Motown 25: Official release information

[Lulu]

Motown 25 was one of the pinnacle successes of Motown, like the Supremes hit streak, like the J5 hit streak, like Stevie Wonder in the 70's, Marvin Gaye in the 70's and Diana Ross in the 80's. Suzanne, like her or not, was one of the Motown Superstars. She went on to huge success with the Academy Award Nomination and the Television Shows.

Agree and I've never had an issue with her professionally. She's part of the Motown "crew" who gets a bad rep with the underdogs.

[carole cucumber]

Great photos at 0:09 and 0:31

[Jimi LaLumia]

after I ordered my deluxe edition, I left this message on the 'Contact Us"/Suggestions section..maybe everyone else should do the same..
"Hope this is a big sucess that leads you to release the 1968 NBC TV Special "TCB" with Diana Ross & The Supremes and The Temptations, and the 1969 followup, "G.I.T...On Broadway" also with Ross/Supremes/Temptations..I ordered my deluxe edition already.."

[marv2]

Since this was originally done for charity, [[Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation I believe.....) I wonder if any of the proceeds will be going to help fight Sickle Cell? Anyone know?

[smark21]

That's right, some of the proceeds in 83 went to Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation. Sickle Cell helped cause the death of Marvelette Georgeanna Tillman so that makes it even more of a shame they didn't mention the group on the original telecast. Hopefully the restored footage will include mention of Motown's first great female group.

[marv2]

That's right, some of the proceeds in 83 went to Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation. Sickle Cell helped cause the death of Marvelette Georgeanna Tillman so that makes it even more of a shame they didn't mention the group on the original telecast. Hopefully the restored footage will include mention of Motown's first great female group.

I understand that some of the artists raised issue when Motown Productions released the VHS of the show for sale. They were told it was a benefit for Sickle Cell Anemia, but low and behold, Suzanne puts the show on the market for profit. She had a hell of a time convincing them to sign releases for the next big Motown special, "Motown Returns to the Apollo". Some were ready to sue..........

[Roberta75]

I understand that some of the artists raised issue when Motown Productions released the VHS of the show for sale. They were told it was a benefit for Sickle Cell Anemia, but low and behold, Suzanne puts the show on the market for profit. She had a hell of a time convincing them to sign releases for the next big Motown special, "Motown Returns to the Apollo". Some were ready to sue..........

How do you know that a real big part of the VHS sales money didnt go to the sickles cell charity?

Roberta

[marv2]

How do you know that a real big part of the VHS sales money didnt go to the sickles cell charity?

Roberta

I don't know, which is why I asking about this release at it's proceeds. I do know that it more than aggrevated some of the performers from "Motown 25" when they learned that the program was being sold commercially 2 years later, after they signed their artist releases. They went in believing that it was done for charity, not profit only learn there is going to be a profit and they are not a part of it.
Why do you ask?

[Roberta75]

I don't know, which is why I asking about this release at it's proceeds. I do know that it more than aggrevated some of the performers from "Motown 25" when they learned that the program was being sold commercially 2 years later, after they signed their artist releases. They went in believing that it was done for charity, not profit only learn there is going to be a profit and they are not a part of it.
Why do you ask?

Yet they all sign releases for the video release so there aggregation must have passed. Maybe all the VHS proceeds went to the sickles cell charity. We will never really know though. will we?

Roberta

[Philles/Motown Gary]

To Jimi LaLumia: Ho, Ho, Ho, Jimi!

[luke]

The sickle cell charity issue vs profits has been documented.

[Roberta75]

The sickle cell charity issue vs profits has been documented.

id love to see the links or documents. Would you kindly share please.

Thank you.

Roberta

[skooldem1]

Is it possible that only proceeds from the actual event- the tickets sold, was to go to charity, and that was the extent of it? Also, has it been documented anywhere that Motown didn't give any money to the charity from the VHS sales? Or is this a made up controversy to discredit Suzanne Depasse?

[marv2]

Is it possible that only proceeds from the actual event- the tickets sold, was to go to charity, and that was the extent of it? Also, has it been documented anywhere that Motown didn't give any money to the charity from the VHS sales? Or is this a made up controversy to discredit Suzanne Depasse?

Nothing has been made up because there have been no accusations made toward Ms. Depasse. It is just a simply question.

[Ngroove]

Question: Motown 25 DVD, once comes out, exposing, or re-exposing, old viewers and new to its awesomeness, what can it do for the exposure of High Inergy? Motown 25 was probably the highlight of their Motown career, despite about nine albums that only "held on", that night, they stood alongside giants, as equals.

Yet, once DVD comes, will High Inergy demand occur, allowing them to finally be from "unsung" to "sung", more of their catalog be pumped out up to "Groove Patrol", definitely "Groove Patrol" for "He's A Pretender", perhaps by Big Break Records or/and others, or will, when reviewed by critics, they'll be referred as "nobodies", since they were never really Supremes, Martha Reeves, Jackson Five, Temptations, Four Tops, or even Motown 25 performance mates, DeBarge?

[jobeterob]

Unfortunately, they are going to remain "also rans".

[Jimi LaLumia]

never say never.. look at the film about "Sugarman"...

[smark21]

The AV Club site say they have been given access to show some additional preview clips from the forthcoming release:

http://www.avclub.com/article/exclus...25-foot-208779

[Ngroove]

Sorry people; just gonna say it now to get it over with; Not only do I personally don't view Michael Jackson's non-Motown song performance, complete with move probably taught to him by Jeffrey Daniels, who could and did "Moonwalk" circles around him a year prior, as the "highlight" of the show; personally, I think that "moment" that most [[casual) people probably, if described Motown 25 in one sentence, was "historic" for, was overrated.

C'mon, people could say Tempts vs Tops "Battle of the Bands", Stevie Wonder, Miracles Reunion, Supremes Reunion, even Marvin Gaye's final public performance, or Michael with his brothers' Jackson Five medley, but a non-Motown song?

[skooldem1]

The video preview looks good. It is very clear.

[ejluther]

but a non-Motown song?

I know it's ironic but it's also what people seem to remember most - MJ really exploded at the moment and time in a way that's certainly historic to people at that time. I think it's also benefited from hindsight; if THRILLER hadn't become the monster hit that it was who knows if his M25 performance would still be held in such high regard? I just wish he'd sung it live [[he is lip-synching "Billie Jean", right?)...

[stephanie]

Agreed NGroove I always that it was overrated. Great performance but I liked his performance with his brothers better that is what I remember when it comes to MJ.

[supremester]

Miss Depasse is a creative visionary and media entrepreneur. She was a huge help in launching The J5, Gladys and advanced the careeers of DR&TS, The Tempts, JMC, Miss Ross and others. There are, as there always will be, some who didn't get what they wanted from her and diss her for that. If she worked 10 hours a day on 8 acts, the other 7 acts would still be bitching that they got ignored, dis-favorded, plotted against etc. It's never about what they did, for blamers, it's what wasn't done for them. Her work has earned her popular and critical acclaim and I respect her.

Smart artists have provisions in their contract for a share of profits not intended for the charity - which often includes exec salaries. it's possible that Marvin, Miss Ross or Smokey got paid a percentage if profits were garnered from VHS or other sales, of if Miss DePasse received a fee. Some of the artists could have used the funds and I hope they got some.
To my knowledge, there was never an announcement that Motown was making money on The VHS sales - artists were merely speculating "IF" - and rightly so.

Agree and I've never had an issue with her professionally. She's part of the Motown "crew" who gets a bad rep with the underdogs.