We not too long ago caught up with Damion Corridor of the legendary group Man for an interview on Instagram Dwell. Throughout our dialog, we mentioned how he initially joined Man following the discharge of the debut album. Then we acquired into his vocal skills and the way he put these on show along with his solo debut album. Damion gave us the historical past on how “The Future” album was created and the way the blokes got here again collectively to file the “Man III” album. Lastly, we acquired the inside track on if there’ll ever be one other Man album.
YouKnowIGotSoul: You weren’t initially a part of Man, and the debut album was recorded earlier than you joined. How did you be a part of the group?
Damion Corridor: I used to be at Virginia State College. My brother got here all the way down to the college and instructed me he was about to be well-known. He wanted me to be within the group. Earlier than he even got here all the way down to the college, the group was began by Timmy Gatling and my brother Aaron Corridor. They met and had been doing stuff, they labored at a retailer known as Abraham & Strauss. It was like our Macy’s. Timmy knew Teddy from Children at Work. Teddy, who Timmy delivered to the group, Teddy didn’t begin the group. Timmy introduced Teddy to a session, and Aaron heard him play. Aaron thought it might be dope to have him within the group. In order that’s how Teddy acquired within the group. How I acquired within the group was when Timmy left the group attributable to an altercation, Aaron got here to get me. I known as my dad and instructed him what Aaron stated, and requested if I may depart. He stated I may go and assist my brother. This was proper earlier than finals throughout my second 12 months at Virginia State. I left and went to New York. I used to be a church boy, it was nothing hip hop about me. I used to be that man. After I went to the studio, I noticed Teddy and he was fly. They put a contract in entrance of me instantly, and wished me to signal straight away! So I signed. It was the start of a journey in 1987. The contract was rubbish! After I acquired it again from my lawyer, he had requested and hoped I didn’t signal it! As a result of he knew it was dangerous. On the album cowl it was complicated as a result of it was Timmy, Aaron and Teddy. However my title is on the again however Timmy’s just isn’t! It was troublesome for me. I needed to clarify it plenty of occasions.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Let’s speak about your skills a bit. Speak about what you delivered to the group. Many know you as loopy legs, however you’re a loopy vocalist identical to your brother Aaron.
Damion Corridor: After I first acquired into the group, I used to be actually coming in as Aaron’s brother. I wished Aaron to be nice, no matter that was in his head, I used to be cool with. As I acquired into the group, I began realizing wait a minute, it pays to be up entrance! At first I used to be the drummer within the again! I had the identical outfit on, and everyone thought I used to be a band member! I needed to change it up a bit. I acquired off of the drums and I moved to percussion on the entrance of the stage. It was extraordinarily complicated. We had been going to mother and pop shops and file shops to advertise our data. I’ll always remember after we pulled as much as Tower Information and we went inside, it was footage of Aaron, Timmy and Teddy. They needed to change it. It took them an hour and a half to place the brand new footage up! Nothing towards Timmy, however he wasn’t within the group anymore, I didn’t need folks to be confused about who I used to be. I additionally grew to become a few different issues after the drummer. I grew to become the stylist and I designed plenty of the stuff. Dapper Dan did our first stuff. I did about 70% of the creativity after that. Plus I did the video, “Teddy Jam 2” video, “I Wanna Get With You” video, and likewise did the “Canine Me Out” idea for the remix video. So far as me being a singer, I’ve sung with Aaron in church. After I got here into Man, there was already a set sample; Aaron was the singer, Teddy was the producer, I used to be the drummer and the dancer. I used to be the perfect dancer within the group. Individuals don’t perceive the second album after we did “Let’s Chill”. I used to be the initially lead singer on that tune. It was sung and mastered and prepared for the album. The file firm MCA, and I didn’t even know, they went again in with Aaron, and he sung the tune over. I wasn’t even on the tune anymore. Sure I feel if I used to be on that file, as a result of it was such a giant file, think about the place my profession could be at this level.
YouKnowIGotSoul: While you joined the group and when the primary Man album got here out, did you understand how a lot you had been altering the sound of radio nearly single handedly?
Damion Corridor: No, I got here in extensive eyed and bushy tailed. I wasn’t even listening to R&B music on the time, I used to be listening to Gospel. The primary massive single was “Groove Me”, and it took about eight or 9 months for that file to develop on radio. It occurred so shortly that when it hit, it was actually heavy. The world from abroad to home went loopy, the sound was so totally different. Once we first did the album, the file firm stated this album was not going to make it. They didn’t even perceive the sound of the file. It was so totally different. Teddy, Timmy and Aaron did one thing phenomenal. On the finish of the day, that file was actually accomplished and created after which Teddy actually put his stamp on it. The mindset of that file got here from Timmy and Aaron and other people don’t perceive that. So when it hit, I bear in mind us having 4Runners earlier than anyone had them. We had been driving down 57th avenue going in direction of 125th avenue in Harlem. We had these tire covers with artwork of our faces and the album cowl. I’ll always remember we had 1000’s of vehicles following us and beeping, folks dropping it. That’s after I knew, we hit it! I’ll always remember that, it’s such an incredible factor to actually hear your file for the primary time on radio. It took a minute for us to understand how highly effective we actually had been, as a result of we had been nonetheless nervous.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Take us into the second album “The Future” and your involvement in that one.
Damion Corridor: That was one thing totally different. When it got here to that album, I ended up changing into a co-writer on plenty of the songs and I additionally sang on that file. I did a lot of the backgrounds on that album was effectively. “Do Me Proper”, “Canine Me Out”, every part. I’m a hell of a background vocalist! I wasn’t the lead vocalist of Man and I didn’t need to be, so I started nice at harmonies and backgrounds. I thank Teddy and Aaron for giving me that portal to be that. It ripened me to be nice when it got here to doing my album and the “Man III” album.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Inform us about creating your solo album “Straight to the Level”.
Damion Corridor: I did a tune with Public Announcement. I wrote a tune known as “Holding On” and it did effectively on the soundtrack it was on. So when it got here to my album, the label wished me to do a gaggle! Like I did for Public Announcement. I instructed them I’d somewhat do a solo album and do my greatest at that. They reluctantly gave me $350Ok to do the album. It was nearly a joke. I used to be dwelling in Atlanta and I went to my pal’s studio. I did 16 songs, which I produced and wrote all of them. All on my own. Then I took these data and went to L.A. Individuals didn’t know me as a producer or something, however I met the nice Tough Stewart. I instructed him I had some stuff he may actually make even sound higher. It made what I did even larger. The file was govt produced by Damion Corridor, produced by Damion Corridor, and 90% was written by me. If that file had went Gold or Platinum, I might have made a ton of cash. No person thought I may do it. I did solely 16 songs and people songs all made the album. After I write or produce something, I solely write what I hear in my head musically, lyrically. I’m going via it 1 thousand occasions in my head and I file it. I don’t ever file data simply to file. Now persons are placing 40 data on an album like Chris Brown. For me, I thank God for Brian McKnight, he did three songs on the album; “By no means Sufficient”, “Second Likelihood” and “Misplaced Inside You”. That’s earlier than he was enormous. He compelled me to sing! So “Straight to the Level” was the album. It’s on YouTube. My first single was “Fulfill You”. However while you hear the three songs that Brian McKnight did on my album, that’s Damion Corridor at his greatest. I used to be upset at him through the classes, however I really like him as a result of he pushed me.
YouKnowIGotSoul: How did Man come again collectively to file the Man III album?
Damion Corridor: It had been 10 years. Once we broke up in 1990, we didn’t communicate in any respect! I noticed Aaron and he did his solo album and got here out with the only “I Miss You”. However we didn’t see Teddy in any respect! At the moment, it was bizarre. I acquired a name from Jeff Redd, and he instructed me he wanted me to place the group again collectively. At the moment, I had learn for the DL Hughley present and I had three callbacks to get on that present. I actually wished to be on TV and be a star. I really like appearing greater than something. Jeff Redd was head A&R at MCA Information at the moment. I acquired the decision in 1999. He was going to fly me to Virginia Seashore. I hadn’t even spoken to Teddy in that complete time. I used to be there and stayed at a lodge. It was three miles from Teddy’s studio. I used to be in Virginia Seashore for 3 months earlier than even seeing Teddy! I used to be figuring out, my hair grew lengthy, I acquired massive! I didn’t even need to go! I lastly acquired a name from Teddy’s folks, and he was able to see me. The very first thing I stated to Teddy to interrupt the ice, was let’s go bowling. Bowling was every part to us it doesn’t matter what! We had been speaking and he took me to the studio to listen to some data. One of many first data he performed was “Rescue Me”. It was totally different for Man! It was the start of getting that cohesion again. It took me a minute to get Aaron Corridor again to Virginia Seashore, he wasn’t listening to it. Lastly acquired him down there, however he’d are available and never need to do the session. However that’s how I used to be in a position to get on the data. For individuals who actually need to hear how me and Aaron sound on a file, you’ll be able to go to my solo album to listen to the Donny Hathaway “Music for You” remake, and likewise the Man III album. Individuals had been so into the primary two Man albums that they didn’t need to actually give the album the props. However “Dancin” grew to become one among our greatest data on the charts. We didn’t collectively write that album collectively, in order that was the issue, we didn’t put it collectively like “The Future” album. Different exterior writers got here in and did songs on the album. I really like the album, it’s fantastically produced and sonically nice. Individuals heard Damion sing for the primary time in Man they usually cherished the data. I really like them too.
YouKnowIGotSoul: What have you ever gotten into because the final Man album?
Damion Corridor: Let me begin with this. Man has at all times been my child. I stored that model alive single handedly. When Teddy was doing Blackstreet and Aaron was doing his personal factor, I made positive folks made positive Man was nonetheless alive and we’d nonetheless do it. From 2012-2016 I managed me and my brother and we toured as Man. We did exhibits with Teddy and Blackstreet and us. It wasn’t no beef or points. It was Blackstreet and Man. That was arduous as a result of he’s my brother. Man in my coronary heart is three folks and at all times can be. On the finish of the day, we did various things. It doesn’t imply we hate one another. We grew up. I did Gospel performs and did some songs the place I used to be going to do one other solo album. You understand how with a woman you’ll be able to’t shake her? You at all times come again? That’s what Man was to me, I couldn’t shake it. Everybody instructed me to do my very own factor. I by no means did that. I at all times wished to be sure that Man was at all times there for the followers. Each time I went to do one thing for myself, I might get proper there, and get known as again to do Man. What I’ve been doing is constructing myself up and protecting myself clear mentally to verify the model we began with by no means dies. I’m nonetheless engaged on one other album, and I’ve been engaged on film offers.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Will we ever get one other album from Man?
Damion Corridor: In my coronary heart sure I consider there can be. Individuals thought Man was over after we didn’t put out an album for 10 years and we acquired collectively once more. Individuals thought we had been over in 2004 after which we acquired again collectively in 2008. Similar factor with 2016. For me, the persons are larger than the group. We’re three people who’re nice at what we do, however collectively we’re untouchable. The music we did, we modified a sound of music. New Jack Swing. There’s not one other group who can say they did that. We’re the Kings of New Jack Swing. I do consider we could have one other Man file. I feel you’ll hear it in 2021 or 2022. You’ll undoubtedly get one thing from Teddy, Aaron is engaged on some stuff, and I’m additionally engaged on an album. While you hear this album, you’ll find it irresistible. You can be shocked. I’m coming arduous with this album.