[INTERVIEW] Another Bad Creation - Still Coolin' All These Years Later

Largely known for their two massive hit singles, “Iesha” and “Playground” – both having reached the top ten on Billboard Magazine’s R&B and pop charts – taken from their platinum-plus 1991 debut, Coolin’ at the Playground Ya Know!, Another Bad Creation were a whole lot more than just six talented kids from Atlanta, Georgia.

However, following the release of their commercially panned follow-up collection, It Ain’t What U Wear, It’s How U Play It, in September ‘93, A.B.C. – comprised of Romelle “RoRo” Chapman, Chris Sellers, David Shelton and brothers Demetrius and Marliss [“Red” and “Mark”] Pugh, as well as hype-man Adrian “G.A.” [General Austin] Witcher – quietly disbanded…

We recently tracked down one-sixth of the crew… the R to the E to the D, and what you get is what you seein’…

Welcome back!!

Parlé Mag: First things first, please introduce for me the members of Another Bad Creation…
Another Bad Creation: The members are still Chris, Mark, Red, Dave, Ro and GA.

Parlé Mag: To the delight of many longtime fans/followers alike, y’all reunited back in September at the ATL Funk Fest — How difficult was it to execute this monumental comeback performance? What all exactly did it take to get y’all – minus of course Mark Da Shark – back on stage together again?
Another Bad Creation: Well, actually, we have been hanging out a lot lately. We was invited to ‘Wild ‘n Out‘ and the radio station Majic 107.5 in Atlanta for an interview. So the Funk Fest (Tour) people got wind of us back on the scene. When they brought the idea to us we hadn’t even spent one day rehearsing. So we got the whole show together in a month and a half with no choreographer. Just us!

Parlé Mag: Speaking of Mizzark, where was he? And how come he wasn’t present for this epic event?
Another Bad Creation: Far as my brother Mark, he discovered recently that he has vertigo. On top of that, he had to handle a few personal responsibilities that was a little more important at the time…but he’s always a member no matter what he’s going through. The same way with everyone else. It’s so many of us that one may miss out at one moment or the other… but it’s so many others that can still rep and get things accomplished.

Parlé Mag: I noticed, too, the hashtag #UnFinishedBusiness, which hopefully signifies more exciting things to follow on the heels of this reunion show — That said, what do your future goals and/or plans for A.B.C. actually entail?
Another Bad Creation: Yes, Unfinished Business! Right now, we’re just focused on reconnecting with the fans; doing more shows and jumping on a few tours. Besides that, we have a few documentaries to put out for the fans. We’re still very much involved in creating new music. I have a music production company named Industry Riot, (and) we will be releasing a few projects this Winter. Far as A.B.C., we will be putting out an EP soon also. We are really focused more on the business, and expanding the brand right now!

Parlé Mag: Y’all are Atlanta, GA, natives, correct? So, growing up in the ATL, who were/are some of your strongest musical influences?
Another Bad Creation: Growing up in Atlanta, we was influenced by so much; Guy, New Edition, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson to MJG & 8Ball, UGK, NWA, ‘The Chronic’ album, Geto Boys, Triple 6, 2 Live Crew. When we was young, Atlanta was really into the 2 Live Crew sound and the Memphis sound. But, we always been well rounded musically. Also, living in the middle made it that way; New York to L.A….so from there we listened to everything.

Parlé Mag: At what point in time did you all decide that you wanted to pursue music on a professional basis?
Another Bad Creation: Well, we knew we wanted to go professional once we met Kevin Wales and he got involved. He tightened up our steps, gave us A.B.C. rules and we won every talent show except one…because we was on stage too long! After winning every talent show, that’s a sign to get more serious. That’s what we did.

Parlé Mag: Now musically, it’s been quite a few years since the masses last heard from you all — Where have you all been? And, what exactly have/had you all been up to, both personally and professionally speaking, since the release of your sophomore LP, It Ain’t What U Wear, It’s How U Play It?
Another Bad Creation: We been through a little bit of everything; from raising kids to still being in the studio. It’s hard to stay in touch and kick it when you have 6 grown men going in six separate directions. But, we just been providing for our families.

Parlé Mag: Although a solid effort, the sophomore project failed commercially — Why do you all feel that it didn’t fair as well as that of your debut, Coolin’ at the Playground Ya Know!?
Another Bad Creation: Our second album didn’t do as well for three reasons. One, Motown was getting bought out by Polygram, so the transition of distribution left us in the shuffle. Two, we had miscommunication between our managers. And three, Dallas [Austin] didn’t do any production on the second album. So I feel we was missing that same flavor, and the songs simply wasn’t strong as the first album.

Parlé Mag: At one point, there were even talks of some solo releases, what became of those purported bodies of work?
Another Bad Creation: Nobody never did a solo project. We all worked on music separately, but it was still in our studio. I was the only person to release solo projects, but it was all from a producer standpoint. Like a Dr. Dre or DJ Khaled project… with a variety of new artists on them.

Parlé Mag: Let’s take it back to your early beginnings. Tell me your whole inception into music — When did you all first become interested? And, how did it all start for Another Bad Creation?
Another Bad Creation: I always been in-tuned with music. Father played the guitar. I was on the drums at 3 years old. The drummer during the rehearsals when my father group would practice. At 3, I already knew an 8 bar measure. So it’s in me; it’s natural.

…It all started for another Bad Creation when Ralph Tresvant invited us to his house in L.A. for a week, and we met Michael Bivins that day. The next time we saw Mike we was in the studio with Dallas recording the album. He had the overalls and outfits for the “Iesha” video. It all happened that quick.

Parlé Mag: How would you all describe and/or define the style of music that you all create and perform?
Another Bad Creation: Our music was fun and energetic. Our music is still the same, except we experiment with all genres and we dead serious about the Hip-Hop. So our new music will have a lot of substance in it… and we still will have fun songs also.

Parlé Mag: And, where did the moniker, Another Bad Creation, originally derive from?
Another Bad Creation: The name came from our old manager Kevin Wales’ brother. A name that fit us. But recently, I heard the name came from a teenage gang in Atlanta back in the early ‘80’s.

Parlé Mag: Do you all have any other aspirations, maybe even completely away from entertainment altogether?
Another Bad Creation: We all have different aspirations besides music. We all have business ideas and ventures we are looking forward to individually and collectively. We big on branding and expanding the Another Bad Creation brand.

Parlé Mag: As songwriters, when you all sit down to pen your lyrics, where do you all draw your inspiration(s) from?
Another Bad Creation: As a songwriter, I first get my influence from the beat and see where the beat takes me. Then automatically it pulls from real life events. I like to write in a group and bounce ideas off of everybody as we come up with everyone parts.

Parlé Mag: Would it be fair to say that you all are happy with the current state of urban music?
Another Bad Creation: We are happy with the state of music and so many doors that been open for the culture and the youngins. We appreciate everything everyone is bringing to the culture. But I am disappointed in the lack of individuality. But I think within the last 5, 6 years it had been a lot of people more focused on creating than it used to be. So I like how great music still has a lane, even though the bubblegum sound has it on lock.

Parlé Mag: Since everyone either knows you all already, or will become familiar with you all, for and through your music, what would you want these same individuals to know about the members of A.B.C. that they won’t get from listening to your record(s)?
Another Bad Creation: You will know everything you need to know about us in our new music. And, we still have the A.B.C. LLC and about to get real active with it, too.

Parlé Mag: What would these same people find you all doing in your off/spare time completely away from the music?
Another Bad Creation: Aside from the music, we always looking to put a master plan together and share our art and businesses with the world.

Parlé Mag: To date, what has been your biggest career highlight(s)?
Another Bad Creation: Biggest highlights was meeting Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and New Edition… going double platinum and performing in the Tokyo Dome.

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