"Farewell" concert of Diana and The Supremes.

[silvermusiclover]

It's out there somewhere. I just know that an important concert like that, someone knows of video footage somewhere!. If they do please tell me and put me out of my misery!. I've been a huge fan since the sixties and would just love to see that concert, after all these years. Can anyone out there help?.. Andy. PS. like most fans I have the LP.of the concert. Video footage was shown on the "Dick Clark Show" back in the day so I know it's out there!!!!. But where???...

[Penny]

It's out there somewhere. I just know that an important concert like that, someone knows of video footage somewhere!. If they do please tell me and put me out of my misery!. I've been a huge fan since the sixties and would just love to see that concert, after all these years. Can anyone out there help?.. Andy. PS. like most fans I have the LP.of the concert. Video footage was shown on the "Dick Clark Show" back in the day so I know it's out there!!!!. But where???...

You need to look in Berry Gordy's basement. You will find your answers there.

Penny:cool:

[marv2]

It's out there somewhere. I just know that an important concert like that, someone knows of video footage somewhere!. If they do please tell me and put me out of my misery!. I've been a huge fan since the sixties and would just love to see that concert, after all these years. Can anyone out there help?.. Andy. PS. like most fans I have the LP.of the concert. Video footage was shown on the "Dick Clark Show" back in the day so I know it's out there!!!!. But where???...

Yes there is video footage out there. I have seen the whole, entire concert on video back in the late 80's and again in the early nineties and that is all I can tell you. It was not in Berry Gordy's basement! LOL!

[luke]

Why is it so "hidden?"

[captainjames]

Mr. Gordy taped everything back then and sometimes with more than one camera and we know the story of many takes of songs. My guess would be that Suzanne De Passe or someone in the Gordy family owns the original footage. I don't think the same legal ramifications surround it as GIT and TCB. I would have thought with MOTOWN 50 it would have surfaced then. I believe the footage that Dick Clark showed said in the credits that it was supplied by Motown Corporation.

[BayouMotownMan]

Captain James is correct and the clips shown on Bandstand did not include audio. Back in the day there was no way to sell videos and by the time the VHS and DVD technology came out the demand for this had dropped tremendously.

Remember also that when live lps are issued they usually are edited from several performances to make one great show. Video is a little harder to do that.

Also keep in mind that Motown only capitalized briefly on the parting of Diana Ross and the Supremes. After Diana's first solo release all Diana/Supremes recordings were halted for several years. Once Diana was established as a soloist, and it took three full years to do this, Diana/Supremes complilations began to appear.

[revvy]

For heaven's sake Marv, don't hold back! You're a tease! What was it like? What are your memories of the concert footage? To be honest, the record is a bit lame, I think...almost sounds like a a cheesy Las Vegas lounge act. I'm hoping the live footage was spectacular. Please....DETAILS! :)

[marv2]

For heaven's sake Marv, don't hold back! You're a tease! What was it like? What are your memories of the concert footage? To be honest, the record is a bit lame, I think...almost sounds like a a cheesy Las Vegas lounge act. I'm hoping the live footage was spectacular. Please....DETAILS! :)

It was rather good. The best parts I remember was "Hey Big Spender", "The Happening" and "Love Child". I did not care for that long drawn out "Let the Sunshine In". I remember they were all crying at one point or another towards the end.

[Roberta75]

For heaven's sake Marv, don't hold back! You're a tease! What was it like? What are your memories of the concert footage? To be honest, the record is a bit lame, I think...almost sounds like a a cheesy Las Vegas lounge act. I'm hoping the live footage was spectacular. Please....DETAILS! :)

The only details you are gonna get from that one are the same as you get yourself when you listed to the live record. LOL

Thanks for the laugh revvy.

Best to you,

Roberta

[marv2]

The only details you are gonna get from that one are the same as you get yourself when you listed to the live record. LOL

Thanks for the laugh revvy.

Best to you,

Roberta

You're one sick puppy Roberta. Get your Bible babe. It is because of you and people like you, that some will not share information here.

[skooldem1]

I started a separate thread called: Brown Sugar: Eighty Years of America's Black Female Superstars

But in reference to this thread, this show has the most footage of the farewell concert that I've seen. Starts at 17:47.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9TIdX3qQtI

[davidh]

the producer of the live album has stated there was no video footage other than a few clips that we have seen. funny some fans have claimed to have seen it but it never shows up anywhere. but maybe there is and maybe there isnt. u would think that if some have it , it would have been on you tube by now.

[davidh]

sorry ,it was deke richards who produced the FAREWELL album. he did an interview here at SDF a few years ago and i remember him stating he didnt remember them filming it.just recording it.

[davidh]

maybe Andy or George can comment

[nomis]

a few years ago I posted on this forum the master video tape library number of broadcast "Farewell" footage..the footage shown still exists in the Clark vaults..If I remember correctly the Jackson Five performed in the Bandstand studio on the same show and the audience danced to "someday well be together"..a brief clip was shown on The American Music Awards in 1993..the footage is of rough quality due to the lack of proper lighting for film recording at the frontier..it was definelty film not a video recording and judging from the brief clip shown the film stock was either low quality or has detoriated in the Clark vaults but can easily be digitally remastered to its original broadcast picture...

[marv2]

a few years ago I posted on this forum the master video tape library number of broadcast "Farewell" footage..the footage shown still exists in the Clark vaults..If I remember correctly the Jackson Five performed in the Bandstand studio on the same show and the audience danced to "someday well be together"..a brief clip was shown on The American Music Awards in 1993..the footage is of rough quality due to the lack of proper lighting for film recording at the frontier..it was definelty film not a video recording and judging from the brief clip shown the film stock was either low quality or has detoriated in the Clark vaults but can easily be digitally remastered to its original broadcast picture...

It was filmed on what looked like to me on 8mm film and in parts the vocals were not always in synch with the ladies movements. They filmed ALL of the final shows at the Frontier~!

[nomis]

Hi Marv..long time no disscussion..hope your well..I dont think it 8mm film but something close..the transfer of the footage onto the broadcast master has lost definition due to 525 ntsc line not being able to capture the film depth definition..not helped by the lack of lighting..the frontier lights were sparse basically 3 spots that changed colour and a hand held..it was dark in that room..the photos in the Farewell booklet were all flash taken which illuminates details the naked eye there couldnt see...those Mackie gowns would have been almost blinding with the spots on them..especially the Sullivan "No Matter What Sign" bat wings...

[marv2]

Hi Marv..long time no disscussion..hope your well..I dont think it 8mm film but something close..the transfer of the footage onto the broadcast master has lost definition due to 525 ntsc line not being able to capture the film depth definition..not helped by the lack of lighting..the frontier lights were sparse basically 3 spots that changed colour and a hand held..it was dark in that room..the photos in the Farewell booklet were all flash taken which illuminates details the naked eye there couldnt see...those Mackie gowns would have been almost blinding with the spots on them..especially the Sullivan "No Matter What Sign" bat wings...

Nomis! Great to see you back. I am fine thank you and hope you are as well. I agree about the lack of lighting. From what I saw, the stage was really dark with the spotlights being directly on the ladies. The ladies also appeared to be performing right at the edge of the stage and you could not see any of the backing musicians. Yes their costumes almost appeared to be bleached out in some portions of the tape.

[revvy]

Thanks for that video upload! I, for one, enjoyed immensely the girl-on-girl kissing. Woo hoo! [[that alone should be enough to send Roberta over the edge). I believe, in the end, that Diana, Mary and Cindy really did love each other and it shows in this footage. They seemed really happy here despite what Mary wrote in her book about that night being a phony formality. For me, this where The Supremes end. As much as I enjoyed Jean Terrell's participation, they really should have renamed the group. Although we called them the "New Supremes" at the time, it just didn't seem that way to me and many of the fans. They made some great records, too! I just love "Life Beats." That should have been a breakaway hit for them.

[franjoy56]

i don't think so The Supremes needed to go on without Ross, because the group had been from 1967 revamped to suit another purpose. Can you imagine us not getting to hear Up the Ladder to the Roof, Stoned Love and Floy Joy, Nathan Jones, and RiverDeep Mt High under the name the 1970's The Velvet Honey's or the Golden Nuggets I don't think so, and Mary would have never agreed to this change as she didn't agree to it three years later, when the hits had dried up.

[marv2]

i don't think so The Supremes needed to go on without Ross, because the group had been from 1967 revamped to suit another purpose. Can you imagine us not getting to hear Up the Ladder to the Roof, Stoned Love and Floy Joy, Nathan Jones, and RiverDeep Mt High under the name the 1970's The Velvet Honey's or the Golden Nuggets I don't think so, and Mary would have never agreed to this change as she didn't agree to it three years later, when the hits had dried up.

The Supremes were always bigger than any one member including Diana Ross. I was not bothered that she left. I was ecstatic over just how good Jean and Mary and Cindy were as a GROUP. By 1970 they were pretty much a show biz institution

[luke]

Cindy also said that night was ALL acting. Jean Terrell helped take them to greater artistry.

[smark21]

For heaven's sake Marv, don't hold back! You're a tease! What was it like? What are your memories of the concert footage? To be honest, the record is a bit lame, I think...almost sounds like a a cheesy Las Vegas lounge act. I'm hoping the live footage was spectacular. Please....DETAILS! :)

Farewell is my favorite of the Supremes live albums, but all of those albums [[Copa, Talk of the Town, Farewell) could be quite cheesy in terms of some of the songs performed, the arrangements, and the stage patter. So it’s no wonder they come across as a cheesy Vegas act at times on Farewell.

[franjoy56]

Farewell is my favorite of the Supremes live albums, but all of those albums [[Copa, Talk of the Town, Farewell) could be quite cheesy in terms of some of the songs performed, the arrangements, and the stage patter. So it’s no wonder they come across as a cheesy Vegas act at times on Farewell.


THE SUPREMES AT THE ROOSTERTAIL Has now become my favorite Supremes Live Show,LP inisde the Symphony set and Diana, Mary & Flo all share in ithe show and the vocals are off the hock and it is wonderful.