Los Angeles soul trio Sly, Slick & Wicked are one of two obscure vocal groups to name themselves after a 1970 single by The Lost Generation.

Northern soul doesn’t get much deeper – or more underground – than this obscure gem by the curiously named Sly, Slick & Wicked. So who are they?

Well, my research reveals that they’re a trio from Cleveland, Ohio, formed in 1970 by John Wilson (Sly), Charles Still (Slick) and Mark Saxton (Wicked). Except… this isn’t them.

Turns out this is a completely different Sly, Slick & Wicked formed in East LA around the same time by Texas native Thomas Hawkins (aka Sonny Daye) with Larry Lewis, and Donny Everhart.

They took their name, I believe, not from their rivals in Cleveland but from a soul song called Sly, Slick & Wicked which was a hit for The Lost Generation.

Released on an LA label called Bad Boys Records in 1972, Confessin’ a Feeling b/w Love Gonna Pack Up (And Walk Out), this funereal-paced single was produced by Earl Chavez and Ronnie Garcia, who also arranged it.

The record sold well in the southwestern part of the States but their next single, Tonight’s the Nite, did not arrive until 1976 and it was five more years before it was re-released, with a terrible novelty tune, We’re Sly, Slick & Wicked…Wicked, on the flip side.

After that, keeping up their habit of leaving long gaps between their activities, they reunited in 1991, performing on oldies bills in SoCal.