Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Mystery Photo


Here's a rare photo of the Jackson 5 that looks like it was taken in early 1968, based on their heights and the lengths of their afros. They're wearing matching stage costumes so this may have been taken backstage before or after a performance. And is that the edge of Joe Jackson to the left of Jackie?

The stage costumes themselves may offer the biggest clue. They are dashikis, unlike any other costumes I've ever seen the Jackson 5 wear, especially pre-Motown, when they were a bit more conservative and formal in their apparel. They are similar in style to the ones the actors wore in The Jacksons: An American Dream when they performed in Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater. I wonder if perhaps this photo may have been taken at that time, as a remembrance of that historic performance? They performed there in February 1968, so the timing would be right. But unless someone comes forward with the inside scoop, I suppose we'll never know for sure.

6 comments:

  1. Have you ever seen that 'remembering the Jackson 5 in Kankakee'? I always thought those green-blue-red outfits from that picture looked a lot like the outfits they're wearing in your picture but I'm not 100% sure that they're the same outfits.

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  2. Haven't seen it, Raisa. Do you have a link?

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  3. it's the picture of them in a skating rink, march 1969
    http://www.larryvann.com/images/j5_jonesfamily.jpg
    Doesn't it look like they're wearing the same outfits here? They're definately wearing dashikis

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  4. I think you're right, Raisa. They may have even been taken at the same time. I remember seeing this photo a while back, and I was surprised that the J5 had a horn section.

    This would mean the photo was even later than I thought -- by a little more than a year -- and we still don't know much about their Apollo appearance.

    Looking at the original mystery photo I posted, in the lower right corner, does that look like the edge of a 45 that the person (Joe?) is holding?

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  5. Yes, I think so.

    I found this blog about the picture I posted very interesting, thought you migh want to read it:
    http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=116544035&blogId=499450050

    Yeah, I don't really know much about their Apollo appearance...

    That might be the edge of a 45... Marlon, Michael, Tito and Jackie are all looking at it too... I'd guess it might have been a prize or something...

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  6. My aunt helped sew those for the Jackson 5.

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