Smokey Robinson performed this in 1975. This was fron his Quiet Storm album. At this time in his career he was having an affair with an 18 yr. old dancer from Soul Train. He wrote the song "the agony and the ecstasy" about his affair with her. Smokey was also the VP of Motown records which made him the top money maker from his song wrtitng and producing artists. Smokey knows all the dirt that went on at Motown,but he will maintain that Motwon was a family. Smokey's Auto-biography is a good read. He's open about his life to the point where I really felt sorry for his wife. He was a womanizer. He has major talent,but like every human being is flawed.
Cilla C thanks for the details. I had no idea it was some 18 year old kid. Thought it was a woman he met on the road or something. You’re right. He knows all the dirt that went down. Berry is his best friend and gave him his first break so u not gonna bite the hand that feeds u. Kinda sad bout him messing on his Claudette. She was a beautiful woman.
What is a womanizer if you're NOT forcing a woman to be with you....those chicks had we will and CHOSE to deal with him regardless of his situation. It takes two to tango
If this is the smokey Robinson AB ep from 3/8/1975 this is probably one of several surviving eps from the 1974-75 season somebody said in another video if the interview is around then the ep still exist
He really does, and if you look at pictures of Bob Marley in the mid 60s with short hair (before his Rastafarian conversion) you’ll see he looks just like Smokey did during the Miracles years
Around 1975. He had been out of the Miracles for about Three Years. You are so right on about everything. I told UK Music Fans about Motown's Politics and they were stunned. Jermaine really thought that if he stayed at Motown he could be the next big star and his only Hit Record was called "Let's Get Serious" written, produced by Stevie Wonder who sang the background. Also, by next Year The Miracles would leave feeling that they weren't getting the support that they needed, and went to Columbia but by 1978 they broke up for several years. The biggest insult was when Smokey got inducted into The Rock 'N Roll Hall Of Fame, in 1987 his Partners weren't acknowledged.
I read Smokey's Book and he was lucky in the sense that although he had to prove himself to Berry Gordy before anyone else. However he was "protected" like Diana Ross. Although he was successful in the 1960's, he didn't have the same success that Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye in terms of Albums. If he wasn't Berry Gordy's Best Friend he probably would have been dropped a long time ago.
+laminage...yes, that's true that Smokey was protected. He didn't sell albums the way the others did but he was able to stay on so long at Motown because of his songwriting. I read that Michael helped convince his brothers (Jackson 5) to leave Motown because he found out they weren't really making the kind of money they should have been making. Of course Jermaine didn't want to leave Motown because he felt like it would be disloyal to Berry - plus he was already married to Berry's daughter. Anyway, my point is that Michael was even trying to convince Diana to leave Motown. Diana went to Smokey and asked his advice. Smokey said leaving Motown would be disloyalty to Berry after everything he had done for them. Diana agreed and stayed with Motown several more years. She later regretted staying as long as she did once she realized Berry had been cheating all of them out of their money for years. Smokey was protected because he found out and had a talk with Berry. After that conversation everything changed. Smokey got promoted at Motown (had a leadership role and became one of the head songwriters). He started getting paid what he was worth - but the crazy part is that he was the only one. Berry didn't do that for anyone else - not even Diana.
It was more Joe Jackson that got Smokey very angry. He told his "Boys" that if they didn't Write and produce their hit records, they wouldn't last long. When he was 16 Michael tried to talk to Berry but he wouldn't listen so they signed with Epic Nine Months before their contract ran out which was a big mistake. They got sued for 20 Million but settled for Half a Million in 1981. Smokey said "Joe didn't like Berry calling the shots on his boys, feeling that because they came from his blood and seed, he'd be their manager forever, but he wasn't a help he was a hindrance, in fact when he demanded a audit for royalties, he found out he "owed" Motown Money. He had taken out large cash advances on songs that weren't released until many years later after Thriller came out. However despite all of the bad things Joe Jackson did he didn't steal from his children, he tried to protect them and that's saying alot considering that so many kids were "Robbed" in this Industry. Aaron Carter had to declare bankruptcy to prevent his family going to Jail after he found out that they stole from him. Other Child Stars who were robbed were Jackie Coogan, Alyssa Milano, Lisa Welchel and Dana Plato. Did you know that Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson) on Little House On The Prairie has fought tirelessly to protect earnings for Child Stars but sadly it never is practiced.
laminage thats a good point. Guessin it's true too. Smokey was never a powerhouse solo artist. His biggest solo albums were "Being With You" and his only Grammy winning album wasnt til '87 with "One Heartbeat" His legacy is the Miracles and his writing and producing 4 other artists. Smokey also knows the dirt on what really went on with artists at Motown. It'll never come out cuz Berry and Smokey are best friends.
![Smokey Robinson- "Cruisin'" 1980 [Reelin' In The Years Archive]](/img/n.gif)
Smokey is about to release a new album in late April, titled "Gasms".
Smokey Robinson performed this in 1975. This was fron his Quiet Storm album. At this time in his career he was having an affair with an 18 yr. old dancer from Soul Train. He wrote the song "the agony and the ecstasy" about his affair with her. Smokey was also the VP of Motown records which made him the top money maker from his song wrtitng and producing artists. Smokey knows all the dirt that went on at Motown,but he will maintain that Motwon was a family. Smokey's Auto-biography is a good read. He's open about his life to the point where I really felt sorry for his wife. He was a womanizer. He has major talent,but like every human being is flawed.
Cilla C thanks for the details. I had no idea it was some 18 year old kid. Thought it was a woman he met on the road or something. You’re right. He knows all the dirt that went down. Berry is his best friend and gave him his first break so u not gonna bite the hand that feeds u. Kinda sad bout him messing on his Claudette. She was a beautiful woman.
What is a womanizer if you're NOT forcing a woman to be with you....those chicks had we will and CHOSE to deal with him regardless of his situation. It takes two to tango
It's funny, Claudette was doing backgrounds during his '73 tour where he performed Agony and Ecstasy,
Was this from March 1975 ep that smokey was on
If this is the smokey Robinson AB ep from 3/8/1975 this is probably one of several surviving eps from the 1974-75 season somebody said in another video if the interview is around then the ep still exist
Smokey look like Bob Marley.
You just said a lot! In all my years, I never realized that they have so much similarity. Especially the eye shape.
Looks like bob ross lol
He really does, and if you look at pictures of Bob Marley in the mid 60s with short hair (before his Rastafarian conversion) you’ll see he looks just like Smokey did during the Miracles years
They both look different, wonder what year this was ,
Around 1975. He had been out of the Miracles for about Three Years. You are so right on about everything. I told UK Music Fans about Motown's Politics and they were stunned. Jermaine really thought that if he stayed at Motown he could be the next big star and his only Hit Record was called "Let's Get Serious" written, produced by Stevie Wonder who sang the background. Also, by next Year The Miracles would leave feeling that they weren't getting the support that they needed, and went to Columbia but by 1978 they broke up for several years. The biggest insult was when Smokey got inducted into The Rock 'N Roll Hall Of Fame, in 1987 his Partners weren't acknowledged.
Thanks for the Info, He wrote a lot of good songs too, and he seems to be a loyal Person always there for his friends.
Happy chanukah ya'll
Lol
I read Smokey's Book and he was lucky in the sense that although he had to prove himself to Berry Gordy before anyone else. However he was "protected" like Diana Ross. Although he was successful in the 1960's, he didn't have the same success that Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye in terms of Albums. If he wasn't Berry Gordy's Best Friend he probably would have been dropped a long time ago.
+laminage...yes, that's true that Smokey was protected. He didn't sell albums the way the others did but he was able to stay on so long at Motown because of his songwriting. I read that Michael helped convince his brothers (Jackson 5) to leave Motown because he found out they weren't really making the kind of money they should have been making. Of course Jermaine didn't want to leave Motown because he felt like it would be disloyal to Berry - plus he was already married to Berry's daughter. Anyway, my point is that Michael was even trying to convince Diana to leave Motown.
Diana went to Smokey and asked his advice. Smokey said leaving Motown would be disloyalty to Berry after everything he had done for them. Diana agreed and stayed with Motown several more years. She later regretted staying as long as she did once she realized Berry had been cheating all of them out of their money for years. Smokey was protected because he found out and had a talk with Berry.
After that conversation everything changed. Smokey got promoted at Motown (had a leadership role and became one of the head songwriters). He started getting paid what he was worth - but the crazy part is that he was the only one. Berry didn't do that for anyone else - not even Diana.
It was more Joe Jackson that got Smokey very angry. He told his "Boys" that if they didn't Write and produce their hit records, they wouldn't last long. When he was 16 Michael tried to talk to Berry but he wouldn't listen so they signed with Epic Nine Months before their contract ran out which was a big mistake. They got sued for 20 Million but settled for Half a Million in 1981. Smokey said "Joe didn't like Berry calling the shots on his boys, feeling that because they came from his blood and seed, he'd be their manager forever, but he wasn't a help he was a hindrance, in fact when he demanded a audit for royalties, he found out he "owed" Motown Money. He had taken out large cash advances on songs that weren't released until many years later after Thriller came out. However despite all of the bad things Joe Jackson did he didn't steal from his children, he tried to protect them and that's saying alot considering that so many kids were "Robbed" in this Industry. Aaron Carter had to declare bankruptcy to prevent his family going to Jail after he found out that they stole from him. Other Child Stars who were robbed were Jackie Coogan, Alyssa Milano, Lisa Welchel and Dana Plato. Did you know that Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson) on Little House On The Prairie has fought tirelessly to protect earnings for Child Stars but sadly it never is practiced.
laminage thats a good point. Guessin it's true too. Smokey was never a powerhouse solo artist. His biggest solo albums were "Being With You" and his only Grammy winning album wasnt til '87 with "One Heartbeat" His legacy is the Miracles and his writing and producing 4 other artists. Smokey also knows the dirt on what really went on with artists at Motown. It'll never come out cuz Berry and Smokey are best friends.
Actually, Jermaine Jackson had his FIRST Hit with a dance song on his first solo album called "Let's be young tonight" back in 1975.
That was in 76 not 75