MUSIC BUSINESS | THE T.A.M.I. SHOW! ‘TEENAGE COMMAND PERFORMANCE’. . . DECEMBER 5, 1964

In less than three weeks the new Electronovision movie is due to open in 1000 theaters throughout the United States, while it promises to be the biggest grossing rock film ever

**Detroit Free Press** Sunday, December 27, 1964 *(Click or tap over image for largest view)*

Two a day. In less than three weeks the first TAMI (Teen-Age Music International) show, called “Teen-Age Command Performance,” in Electronovision, will open in 1000 U.S. theaters. Opening day is December 19. The movie, which stars the top U.S. and British acts in the rock and roll sphere, will run for 24 days, through January 11. The picture will be shown twice a day in the 1000 theaters, once in the morning and once at midnight. Price for the morning show will be 99 cents, for the midnight show, $1.25.

It is believed by many in the music-record business, especially those who are hip to the rock and roll field, that the TAMI show will be the ‘biggest-grossing U.S. teenage rock film’ since “Don’t Knock The Rock” started the film industry series of rock and roll movies during the past decade.

Imaginative presentation. The reason for this belief is due to the quality of the TAMI show, as against most of the rock pictures which have preceded it. The one exception to this is probably the Beatles film, “A Hard Day’s Night,” which has had grosses as spectacular as the sales of the lads’ recordings. (Which may also be due to the fact that an amazingly large number of adults have accepted the Beatles film as an “art” picture.)

Where the TAMI show leaves the old fashioned rock and roll films behind is in the manner of presentation. Like the current TV teen success, “Shindig,” TAMI makes use of teen dancers who perform while the acts are singing. And like “A Hard Day’s Night,” the artistic use of the cameras have added a dimension to the TAMI show that was certainly rarely present in any of the hastily assembled rock films of the late 1950’s.

The opening of the TAMI show alone, with its swift succession of staccato photography shots, sets up the picture as artistic as well as musical, and the manner of photographing the performers in action leaves nothing to be desired on that level.

**T.A.M.I. Show** theatrical billing. December 1964 *(Click or tap over image for largest view)*

Filmed “live.” In order to achieve the excitement that a rock show has for rock fans, the artists in the TAMI movie all performed in front of 18,000 youngsters jam-packed into California’s Santa Monica auditorium. Their filmed excitement adds to the excitement of the film and make the entire picture seem more like a live show than a filmed one.

The Electronovision process, a tape filming method for theaters, has been used once before for a film, the modern dress version of “Hamlet” starring Richard Burton. According to those who saw both “Hamlet” and the TAMI show, the Electronovision process has been much improved since the Burton movie. In fact many tradesters consider it equal in quality to any other film process.

Powerful performers. The power of the TAMI show basically lies in its performers. The manner of presentation, the artistic camera shots, the exciting opening, the screaming finale, a real icing to the cake. The cake is of course such hot rock names as Chuck Berry, Gerry and The Pacemakers, the Miracles, Marvin Gaye, Lesley Gore, The Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, The Supremes, James Brown and the Flames, and the Rolling Stones. (A new group, the Barbarians, are also featured but they are too new to be considered a box-office draw.)

**T.A.M.I. Show** hosts, Jan and Dean. 1964

There has never been such a potent line-up of teenage box office power concentrated in any one film. Add to this the fact that all of the artists do a large part of their complete stage act, making the two hour film sock entertainment for rock fans, and even for dispassionate observers of the genre.

Huge potential. Electronovision’s “Hamlet” played only 44 theaters, and ran for only two days. It made money, the actors made money, and according to Elec-tronovision President William Sargent, the theaters made money. With 1000 theaters playing the TAMI show for 24 days, the rock picture could gross much, much more, even at lower admission prices.

If it succeeds as everyone expects it to do, there will be many more TAMI shows in Electronovision, and the TAMI show could be as important in breaking an act on a national scale as records have been, and as TV’s “Shindig” is on its way to becoming.

There is little doubt that Electronovision and the TAMI show could be a major factor in boosting the sale of records to teenagers for a long time to come. END

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Information, credit and source: Music Business, December 5, 1964

RECORD WORLD | TAMI SHOW WHAMMY! . . . NOVEMBER 21, 1964

A Record World ‘Special Event’ Review

NEW YORK — The teen record star cause will get a tremendous shot in its frugging arm along about Christmas when the second Electronovision “special event,” the Teen-Age Music International Show “Teenage Command Performance,” is exhibited for limited two-day, four performance runs (between Dec. 19 and Jan.3) throughout the country and around the world.

The reason is that the outing – a showcase for 12 slick and youthful acts – is a sensation. And some of the pay-offs should be upping record sales and wider acceptance of teen entertainers on the nightclub and TV circuit. There is even the possibility of a cast album to be peddled in theaters where the show is run (see below).

The two-hour entertainment, in format and execution best described as a phantasmagorical “Shindig” segment, was premiered to the press last week and to lucky audiences in 33 Los Angeles-area theaters Nov. 14.

James Brown Scores

The acts, highlighted by a stupendous James Brown turn, are emceed by the fey and funny Liberty team, Jan and Dean.

Strutting their stuff in addition to these guys are the high priest of the current popular beat, Chess’ Chuck Berry; and Laurie’s Gerry and the Pacemakers, Tamla’s The Miracles and Marvin Gaye, Mercury’s Lesley Gore, Capitol’s Beach Boys, Imperial’s Billy J.Kramer and the Dakotas, Motown’s Supremes, London’s Rolling Stones and Joy’s Barbarians.

Each singer(s) and/or instrumentalist(s), with one exception, sings three or four of his (their) hit singles and some of the folks introduce new numbers.

A scantily clad chorus line of well-shaped gals with their motors running provide almost non-stop backdrop activity.

The show, filmed in black and white, is pitched, of course, at teen-agers, but adults in attendance will be impressed by the professional sheen with which most of the acts perform. The Supremes – each a sinuous satin doll – should be able to expand their outlets. Marvin Gaye, Gerry and the Pacemakers – well, just about everyone, under the direction of Steve Binder – show their ability to keep audiences rapt on a high level. Oldsters may gripe at material, but rarely at presentation.

And, as mentioned above, Smash’s James Brown is a standout. Brown has raised caterwauling and camp to a fine art. His stint consists of dancing, playing, shouting and ingenious emotional ploys. Aided by his Terrific Flames, who comfort him like a concerned family, he goes through the pangs of unrequited love and unbounded gaiety. The songster has no end of energy and the audience is exhausted many “Please, Please, Please’s” before he is. His footage is truly unique. It’ll be remembered and well talked about.

The Electronovision process seems extremely well suited to this kind of entertainment. Filming is done before a live audience during a regular performance. A number of cameras are set up around the stage and manipulated much like television cameras. There is heavy and effective use of vaselined lensing, superimposition and tight close-ups.

Electronovision’s producers refuse to call the completed product a film or movie in the usual sense. Instead, they have coined the “special event” tag and liken this presentation, their first presentation (Richard Burton’s “Hamlet”) and all subsequent presentations to closed circuit live shows. They plan no less than 12 releases annually. And another Teenage demand performance can be expected. (“Hamlet” is to be entered in the motion picture Oscar race).

Album Plans

William Sargent Jr., president of Electronovision, Inc. and executive producer of ‘The T-A-M-I Show,’ told reporters at the press screening that there are plans afoot to put together an album, containing the new material in the show, but that little direct negotiation with the parent companies has commenced. He pointed out that “there are almost as many labels as artists represented.”

This suggests that contract dickering could be fairly extensive. The shows will be booked at odd hours so as not to conflict with regular film showings at the exhibiting houses. The first show will precede, in all instances, the first showing of a house’s feature. And the second showing will take the form of a midnight show.

The 3000 or so prints of “TACP” (Teen Age Command Performance) will be pulled from circulation after Jan. 3, never to be shown again. It may be stated, however, that teens would probably begin to find the show dated if it were to be put into normal distribution since the songs will have faded from widespread popularity following pop patterns. END

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Information, credit and news source: RECORD WORLD; Nov. 21, 1964

CHECK FOR THEATER SHOWTIMES: THE T.A.M.I. SHOW AT THE MICHIGAN THEATER!

**Detroit Free Press** December 25, 1964

THE DETROIT FREE PRESS

— Friday, December 25, 1964 —

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THE T.A.M.I. SHOW STARTS CHRISTMAS DAY!

MICHIGAN THEATER – BAGLEY and GRAND RIVER

The above newspaper ad feature was ‘clipped,’ saved, and digitally imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.

‘T.A.M.I. SHOW’

‘T.A.M.I. SHOW‘ is a 1964 concert film released by American International Pictures. It includes performances by numerous popular rock and roll and R&B musicians from the United States and England. The concert was held at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on October 28 and 29, 1964. Free tickets were distributed to local high school students. The acronym “T.A.M.I.” was used inconsistently in the show’s publicity to mean both “Teenage Awards Music International” and “Teen Age Music International”.

The best footage from the two concert dates was combined into a film, which was released on December 29, 1964. Jan and Dean emceed the event and performed its theme song, “Here They Come (From All Over the World)”, written by Los Angeles composers P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri, the song erroneously asserting the Rolling Stones are from Liverpool. Jack Nitzsche was the show’s music director.

The film was shot by director Steve Binder and his crew from The Steve Allen Show, using a precursor to high-definition television, called “Electronovision”, invented by the self-taught “electronics whiz,” Bill Sargent (H.W. Sargent, Jr). The film was the second of a small number of productions that used the system. By capturing more than 800 lines of resolution at 25 frame/s, the video could be converted to film via kinescope recording with sufficiently enhanced resolution to allow big-screen enlargement. It is considered one of the seminal events in the pioneering of music films, and more importantly, the later concept of music videos.

T.A.M.I. Show is particularly well known for James Brown’s performance, which features his legendary dance moves and explosive energy. In interviews, Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones has claimed that choosing to follow Brown and The Famous Flames was the biggest mistake of their careers, because no matter how well they performed, they could not top him. In a web-published interview, Binder takes credit for persuading the Stones to follow James Brown, and serve as the centerpiece for the grand finale where all the performers dance together onstage.

The show also featured The Supremes during their reign as the most successful female recording group of the era. The group had three chart-topping singles from July 1964 to December 1964, with the album “Where Did Our Love Go” reaching number two. Diana Ross would go on to work with Binder on several of her television specials, including her first solo television special and her famous Central Park concert, Live from New York Worldwide: For One and for All.

Lesley Gore headlined the TAMI Show in 1964.

Throughout the show, numerous go-go dancers performed in the background or beside the performers under the direction of choreographer David Winters. Among them were Teri Garr and Toni Basil. According to filmmaker John Landis’ DVD commentary for the film’s trailer, he and fellow seventh grade classmate David Cassidy were in the audience for the show.

Dick Clark Productions later acquired ownership of the concert from Sargent.

In 2006, T.A.M.I. Show was deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

List of performers:

The Barbarians The Beach Boys Chuck Berry James Brown and The Famous Flames Marvin Gaye (with backing vocals by The Blossoms) Gerry & the Pacemakers Lesley Gore Jan and Dean Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas Smokey Robinson and The Miracles The Rolling Stones The Supremes

The house band, known collectively as The Wrecking Crew, was under the musical direction of Jack Nitzsche and included drummer Hal Blaine, electric bass player Jimmy Bond, guitarists Tommy Tedesco, and Glen Campbell, upright bassist Lyle Ritz, and pianist Leon Russell, saxophonist Plas Johnson and others.

T.A.M.I. Show’s executive producer was Bill Sargent. Sargent held patents in cable television and is considered the father of modern pay-per-view. He was the developer of Electronovision and its associated videotape technologies.

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**CHUCK BERRY** performs on the T.A.M.I. Show 1964

Set list:

Jan and Dean (Over credits) “(Here They Come) from All Over the World”

Chuck Berry “Johnny B. Goode” “Maybellene”

Gerry and the Pacemakers “Maybellene” “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying” “It’s Gonna Be Alright”

Chuck Berry “Sweet Little Sixteen”

Gerry and the Pacemakers “How Do You Do It?”

Chuck Berry “Nadine”

Gerry and the Pacemakers “I Like It”

(Smokey Robinson and) The Miracles “That’s What Love Is Made Of” “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” “Mickey’s Monkey”

Marvin Gaye “Stubborn Kind of Fellow” “Pride and Joy” “Can I Get a Witness” “Hitch Hike”

Lesley Gore “Maybe I Know” “You Don’t Own Me” “You Didn’t Look Around” “Hey Now” “It’s My Party” “Judy’s Turn to Cry”

Jan and Dean “The Little Old Lady from Pasadena” “Sidewalk Surfin'”

The Beach Boys “Surfin’ U.S.A.” “I Get Around” “Surfer Girl” “Dance, Dance, Dance”

Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas “Little Children” “Bad to Me” “I’ll Keep You Satisfied” “From a Window”

The Supremes “When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes” “Run, Run, Run” “Baby Love” “Where Did Our Love Go”

The Barbarians “Hey Little Bird”

James Brown and The Famous Flames “Out of Sight” “Prisoner of Love” “Please, Please, Please” “Night Train”

The Rolling Stones “Around and Around” “Off the Hook” “Time Is on My Side” “It’s All Over Now” “I’m Alright” “Let’s Get Together”

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During the VHS era, there had never been an authorized home video release of T.A.M.I. Show in its full, original cut, although bootlegs abounded. Most of the bootlegs were missing the Beach Boys’ performance. The Beach Boys had been deleted from all prints made after the movie’s initial theatrical run because of a copyright dispute. Selected numbers from the T.A.M.I. Show were edited together with performances from another concert film by the same producers, The Big T.N.T. Show, to create a hybrid work called That Was Rock. This film did receive a home video release from Media Home Entertainment’s music division, Music Media, in 1984. It was felt that the film was unlikely to be released due to the cost of obtaining the publishing and performance rights to the extensive lineup of artists. (All of the four Beach Boys songs from the show eventually surfaced on DVD in Sights and Sounds of Summer, a special CD/DVD edition of Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of The Beach Boys.)

On March 23, 2010, Shout! Factory released T.A.M.I. Show on a restored, digitally remastered and fully authorized DVD, with all performances, including The Beach Boys, included. (A DVD release of the complete film by First Look Studios was planned for 2007, but subsequently withdrawn.)

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Source information: Fandom.com

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50 YEARS AGO! T.A.M.I. SHOW HITS THE SILVER SCREEN

“(HERE THEY COME) FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD” * Jan and Dean * T.A.M.I SHOW

N O V E M B E R 1 9 6 4 : T H I S M O N T H I N M U S I C H I S T O R Y

FIFTY YEARS AGO this month, the Teenage Awards Music International (acronym for T.A.M.I Show) debuted it’s first screen presentation with a special press preview held in New York City, November 11, 1964. Filmed over a two-night period at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California, late October, 1964, the show was hosted by Jan and Dean. The billing featured 12 top recording acts from that year. Geared for teenage audience appeal, the highly acclaimed one hour and 40 minute film was released nationally on December 29, 1964.

MARVIN GAYE (T.A.M.I Show 1964) — **MARVIN GAYE** T.A.M.I Show 1964

LESLEY GORE (T.A.M.I Show 1964) — **LESLEY GORE** T.A.M.I Show 1964

ROLLING STONES (T.A.M.I Show 1964) — **THE ROLLING STONES** T.A.M.I Show 1964

WATCH THE ENTIRE 1964 T.A.M.I SHOW RIGHT HERE ON MOTOR CITY RADIO FLASHBACKS!

‘T.A.M.I’ ELECTRONOVISION’S LATEST GETS N.Y. SHOWING . . . NOVEMBER 21, 1964

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1964

MEDIA, PRESS, TEENERS GETS BIG EYEFUL PREVIEW

NEW YORK — Electronovision debuted its second theater film presentation and the first specifically for teen audiences at a special press preview Wednesday, November 11. It provided a stirring emotional experience, presenting 12 top record acts for one hour and 40 minutes.

The First Annual T.A.M.I Show 1964. — **THE 1964** *T.A.M.I Show* theater wall poster (click on image for larger view).

The Electronovision process was first used to capture Richard Burton’s Broadway performance of “Hamlet,” which was later shown in theaters during a special two-day period. The process utilizes cameras, up to ten at a time, that looks like TV cameras. The images received are fed into a master control room where a director chooses the image he selects to edit on a master tape. From this tape, a commercial motion picture film is produced and prints of the film is marketed for general theater view.

The latest production is called “The T.A.M.I Show” and features Jan and Dean, who will host the show with performances by Chuck Berry, Gerry and the Pacemakers, the Miracles, Marvin Gaye, Lesley Gore, the Beach Boys, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, the Supremes, the Barbarians, James Brown and the Flames, and, the Rolling Stones.

Chuck Berry performing on the TAMI Show, filmed at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in 1964. — **CHUCK BERRY** performed on the *T.A.M.I Show* at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, filmed in *“Electronovision”* for theatrical release in late 1964

The Beach Boys on stage during the TAMI Show in Santa Monica, California in 1964. — **THE BEACH BOYS** on stage before a live audience for the *T.A.M.I Show,* filmed October 28 and 29, 1964. The best footage (or acts) of these two concert dates were edited into the film, which was released nationally on December 29, 1964. (Wikipedia)

TAMI stands for Teen-Age Music International, an international non-profit organization set up “to understand teen-agers, to recognize their needs, their wants, their attitudes and their principles . . . to help them establish a position of respect in their communities, and in our total society.” TAMI proposes to accomplish these goals through almost the universal teen-age interest in music. This show indicates that the people involved clearly have their finger on the pulse of the teenager.

The film opens at a wild pace with five minutes of fast-moving action showing the performers en route to the Santa Monica, Calif., Civic Auditorium. The acts are in buses, taxis, trucks, motor scooters and even on sidewalk skate boards. Film credit appears over the action.

The pace never slackens and the crowds of teen-agers in the audience rarely let up with their din of adulatory cacophony. It adds aural impact and spurs performers to give frenetic performances. James Brown stands out with a fabulous performance that will enhance his position as an artist and open new vistas of opportunity. The press applauded at the end of his stint.

Lesley Gore, seen here on T.A.M.I, headlined the show in 1964. — **LESLEY GORE** on *T.A.M.I,* headlined the show in 1964 *(click on image for larger view)*

Lesley Gore came across in a warm, sincere manner. Teen-agers obviously adore her as an artist and it looks as though though this gal can bridge the gap to the adult market, if her performance serves as any criteria.

Record dealers in cities where the T.A.M.I show will be screened should experience record sales by the dozen artists highlighting the film. Many excellent tie-ins should be advantageous as well between the dealers and the theater owners.Both could stand to gain. The only showings to be made, except the premiere, will be during the holidays, December 19 through January 3, 1965.

At least 1,000 prints of the film will be in circulation in the U. S. during the holiday season, with some “bicycled” between showing from one theater to another. World-wide distribution, showing will require another additional 1,200 prints.

**JAMES BROWN** electrified the T.A.M.I. audience with his live performance during filming at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in ’64. *(click on image for larger view)*

Los Angeles was slated to have the world premiere of the film on Saturday, November 14, in 33 theaters. The premiere comes 16 days after theater filming in Santa Monica. The print shown to the press came only 13 days after the live performance, giving an indication of how the Electronovision process can be utilized to capture people and events (such as this film process suggests) in more present timeline fashion. William Sargent, Jr., president of Electronovision, Inc., plans a feature every month, beginning in early 1965. The process is so good and so was the direction by Steven Binder, credit musical direction by Jack Nitsche and David Winters was behind the choreography behind the film. Al Ham of Joy Records served as music consultant and his deft touches are apparent in the film’s score.

Sargent told Billboard that his firm is presently in contact with record companies to whom the artists are under contract, relative to securing approval for a soundtrack album to be released by his firm. He is not interested in singles. “The album could be bigger than the picture, couldn’t it?” he commented. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; November 21, 1964)

Addendum: For more information on the 1964 filming, production, and the bio/story behind ‘The TAMI Show,’ go here.

In 2009, the much sought-after film ‘The TAMI Show,’ was finally released on DVD. The 2009 DVD edition was entirely remastered in HD sound and picture quality. For more info and current availability of this 2009 ShoutFactory DVD release, go here to Amazon.com.

For more sensational ‘TAMI Show’ videos on YouTube go here.

Also, check out this USA Today article Concert film ‘TAMI Show’ captures rock in its 1964 glory (dated March 19, 2010) on the TAMI Show Collector’s Edition DVD release.