I wish ‘soul train’ aired here in the uk as well, but it was great growing up with ‘top of the pops’. I would also love to see that full performance of ‘looking through the windows’ someday. makes me feel proud that it was a hit here.
Oh, I loved growing up with TOTP. I've said it already but it really did shape your whole week. That and the Sunday night chart rundown, those two things were non-negotiable, you HAD to be there! I'm the same age as Michael so I was watching TOTP pretty much from the start although we always preferred Ready Steady Go! because it was cooler and more edgy. Ngl, I didn't love everything about TOTP, a lot of the DJ's were boring. But half an hour of pop magic every week? Happy days!
As for Soul Train, I wish we had got it in the UK. We did see one episode in the mid-70's. The only thing I can remember about it - apart from being blown away by it - was Ashford & Simpson. They were great.
that same year they performed for the queen for the first time, at the royal variety show. have you seen this performance?
Yes, we watched this at the time although it's always really weird for me to see it in colour - we had a b&w tv. I have no idea *why* we always watched the Royal Variety Show but we did. The J5 being on there was awesome because you didn't get many Black performing artists on there. So it was a BIG deal. Ngl, I'm not that keen on the performance because I *really* don't like medleys. I would have been much happier with two complete songs. Of course, I understand why people do medleys but I really, really don't like 'em. Gah!
On Rare Pics the other day I just bumped this photo. It doesn't ring any bells for me. By the time I was a teenager we had pretty much stopped watching RVS so maybe I didn't see it. I need to chase this up, find out more.
I feel that the early seventies (particularly 1972) was the first peak; there was the cartoon series, cereal commercials, an Oscar award performance and nomination for ‘Ben’, and the above performance. so many amazing milestones in a short amount of time.
Most of which I was unaware of at the time. We didn't get the cartoon series. I'm sure I would remember that. So few Black faces on UK tv back then. And a cartoon? Unheard of. The tv adverts, ditto. The Oscars? Oh, that's a bit annoying. We *did* used to watch the Oscars, most years at least, but I don't remember any J5/Jacksons involvement. More stuff for me to chase up.
my personal favourite era for Michael and the Jackson 5 is between 1969-1972 (for solo Michael, it’s obviously 1983). I also love some of the unreleased songs from that time.
Well, this is intriguing. Do I know about these? My homework assignments just keep on stacking up, lol. I'm going to be busy!
