Spinning Topps an allegory to Four Tops?

Date: 05/07/2001
From: TemporalFlux

This may sound like a no brainer to most people (thus raising a collective "DUH"), but I found a page recently that made me think about some deeper levels of this (beyond the obvious similarity in name).

http://www.history-of-rock.com/four_tops.htm

First of all, take a good look at Levi Stubbs (The Four Tops lead singer) in that picture at the top (he's at the bottom left of the top picture). Then think of Rembrandt. The others could also be said to bear at least a passing resemblance to the other Topps members from Sliders (minus their "fros," of course).

Also, take a good look at the third picture of the above page I listed. Remind anyone of the "Cry Like a Man" video from The Pilot?

The last bit, however, could make one wonder if all of this is more than just an allegory (even though most certainly just a mistake caused by later parties involved in Sliders). One assumes that The Four Tops existed on Earth Prime...but did they? If you take the "California Reich" online slide as continuity, then Rembrandt credits The Temptations for writing and performing "Can't Help Myself". That song was in fact a 1965 hit of The Four Tops.

http://www.scifi.com/sliders/calreich/jump.html

As I said, that is most likely just a mistake due to lack of research by the writer...but one could take it as a bit of Earth Prime alternate history. Could The Spinning Topps have somehow filled the Earth Prime slot for The Four Tops? (and vice versa with our world - The Four Tops filling the spot for The Spinning Topps) Of course, a major difference would be the fact that the Four Tops remained popular for us - mainly because they *didn't* break up like the Spinning Topps did. It is an interesting thought...

Tf
temporalflux@hotmail.com
http://www.dimensionofcontinuity.com

DUH! ;-)

Date: 05/07/2001
From: Vance454

Just kidding. Another good spot, TF.

Vance454
vance454 on aol im

That's awesome!

Date: 05/07/2001
From: Blinker

I always love it when laziness and incompetence end up creating something cool.

- Blinker 7:-P
http://slidersweb.net/blinker

TemporalFlux

Date: 05/07/2001
From: Stax_

Not to sound impatient but how are those essays coming along . You know ,just to put my tapping foot out of misery .stax

Never cease to amaze

Date: 05/07/2001
From: Recall317

As the subject implies, this show just continues to surprise me at just how good a job it did purely accidentally.

In general, I tend to attribute anything from S4 as gross incompetence, but it is possible...just maybe possible...that the writer of "California Reich"'s on-line slide slipped that in to see if anyone was paying attention. Nice catch, TF!

R317

Torme needed it to be recognizable maybe

Date: 05/09/2001
From: Grizzlor

Torme probably wanted to call the group the Spinning Topps as an allusion to the Four Tops, or the Temptations, etc. Most likely, that was an easy way to get the viewers to think, hey, I recognize that. As for the visual similarities, that is weird!

Homage in its purest form. [END]

Date: 05/09/2001
From: Real_Slider

pqiwoerufigvhrqeovub.....................

Original URL http://www.scifi.com/bboard/browse.cgi/1/5/545/25766
Nominated by TemporalFlux