James Brown and the Rolling Stones on the T.A.M.I. Show (1964)

The T.A.M.I. show was the brainchild of director Steve Binder, who put it all together in late 1964 as a way of gathering all of the greatest current "pop" acts in one show. The acronym stood for Teenage Music International, or Teenage Awards Music International, depending on where you look it up. It was a genius move, staged at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in October and filmed in Electronovision, a technology which enabled the TV footage to be transferred onto the big screen. The line-up allowed the audience to experience a variety of performers, such as the Beach Boys, Chuck Berry, Lesley Gore, the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, James Brown and his Famous Flames, along with the Rolling Stones. As a matter of fact, the Rolling Stones had to follow James Brown as the closing act.

Just before they were to step on stage the Stones were watching this performance of James Brown, with his Famous Flames, from the wings. They were very worried, with Mick Jagger wondering how the band would ever be able to follow the act they were witnessing. Clearly, James Brown should have been the closing act. Additionally, during the 4 days of rehearsals for the show, James Brown did not rehearse. He had a unique act, and coming fresh off the road, he felt no need to. Consequently, the Stones, like so many others at the time, had never seen James Brown perform; they had only heard his records.

With Jagger worried about his dance moves, and Keith Richard concerned about following one of the greatest R and B bands of all time, they wound up pouring everything they had into their act, which included the newly released "Time Is On My Side." Watch Jagger dance. Although no real match for the Godfather of Soul, he really does a lot more than he ever had before during this performance.

Music crosses all boundaries, and the T.A.M.I. show was a landmark concert which brought together white and black music in the middle of some of the most racially charged times in the nation's history. And that music had an extraordinary effect on some of the biggest social issues of the time.

Here are the Rolling Stones, immediately following James Brown and his Famous Flames;

"I Feel Good" by James Brown

To put it quite simply, James Brown was to music as Muhammad Ali was to boxing; that is to say that they both changed all the rules, resulting in a more equitable share of the profits generated by their efforts. Prior to these two men of color, African-American artists, and boxers, were routinely "ripped off" by their managers, as well as the media who exploited them.

His early life consisted of virtually no formal education, yet he had a vision of the sound he wanted to achieve. Teaming up with Bobby Byrd, he altered the course of R&B forever, while at the same time giving birth to "Soul" Music. He is, of course, known as the "Godfather of Soul", as well as the "Hardest Working Man in Show Business". Just You Tube "Please, Please, Please" sometime and watch this man work his incredible talent. Few people realize that James Brown could play several instruments, arrange and even conduct his own music when necessary. The result was always staggering.

After only a brief stint as a member of the Flames, Mr. Brown took over the group, in the same way that Chuck Berry took over Johnnie Johnson's band. It wasn't sinister, they simply were the best front men for those bands.

When Boston was about to erupt into violence, on the evening of Martin Luther King's assassination, it was James Brown who quelled the riot. Using only words, he was able to turn an angry mob at his show, who were being harassed by the police for climbing on the stage to touch him, back into an audience. This video shows part of that concert, with the action described here taking place between 1:58 and 3:40 into the video. This man commanded "respect", and got it, too!



In May of 2002 he teamed up with Luciano Pavarotti and performed "It's a Man's World" at the Opera House in Modena, Italy. Pavarotti sang, using his famous voice, in a stunning counterpoint to Mr. Brown's. He even sang a completely different melody, though I do not know the name of the song which he used. The effect is amazing. You can watch it here with the translation;



Although his later years were shadowed by drug use, including the infamous 2 state, crack fueled police chase, James Brown was the man. This book takes the reader on a lifes journey in the author's own words, including his views on race and politics. In the book, just as in life, James Brown gives it his all, holding nothing back.