Read Online Michael Jackson by J. Randy Taraborrelli - Free Book Online
Authors: J. Randy Taraborrelli
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that they intended to
film the audition, and then have it sent to Gordy on the West Coast. ‘Mr Gordy will render a decision at that time,’ he said.
‘He'll render a decision,’ Joseph repeated, more to himself than to Seltzer.
‘Yes, he will,’ Seltzer said, nodding his head. ‘Mr Gordy will render a decision at that time.’
‘Mr Gordy's gonna render a decision,’ Michael repeated to Marlon.
‘What's that mean?’ Marlon whispered.
Michael shrugged his shoulders.
After all of the boys' equipment was lugged in from the van and set up, eight more staffers who did not introduce themselves
filed into the studio, each with a notepad. Michael was ready to speak into the microphone when he heard someone in the corner
snicker and say, ‘Yeah, the Jackson Jive.’ (‘The Jackson Jive’ is an old slang expression.) It sounded like an insult. Ralph
Seltzer cleared his throat and glared at the person who made the remark.
‘First song we'd like to do is James Brown's “I Got the Feeling”,’ Michael announced. ‘Okay? Here we go.’ He counted off – ‘A-one,
a-two, a-three’ – and then Tito on guitar, Jermaine on bass, and Johnny Jackson on drums began to play.
‘Baby, baby, baa-ba. Baby, baby, baa-ba. Baby, baby, baa-ba,’ Michael sang. He grimaced and grunted, imitating James Brown.
‘I got the fe-e-e-lin' now. Good
Gawwd
almighty!’ He skated sideways across the floor, like Brown. ‘I feel
goooood,
’ he screamed into the microphone, a wicked expression playing on his little face.
Suzanne dePasse and Ralph Seltzer smiled at each other and nodded their heads. The other Motown executives kept time to the
music. Joseph, standing in a corner with his arms folded across his chest, looked on approvingly.
After the boys finished, no one in the audience applauded. Instead, everyone feverishly wrote on their notepads.
Confused, the youngsters looked at each other and then at their father for a hint as to what they should do. Joseph motioned
with his hand that they should continue with the next number.
‘Thank you. Thank you very much,’ Michael said, as though acknowledging an ovation. ‘We 'predate it.’
Michael then introduced the group, as he did in their live show, after which they sang the bluesy ‘Tobacco Road’.
Again, no applause, just note-taking.
‘Next song we'd like to do is a Motown song,’ Michael announced. He paused, waiting for smiles of acknowledgement that never
materialized. ‘It's Smokey Robinson's “Who's Loving You” Okay? Here we go. A-one, a-two, a-three…’
They closed the song with a big finish and waited for a reaction from the Motown staffers. Again, everyone was writing. ‘Jackson
Jive, huh?’ someone in the room said. ‘These boys ain't jivin'. I think they're great.’
Michael beamed, his eyes dancing.
Ralph Seltzer cleared his throat and stood up. ‘I'd like to thank you boys for coming,’ he said. His voice gave no hint of
how he felt the audition had gone. He shook each of their hands before walking over to Joseph and explaining to him that the
company would put them all up at a nearby hotel. ‘I'll be in touch with you,’ Seltzer concluded, ‘in two days…’
‘When Mr Gordy renders a decision,’ Joseph said, finishing Seltzer's sentence. He didn't sound happy. The boys were also clearly
disappointed. As they filed out, no one said a word.
Two days later, Berry Gordy saw the sixteen-millimetre black-and-white film. He made a quick decision. ‘Yes, absolutely, sign
these kids up,’ he told Ralph Seltzer. ‘They're amazing. Don't waste a second. Sign 'em!’
On 26 July 968, Ralph Seltzer summoned Joseph into his Motown office for a meeting. During the two-hour conference – while the
boys waited in the lobby – he explained that Berry Gordy was interested in signing The Jackson Five to the label, and then outlined
the kind of relationship he hoped the company would develop with the Jackson
film the audition, and then have it sent to Gordy on the West Coast. ‘Mr Gordy will render a decision at that time,’ he said.
‘He'll render a decision,’ Joseph repeated, more to himself than to Seltzer.
‘Yes, he will,’ Seltzer said, nodding his head. ‘Mr Gordy will render a decision at that time.’
‘Mr Gordy's gonna render a decision,’ Michael repeated to Marlon.
‘What's that mean?’ Marlon whispered.
Michael shrugged his shoulders.
After all of the boys' equipment was lugged in from the van and set up, eight more staffers who did not introduce themselves
filed into the studio, each with a notepad. Michael was ready to speak into the microphone when he heard someone in the corner
snicker and say, ‘Yeah, the Jackson Jive.’ (‘The Jackson Jive’ is an old slang expression.) It sounded like an insult. Ralph
Seltzer cleared his throat and glared at the person who made the remark.
‘First song we'd like to do is James Brown's “I Got the Feeling”,’ Michael announced. ‘Okay? Here we go.’ He counted off – ‘A-one,
a-two, a-three’ – and then Tito on guitar, Jermaine on bass, and Johnny Jackson on drums began to play.
‘Baby, baby, baa-ba. Baby, baby, baa-ba. Baby, baby, baa-ba,’ Michael sang. He grimaced and grunted, imitating James Brown.
‘I got the fe-e-e-lin' now. Good
Gawwd
almighty!’ He skated sideways across the floor, like Brown. ‘I feel
goooood,
’ he screamed into the microphone, a wicked expression playing on his little face.
Suzanne dePasse and Ralph Seltzer smiled at each other and nodded their heads. The other Motown executives kept time to the
music. Joseph, standing in a corner with his arms folded across his chest, looked on approvingly.
After the boys finished, no one in the audience applauded. Instead, everyone feverishly wrote on their notepads.
Confused, the youngsters looked at each other and then at their father for a hint as to what they should do. Joseph motioned
with his hand that they should continue with the next number.
‘Thank you. Thank you very much,’ Michael said, as though acknowledging an ovation. ‘We 'predate it.’
Michael then introduced the group, as he did in their live show, after which they sang the bluesy ‘Tobacco Road’.
Again, no applause, just note-taking.
‘Next song we'd like to do is a Motown song,’ Michael announced. He paused, waiting for smiles of acknowledgement that never
materialized. ‘It's Smokey Robinson's “Who's Loving You” Okay? Here we go. A-one, a-two, a-three…’
They closed the song with a big finish and waited for a reaction from the Motown staffers. Again, everyone was writing. ‘Jackson
Jive, huh?’ someone in the room said. ‘These boys ain't jivin'. I think they're great.’
Michael beamed, his eyes dancing.
Ralph Seltzer cleared his throat and stood up. ‘I'd like to thank you boys for coming,’ he said. His voice gave no hint of
how he felt the audition had gone. He shook each of their hands before walking over to Joseph and explaining to him that the
company would put them all up at a nearby hotel. ‘I'll be in touch with you,’ Seltzer concluded, ‘in two days…’
‘When Mr Gordy renders a decision,’ Joseph said, finishing Seltzer's sentence. He didn't sound happy. The boys were also clearly
disappointed. As they filed out, no one said a word.
Two days later, Berry Gordy saw the sixteen-millimetre black-and-white film. He made a quick decision. ‘Yes, absolutely, sign
these kids up,’ he told Ralph Seltzer. ‘They're amazing. Don't waste a second. Sign 'em!’
On 26 July 968, Ralph Seltzer summoned Joseph into his Motown office for a meeting. During the two-hour conference – while the
boys waited in the lobby – he explained that Berry Gordy was interested in signing The Jackson Five to the label, and then outlined
the kind of relationship he hoped the company would develop with the Jackson
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