General Crook

Thanks But No Thanks

General Crook - Same (Wand Records WDS 697) 1974

Tell Me What'cha Gonna Do; Reality; Fever In The Funkhouse; The Best Years Of My Life; Lying Cheatin' Woman; I'm Satisfied; Thanks But No Thanks; If This World Were Mine

Produced By: General Crook

Today's track is Thanks But No Thanks from the above album. Quite why he has no trousers on on the album sleeve my be revealed by the rear photo on a bicycle with a naked model and potted plants in a basket?

General Crook was born General Columbus Crook Jr., on February 28, 1945, in Mound Bayou, and was raised in Greenville, MS. Crook relocated to Chicago after high school at the age of 18 where, six years later, he had managed to get a recording deal with Capitol Records.

Using material by the Salty Peppers (who later evolved into Earth, Wind & Fire); Maurice White, Wade Flemons, and Donald Whitehead wrote Crook's first single, In the Warmth of My Arms in 1969; which unfortunately flopped; his second single on Capitol When Love Leaves You Crying came out the following year written by Crook and John Jones, but also failed and the association with Capitol ended.

Later in 1970 on Down To Earth Records, Crook edged the R&B charts with Gimme Some, reaching number 22 and entering again that year with What Time Is It, which reached number 31 on the R&B charts.

He then joined Wand Records and produced three reasonable hits The Best Years of My Life in 1973, Tell Me What 'Cha Gonna Do, and There's a Fever in the Funkhouse both in 1974 as well as the self-titled album General Crook.
He returned to Down To Earth in 1974, but missed with What I'm Getting Now and What I'm Used to Ain't the Same and Do It For Me.

He put his singing career aside to focus on producing and writing for others, occasionally recording the odd single, such as Main Squeeze and In This Thing Called Love. He produced & co-produced for LV Johnson I've got The Touch LP (1991), Willie Clayton, Syl Johnson & Five Wagers 1973 Modern soul track Come & Ask Me. He also wrote one of the Chi-Lites songs. Thanks to Dave Allen for additions to my research. If anybody knows what Testification ('b' side of Wand 11260) means please let me know.

General Crook Discography:

Capitol Records:

• In The Warmth Of My Arms/(Turn On Your) Light For Soul 2492 (1969)
• When Someone Leaves you Crying/Hold On I'm Coming 2720 (1970)

Down To Earth Records:

• Gimme Some/ (Part 2) 73 (1970)
• What Time Is It/Part 2 77 (1971)
• Do It For Me/Till Then 74 (1974)
• What I'm Getting Now And What I'm Used Too Ain't The Same/Get Over (1974)

Wand Records:

• General Crook (album) WDS 698 (1974)
• Best Years Of My Life/Testification 11260 (1973)
• Tell Me Watcha Gonna Do/Reality 11270 (1974)
• Fever In The Funkhouse/Inst 11276 (1974)
• Thanks But No Thanks/I'm Satisfied 11281 (1974)

Later labels:

• Making You An Offer/Disco Fever Turf & Surf (1982)
• Main Squeeze/Inst. Scratch 1111/Chycago Int. 3895 (1982/83)
• Can't Stand It/Main Squeeze Expansions Expand 7 (1987)

I've Been Good To You/In This Thing Called Love Crooked Rd 1249 (1991)

As Terry Gengis :

• Gonna Be There/Shape That body(Genis Kahn Records 110)12' £40 (1982?)