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Berry Gordy speaks about Michael

barbee0715

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Just read this interview with Berry. I LOVE Berry, but he seems to have selective memory on why the guys really left Motown. Of course, it could be the interviewer-she calls Berry's son his stepson, in this piece.

Berry Gordy: Michael Jackson would still be alive on Motown

5th Mar 16 | Entertainment News
Berry Gordy believes the late Michael Jackson would still be alive if he had stayed with his Motown record label.




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The 86-year-old producer signed the late star's family group, The Jackson 5, to his label in 1969 and launched the King of Pop's solo career two years later, but they all, with the exception of Jermaine Jackson, left to sign with Epic Records in 1975, a decision the legendary songwriter insists was down to their father and manager, Joe Jackson's desire for ''power and money'


Asked if Michael - who died of acute Propofol intoxication in 2009 while preparing for a 50-date London residency - would still be alive if he had remained with Motown, Berry said: ''Of course, but it wasn't Michael who wanted to leave.

''It was his father. They wanted power and money.

''I always worried about Michael.''

Berry - who has eight children from three marriages - and his family used to enjoy sports games with the Jacksons, and on one occasion the producer was very impressed by one particularly ''amazing'' player - but failed to realise the boy was his own stepson.

He recalled to Britain's GQ magazine: ''Michael was the catcher for his family team.

''Every time Michael would miss the ball, this other kid would come over and scoop it up. He was amazing!

''I went up to this kid and said it was a family game. He said, 'Do you know Ray Singleton?' I said of course I know her, she was my wife from Detroit. And he said, 'Well, I'm her son.' And I said, 'Oh you're my son too!' ''


http://www.tv3.ie/xpose/article/ent...ichael-Jackson-would-still-be-alive-on-Motown
 
Not even Jermaine stayed at Motown eventually and he was Berry's son-in-law.

Most Motown artists did not have creative control and were ripped off their money. So MJ could not have developed at Motown the way he did at Epic.
 
^^Like I said and I mean it, I do love Berry. But he (and somewhat Smokey as VP) fought his artists tooth and nail for both money and creative control. I think every single person ended up in an ugly lawsuit. Including Diana.
Only Stevie ever got real control on his music.
Marvin a little-he got his way on things as Michael got his way on a few things, but not much.
Oddly, though, thru it all Berry AND his artists all look back on that time with Motown as a happy, loving family.
Even tho the lawsuits were well documented and quite nasty.

I think it's the nostalgia factor when you're young and happy and working like a dog on something you love. That's all you remember.
 
I agree Michael could not stay at Motown i too love Berry Gordy but no he had to move on.
 
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Theres a reason 90% of the Motown stars left Berry...

I have so much respect for Berry Gordy and all he has done but he's never able to admit when he's wrong.
 
Motown did not give you any freedom you did what Motown want you to do that how their did all of their artist. I thank Joe for moving them to CBS that was the best thing he could have do for his boys.
 
With all due respect to Berry Gordy for having created one of the most important labels in the history of music and American culture, I truly don't think the question of whether Michael would be alive right now has anything whatsoever to do with a label change some 40 years ago. I really don't.
 
Joe Jackson saved his sons careers and thats the bottom line, Joe gets thrown under the bus for like the billionth time, when all else fails, go default and blame Joe
 
Bringing Brighter Days said:
Joe Jackson saved his sons careers and thats the bottom line, Joe gets thrown under the bus for like the billionth time, when all else fails, go default and blame Joe
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He gets thrown under the bus for the stuff he deserves- I've never seen a comment on this forum taking away from the importance of Joe's role in everything since the groups inception.
 
^^True. He didn't get thrown under the bus here. He did by Berry but we all know better.
I've always admired Joe for not staying at 'safe' Motown, especially when you think how hard they worked to get there, and taking the chance with Epic.
 
innuendo141 said:
With regards to what exactly? Adultery? Physically abusing children?

How dare they
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He's not the only human being who has been unfaithful to his spouse. Wont be the first or the last

The abuse stories are just that.....stories, cooked up at the end of the 80s...there was none of this abuse talk going on until then . He was strict and a disciplinarian who Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon have all said he was not abusive
 
Bringing Brighter Days said:
He's not the only human being who has been unfaithful to his spouse. Wont be the first or the last

The abuse stories are just that.....stories, cooked up at the end of the 80s...there was none of this abuse talk going on until then . He was strict and a disciplinarian who Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon have all said he was not abusive
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So michael is lying?
 
Bringing Brighter Days said:
He's not the only human being who has been unfaithful to his spouse. Wont be the first or the last

The abuse stories are just that.....stories, cooked up at the end of the 80s...there was none of this abuse talk going on until then . He was strict and a disciplinarian who Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon have all said he was not abusive
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Do you think Michael was lying?
 
Girl said:
With all due respect to Berry Gordy for having created one of the most important labels in the history of music and American culture, I truly don't think the question of whether Michael would be alive right now has anything whatsoever to do with a label change some 40 years ago. I really don't.
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Mike may or may not have been alive today. That can't really be determined, he could have died in a car wreck or something. But it's highly unlikely he would have died the way he did. If the brothers remained on Motown, Thriller would have never happened and Mike would not have had the money and amount of fame he made at Epic. The last few J5 albums were not even promoted the same as the earlier ones. So no catalog or Neverland. Motown did not have the same resources and reach as CBS. Very few of the Motown acts became rich like Stevie Wonder & Lionel Richie and Lionel was not a classic era act like the Four Tops or Temptations. Mike would most likely be an oldies act today like many of the other Motown acts.
 
I do not want to live in a world without Thriller, MJ needed to move from Motown imo. Also, epic gave him more creative freedom.
 
Bringing Brighter Days said:
Lolll

If one person in a situation says one thing and then four other people respond by saying something different, that means you have fact vs fiction
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how do you know they are not the ones who's lying? just because 4 people says the same doesn't necessarily mean it's the truth. for all we know, they could be lying to cover up for Joseph...not saying they are, but you can't conclude they are telling the truth based on their statements alone, just because there's 4 of them saying the same
 
who knows, Michael looking up to Berry.. It's possible to suffice personal guilt Michael could have played the "I don't want to leave but...." I mean Mike did look up to the guy and it would not be unlikely that he had a desire to please him and want his approval.. Especially considering Joseph and his parenting 'skills'
 
Can we get off of this? We all know he hit and beat the kids and cheated on Katherine. They dramatized it in American Dream, for Pete's sake. Katherine also let it all happen.

They all forgave him and love him. Berry's trying to make Joe be the bad guy by moving them to Epic and therefore causing Michael's death. Joe's the good guy in that scenario. He believed in his sons and did not stay with the easy money at Motown.
 
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Michaels Lover said:
how do you know they are not the ones who's lying? just because 4 people says the same doesn't necessarily mean it's the truth. for all we know, they could be lying to cover up for Joseph...not saying they are, but you can't conclude they are telling the truth based on their statements alone, just because there's 4 of them saying the same
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So the truth is that somebody wasnt telling the truth. That's the truth
 
barbee0715 said:
Can we get off of this? We all know he hit and beat the kids and cheated on Katherine. They dramatized it, for Pete's sake. Katherine also let it all happen.

They all forgave him and love him. Berrys trying to make Joe be the bad guy by moving them to Epic and therefore causing Michael's death. Joe's the good guy in that scenario. He believed in his sons and did not stay with the easy money at Motown.
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How did Katherine let it all happen when families during that time, especially with the father in the home, were strict with their children

I know there are plenty of days where the entire Jackson family would to take it all back and their lives the way they were because every single aspect, every single act gets dissected to the nuance

If J5 had stayed at Motown they would have been done
 
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you guys, Joseph is at a very different place in his life than he was 20,30,40,50,60 years ago.. I'm sure there is a lot he holds in and is not proud of.. Can we just not trash him while he spends what little time has left on this earth.. In the end of the day he is Michael Jacksons father!
 
KOPV said:
you guys, Joseph is at a very different place in his life than he was 20,30,40,50,60 years ago.. I'm sure there is a lot he holds in and is not proud of.. Can we just not trash him while he spends what little time has left on this earth.. In the end of the day he is Michael Jacksons father!
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I agree, even Michael could forgive him, and he was the one going through it!!
 
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