New topic
Printable| Author | Message |
Wattstax 40th Anniversary MEMPHIS, TN - (WMC-TV) – Monday marks a big anniversary of a historic event that brought more than 100,000 people together in 1972. The Stax Museum is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Wattstax mega concert. Memphian Isaac Hayes was just one famous musician who took the stage during the seven hour long concert at the Los Angeles Coliseum. It happened to take place on Hayes' 30th birthday. Stax spokesman Tim Sampson describes the concert as the second largest gathering of African-Americans in history. "Stax wanted to prove they could do something that large with their own security guard unarmed and there wasn't a single incident of violence, it was just this big seven hour love fest of soul music," said Sampson. Memphis' Bar-Kays wowed the west coast audience, as did the funky sounds of Rufus Thomas. Former Stax owner Al Bell spearheaded the event, which included a powerful message of re-growth for Watts' residents, who were reeling from riots that happened seven years earlier. Wattstax was an event of soul, funk, and gospel solidarity. A documentary was also made on the concert, which raised funds for things like sickle cell anemia research. Forty years later, some still consider Wattstax one of the most powerful events in American history. http://www.wmctv.com/stor...f-wattstax =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 10 days before the anniversary of this concert, filmmaker Mel Stuart passed away. Music for adventurous listeners tA  Tribal Records"Ya see, we're not interested in what you know...but what you are willing to learn. C'mon y'all." | |
- E-mail - orgNote -  Report post to moderator |
Very "Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." --Plato
https://youtu.be/CVwv9LZMah0 | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
SInce BET isn't gonna play it, maybe Bounce TV or VH! Soul? PRINCE: Always and Forever
MICHAEL JACKSON: Always and Forever ----- Live Your Life How U Wanna Live It | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
It wasn't until these recent years I discovered that Willy Wonka's director was the one behind that epic documentary and it WASN'T Melvin Van Peebles. I mistakingly jumped on the conclusion that he was the force behind this film just because he did that lil' speech on stage.
One of my FAVE documentaries from my fave eras of docu-films. Gotta say, the 70s brought out some of the best, if not the best, docu-films ever. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
I will forever love and miss you...my sweet Prince. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
WHAT? I thought Melvin directed this too....
Why wait for some network? Pull out your personal copy and have your own celebration.
Music for adventurous listeners "Ya see, we're not interested in what you know...but what you are willing to learn. C'mon y'all." | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Kim Weston... "Ya see, we're not interested in what you know...but what you are willing to learn. C'mon y'all." | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
You can take a black guy to Nashville from right out of the cotton fields with bib overalls, and they will call him R&B. You can take a white guy in a pin-stripe suit who’s never seen a cotton field, and they will call him country. ~ O. B. McClinton | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
You can take a black guy to Nashville from right out of the cotton fields with bib overalls, and they will call him R&B. You can take a white guy in a pin-stripe suit who’s never seen a cotton field, and they will call him country. ~ O. B. McClinton | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
You can take a black guy to Nashville from right out of the cotton fields with bib overalls, and they will call him R&B. You can take a white guy in a pin-stripe suit who’s never seen a cotton field, and they will call him country. ~ O. B. McClinton | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
You can take a black guy to Nashville from right out of the cotton fields with bib overalls, and they will call him R&B. You can take a white guy in a pin-stripe suit who’s never seen a cotton field, and they will call him country. ~ O. B. McClinton | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
I still have not watched this. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Seriously? | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Was just trying to find a full length movie link for y'all, but alas, no luck | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
. You can find some highlights on youtube, at least.
I got it when it 1st came out but I'm about 100 plus movies in the hole. I'll get around 2 it one of these days. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
The downfall is The Dramatics performance isn't shown | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
This is an excellent point.
Wattstax easily deserves at least annual broadcast on BET, History Channel or another BASIC cable channel. Any channel is better than no channel and the benefit of Bounce is that it is frequently available to people who can't afford cable TV.
The concert event definitely deserve prime time or daytime weekend broadcast.
Thinking critically about the situation and state of television today, it is probably too positive, peaceful and pleasant for present TV executive programmers.
Example: Recent MTV or VH1 Prime Time special that chains together the origin and growth of rap music with the simultaneous growth of the drug "crisis" and gangs in the 1980s. Who controls the operation that prevents the focus of the documentary from exclusively on the music? Insurance industry people, attorneys, hair stylists, retail store employees, and several other types of business people used drugs and participated in gang activities in the 80s and 90s. Because if entertainment content is fun and/or sexy, the powers that be these days must chain the story to really negative crap of one sort or another. Unless its gospel or other religious content.
| |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
That's what I'm gonna do...Wattstax is classic! Prince, in you I found a kindred spirit...Rest In Paradise. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Prince, in you I found a kindred spirit...Rest In Paradise. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
I haven't watched it in awhile, but I think the commentary on the DVD said there was 17 hours worth of footage. You can take a black guy to Nashville from right out of the cotton fields with bib overalls, and they will call him R&B. You can take a white guy in a pin-stripe suit who’s never seen a cotton field, and they will call him country. ~ O. B. McClinton | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
PBS has shown it a few times. When the DVD was released, PBS had a separate newly shot documentary with some of the acts and behind the scenes folks. Bounce showed it not too long ago, probably because Richard Pryor is in it. You can take a black guy to Nashville from right out of the cotton fields with bib overalls, and they will call him R&B. You can take a white guy in a pin-stripe suit who’s never seen a cotton field, and they will call him country. ~ O. B. McClinton | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
As far as showing it on network TV, that's not likely to happen because there's a bit of cursing during the people in the neighborhood segments.The first time I saw this was about 4 or 5 years ago on VH1Soul and I became obsessed.
My favorite parts are when the Bar-Kays come on stage and Larry Dodson walks forward with this demanding and fierce look on his face, then all of sudden, he yells into the mike "I'M THE SON OF A BADDDDDD!!!!!" and then the band starts to play....OMG that scene is so damn hot to me!!!
Another favorite scene is when this girl with this short dress on was getting down dancing to the Rufus Thomas song. I mean homegirl was dancing her ass off.
Also when Albert King performed "I'll Sing the Blues for you"....I had never heard of him or that song before but by watching this, I quickly became a fan.
And....Isaac. He was definitely the Black Moses of the show...you knew who ruled Stax
My only question is...was Sam & Dave on the decline by the time Wattstax occurred? I will forever love and miss you...my sweet Prince. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
The music, the time period...it's an excellent documentary that showcases how it was in the early 70's...the personal interviews with the regular people helped bring this out. It's very exciting to watch. I ordered the DVD on Amazon so now I get to watch it whenever I want.
Screw it... "Ya see, we're not interested in what you know...but what you are willing to learn. C'mon y'all." | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Sisqo's daddy
Its def a great period piece, some of the stuff that the personal interviews displayed still resonate, and then there were the eyebrow raising moments.
Like that broad who said everything about brothers is beautiful(true) and I was nodding my head until she said "even the way he abuses you is beautiful" ::record scratch:
And don't get started on the fashion
But one thing for damn sure, one aspect of the movie that never went outta style is the music. When the Emotions were reaching that climax at the end of "Peace Be Still" with the little girl losing it in the background, I was in tears | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
they dressed the entire HELL outta their get-ups 
I'm not a Christian, but hell, I felt that sentiment,,,,,whatever it was.Harlepolis said:
Sisqo's daddy
Its def a great period piece, some of the stuff that the personal interviews displayed still resonate, and then there were the eyebrow raising moments.
Like that broad who said everything about brothers is beautiful(true) and I was nodding my head until she said "even the way he abuses you is beautiful" ::record scratch:
And don't get started on the fashion
But one thing for damn sure, one aspect of the movie that never went outta style is the music. When the Emotions were reaching that climax at the end of "Peace Be Still" with the little girl losing it in the background, I was in tears Co-signing, all of this(especially, the Emotions performing Peace Be Still). You don't want they way they were putting it down. "Oh, be still !!!!!". make you wanna throw your sock at the t.v., cause that was felt all up in here *points*>>> "  ".[Edited 8/23/12 22:31pm] | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Kudos to Viacom-BET-Centric for its broadcast of the documentary "Soul Power" today from 2 A.M. to 4 A.M. E.S.T.
If you have not watched it before and have an interest in documentaries such as "Wattstax" then you'd probably enjoy "Soul Power".
I did not expect the pleasure of watching the lead singer for the Spinners box in a very low key playful way against Muhammad Ali. The lead guy was doing pretty funny taunts beforehand. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
You can take a black guy to Nashville from right out of the cotton fields with bib overalls, and they will call him R&B. You can take a white guy in a pin-stripe suit who’s never seen a cotton field, and they will call him country. ~ O. B. McClinton | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
I wish they would release the video footage of The Barkays' "Son Of Shaft" in it's entirety. Andy is a four letter word. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
