Once In Love With T.A.M.I.

The T.A.M.I Show is finally out on DVD. I saw it in college, and just a few weeks ago on PBS. It's a 1964 film, shot live (with no lip syncing) in Santa Monica, featuring a lot of the best rock act of the time. In fact, the roster is stunning. It includes:

The Beach Boys

Chuck Berry

James Brown

Marvin Gaye

Gerry & The Pacemakers

Lesley Gore

Jan and Dean

Smokey Robinson and The Miracles

The Rolling Stones

The Supremes

It represents a special time in music. The separation between rock and roll and R&B wasn't so great that the acts couldn't appear one after another. Indeed, the audience (mostly white, mostly girls) doesn't distinguish who does what in their screams. There's even a transition early on where Chuck Berry (by 1964 an elder statesman) has his song taken up by Gerry & The Pacemakers. Okay, sublime to ridiculous, but the message is it's everyone's music.

Also, rock was still considered music for teens (T.A.M.I. stands for Teen Age Music International), so it was allowed to be fun without needing a bigger message. The performers are into performing (as opposed to say, "art" or "authenticity") and they put on a show above and beyond playing music. (There are also a lot of go-go dancers onstage who look pretty strange now.)

It's also in glorious black and white. Probably the last year that would be allowed.

The sound isn't always great, and not all the performers are at their best, but some of the acts--especially James Brown--burn up the stage. It's been noted he made the Rolling Stones, who played after him, look pretty sick.