15 Dec Jesse Johnson Announces He Is Leaving The Original 7ven/The Time
Jesse Johnson Photo: Jeremiah Freed
It seems the band formerly known as The Time may be the band formerly known as The Original 7ven as Jesse Johnson has announced he is leaving the band.
Jesse Johnson took to his Facebook Fan Page to make the announcement;
Hello Babies,
I don’t really think I’ll be performing with the Original 7 (or The Time if your nasty) any more! We simple don’t see eye to eye on anything. Love the guys, but I feel in my heart it’s “Time” to walk away while we’re all still friends. May Peace be you.
PeaceLove,
Jesse Johnson Bey ♥
Wow. So, I am wondering if this will derail all plans for a tour and to promote the album in 2012. I mean, how can you tour as The Original 7ven when it would actually be 6?
The Original 7ven. Promo Photo
The band announced their reunion earlier this year and with the reunion came the name change as they no longer could be called “The Time” due to Prince owning the name. All this ground work and a funky album and……now this.
We wonder what the other boys in the band think of this news?-DocFB
Diagnosis: Time To Fix Your Clock……
chocolatebox
Posted at 00:00h, 19 DecemberI don’t even know why your even on this thread. U are not a fan of Jesse’s obviously. Please stop with the JJ &TL accolades. I know all about them as I said. I just mentioned Janet because I’m a fan of hers & worked with her.
Najee12
Posted at 23:54h, 18 December“But I will say I know every single thing about JJ &TL success. I have followed there careers closely after they were fired from The Time. So I don’t have to list accurate info. I may even know more than U. I’m also a fan of Ms. Jackson if U nasty. I know EVERY single thing about there work with Janet.”
Except Janet Jackson, while being the most successful act of the acts Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis produced, is only one of literally dozens of acts who have had success with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis’ music. The last count showed that Jam & Lewis wrote and produced roughly 100 top 10 singles on the Billboard charts (soul and/or pop music) WITHOUT Janet Jackson’s catalog.
If anyone should have the “I’ve outgrown the band” concept, it would be Jam & Lewis. Instead, it’s the guitar player who hasn’t a hit song since the first George Bush was in the White House.
And I don’t have to turn this into a “who had more success away from The Time” thread, because anyone who had any inkling about the group would know the answer is Jam & Lewis. They produced multiple acts who were as or much successful than Jesse Johnson was as a solo act — I don’t have to know as high as Janet Jackson to name those acts.
chocolatebox
Posted at 23:37h, 18 DecemberI’m not going to go back & forth on here with u about this. But I will say I know every single thing about JJ &TL success. I have followed there careers closely after they were fired from The Time. So I don’t have to list accurate info. I may even know more than U. I’m also a fan of Ms. Jackson if U nasty. I know EVERY single thing about there work with Janet.
Don’t try to make me look unknowledgeable on here. Because I know EVERYTHING about the whole Prince Minneapolis scene. Including ALL his proteges.
The Time is my all time favorite band of all time.Starting way from the beginning in 1981. I am heartbroken Jesse left and its falling apart right b 4 all of our eyes so soon.
So don’t turn this thread into who is more popular or more successful than who. Because they all have had individual success away from The Time……
Najee12
Posted at 22:52h, 18 December“NO I’M NOT WRONG! JJ&TL were successful producers. But they were not solo artist which is a whole different ball game than being just producers.”
Calling Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis “successful producers” is a servere understatement. Just on Janet Jackson’s success as one of the most successful female artists in popular music history, they are considered superstar producers. Throw in the literally dozens of hit records for dozens of artists over 30 years, and they literally are one of the most successful production acts in the history of U.S. popular music. They have been on a first-name basis with the general public for more than 25 years.
Jesse Johnson’s solo career had five hit singles and one gold album. In retrospect, his career arc was on a slightly lower level than Alexander O’Neal’s (another Jam & Lewis-produced artist). He produced songs for other artists (his most notable stuff was Ta Mara & The Seen’s “Everybody Dance” and After 7’s “Nights Like This” for “The Five Heartbeats” soundtrack), but to compare his track record as a producer to Jam & Lewis’ track record is not only laughable but it shows how little you actually know about their work.
Obviously, I was not comparing Johnson’s solo career (his prime was from 1985 to 1988) to Bobby Brown’s (his prime was from 1988 to 1992). What I said was that I can see someone like Brown having the attitude that he felt he had outgrown the concept of New Edition, based on his success from “Don’t Be Cruel.” After all, that album sold millions more copies than any New Edition project ever produced and was a huge crossover success. Brown was the most successful solo act out of all the N.E. offshoots.
To parallel that with The Time, that would be an attitude I can see with Jam & Lewis. After all, they were the most successful people to come from the group and despite being producers they have enjoyed a much higher profile than Johnson ever had a solo artist.
You’re more than welcome to continue with this argument, but I would advise using facts and accurate historical information to make stronger points.
chocolatebox
Posted at 22:26h, 18 DecemberNO I’M NOT WRONG! JJ&TL were successful producers. But they were not solo artist which is a whole different ball game than being just producers.
Jesse had successful sold out tours also in his heyday. He also was a good producer in his own right on several soundtracks & played on several artist records. He had more than just a few hits including a duet with Sly Stone who has never done duets with any other artist.
Bobby brown is an unfair comparison. His success was in the 90’s. Black artist were more known to crossover by this time. The 80’s only a few select black artist was allowed that privilege.
Only thing I would agree with u on is his abrupt exit from the group. But they already knew what they were up against with him. Since this wasn’t the first time.
Najee12
Posted at 21:59h, 18 December“Jesse gets the biggest response whenever he per4rms his solo hits with the reunion shows…Even more than Morris in Vegas. So Ur wrong in that statement..”
Uh, Jesse Johnson only had a few solo hits — “Be Your Man,” “Can You Help Me,” “I Want My Girl,” “Crazay’ and “Lovestruck.” The audience loves to hear Jesse rock out on his guitar Hendrix-style, no doubt about it. But his first three (and most successful) solo albums aren’t even in print and while those songs were hits, they weren’t some monster hits that would be immediately recognized by the general public.
Johnson wasn’t some hugely successful artist during his prime. I can see this sense of delusion from, say, Bobby Brown because during his prime he enjoyed a hugely successful album in “Don’t Be Cruel.” But Johnson didn’t come close to that level of success.
By any means, it’s a bad move by Johnson. The new album “Condensate” just came out two months ago, and he bails on the band. He doesn’t even try to let the album and the tours run their course and use the opportunity to get back into the spotlight. It’s not like The Original 7ven was expected to be a long-term project, so whatever he had in the works could wait for this project to run its course.
Najee12
Posted at 21:40h, 18 DecemberChocoloatebox,
Last I looked, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis are in the band — you know, one of the most successful songwriter and production tandems in the history of U.S. popular music? They have had FAR more success than Jesse Johnson ever had a solo artist.
I would expect that attitude from Jam & Lewis — they have no reason to go back into being just a keyboard player and bass player in a band. But dammit, Jam & Lewis are generally the ones fighting and promoting the band to get back together.
Johnson’s solo career was basically one gold album and a handful of hit songs (mostly from the ’80s). He is a great guitarist, but suggest he was this hugely successful solo artist that it apparently grates him to be “just the guitarist in a band” reeks of someone who seems deluded. So, YOU’RE WRONG.
chocolatebox
Posted at 20:35h, 18 December@Najee12
The problem is that Johnson is not nearly the big solo star he may think he is, and cannot accept that bitter pill.
Jesse gets the biggest response whenever he per4rms his solo hits with the reunion shows…Even more than Morris in Vegas. So Ur wrong in that statement..
Najee12
Posted at 20:26h, 18 DecemberGiven that Prince has made no revenue off the name The Time outside of royalties the past 20 years, not allowing the band to use the name didn’t make sense. But it was just as well, because using the name also came with the baggage of Prince doing what he did with the previous four albums — namely, domineering all the songwriting and production to the point none of the band does anything.
As for Jesse Johnson, it’s always been speculated that he was the one who was most resistant to the band getting back together, from the late ’80s to now. In The Time, he was a sideman but the taste of solo success (especially in the ’80s) put him out front and the belief he had outgrown just being “the guitar player in Morris’ band.”
The problem is that Johnson is not nearly the big solo star he may think he is, and cannot accept that bitter pill. Leaving the group only two months after the release of “Condensate” only adds credence to those long-held suspicions.
Jesse Johnson | EMF Radio
Posted at 08:05h, 17 December[…] Jesse Johnson recently announced he was leaving the Original 7ven (aka The Time) tour on his FB page, according to Dr. Funkenberry […]
paulito1999
Posted at 14:08h, 16 DecemberNo one knows his situation so to call him foul names is not called for.
As to Prince demanding they change the band name…..Excellent choice.
moorman
Posted at 13:44h, 16 Decembercrackhead…………
moorman
Posted at 13:31h, 16 Decemberits plain as day that jesse johnson is back on them drugs. LOOK at him in that second picture. i fill NO SORROW for crackheads…….its a shame that he potentially gonna derail this ………….and hooking up with ANOTHER crackhead, deangelo…..smh,smh
chocolatebox777
Posted at 11:51h, 16 December@Anonymous
It is not Ur business to divulge that information. They r not Ur demons…
Anonymous
Posted at 11:38h, 16 DecemberIt is commonly known that Jesse has battled drug addiction. I think the re-emergence of the The Time and money that has followed has re-fueled his drug habit. It hard to be consistently committed to something if you’re being driven by a nasty habit. I think the rest of the group would be better without him.
lesley
Posted at 02:33h, 16 DecemberI think Jesse has always been his own person. Maybe later he’ll come back too the group.
Musgrave
Posted at 20:49h, 15 DecemberI actually Really Enjoyed thier New Album. What a Total Shame,…. After a few listens,… I thought Thier New Album was very professionally done.
Terrible news…… First Our man P is whipped over Andy Allo and now this…
Musgrave – Chicago
chocolatebox
Posted at 19:03h, 15 DecemberI have to agree something did seem strange when Jesse recently announced that he was considering touring with D’angelo. I was like he is spreading himself to thin. Now I know why. He had already left the band. Then I heard an interview with him recently on the radio & he never mentioned the band members of The 07ven.
Its sad all the preparation that went in2 this new project. I always thought it was doomed from the start since Prince wouldn’t ok the name. It just didn’t feel right to me. But I’m glad I was able 2 c there first per4mance here in LA. Hope they can work things out though. They can’t go on without him. The new name won’t work. The album is fire to…:-(
Anonymous
Posted at 18:26h, 15 Decemberthis sucks!!! jesse leaving why come back to go thru the big let down..
controversy12
Posted at 18:12h, 15 DecemberWow, this really sucks !! … I hope that Jesse is ok … I too would like to know what the other band members think about this
Michael
Posted at 17:37h, 15 DecemberAs long as there is money to be made, they’ll keep working together. Jesse is among the finest guitarists working today; that’ll be a real void.
lovesigner
Posted at 14:34h, 15 DecemberHmmm, just looking at the picture might say something. Jesse is the only one not doing the “I’m looking at The Time thing.” I hadn’t noticed that before. It’ll be interesting to see how this pans out…….
gettoff
Posted at 12:54h, 15 DecemberI guess the tour could always be named “The 6 out of 7 ain”t bad Tour 2012”
violet aura
Posted at 12:50h, 15 DecemberThis is really a shame!I wish I could say that I didn’t see this coming.But I did!Something in my gut told me when I saw them that he just wasn’t with it!The whole time he looked not that into being there etc.An here he had posted about playing with other folks on his Facebook just the other day and he seemed more into doing that than concentrating on what he is into and doing now?!Whatever!I’m glad that at least I had the opportunity to see The Original 7ven at least once! 😉
jack
Posted at 12:09h, 15 DecemberI’m SO glad I got to see them in Vegas a few years back…would’ve kicked myself if I hadn’t. Good luck to Jesse.