philadelphia freedom: drake's cake iced

protect yourself, people. back up.

The following post on Philly Soul legends, The Intruders - sans all audio links - originally ran here on December 3rd, 2008 and was very recently the subject of a DMCA Takedown Notification. If you are fortunate to own their "Cowboys to Girls" LP on Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff's fledgling label, count your blessings.

As it is, there are myriad CD compilations - not least a retrospective, "The Best of the Intruders", issued under the "Cowboys to Girls" banner on Sony Records, which can be purchased for less than $8 through Amazon - lurking in basement bargain bins and charity shops in a city near you.

From Wiki:

""Don't be evil" is the informal corporate motto (or slogan) for Google, originally suggested by Google employees Paul Buchheit and Amit Patel at a meeting. Buchheit, the creator of Gmail, said he "wanted something that, once you put it in there, would be hard to take out," adding that the slogan was "also a bit of a jab at a lot of the other companies, especially our competitors, who at the time, in our opinion, were kind of exploiting the users to some extent."

"Don't be evil" is said to recognize that large corporations can often maximize short-term profits with actions that destroy long-term brand image and competitive position. By instilling a Don't Be Evil culture, the corporation establishes a baseline for decision making that can enhance the trust and image of the corporation that outweighs short-term gains from violating the Don't Be Evil principles.

While many companies have ethical codes to govern their conduct, Google made "Don't Be Evil" a central pillar of their identity, and part of their self-proclaimed core values."

The issue here, as stated previously, concerns the wholesale deletion of original user content over and above potentially offending infringement; which might, in itself, be more properly resolved on a mutually amicable basis. In short: identify the offending content and make transparent who is acting on whose behalf.

Anything less is mere corporate bullying. The sort of revisionist tactic employed by agents of those with something to hide.


philadelphia, 1968. photograph by jill freedman.


north philly, 2006. photograph by etombotron.

south philadelphia, 1968. photograph by bill wingell.

"Formed in the early sixties, The Intruders were four Philadelphians... Singing together since 1961, the group blended Philly's street corner doo-wop tradition with black gospel influences that attracted Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff to sign them to their fledgling record company, Philadelphia International Records."

The Intruders:
Sam "Little Sonny" Brown; Eugene "Bird" Daughtry;
Phillip "Phil" Terry; Robert "Big Sonny" Edwards.

Produced by Kenny gamble & Leon Huff.
The Sound of Philadelphia.

THE INTRUDERS ON SOUL WALKING
PREVIOUSLY: EVIL IS AS EVIL DOES