Lakeside: Fantastic Voyage

Known for their energy-filled "live" performances and distinctive brand of funk and R&B, the nine-member team known as Lakeside enjoyed a run of sixteen chart singles on Solar Records. The group played in and around Ohio, Oklahoma, Indiana, Michigan & Kentucky finally heading out to Los Angeles in 1972 in pursuit of a recording contract. After establishing themselves locally as a strong "live" act, Lakeside met producer Frank Wilson, then a hitman for MoTown (thanks to success with Eddie Kendricks, and the Four Tops, among others.) The group recorded two songs for the label which were never released and when Wilson moved to ABC Records, the group followed and cut an album but once again, the label kept the material in the can. L.A.- based industry entrepeneur Dick Griffey had been managing the group since 1975 and after Lakeside left ABC Records, he signed the group to his then-newly formed Solar Records operation. Released in 1979, Lakeside's debut LP, Shot of Love spawned the Top 5 R&B hit "It's All The Way Live." A second album, Rough Riders kept the momentum going in '79 while group hit the orad with Solar labelmates THe Whispers, Shalamar and Dynasty. It was Lakeside's third Solar LP that catapulted the group to a new level of success. Issued towards the end of the 1980, Fantastic Voyage was not only Lakeside's first gold album: the title track became the team's biggest pop hit and an R&B chartopper, and was revived successfully by rap star Coolio in 1995.