before it, FanMail won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album of 1999. Tensions were growing: the group was tired of receiving little recognition for their hard work, and Reed and Cale were pulling the Velvet Underground in different directions. The videos for both songs were heavily fetured on MTV and BET, and three more singles received decent radio play without the support of a music video: "Silly Ho," "I'm Good At Being Bad," and "Dear Lie" (a video was shot for "Dear Lie," but it only played overseas). White Light/White Heat entered the Billboard top 200 chart for exactly one week, at number 199.

FanMail was another success for TLC, selling 6 million copies and featuring the US #1 hits "No Scrubs," the first to feature Chili alone on lead vocals, and "Unpretty," an alternative rock-styled song about self-love written by Austin and T-Boz. The second album cover was a subtle black on black picture of the tattoo of one of Warhol's "Factory" members. TLC eventually began working with other producers for the FanMail album, until finally negotiating with Austin, who produced the bulk of FanMail and gave the album a futuristic, more pop-based feel. The meditative "Here She Comes Now" was later covered by Galaxie 500 and Nirvana. Left-Eye started her own Left-Eye Productions artist development company and signed Blaque, a TLC-like female R&B/hip-hop trio. Despite the dominance of noisefests like "Sister Ray", the title track (later covered by David Bowie, and also by Joy Division), and "I Heard Her Call My Name", there was room for the darkly comic "The Gift", a Reed-penned short story narrated in Cale's deadpan Welsh accent. During this period, Chili appeared in the independent film HavPlenty and T-Boz recorded the solo single "Touch Myself" for the Fled soundtrack and co-starred in Hype Williams' 1998 film Belly with rappers Nas and DMX. The eerie, hallucinatory "Lady Godiva's Operation" remains Reed's favorite track on the album.

Austin wanted $4 million and creative control to work on the project, resulting in a stand-off between the producer and the artists. The title track and first song starts things off with Cale pounding on piano like a demented Jerry Lee Lewis. Preliminary work on TLC's third album, FanMail, was delayed when friction arose between the group and their main producer Dallas Austin, who was by this time dating Chili and helping to raise their young son Tron. Cale has stated that while the debut had some moments of fragility and beauty, White Light/White Heat was "consciously anti-beauty". Reid by this time) was rescinded, and the group was set to re-enter the recording studio in 1997. The recording was raw and oversaturated, one of the harshest, loudest records yet released. TLC's contract was renegotiated, their production deal with Pebbitone and Pebbles (who had separated from husband L.A. It was released January, 1968.

Both Pebbitone and LaFace countered that TLC simply wanted more money and were in no real financial danger, resulting in two years of legal hassles before the cases were finally settled in late 1996. In September, 1967, the VU recorded what would become their second album, White Light/White Heat. They sought to renegotiate their contract wth LaFace--under their 1991 contract, they only received seven percent of the revenues from their album sales-- and to dissolve their association with Pebbitone. Reed fired Warhol as manager, and Nico was jettisoned, partly due to her unreliability. They declared debts totaling 3.5 million dollars, much of it because of Lopes' insurance payments citing from the Rison arson incident and Watkins' medical bills, but the primary reason being that the three women were each taking home less than $35,000 a year after paying managers, producers, expenses, and taxes. Cale reports that at about this time, The Velvet Underground were one of the first groups to receive an endorsement from Vox Guitars. However, many were shocked when, in the midst of their apparent success, the members of TLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on July 3, 1995. The Velvet Underground performed live often, and their performances became louder, harsher and often featured extended improvisations.

CrazySexyCool eventually sold over 11 million copies, becoming one of only seven R&B albums to ever receive a diamond certification from the RIAA, and won the 1996 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album. MGM Records pulled all copies of the album until the legal problems were settled. The album instead focused more on T-Boz's and Chili's contributions and a smoother, more fluid sound, similar to the most successful single from the first album, the US #2 hit "Baby-Baby-Baby." All four singles from Crazysexycool reached the Billboard Top 5, including "Red Light Special," "Diggin' On You," and the #1 hits "Creep" and "Waterfalls." "Waterfalls," an Organized-Noise produced record that featured an old-school soul-based musical arrangement, socially conscious lyrics criticizing drug dealing and unsafe sex, and an introspective rap from Left-Eye, became TLC's biggest hit ever, and its million-dollar music video—at that time the most expensive ever—was an MTV staple for many months. The film's cinematographer had been arrested for drug possession, and, desperate for money, claimed the still had been included on the album without his permission. Left-Eye was released from rehab to attend the recording sessions, but the finished album featured significantly less of her vocals. The Velvet Underground and Nico peaked at number 171 on Billboard Magazine's top 200 charts, but the promising debut was muted somewhat by legal complications: The album's back cover featured a still from a Warhol motion picture, Chelsea Girls. TLC re-entered the studio with Dallas Austin, Dupri, Babyface, Organized Noise, and Sean "Puffy" Combs to record their second album, CrazySexyCool, during the fall of 1994. Tucker's drum kit was rather abreviated: She usually played on tom toms and an upturned bass drum, using mallets rather than drumsticks, and she rarely used cymbals.

Rison eventually reconciled with Left-Eye, and they continued dating on-and-off for most of the next few years. The overall sound was propelled by Reed's strong deadpan vocals, Cale's droning or shrieking viola, Morrison's often R&B or country-influenced guitar, and Tucker's hypnotically simple but steady, propulssive beat. Left-Eye was eventually arrested for and indicted on charges of first-degree arson; she was sentenced to five years of probation and required to enter alcoholism rehabilitation. Eleven songs showcased their stylistic range, veering from the pounding attacks of "I'm Waiting For The Man" and "Run Run Run," the droning "Venus In Furs" and "Heroin" to the quiet "Femme Fatale" and the tender "I'll Be Your Mirror". Although firefighters were called to the scene, the house could not be saved, because of the toxic fumes from the gasoline. Those who did remove the banana skin found a pink, phallic, peeled banana beneath. The Plexiglas bathtub quickly melted and set the structural frame of the house on fire. The album cover was famous for its simple, suggestive Warhol design: a bright yellow banana with "Peel Slowly and See" printed near a perforated tab.

After another fight between Left-Eye and Rison in the early morning hours of June 9, 1994, Left-Eye, tipsy from alcohol, tossed numerous pairs of Rison's newly purchased sneakers into a bathtub, doused them with gasoline, and lit them on fire. The album was recorded in one or two days — there is some disagreement in the band members' memories — and released by MGM Records in March of 1967. Left-Eye was also battling alcoholism, having been a heavy drinker since her early teen years. on their debut album, The Velvet Underground and Nico. Their relationship was allegedly filled with violent moments, and Left-Eye filed an assault charge against Rison on September 2, 1993, although Rison later denied battering her. Nico joined the V.U. On the TLC Tip, and the two were by 1994 living together in Rison's upscale double-story home. Some of these performances have been released as a bootleg; they remain the only record of MacLise with the Velvet Underground.

Left-Eye had started dating Atlanta Falcons American football player Andre Rison shortly after the release of Ooooooohhh... Also at these appearances, the band often played an extended jam they had dubbed "The Booker T", after the leader of the musical group Booker T & the MG's; the jam later became the music for "The Gift" on White Light/White Heat. In 1993, TLC played the musical group "Sex as a Weapon" in the New Line Cinema film House Party 3, starring Kid 'n Play. For these appearances, Cale sang and played organ and Tucker switched to bass guitar. Pebbles released the group from its management deal, but they remained signed to Pebbitone, and Pebbles continued to receive a share of their earnings. In 1966, MacLise temporarily rejoined the Velvet Underground for a few weeks when Reed was suffering from hepatitis and unable to perform at a number of scheduled concerts. At the conclusion of the tour, TLC decided to take more control of their careers and thus informed Pebbles that they no longer wished her to be their manager. Producers of the day were frequently very restrictive in the studio, leaving little room for experimentation with new techniques, and Warhol gave the Velvets uprecedented free reign over the sound they produced.

The songs on the album were a blend between hip-hop and R&B, similar to the "new jack swing" sound popularized by producer Teddy Riley in the late-1980s; TLC's sound was dubbed "new jill swing." The album was a success, going double-platinum in a year's time and launching a number of US Billboard Top Ten singles: "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg," "Hat 2 Da Back," "What About your Friends," and "Baby-Baby-Baby.". The group earned a regular paying gig at a club, and gained an early reputation. On the TLC Tip, was released in February 1992 by LaFace. Her driving rhythms became an essential part of the group's music. The first TLC album, Ooooooohhh... MacLise was replaced by Maureen "Mo" Tucker, an acquaintance of Morrison's. Therefore, when Thomas joined, the girls were given nicknames: Watkins became "T-Boz", Lopes "Left-Eye," and Thomas "Chili.". "Angus was in it for art", Morrison reported.

1999: "I'm Good At Being Bad". Untitled essay by David Fricke from Peel Slowly and See. 1999: "No Scrubs" (US #1). The Very Best of the Velvet Underground (recorded 1966-1970, released 2003). 1998: "Silly Ho" (US #59). 1: The Quine Tapes (live, recorded 1969, released 2001). 1995: "Waterfalls" (US #1). Bootleg Series, Vol.

1994: CrazySexyCool. "Venus in Furs" / "I'm Waiting for the Man" (live, recorded 1993, released 1994). On the TLC Tip. "Foggy Notion" / "I Can't Stand It" (promo, recorded 1969, released 1985). 1992: Ooooooohhh... "Who Loves the Sun" / "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'" (recorded 1970, released 1971). Cheryl Jones (1991). "What Goes On" / "Jesus" (promo, recorded 1968, released 1969).