[Edited 4/21/12 22:00pm]

I read once that they recorded 1 or 2 songs before signing to Steeltown, but I don't remember what the songs were called. I think the brothers were still going under the name Ripples And Waves.

MickyDolenz said:

I read once that they recorded 1 or 2 songs before signing to Steeltown, but I don't remember what the songs were called. I think the brothers were still going under the name Ripples And Waves.

wait wait waith, the orginal group name for the Jackson 5 was Ripples and Waves?

didn't know that

HAPPYPERSON said:

MickyDolenz said:

I read once that they recorded 1 or 2 songs before signing to Steeltown, but I don't remember what the songs were called. I think the brothers were still going under the name Ripples And Waves.

wait wait waith, the orginal group name for the Jackson 5 was Ripples and Waves?

didn't know that

That was their name before Mike was added to the group, then they were sometimes billed as Ripples And Waves + Michael. I think Mike only played the bongos at first and didn't sing.

There's a picture of them performing as Ripples & Waves at MJJC in the "Family Photos" thread, but it's a really long thread, and I don't feel like looking through it.

MickyDolenz said:

HAPPYPERSON said:

wait wait waith, the orginal group name for the Jackson 5 was Ripples and Waves?

didn't know that

That was their name before Mike was added to the group, then they were sometimes billed as Ripples And Waves + Michael. I think Mike only played the bongos at first and didn't sing.

Nah, that was a rumor, "Ripples & Waves" had nothing to do with Jackson 5, and that "plus Michael" is actually referring to Michael Rogers, not Michael Jackson

http://www.indiana45s.com/indiana45s_detail.php?recordID=581&group=Ripples%20and%20Waves%20plus%20Michael

Yeah they were never Ripples & Waves. That's become part of the mythology behind Michael's early years but he was never a member.

The original lineup of the Jackson 5 when they went as The Jackson Brothers was only Jackie, Tito and Jermaine. Joseph never included Marlon because he didn't think Marlon could sing nor dance and didn't initially include Michael because Michael was too young.

Joseph didn't even know Michael had talent the way he did until he saw Michael doing James Brown moves onstage and singing like him. That's when Joseph shifted his focus from Jermaine being the leader to Michael being the leader. This was around '66.

Before, Joseph had let Michael and Marlon in as backing musicians: Marlon simply played tambourine while Michael was banging the congos nearly a decade before Randy would do the same.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

They were never the Ripples + Waves. They started as the Jackson Brothers in 1962, founded by Tito. Tito was the rhythm guitarist and vocals, Jermaine lead singer, Jackie vocals and friend Raymond I belive was lead guitarist (they shout him out on Goin Back to indiana song.) A year later they add Ronnie and and Johnny and little brother Marlon joins on bongos. The next year Michael finally joins on bongos, and Marlon moves to the tamborine. I'm not sure how ofter the pre-Marlon and Mike version performed on the road if ever.

You'd think there be more information about the 1962-1965 years...