Detroit Free Press: ‘TEEN BEAT’ Interviews Marvin Gaye, 1966
During 1966, Detroit’s morning paper, the Detroit Free Press ran a weekly feature on Fridays called ‘Teen Beat.’
The feature article would comprise of interviews, photos, the music, the fads and anything else that was of special interest to the teenage scene in Detroit during that time.
Here is a rare, recorded interview Marvin Gaye gave to Teen Beat with Loraine Alterman. Loraine was the teen-editor for the Detroit Free Press when she interviewed Marvin Gaye for the Free Press column at the time.
Listen in once again as Marvin answered some of Alterman’s questions, such as,
What do you think of ‘Mod’ clothes and long hair? What’s your favorite record? Whose your favorite singer? If you were not a singer, what would you like to be? How do you like living in Detroit?
In 1966, Marvin Gaye even recorded a song for the Detroit Free Press’ Teen Beat on Motown Records, but the recording was intended only for non-commercial distribution and was not to be sold. And we’ll include that M.G. rarity here as well. And who knows? Maybe you might have read about this same Marvin Gaye interview in Teen Beat one Friday morning a long time ago, just before you went off to school.
Teen Beat. Fridays. “Only in the morning Free Press.”
MARVIN GAYE * THE TEEN BEAT SONG * 1966
LORAINE ALTERMAN * INTERVIEW * MARVIN GAYE * 1966
People might be interested to know that Marvin’s `Teen Beat Song` was and remains very popular in the UK and is still played at dance venues. Also popular are Edwin Starr’s `Scott’s On Swingers`, a tribute to Scott Regan on WKNR, also `Detroit is Happening` by the Supremes and Smokey Robinson’s `I Care About Detroit`. Although not pressed on vinyl Stevie Wonder’s live and improvised version of `Uptight` on Scott Regan’s Keener 13 show is also big over here.