luisam Posted May 28, 2017 Share Posted May 28, 2017 Do you know who was Andrea Marie Truden? If you were a porn movie fan maybe the stage names Inger Kissin, Singe Low, Sandra Lips, Rose Stevens, Andrea Travis or Catherine Warren might sound you, though seldom people give too much attention to the name of the porn-stars of a porn movie they might watch. Oh, well, did you see "Deep Throat Part II" or "Lady on the Couch"? But surely you may remember her disco singer name, Andrea True, best known for the 1976 disco tune, More, More, More (performed as part of her recording project, Andrea True Connection), which peaked at #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #5 on the UK Singles Chart. Andrea Marie Truden moved to New York City in 1968 to study acting and to seek fame as a mainstream film star. While she did manage to get some minor roles in mainstream movies from time to time, after managing to get a few jobs as an extra, among others in The Way We Were (1973) and 40 Carats (1973), the fame she sought was fleeting. When some friends asked her to join them in a pornographic movie, she went along with the idea and she embarked on a career as a porn star, initially thinking of this opportunity as the best way for her to gain more experience with films and acting. She shortened her last name to True to spare her family embarrassment when she began appearing in pornographic films in the early 1970s. She quickly became one of the best-known in the business although, at $500 per picture, not among the best paid. While still involved in the porn business she was trying to obtain roles in "legitimate" films, but none came her way. Eventually, she performed in more than fifty hardcore porn films throughout the 1970s in the early New York adult film industry. In an interview in 1977, she described her activity in adult films as being important because "our first amendment was in great danger because of censorship from our government". She also said “I think it (X-Rated movies and pornography) was a fad”. She also had been singing in various clubs around New York City and writing music for TV commercials so, during her heyday as a porn actress, around 1975, True was hired by a real estate business in Jamaica to appear in their commercials. During her stay in Jamaica with her wealthy gynecologist boyfriend, a political crisis gripped the island. An attempted coup prevented her from leaving the country with her wages from the commercial. Resourcefully, she conceived an idea: called on a record producer friend in New York, Gregg Diamond, to come down to Jamaica and had him bring down a music track to write and record the song with her in a local studio and, in effect, launder her money and take it out of the country in the form of a master tape. Diamond, apart of being a producer, also was a pianist, drummer and a songwriter and had been working on a tune which still had no lyrics or a title. He corralled some friends and made a demo. Then the break he was waiting for, came. Someone who had heard the tape told porn star Andrea True about this great demo he was convinced could be a hit. She called Diamond, offering him a plane ticket to Jamaica, board and studio time in exchange for a crack at the tune. At the very least, Diamond thought, this could be a free vacation. She made good on all her promises, including a week's studio at Federal Records. Diamond spent several days recording the instrumental demo, playing most of the instruments but still had no lyrics for. There is some controversy about the lyrics authorship. Most sources say it was Andrea who wrote the lyrics for "More, More, More"; others say they made it together, Andrea and Diamond. Then again, I’ve read that Gregg Diamond was the sole author. Now, read carefully the lyrics: Oh how do you like your love Oh how do you like your love So if you want to know How I really feel Get the cameras rolling Get the action going Baby you know My love for you is real So take me where you want to Boy my heart you steal More more more How do you like it how do you like it More more more How do you like it how do you like it More more more How do you like it how do you like it Oooh how do you like your love Oooh how do you like your love So if you want to know How I relly feel Get the cameras rolling Get the action going Baby you know My love… It’s about making movies and love! So it’s quite probable that it was written by Andrea True, or at least, the basic idea was provided by her. In any case, once they had it all ready, along with a group of studio musicians which made up the backbone of the project they named it “Andrea True Connection”. Andrea True was not really a great vocalist so after the voice recording was finished, Diamond had to spend two days more tinkering with the tape, electronically enhancing her voice, bringing it up to pitch and double tracking to add more depth. He made a good job! Once the tape was brought back to New York and remixed by recording engineer Tom Moulton, More More More (How Do You Like It?) was what would become her #1 disco hit in 1976. An executive at Buddah Record suggested that they take it to a disco, slap it on the turntable and see how the crowd responded. As soon as the music started, the dance floor filled up and Diamond was offered a deal. Once released, it soon became a favorite in discos and nightclubs and ultimately, one of the most popular songs of the disco era. Initially, in the winter of 1975, Buddah Records released it only to LP. The popularity of "More, More, More" was immense. Widespread listener interest convinced Buddah to release the single commercially in the spring. It reached No. 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and a full album with the same title soon followed. The single also reached top charts all around the world. A couple of years later, Diamond worked with Luther Vandross on David Bowie's Young Americans, then he and Vandross recorded as Bionic Boogie (including the song "Hot Butterfly", later covered by Chaka Khan), produced an album for disco singer George McCrae, and was a member of gay rocker Jobriath's band. By the time of her singing career, True admitted she was burned out and tired of porn, saying, "I'd rather be a waitress or a typist than make another adult film," and also, "Don't think of me as a porn star anymore, think of me as a recording star. I just want to record and perform." In early 1977, True released the single "N.Y., You Got Me Dancing", from her follow-up album, "White Witch". The single became True's second biggest hit, reaching No. 27 on Billboard's pop chart. In 1978, she had a second hit in the UK with "What's Your Name, What's Your Number", which peaked at No. 34 in the UK. Both albums included studio musicians with a new band assembled for the tour, the second line-up, which included future Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick. Andrea True had given up disco after a few hits and two albums as Andrea True Connection with Buddah Records from 1976-77. In 1980, Andrea recruited a new band and recorded the kinda punk-rock LP, War Machine, just as Andrea True, with what assumingly was a controversial single and music video at that time during the Reagan era. And likely because that song was critical of the Reagan admin, the LP had only been released in Italy, along with a picture sleeve 45 RPM of the title track single. Anyway, it flopped. I have this album and it's really not a big deal. After her third album failed, True briefly attempted returning to porn, but at nearly 40, she was too old for a comeback. She also could not return to music because a problem on her vocal cords that required surgery, essentially ending her singing ability. She then lived in Los Angeles for some time and subsequently moved to New York. During the early 1990s, Andrea lived in an apartment on Manhattan's east side, and was known for cooking gourmet meals for her friends. Finally, by the turn of the century she had begun a new low-profile career, living in Boynton Beach, Florida working as a psychic reader as well as a counselor for drug and substance abusers. Andrea True continued receiving royalties from her music, and "More, More, More" remained a popular song on TV and movies. She received a renewed burst of publicity when the Canadian group Len sampled the instrumental break from "More, More, More" in their own hit single, Steal My Sunshine. Subsequently, True appeared on several VH1 specials including 100 Greatest Dance Songs in 2000 ("More, More, More" was the No. 45 greatest dance song), Where Are They Now and 100 Greatest One-hit Wonders (both in 2002), in which she said she wanted to be remembered as a person who "gave people pleasure" — then emphasized the words — "with my music." She also made an appearance in the 2005 documentary movie Inside Deep Throat. Andrea True died at the way too young age of 68 on November 7, 2011, from heart failure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronY-Man Posted May 28, 2017 Share Posted May 28, 2017 Interesting !! Hey Hollywood , here's your new Oscar Script Material .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BioHazard Posted May 28, 2017 Share Posted May 28, 2017 More, More, More Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkyy Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 I remember the song well. It wasn't my type of music, but when Top Of The Pops was THE unmissable pop music program this song was played while it was charting. I didn't know her story though, that was another surprise. I wonder if the BBC knew of her porn star background....they were so prudish they probably would have banned it from TV and radio....like they did with "Je T'aime..." by Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsboro. The prudish BBC couldn't allow us to hear that song...but one of their DJ's, Jimmy Saville turned out to be a sexual predator/deviant and pedophile!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luisam Posted May 29, 2017 Author Share Posted May 29, 2017 9 hours ago, funkyy said: I wonder if the BBC knew of her porn star background.... In her movies she assumed several "artistic" names so when she became the world-wide famous disco singer of "More More More" probably not even her porn-fans recognized her. I don't know what would have done the BBC but for sure she might have been banned in many local US radio stations. 21 hours ago, IronY-Man said: Interesting !! Hey Hollywood , here's your new Oscar Script Material .... Probably, at some moment someone will make a movie about her. The argument has all the ingredients covering the 70s and 80s scene: drama, sex, humor, politics, disco and rock 'n' roll to make an Oscar winner... And Gregg Diamond was another interesting person, though maybe not as widely known as Andrea True. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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