The Dream Machine

Departing Motown brought Norman Whitfield’s partnership with the Temptations to a close. He launched Whitfield Records, signed the Undisputed Truth, and fashioned the group as offbeat counterparts to the Tempts. The venture eventually collapsed. Still eager to produce, Whitfield assembled Dream Machine in 1980, a self-contained ensemble that featured two former Undisputed Truth members, Taka Boom and Joe Harris. The lineup also included Melvin Stewart, Lloyd Williams, Trey Stone, James McKinney, Ron Artis, and Pete Carr. Taka Boom, whose given name is Yvonne Stevens and who is Chaka Khan’s sister, fronted the unit. Its debut single, “Shakedown,” stirred club play yet failed to generate retail movement. The sole album, the self-titled Dream Machine, appeared on RCA in 1981 and attracted scant notice despite the bass-driven funk of “Dream Machine” and “Living Too High.” RCA terminated the contract before a follow-up could be recorded.