taipei times

MONDAY, JANUARY 1 2 , 2 0 0 9 PAGE   1 3 turns 50, proud of its

The Contours perform at the Memories of Motown show musical and social legacy in Berlin last week. Photo: EPA As the soul empire reaches the half-century mark, founder looks back at the record label that put on the musical map and its role in breaking down racial barriers in America

By Susan Whitall NY Times News Service, Detroit

ifty years ago, Detroit was sharply “The Chairman,” as Gordy is affectionately divided by race. Newspapers still ran known by his artists, will be in Washington F ads for “colored” apartments and next week for US president-elect Barack Detroit police cars weren’t integrated until Obama’s inauguration — with bells on. late December of 1959. It wasn’t until 1961 It was Motown Records that released that a progressive new mayor, Jerry Cavanagh, Martin Luther King’s key Civil Rights speeches promised to fight segregation in Detroit’s on records. It was Motown groups like the neighborhoods and public institutions. Miracles, and Against this unforgiving backdrop, the who insisted that the rope prospects of one young black man, Berry dividing their Southern audiences into black Gordy Jr, were less than stellar. Gordy had and white be taken down. Thanks in part to Motown given up boxing (too violent), quit his Ford And it was Motown that provided a founder Berry������������� Gordy’s factory job (too boring) and failed as a record Motown founder Berry Gordy poses outside Hitsville USA, romantic soundtrack and black musical idols promotional acumen, The store owner. He sold songs to singer Jackie the original headquarters of his company in Detroit, in this for white teenagers around the world, many Jackson Five’s appeal tran- Wilson, but didn’t make any money at it. At 1960s publicity photo. photo: Reuters of whom went on to vote for a black president scended race. photo: Reuters the age of 31, the divorced father of three was in 2008. broke and out of a job. They still do; the Motown Historical Jerry Herron, dean of the honors college at Still, on Jan. 12, 1959, the Gordy family Museum is one of the region’s most-visited Detroit’s Wayne State University, sees a direct loaned Berry Jr US$800 from the family fund tourist destinations, with visitors coming from link between what Gordy did in launching so that he could start a record company. as far away as the South Pacific. Motown and Obama being elected president. Fifteen years later, Motown Records had Such an institution was built not only by “It’s like Martin Luther King standing on the become the largest African-American-owned Motown’s stars, but by many people behind steps of the Lincoln Memorial, saying, ‘I am business in the US, turned Detroit into a the scenes. One of Gordy’s goals for Motown claiming this space, I can be here, too.’” music mecca and made stars of Detroit-born 50 is to point out the hard work of the Herron grew up in segregated Abilene, talent like and . unsung heroes, the secretaries, accountants Texas, in the 1960s, and his “Rosebud” Today, Gordy and Universal Motown Records and others. memory from his youth is directly linked to will launch the 50th anniversary of the iconic “I had a philosophy and a work ethic that Detroit and Motown. Detroit label, which includes an event today at I had gotten from my father and my family,” “In 1966, at the high school dance, my the Motown Historical Museum featuring Duke Gordy said. “But people like the Noveck girlfriend cooed into my ear as we were Fakir of the , city and state dignitaries brothers were also so important in my life.” dancing, ‘Baby love, my baby love …’ Something and others. Today will also be declared Harold and Sidney Noveck were Motown’s fundamental happened, if two white kids at an “Motown Day” by city and state officials. tax attorney and CPA, respectively. “I want all-white dance in Abilene are dancing to Berry Gordy sold Motown in 1988 for US$61 them to be remembered,” Gordy said. “They Gordy’s music out of Detroit. It wasn’t just my million, but the energetic 79-year-old is still made me put money aside. Everybody was experience too, it was all the kids I knew. Gordy Detroit-born Motown star busy promoting and defending the company buying great cars, and I said, ‘When can I buy moved a kind of music around the world that Diana Ross first signed with he founded. He’s about to get busier. Along a nice car?’ The Novecks said, ‘When you can we had not heard.” the label as a member of The with launching Motown 50, he’s overseeing pay cash for it.’” Supremes. photo: Reuters a Broadway musical based on his life and a Other people in the background, without multi-part documentary film on what he did whom there wouldn’t be a Motown, were Musical legacy “and how I did it” at Motown, using extensive his very supportive four sisters, Gordy said. footage filmed during Motown’s heyday. He’s “They would tell people, ‘My brother’s a Gordy believes that “there could never be also emerging from retirement to manage a boxer, you have to see him.’ Then when I another Motown.” new singer, “one of the greatest I’ve ever met,” was a songwriter, they said, ‘My brother’s a “To have another Motown you’d need whom he isn’t ready to reveal just yet. songwriter, you have to hear his stuff.’” another perfect storm,” he said. “You don’t Gordy exudes the same confidence he did have the 1960s, the Civil Rights movement, when building his music empire. Woodstock, a lot of things. It was a creative “I never had any big setbacks to knock my Fighter for civil rights period in our history, that’s why there will be ego down, because I was confident almost other companies, other things, but another to the point of being cocky,” Gordy said, Gordy also praises the courage of his artists Motown? How are you going to duplicate speaking by phone from his Los Angeles office. who traveled by bus through the American a , a Levi Stubbs, a Smokey “People would say, ‘What makes you so sure?’ South with the Motortown Revue in the Robinson, a Gladys Knight and the Pips, a I’d say, ‘I don’t think it, I know it.’” middle of the volatile Civil Rights era. “They ?” Back in 1959, Gordy was blissfully unaware were shot at; they were the unsung heroes,” There may not be another Motown, but of how difficult a task was before him, Gordy said. “All I’m doing now is what Berry Gordy isn’t done yet. launching a record company in a city still I’ve done for the past 50 years, protect the “One thing that shocks me a bit, is when I recovering from the 1958 recession. legacy because people were trying to rewrite come to the Motown museum and see, ‘This is “I didn’t know enough about economics Motown history.” where Berry Gordy lived,’ and stuff like that. I to know,” Gordy said. “I was involved in my Those “people” include the producers of want to say, ‘Wait a minute, that’s not me. I’m Singer Marvin Gaye signed stuff, and I took very little interest in anything Dreamgirls, the 2006 film that fictionalized still a kid!’ Because I’m still feeling really great, with the Tamla subsidiary other than my creative activities and the Motown’s early days. the life I live, with the inspirations I have, the of Motown Records in 1960. artists I worked with. I know the times were “The truth can only win if you can afford to Broadway show, a new artist I’m handling …”  photo: Reuters what they were, but I guess in those days I fight for it and are willing to fight for it, and I The music he’s already produced isn’t a was more concerned about the whole social was,” Gordy said. Gordy demanded — and got museum piece either. situation and the racial tensions. Now I’m a — an apology from Dreamgirls’ producers, “It really is a rich record of what it felt like lot more aware of economics and how the who took out an ad that ran in the movie at that moment when things were beginning to whole thing works.” trades. What irritated him the most about the change in the ’60s,” said Wayne State’s Herron. Motown launched immortal artists like movie was the thuggish record company boss “It’s a part of ‘I have a dream,’ the marches, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and Stevie played by Jamie Foxx. the boycotts. It’s an anthem about us rising to Wonder, but it was also a symbol of black “It’s like, a black guy — a kid — in Detroit the highest levels. Motown music has so much achievement and a big part of Detroit’s could not start a Motown unless he was a exuberance, people feel it in their bodies, they international image. Mafia person,” Gordy said, indignant. “It’s need to move around. I play Motown for my “People identify Motown with the city of like, a black man could not lead this country classes sometimes, and these kids in their Detroit, and the city of Detroit with Motown,” because he wasn’t smart enough, but … now teens don’t have any geezer memories of it. Yet said former Detroit mayor Dennis Archer. one is.” they still have to move when they hear it.” PLANET

Patrick Swayze has checked himself that this morning he checked himself the New York Times. for his guilty plea on charges of having into the hospital for observation after into the hospital for observation,” said The Irish rocker’s first column, a lengthy unlawful sex with an underage girl. contracting pneumonia, A&E President DeBitetto. meditation on Frank Sinatra, appeared His bid to dismiss the matter Abbe Raven announced on Friday “Chemotherapy can take its toll on the yesterday. He also did a podcast for the stems from claims that the now-dead at a meeting of the Television immune system, and illnesses are a part column. Los Angeles judge in the case was Critics Association. of that. Patrick wishes me to tell you that Bono called the gig “an honor,” and improperly coached by a deputy district Swayze, who has he’s very sorry he cannot attend, but plans joked that he’s “never been great with the attorney, David Wells, since retired, pancreatic cancer, was to get back to promoting The Beast soon.” full stops or commas.” ahead of sentencing. scheduled to discuss his Earlier this week, Swayze told ABC’s The 48-year-old U2 rocker has been Those allegations gained public upcoming drama The Barbara Walters that his yearlong battle an advocate in the fight against AIDS and attention a year ago in the documentary Beast. Robert DeBitetto, with pancreatic cancer put him “through poverty in Africa. Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, A&E’s programming senior hell” while he pushed ahead on his new R. Kelly can officially bump and grind in which Wells spoke of his contact with vice president, explained TV series. with whomever he chooses: He has the judge. his absence. The 56-year-old actor also owned up finalized his divorce from his wife. Polanski originally was indicted on “Patrick has asked to his fear: “Yeah, I’m scared. Yeah, I’m Kelly and his former wife, Andrea, six charges, including rape, for having that I tell you angry. Yeah, I’m [asking], ‘Why me?”’ confirmed they were officially divorced There’s no “misunderestimating” Will Ferrell. photo: AP sex with a 13-year-old girl after plying her Will Ferrell says audiences should after 11 years of marriage. with champagne and drugs. The director expect the unexpected from his upcoming A joint statement on Thursday said and Chinatown filed court papers this insisted the sex was consensual but one-man Broadway show and HBO special they had reached an amicable resolution week requesting the case be referred to the pleaded guilty to a single count of having about US President George W. Bush. concerning all issues related to their Judicial Council for “selection of sex with a minor, punishable by up to 20 Ferrell, known for his Bush imperson- marriage and will share joint custody of an impartial, out-of-county” judge. years in prison. ation on the TV comedy show Saturday their three children. But Los Angeles County Superior Vilified in the US media at the time, Night Live, said on Friday there’s nothing The 41-year-old Kelly — known for the Court Judge Peter Espinoza ruled the the director has earned a measure of

POP derivative about the production. He says hits Bump N’ Grind, I’m a Flirt, Trapped defense motion “discloses no legal sympathy in Hollywood for the 1969 it will surprise people with its twists and in the Closet, I Believe I Can Fly and grounds for disqualification” and was tragedy of the murder of his then- turns and what it has to say about Bush. many others — was acquitted of child therefore “ordered stricken.” pregnant wife, actress Sharon Tate, by Executive producer Adam McKay says pornography charges last year. Polanski’s lawyers filed a separate followers of Charles Manson. the show aims to be funny but also hold A convicted pedophile, fugitive motion last month seeking to dismiss The victim in the sex case against him, the Bush administration’s feet to the fire. filmmaker Roman Polanski, on Friday lost the 30-year-old case altogether, citing Samantha Geimer, now in her 40s and a Will Ferrell: You’re Welcome America. his bid to disqualify the Los Angeles County “extraordinary new evidence” of mother of three living in Hawaii, has said A Final Night with George W. Bush court system from considering his motion prosecutorial and judicial misconduct. she believes Polanski’s long exile from Patrick Swayze: “I’m going through hell.” is set to begin previews on Jan. 20 and to dismiss a 30-year-old charge of unlawful Polanski, 75, an Academy Award Hollywood has been punishment enough.  photo: EPA open on Feb. 5. sex with a minor. winner in 2003 for directing the Holocaust A civil suit brought by her family years Can he type with those shades on? Lawyers for the Oscar-winning director drama The Pianist, fled the US for France ago eventually was settled. Bono is now a contributing columnist for behind such classics as Rosemary’s Baby in 1978 as he was about to be sentenced  — Agencies