Flavor

by Andrew HamiltonFlavor was Stanton Scott Sheppard (Stan), Chauncey Matthews, and Fred Brown Jr. Sheppard's the son of producer/writer/singer/record label owner Bill "Bunky" Sheppard. The groups first and only release as Flavor "Don't Freeze Up," written by Sheppard and Roderick Rancifer first appeared on Bunky Records in 1976. When it started making a little noise, Bunky cut a deal with Jupar Records in Detroit, which was being distributed by Motown Records, to give it some clout. Jupar reissued the dancer February 1977 and followed with an album entitled In Good Taste three months later. No other track from the album was ever issued. Then, for reasons unknown, the group changed their name to Livin' Proof. (A possible reason is that after albums by the Jupar Orchestra, Sly, Slick & Wicked, and Flavor, Motown ended its association with Jupar's owner and snatched the rights to the name Flavor along with the three albums it distributed.) Still on Jupar, but not distributed by Motown, the same lineup released a Vernon Bullock tune and production entitled "You and I" in December 1977. The self-titled Livin' Proof came out in 1978, shadowed by a final single "Move Your Body," composed by Bullock and Sheppard. But Jupar ran into all kind of problems and dissolved, causing Livin' Proof to dissipate like Flavor before it. None of their product really caught on, despite a print media blitz, and the end was inevitable. Sheppard hooked up with the Rice Twins (Steve and Sterling) to form Triple S in 1979 and two years later began his longest group association as a member of Skool Boyz who recorded for Destiny, Crossroads, and Columbia Records.