Aug. 23, 2009 vegas has soul group had more than just a new fan. It’s Human Nature “I grew up with Motown where the standard for talent was so high,” said to have Motown Robinson during a press announcement for the show in May. “When I saw these guys I was blown away.” music in Vegas “In an interview later [Robinson] actu- ally told us that he thought our version of ‘Ooo Baby Baby’ was the best one he By Caroline Fontein ever heard, and we were thinking ‘are you Vegas.com just telling us this?’” said Tierney. Aside from their singing, Tierney explained that part of what he thinks impressed Robinson is Human Nature’s he Supremes brought history and how the group formed. Motown to Vegas with “We reminded [Robinson] of those their performance at old Motown groups and how rather the Flamingo in 1966. than groups put together as there have Forty-three years later, been over the years, back in the day all Motown continues to the groups started as friends… He saw headline in Vegas with music performed that in us, and that’s probably where the live almost every night of the week. connection started,” said Tierney. Drive down the Las Vegas Strip, and “Get Ready” also featured a duet with you’ll find tributes to Motown (“The T TheT emptations that earned the group Platters, Coasters and Marvelettes” at the respect of another Motown legend. the Sahara, “Hitzville the Show” at “They stood there and did an a cappella Harmon Theater at Planet Hollywood number for us, and I was very impressed. and “Legends in Concert” at Harrah’s) I’m just glad to hear that we could inspire and performers inspired by Motown them because I really admire them (Australia’s Human Nature performing Photo courtesy Ethan Miller / Las Vegas Sun equally,” said Williams on his meeting at Imperial Palace). with Human Nature. There’s something about Motown’s and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that The group’s talent as live performers music that continues to draw audiences Shaped Rock and Roll are by Motown made Las Vegas a perfect venue for to see Human Nature and other Motown artists including TheT emptations’ “My them to launch their careers in North revues. “Legends in Concert,” Las Vegas Girl,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” and “Papa America. longest-running tribute show, has long Was a Rollin’ Stone;” The Supremes’ “We’re pretty proud of our achieve- recognized the attraction of Motown. It’s “Stop! In TheN ame of Love” and “You ments in recording and things like that, had a Motown act represented in their Can’t Hurry Love;” Edwin Starr’s “War;” but I think if you really want to see us at show for more than 25 years. The Jackson 5’s A“ BC” and “I Want You our best you see us on stage. We sort of “It really gets down to the songs, to Back” and many more. figured where better to go in the world to the music. I watch the Motown acts Phil Burton, one of the members of push that than Vegas,” said Burton. in our show, and they get some of the Human Nature, credits Motown music’s “With us I guess for better or worse best response that we get from any act popularity to Gordy’s vision and a large it’s four white guys doing Motown. You that we have in the show every night,” number of talented performers being at wouldn’t know what to expect, but when said Brian Brigner, CEO for On Stage the right place at the right time. you get to the end of the show you realize Entertainment, which produces “Legends “I really don’t think there will be the full story of how we got together and in Concert.” another record man like Berry Gordy Jackson 5 photo courtesy the Las Vegas News Bureau why we’re doing these songs. For us it “When the Motown acts hit the stage again. He just had a vision and knew At top, the Temptations perform at the Stardust in 2004. Above, The Jackson 5 performs in 1975 at the seems like it’s a really unique take on the the show hits another gear with the exactly how to make that vision a reality,” MGM as the opening act for Frank Gorshin. Below, Human Nature. music,” said Andrew Tierney. crowd,” said Brigner. said Burton. Motown continues its reign in Vegas The music and the classic Motown- Apart from TheT emptations and The song and thought it would be fun to do in Europe and the United Kingdom choreographed dance steps create a Supermes, other original Motown artists a doo wop sort of thing. Doo wop is not as an opening act for performers like Today people can hear the songs performance package that has audiences headlined on the Strip during the ’60s that big in Australia, but it was the birth Michael Jackson. that first made them fans of Motown spellbound even today. and ’70s including Gladys Knight and of a lot of groups,” said Tierney. “There After more successful albums, Human music when Robinson, TheT emptations, Groups like The Four Tops and The The Pips and The Jackson 5. were rock bands at school and stuff, but Nature decided to expand their audience Little Anthony and the Imperials and Temptations stood out not just because other current and former Motown artists Motown inspires a new generation we didn’t play rock band instruments. by doing a tribute album to some of the of their music, but also for their amazing We just sang.” first bands that inspired them. Their fifth headline in Vegas. Even when they’re performances. Four Aussie mates singing Motown In 1989 they formed a group called studio album, “Reach Out: The Motown not in town, their songs reverberate “They had such cool dance routines… music in Vegas seems like an unlikely the 4Trax. They looked at the history Record,” featured Motown covers. It throughout the Strip from a younger We took that on as well,” said Andrew scenario, but for Human Nature it’s a way of famous vocal groups for ideas and was another chart-topping success and generation of performers who are keeping Tierney of Human Nature. for them to honor the artists and songs discovered Motown music. The 4Trax prompted the release of “Dancing In this music alive. Otis Williams, who sang second that inspired their career as one of the took cues from The Temptations and The Street: The Songs of Motown II.” Jin-Jin Reeves, who stars in “Hitzville tenor and co-founded The Tempta- top-selling music groups in Australia. developed their live show. They went from Their third Motown-inspired album, The Show” at Harmon Theater, describes tions, explained that the idea for their The show features the dynamic har- performing on the street to performing “Get Ready,” featured contributions Motown as “a healing music.” Reeves choreography came from the late Paul monies of brothers Andrew and Michael in clubs and in talent competitions where by original Motown artists including grew up in Detroit and attended a sum- Williams, a member from the group’s Tierney, Toby Allen and Burton, who they won numerous awards. Smokey Robinson. mer youth program for the performing original line-up. perform songs from The Temptations, The Tierneys started writing their Regarded as “The King of Motown” arts led by Kim Weston. Weston is a “He was a very good dancer, and he The Jackson 5, The FourT ops and other own music, and soon the group signed a Robinson is a highly talented singer, Motown alumna famous for her 1966 hit just said one day as we were rehearsing Motown artists. record deal with Sony Music Australia. songwriter and producer who created 37 “It Takes Two” with Marvin Gaye. that we would not be the kind of group “For us it’s coming full circle and just At that time they also decided to change Top 40 hits for Motown between 1960 “The music, the melody, the lyrics it that just sang. We needed to be exciting... showing exactly what our roots are and their name to Human Nature. One of and 1987, the same year he was inducted tells a story that anybody can relate to, So we started to rehearse and started what our influences are.I was going to say the group’s big influences on their first into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. any generation at any time in life. The putting choreography together, and that we’ve become a bit more old school, album was one of modern Motown’s most Tierney and Burton explained that stories are something that we live every the next thing you know we started to but I suppose the routines that we’re famous groups -- Boyz II Men. including Robinson on their album day,” said Reeves. become known for not only making hit doing are sort of more updated versions “They were harking back to the old was an honor but also a nerve-wracking As for The Temptations, they’re just records, but for our choreography,” said of what the originals did,” said Burton. school vocal groups, but when they hit experience when they performed in front happy to be so widely embraced by fans Williams. The Tierney brothers met Allen and really big they showed that there was a of him for the first time. around the world. Motown magic Burton while attending Hurlstone modern way to do that. We wanted to “Before [Robinson] recorded we just “We never imagined when we started Agricultural High School in Sydney, be the white Boyz II Men when we were had this idea that we wanted to sing out back during the ’60s that our music Motown Records was started in Australia. Andrew Tierney got the idea growing up,” said Tierney. for him so he knew what we were like and The Temptations’ image would be Detroit by Berry Gordy in 1959. to form a vocal group from a scene in Human Nature’s first album, “Tell- and where we were coming from,” said so, I guess I’m safe in saying iconic... In a 10-year period (1961-1971), “Back to The Future” when the character ing Everybody,” was released in 1996 Tierney. When our music can be accepted in Motown artists had 110 Top 10 hits. Marty McFly is performing with a band and achieved triple-platinum status. After singing The Miracles’ O“ oo such a universal way you just love it, and Between 1961 and 1997, Motown had 57 at his parent’s high school dance. Shortly after the release of their album, Baby Baby” a cappella to Robinson, the you think, what would the world be like No. 1 hits. More than 20 of The Rock “They sang ‘Earth Angel.’ I liked that Human Nature toured internationally man who first made that song a hit, the without music?” said Williams.