From my understanding, Bobby Taylor has "felt" jilted by the Jackson, based upon his discovery. IMO, Mr. Taylor was compensated above and beyond for "his" discovery!!! Most of the unreleased material of them are they ones that Mr. Taylor produced!!!
From my understanding, Bobby Taylor has "felt" jilted by the Jackson, based upon his discovery. IMO, Mr. Taylor was compensated above and beyond for "his" discovery!!! Most of the unreleased material of them are they ones that Mr. Taylor produced!!!
@ marv...Are u telling me he ws never compensated for producing all those "covers" that he produced??? The Jacksons are not responsible for paying him..Motown is
That is true. Bobby told Mojo magazine several years back [[probably 2001, 2002-ish) that one of his daughters had worked with Michael on either some video or some recording and said MJ kept staring at her. Finally the woman approached him and asked "do you know who my father is and how you used to babysit me" or something to that effect. It was then that MJ was all like "oh yeah you're Bobby Taylor's daughter, will you tell him thank you for everything?" When Bobby's daughter told him this, he was stunned to say the least that one of the most famous entertainers in pop music had forgot to thank him in person. Then he remembered Berry Gordy's comments when Gordy told him when the Jacksons became famous, they would forget about him. He [[Gordy) was right apparently.
There's a difference between being financially compensated and being personally compensated. He got the money, just not the love back from the Jacksons after all he had done for them. Most of them would thank Gladys Knight [[who didn't get them signed to Motown) but you hardly see anything about Bobby Taylor. I don't think they interviewed him for that MJ documentary that came out a few years ago but they were sure to call up Gladys. I think he was only mentioned a few times, if any, by Michael and Marlon but that was back in 1980 when they were interviewed for the "Triumph" album or something. Bobby himself got the Jacksons [[mainly MJ) signed but whenever the Jacksons thank anyone, they thank the one who discovered them but failed to sign them. That's quite ironically sad.
Yeah I remember that Hong Kong interview. People may think he's bitter but he has his reasons for that. I'd be upset too if I went through pins and needles [[and broken glass) to get a group of talented kids signed to a label that initially wasn't paying them any attention and all I got was a pat on the back for a job well done. It's one thing to get money but if you don't get respect, what's all that money worth?
It surely would've helped a bunch. But see, the Jacksons have forgotten their roots. They only remember something when someone reminds them of it. Michael Jackson surely forgot. He even forgot what age he was and the month it was when they had their legendary audition tape from July 22, 1968 [[he recalled in his biography that he thought the audition was December 1968 at Berry's mansion) and this guy was supposedly intelligent but whenever he was in court, when asked a simple question, this dude was all like "I don't remember..." or "I don't recall..." You'd think if this man was as intelligent, he'd remember simple history like a producer who got them signed when people turned them down. He remembered James Brown coming to his house and giving them advice but when Joseph Jackson tried to get James to get his label to hear their audition tape, he said he "had no time for those noisy kids, I got kids of my own, Mr. Jackson, but thanks anyway." So even MJ's biggest influence didn't think to promote them.
That bullshit story Diana Ross repeated in her concerts for years when doing her "Motown Medley" about and then I was in Gary Indiana and I saw these 5 little boys and I yi,yi, yi.......That shit use to aggrevate me to hear!
Michael didn't forget about Bobby, or not thank him... Bobby stayed in touch with Michael all the way up to his death, and Michael would call him and ask for advice. On another note, Bobby did not get ANY credit from Motown, or the Jacksons [[publicly, not sure if any other than Michael thanked him or showed appreciation privately or not). And Bobby NEVER got the money he deserved from those productions. He's gotten no royalties on "I Want You Back," "ABC," "The Love You Save," or "I'll Be There" -- all of which he had a part in writing and producing.
Oh man it killed me hearing that, but that was all BG. Whether or not it was necessary in the boys' success, I don't know, but he thinks it was. I just hate all the 'casual' Motown fans who mix up the Temps and Tops songs and then talk about how Diana Ross discovered Michael. When I went to a Ms Ross concert last August, I overheard people talking about how she found Michael and his brothers and then taught them and brought them to Motown. I had to step in and give them a piece of my mind, and the truth!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2HgGwBUkkY
Jermaine did not forget Bobby Taylor or Bobby Taylor watch this! They even remembered the Corporation and Deke Richards.
Stephanie, Marlon did not forget to mention Bobby either here on the Late Show with Arsenio Hall. He mentions Bobby at 4:14 in this clip. The problem is, they never remembered to thank Bobby for anything personally to his face, by letter or over the phone!
Heck, if I ever become famous, I am thanking everybody from Miss Harste my first teacher to Soulful Detroit! LOL!!!
^ You always have those people who say "if you ever get famous, don't forget to mention me." Lol Evelyn LaHaie's name doesn't get mentioned much and she's the reason the group became the "Jackson Five".
People get far too emotional with matters like this, and memories can soon fade, I find it sad when people want to claim, they did or didn't thank me, anything like that I would want keep personal.
He was paid for the session work ONLY on songs that were released. BG had told Bobby that they had planned to release 3 albums of Bobby's stuff on the J5 and it ended up being about a a dozen and a half songs being released through their first 2 albums instead of what should've been over 30. BG basically dumped Bobby out in the streets, stole the Jackson boys and brought them to LA to record with the Corporation. Bobby co-wrote and co-produced ABC, I Want You Back, The Love You Save, and I'll Be There and didn't get a dime for them, or any credit whatsoever. And even the songs he did write/produce he didn't get any royalties for later on. Bobby got completely screwed over, said "fuck Motown" and left.
In 1970 before The Love You Save was released he was sent back to Detroit to work on his own career by BG, which then dwindled out because of a lack of promotion, and he left I'd say in early 1971. He got paid very little for the hours he spent in the studio, and made no more money other than that. Then he went and did some work for a couple different labels including Philly International and Playboy. After that, he couldn't find work and had to live with his mother, and around the late '70s he had his first throat cancer surgery. He was in Beijing a couple of years with a studio he opened, and that ended because of some government restrictions, which then led him to Hong Kong, where he still is now. He's had 3 throat surgeries and at 80 is still performing 3 times a week. The man truly deserves to be a star, and in Hong Kong he is treated like one. It's really too bad people in the states didn't appreciate him, or hear his music because of lack of production.
Do you recall the lawsuit that Motown filed and won....A part of those proceeds where what Motown owed Bobby thru the "UNRELEASED" material in Motown's vaults!!Once the producer recorded the song on the artist, the artist was responsible for song!! Remember Motown contracts stipulated that Motown did not have to "release" the material!!! Remember, David Ruffin stating, "that they will make u record and then not release the material"
To add insult to injury, Bobby Taylor was not invited to "Motown 25" nor were he and the Vancouvers even mentioned or had their image shown during the television special........
Poor Bobby Taylor! Why did Berry hate him so much? Did Miss Ross dislike him as well?
Exactly.. That's why I don't like Motown The Musical. The performers are clearly amazing and it was a fantastic show, but Motown's story does not belong on a couple hour broadway show. Hell, the whole story couldn't even fit in a 1000 page book. All it showed was how "great" BG was. Having the guy playing him sing the songs he wrote for Jackie Wilson... What a joke. Just putting more money into BGs pocket, and re-enforcing the lies!
And none of the Funks were mentioned, OR important artists like the Marvelettes, Jimmy Ruffin, Edwin Starr, Marv Johnson, the Contours, Gladys & the Pips. James Jamerson had to scalp a damn ticket to see the special. BG didn't give a shit about anyone who helped make Motown happen except Smokey and "Ms. Ross."
Last edited by marv2; 05-07-2014 at 10:00 PM.
LOL dvus7...doesn't it always turn into a tarring & feathering of Miss Ross? Maybe that's why she wears that key lime feathered coat! Armor!
BTW, LOVE Spectrum's Bobby Taylor 2CD release from a few years back - some really stellar covers and not just the usual 'album filler' --- you can still get it for a good price on an Amazon seller's shops!
it's a dog eat dog world and it ain't no lie..
and in all honesty, the only reason I paid attention to The Jackson 5 at the beginning was thanks to the 'Diana Ross Presents..' thing... me and a million others, so it obviously works.. and MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL is a 'jukebox musical', one of the most successful ever..all the details of who was who means nothing to the average person the audience..they just wanna sing,wanna dance and boo ga loo down Broadway, baybeeeee..
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