Skool Boyz

Though interrupted by a few years, Skool Boyz was a continuation of Flavor; the same members -- Stan Sheppard (lead), Chauncey Matthews (vocals and keyboards), and Fred Brown (vocals and guitar) -- comprised Flavor, with William "Billy" Sheppard (vocals and bass guitar), <a href="spotify:artist:3cS04S9ChhEClgDghrhOzg">Stan</a>'s brother, the new kid on the block. <a href="spotify:artist:3cS04S9ChhEClgDghrhOzg">Stan</a> sung with <a href="spotify:artist:1AsVs240BX8mKQ6AfbrTp7">Triple S</a> with Steve and Sterling Rice between his stints with Flavor and Skool Boyz. Billy and <a href="spotify:artist:3cS04S9ChhEClgDghrhOzg">Stan</a> are the sons of R&B legend Bill "Bunky" Sheppard.

At least two singles appeared on Destiny Records: "Can We Do It Again" occupied the A-side of their November 1981 debut and the B-side of their February 1982 parting shot, "This Feeling Must Be Real." A short spell on Crossroad Records produced "Before You Go" (October 1983), followed by "Breakin' Out" in 1984.

A major break came in 1984 when Columbia Records took them on, but after four singles -- debuting with "Slip Away" -- and two albums, the situation dissolved disappointingly. Their self-produced debut album Skool Boyz had some fine ballads "Nothin' Like a Slow Dance," "Before You Go" (the Destiny single), "You Are the Best Thing in My Life," and some rhythmic up-tempo numbers, but the sales didn't equal the glowing reviews. The album, in part, was initially released on Destiny Records and contained, like a subsequent CBS album, new material and some from their Crossroad stint.

The girl watching "Superfine (From Behind)" came out in 1985, but fizzled after a hopeful start. A follow-up fared no better, nor did a final album entitled This Is the Real Thing. The group disbanded and went their separate ways, guitarist Billy Sheppard ended up in By All Means, a Los Angeles trio that recorded on 4th & Broadway Records in 1988. His brother, Stan, assembled the group and produced their recordings. <a href="spotify:artist:3cS04S9ChhEClgDghrhOzg">Stan</a> got off into producing, writing, and arranging for many others, including <a href="spotify:artist:0MikaZ51iU6Pflyp8qM71Z">Gerald Alston</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3RwQ26hR2tJtA8F9p2n7jG">the Temptations</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2kreKea2n96dXjcyAU9j5N">the Pointer Sisters</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5Cio41ZAM9b3QdHSwPcnlt">Dazzie Dee</a>, Troy Hinton, and <a href="spotify:artist:0fj23PBRYlmkjBpKdpwG3D">Gene Rice</a>, who is kin to <a href="spotify:artist:3cS04S9ChhEClgDghrhOzg">Stan</a>'s old cohorts, the Rice twins. <a href="spotify:artist:13vQloYd6mP7V1mVwKJwS2">Matthews</a> and Brown worked behind the scenes as session men and backing vocalists after the breakup. ~ Andrew Hamilton, Rovi