By Ed Golick (68.42.155.37) on Thursday, June 19, 2003 - 01:05 pm:

Anybody know the words to the theme for TV-62's The Scene, with Nat Morris???

By Keith Rylatt (217.137.90.44) on Thursday, June 19, 2003 - 03:21 pm:

Ed Could you please interpret for us on the other side of the Atlantic????? Keith

By Ed Golick (68.42.155.37) on Thursday, June 19, 2003 - 03:43 pm:

The Scene was a local Detroit TV dance show along the lines of Soul Train, but much more raw and hip. Hosted by Nat Morris, it had Attitude with a capital "A!"

By C. Bell/Eric (67.26.9.133) on Thursday, June 19, 2003 - 04:14 pm:

The "Scene" was straight! I was pretty young when I used to watch it. As a matter a fact a guy that I work with was a "Scene" dancer. If I get a chance I'll ask him to see if he remembers the words.

By medusa9e2003 (66.73.1.158) on Monday, June 23, 2003 - 08:31 pm:

humm...I never realized 'The Scene' had a theme song with lyrics...WOW!!!!that's a good one Ed.

By g (207.103.134.213) on Monday, June 23, 2003 - 08:34 pm:

All I can remember from the theme was "I want to be, be on the Scene." And whoever said it was right, the show was raw!

By marv (64.12.97.7) on Monday, June 23, 2003 - 11:45 pm:

The Scene was the baddesst, slickest ,best local dance show in my opinion. I saw the very first episode in 1975 when it went on the air. Channel 62 (WGPR-Detroit) was being touted as the first Black owned and operated television station in the country back then. I watched it regularly from 1975 to 1980.Then I would catch it when I was home from college. Nat Morris was a great host, Fast Freddie was one of the great regulars, Cheryl (can't remember her last name). I remeber seeing The Dramatics, Madonna, The Supremes, Carl Carlton, Ortheia Barnes, Enchantment, Five Special, Smokey, Eddie Kendricks, Chapter 8 (with Anita Baker), Al Hudson etc,etc, on the show. I can't remember the lyrics to the theme song. I do recall hearing that in the mid 90's one of the cable companies (Barden Cable I believe) began showing reruns of the show. Great memories. The Scene was the BEST!!!!

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 01:49 am:

I talked to Nat Morris and begged him to release at least a vhs with the one with David Ruffin on it, but he says, he would have to turn his reels into vhs. He owns of all those shows. They are stored in a warehouse, and he didn't want to spend the time nor money to find David. :o) I understood that.

Periodically, he will lease space on Comcast and do re-runs. We should flood him with letters.

By Marv (64.12.97.7) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 08:43 am:

SisDetroit whatever it takes to see even some of those old The Scene shows, let us know please! It's good to know that Nat kept the old shows in a warehouse,but they could be making a lot of people happy and him a substantial amount of money if they were released again in some form. Loved that show! Let's us know where to write,ok? Peace

By Davie Gordon (212.159.94.2) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 09:03 am:

Hi Sis, I'd love to see those clips from "The Scene". If Nat Morris does have the rights to issue this stuff he really should contact one of the companies that produces DVD's - it would be wonderful to get this stuff preserved and available to the people that want it.

Hardly any of the of the acts you mentioned have
ever been seen in the UK - I'm sure there would
be a market - maybe not huge but a series of
DVD's would sell. I'd even get a DVD player !

One of these days the CD reissue labels will get
into DVD in a big way - I'm pretty sure they'd be
willing to do the transfers to digital format.

Keep working on him !

Davie

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 10:13 am:

I'm going to call this number to see if it's still active. I know where Nat's office is (8mile & Greenfield). I will get the address.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 11:12 am:

SisDetroit:
If Nat needs someone to transfer the reels to DVD and remaster them, Donald Hanks (the son of D-Town Records' Mike Hanks) owns a manufacturing plant and could work out a deal with Nat. Let me know if you want me to email you Donald's phone number.
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By SteveS (209.219.207.3) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 11:19 am:

Did anybody the the show where Was / Not Was "hijacked" the studio?

By LTLFTC (12.210.76.205) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 06:50 pm:

Hey Steve S;
Wasn't that a "pre-Was" Don Fagenson punk band? I never saw the show but ran across an old "Michigan Musician" magazine that had an article about that incident. I'll have to dig through my archive and check into it.

SteveK

By Sue (63.85.105.20) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 06:55 pm:

I think that is Don Was' pre-Was punk group Steve's referring to, yeah. The infamous Jack Tann part of his career (laugh) ...

By drums (216.178.85.78) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 07:00 pm:

I saw it and was there!!!

D

By SteveS (68.41.246.202) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 08:16 pm:

Let's hear about it, drums.

By drums (216.178.85.78) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 08:23 pm:

Info is sketchy but here goes:

16 years old with my cousin down at the WGPR building trying to sneak on the set of "The Scene". We werent old enough to dance due to whatever restrictions were going on, but were allowed to watch Was(Not Was)perform Tell Me That I am Dreaming & "Out Come the Freaks"!! I remember Sweet Pea Atkinson touching his nose with his Toungue while in the middle of singing the "Little Michael on his Motorcycle"verse (WTF!!) Needless to say, I was scared of him!!

Anyway, we got a chance to help them pack their gear and load out, and getting to take pics and get autographed copies of the Was(Not Was)album!!

We told Don & David that we were up and coming musicians that played in church and he invited us to come to the studio to help out with the new album and that was my first foray into being in the studio!!!

True Story!

Daren Metz
Sony/Studio 4

By LTLFTC (12.210.76.205) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 09:01 pm:

Daren;
That must have been a different appearance. This was Fagenson's band "The Traitors" a four-piece band featuring Fagenson as , get this , "Prez Genovese" on lead vocals.
Here's the poop from the February 1978 issue of Michigan Music (formerly "The Michigan Musician") magazine (and , no , I never throw anything away ).

"During an appearance on Nat Morris' 'Scene'..the Traitors caused a stir when they temporarily took over the program....
While Morris was interviewing the group , a minor argument erupted over definitions and musical content of punk rock; Morris suggested it was noise - Fagenson suggested that only stupid people thought so. At that , Fagenson grabbed the microphone and two of the Traitors grabbed Morris ".. (by the way , I've scene beach towels smaller than Nat's shirt collar ).
It goes on to say how Fagenson announced that it was 'the Traitor's show now, with special guest Nat Morris'.
Morris said "I'm not going to bring any more punk groups on the show. If it succeeds , though , I'm going to drag out the tapes and show how we gave it a chance".
I bet I could squeeze big $$$ out of Fagenson by threatening to post these pictures.
'Michigan Music' was a cool little magazine , though ; Detroit-centric ; articles in the same issue on Robert White (with hair) and Uriel Jones (with hair); also Ortheia Barnes , Tom Powers - even Salem Witchcraft ( I'm having a flashback)

SteveK

By SteveS (68.41.246.202) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 09:09 pm:

Thanks guys. I think Don's Pres Genovese identity morphed into Pres Eisenhower, which became the name of the band (which lasted for about 20 minutes). As far as Fagenson blackmail, the Scene episode is just a drop in the bucket.

By drums (68.80.23.97) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 09:39 pm:

It was definitely a different appearance!!!

D

By Sue (64.12.97.7) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 09:46 pm:

The key phrase, "Don's pre-Was punk band" ...he actually had two, but we won't go there.

By drums (68.80.23.97) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 09:48 pm:



D

By Uptight (24.55.6.144) on Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - 05:18 pm:

In the later years of The Scene, I believe the newer lyrics started with: "It's six o'clock, and it's time to rock..."

I never knew the rest of the lyrics, though. Hehe.
-Christopher

By mhc (172.133.235.79) on Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 09:59 am:

I have a couple of early-'80s episodes of "The Scene" on VHS tapes, and could come up with some copies, if anybody has something cool to trade.

By SteveS (209.219.207.3) on Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 10:13 am:

I can't think about the Scene without an eventual segue to Late Night Entertainment with RJ Watkins (also on channel 62). I was absolutely hooked on this show. Did anybody else used to watch it?

By Uptight (24.55.6.144) on Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 10:44 pm:

Yeah, I watched it, SteveS. I wonder what RJ Watkins is doin' nowadays.

By Sue (152.163.252.68) on Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 11:10 pm:

Steve! At Creem we used to keep the TV tuned to Channel 62 always, when we were on deadline. We'd stay up all night once a month to put the magazine to bed, and at the time, that was the only station that went 24 hours. Remember fter Late Night Entertainment, they ran All Night Movies with the worst/coolest movies ever.

We'd sit there proofreading, eating Checker BBQ, watching Nate then All Night Movies (with the stereo running) ... ah to be a teenaged journalist again.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 11:12 pm:

Channel 62 was the channel to watch.

By Sue (152.163.252.68) on Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 11:16 pm:

WGPR: "Where God's Presence Radiates" ...

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 11:23 pm:

:o)

By Uptight (24.55.6.144) on Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 11:23 pm:

Thank you, Sue. I was trying to remember what the call letters stood for!!! LOL!

This could be for another thread, but was WJLB an acronym, too?

By marv (152.163.252.68) on Friday, June 27, 2003 - 09:19 am:

I remember RJ Watkins show too!! I'd love to have the Scene on VHS. I can trade somethings.