1968 Conqueror of American Rock - Chapter 149



Only Noblemtl

149. Save the King of Pop (3)

Motown is a record label and entertainment company located in Detroit. Its founder, Berry Gordy, was an African-American and played a major role in racial integration in popular music.

The Supremes were the only girl group to survive the British Invasion in the 1960s and led Motown Records to success, with twelve number one songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

After the Supremes became a huge commercial success, they chose the Jackson 5 as their successor and are currently making a huge profit.

In 1967, the year of the Detroit riots, Gordy began to move Motown to LA, which was more favorable for the music business, due to a wage dispute among the songwriting and production teams. Since then, he has been traveling between Detroit and LA, trying to expand his business to include various television programs and film production.

When Gordy saw that the audience at a Supremes concert was only focused on Diana Ross, he changed the name of the group to ‘Diana Ross & The Supremes’. This caused conflict among the group members.

Then one day, the music broadcasting station KMTV, created by the giant group Kings, made an offer for the Supremes to appear on a talk show. Gordy was worried that the discord among the members would be known, so he decided to only have the most popular member, Diana Ross, appear.

Diana Ross, who started her career in her teens, was already a top star who achieved great success in her mid-20s. She bought a mansion in Beverly Hills, where many Hollywood stars live. She invited talented musicians to live with her, shared musical inspiration, and had a great time at parties.

Diana often invited the Jackson Five, who were in the same agency and juniors, to her home. She was particularly fond of the youngest of the brothers, Michael Jackson. The quiet and timid boy turned into a completely different person when he sang and danced. She thought that Michael’s potential talent was something that the other brothers would never be able to match.

Diana thought it would be okay to debut Michael as a solo singer. She wanted to bring Michael alone and have him practice, but his father and manager Joseph always insisted on bringing his other brothers. She had no choice but to sing all of the Jackson Five to meet Michael.

* * *

The streets of Beverly Hills were splendid and elegant. Luxurious mansions lined the streets, lined with fragrant palm trees. The well-kept, spacious gardens surrounding the splendid villas symbolized the wealth of their owners.

A black luxury sedan stopped in front of a large gate. As I spoke on the intercom in the driver’s seat, the door opened and a magnificent mansion came into view.

“Wow, is this a house? Why is it so big?”

Annie opened the window and looked around, admiring it.

Diana was there to greet me.

“Welcome. The Jackson Five just arrived. The butler will show you where you will be staying tonight.”

A middle-aged man dressed in a fancy suit led the three women to a guest room. Raju, who followed them as a chauffeur and bodyguard, unpacked their luggage in the room next to theirs.

When we arrived at the dining room, guided by the butler, a grand banquet was already prepared.

“Mmm, smells good. Angela, we’re going to feast today, hehe.”

Annie and Angela giggled, and Stella cautiously cautioned her sisters to be polite.

“Mr. Raju, you can eat together.”

“I’ll eat separately later. One sandwich is enough.”

Raju walked away into the shadows.

Once all three women were seated, Diana, the Jackson Five, and her father appeared in the dining room.

“Oh, it’s really the Jackson Five!”

“Annie, be quiet······.”

“Haha, it’s okay, Stella. You can be comfortable in my house without any formalities. This is the Jackson Five, and the father of the kids who is the manager.”

The five brothers had already known about the three women through Diana’s appearance on the Tonight Tonight Show. The brothers greeted each other awkwardly, and Annie approached Michael straight away.

“Hi, Michael? I’m your fan. You’re so cute, haha. You have to take a picture with me later.”

Annie stroked Michael’s hair with her hand, saying that it looked like a microphone. Then his father pulled Michael toward him. His eyes were wary.

Annie felt something uncomfortable in his gaze for a moment, but she didn’t show it. She smiled at Michael and returned to her seat.

“Annie, in America, you shouldn’t touch another person’s child like that when you’re meeting them for the first time.”

Angela whispered in Annie’s ear about American culture.

“Tch, that’s so heartless. In Korea, they really like it when you pet them and say they’re pretty.”

Diana poured champagne and eased the awkward atmosphere.

“Are the ladies celebrities affiliated with Kings?”

Joseph was the first to open the door to conversation.

“No, we are part of CW Entertainment. We have a special connection to Kings in Korea.”

Stella answered on behalf of the group.

CW was a company that had been growing at a frightening rate since its establishment, and the entire music industry was paying attention. On top of that, it was a partnership with Kings, so Joseph thought it was definitely not an opponent to be taken lightly.

“You said you wanted to see our children?”

“Yes, the Jackson Five are the best pop group in America right now. I asked Diana to sing ‘I’ll Be There’ on purpose during the show, haha.”

“Yes, I heard Annie Yang sing on the radio. She sang much more powerfully and brilliantly than our Michael.”

“Michael’s version is also good, but when you watch the live video, his expression looks a little sad for some reason.”

Annie deliberately floated her eyes and looked at the rich man’s faces alternately. Joseph’s eyes narrowed, and Michael’s pupils shook in confusion.

“Hahaha, our Michael is very sensitive at this age. I told him to make a sad face on purpose.”

Joseph smiled kindly and placed the steak he had cut on Michael’s plate sitting next to him.

Annie kept her eyes on Michael’s expression as she told him funny stories from her tour.

“Oh my, so that’s how Jack White became a host? You never know what will happen when it comes to human connections, haha.”

Everyone had a pleasant dinner thanks to Annie’s tireless wit.

* * *

After dinner, Diana, as promised, arranged for Annie and her group to have a fan meeting with Michael.

“Oh my, how can you be so cute? Hahaha!”

Michael’s older brothers went outside with indifferent faces, as all the attention from the three pretty girls was focused on the youngest, Michael.

“Stella, please take a picture of me and Michael. I’ve set it up just like James taught me, so just focus and press the shutter.”

Annie and Angela took several photos, alternating poses with Michael in the middle.

“Michael, you have to smile. Smile~”

As the bright-eyed older sisters continued to make funny faces and make Michael laugh, Michael eventually burst out laughing.

Click, click.

Stella didn’t miss that scene.

“Our Michael is the most popular among the older sisters, haha.”

When Diana arrived, Michael was surrounded by four women. Michael felt at ease. It wasn’t a rational feeling. It was like being with his mother.

“Okay, Michael. It’s time to go to evening practice. Just because you’re at Diana’s house doesn’t mean you should slack off on practice.”

Joseph kept looking at his wristwatch and then called out to Michael.

The smile disappeared from Michael’s face. Annie didn’t miss that moment. People who love music and are crazy about music have fun and happy practice times. But Michael’s face automatically popped up as if he was scared as soon as he heard the word ‘practice’.

“#1 on Billboard is the result of hard work and practice, haha.”

“Um······ Joseph, if you don’t mind, can we take a look?”

Annie asked cautiously.

Joseph thought for a moment.

They are musicians who are close to Kings, and although they are not black musicians, they are very talented. In particular, that girl who is a troublemaker has an unbelievable singing ability, and the blonde girl next to her is a genius at piano. Also, the slender Asian is from Kings Theater Big Band and even starred in a commercial for a cookie that all Americans enjoy.

Joseph thought there was definitely something to be learned.

“Let’s do that.”

“thank you!”

* * *

As expected from the mansion of a successful musician, Diana Ross’s house had a great practice room.

It was a place equipped with equipment that could hold small-scale performances, including a Yamaha Steinberg grand piano, various instruments, amplifiers, and microphone systems.

“Our Motown family gathered here and created many great songs. The Supremes, the Jackson 5, they all came here to live and work until they had a great song. Hey guys, let’s do Feelin’ Alright to digest it.”

First, Jackie started singing while playing the tambourine, second, Tito played the guitar and danced to the rhythm, third, Jermaine played the bass with dazzling hand movements and showed off his singing skills without any flaws. Fourth, Malone’s percussion showed off perfect rhythm even though there was no drummer session.

Michael Jackson, the youngest member and main vocalist, showed off his dazzling footwork and turns.

The five brothers performed flawless choreography while playing instruments and singing.

– Feelin’ alright!

Michael’s timid face at mealtimes was nowhere to be found, and he was smiling brightly and dancing happily with Diana.

He was truly a prodigy.

“This time, Annie, please do a song. The music video for ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ that came out this time was really refreshing and shocking. Oh, is it because there’s no band?”

Joseph naturally thought that live performance would be impossible.

‘No matter how successful a band is, Jekyll and Hyde is nothing more than a trick created through editing. The band should perform well live, and they don’t think they can become popular with a video······.’

“You can. Any song can be played with just Angela’s piano. Angela, can you?”

Angela nodded confidently.

Annie’s eyes sparkled.

Annie took out a rubber band and divided her hair in half, tying only the right side back. Then she messed up the other side of her hair.

“Let me dim the lights a little bit. Angela, let’s go straight to verse one.”

Annie turned off some of the lights to make it dark.

Unlike the original, the piano accompaniment started quietly.

– I sit alone in the dark.

(I sit alone in the dark.)

– I face two faces inside me.

(Facing the two faces inside me.)

– Bite and rip each other off.

(They bite and tear each other.)

– Which is the truth.

(Which one is true?)

Annie turned her head to the side and sang, showing only the right side of her face, with her hair neatly tied up. It was a kind face full of agony.

Urrrrrr, bang!

Instead of a guitar solo, Angela swept the piano keys from the high to the low strings, creating dissonances. Angela created a hideous chord with dreary chords that did not exist in the world.

Annie quickly turned her head away, her disheveled hair covering her face, and arched her back, growling like a beast.

– What are you talking about!

(What are you talking about!)

– a weak fellow!

(You weakling!)

– Now, feel this power.

(Come on, feel this power.)

– You’ll be strong with me!

(You’ll be strong if you’re with me!)

Although she didn’t use any guitar effects, Annie played Hyde with a grotesque vocalization using the roughest possible squeak. Diana Ross was more creeped out by Annie’s madman performance right in front of her than by the music video.

Joseph and Michael’s brothers, who were watching, were overwhelmed by this sight, and Michael was terrified.

When I turned my head again and played Jekyll, the intense piano sound changed into a beautiful and sad melody.

– But I’m afraid.

(But I’m afraid.)

– Where will it end?

(Where will it end?)

– Stop teasing me.

(Stop bothering me.)

– Don’t let me be lost.

(Don’t let me get lost.)

Annie turned to face the front, clutching her head and screaming. Then, as she became more and more Hyde, she unbuckled her belt and held it in her hands.

– Coward!

(You idiot!)

– I have no choice but to rule you.

(Then I have no choice but to rule over you.)

– You’ll never get out of me!

(You can never escape from me!)

match!

He slammed his belt hard against the floor.

“Ouch! I was wrong! I was wrong, Dad!”

As Michael shouted, the performance stopped and everyone’s eyes turned to Michael, who was crouching and shivering.