Tag Archives: Gamble and Huff

186: Destiny Roundtable

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Destiny, released in 1978, marked a seismic shift for The Jacksons — a bold declaration of creative independence, a spiritual and sonic rebirth, and a pivotal step in the journey that would launch Michael Jackson into superstardom. Having broken away from the constraints of Motown in 1975, the group spent years redefining their sound under Philadelphia International’s Gamble and Huff before finally taking complete control of their music with Destiny, their first self-written and self-produced album.

But was Destiny just a comeback album, or something far more profound?

In this roundtable episode, host Shawn Shackelford is joined by panelists Scorpeze, Samar Habib, and Jay Leggett to explore every corner of this often-overlooked masterpiece. From its gospel-fueled grooves and bold horn arrangements to its raw, personal lyricism and prophetic themes, the panel traces how Destiny not only signaled The Jacksons’ artistic autonomy but served as a critical bridge between the group’s legacy and Michael’s solo evolution.

The team unpacks the cultural and historical context of Destiny’s release, including the brothers’ exit from Motown, their variety show, and Michael’s early creative partnership with his brother, Randy. They dig into the musical inspirations behind the record — from Earth, Wind & Fire to Stevie Wonder — and examine how tracks like “Blame It on the Boogie,” “Push Me Away,” “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)” and “That’s What You Get (For Being Polite)” laid the foundation for the innovation of Off the Wall and beyond.

This in-depth, thought-provoking discussion celebrates an album that didn’t just reintroduce The Jacksons — it redefined them. Revisit the songs, stories, and struggles behind Destiny in a full track-by-track discussion, and consider whether it deserves a much more prominent place in the canon of pop and R&B history.

This episode was edited by Charlie Carter.

Participants
• Shawn Shackelford
• Scorpeze
• Samar Habib
• Jay Leggett

Additional Links
• Destiny Era
• New Yorker Magazine article about the Jacksons Leaving Motown, July 1975
• Gregg Cobarr’s Photographic Flashbacks with Michael Jackson, August 16, 1978
• Record Mirror interview with Paul Sexton, October 7, 1978
• The Jacksons’ 10th Anniversary Special in Billboard (Pgs. 47-62), November 18, 1978
• The Jacksons interview with Blues and Soul, February 1979
• Review of The Jacksons’ February 23-24, 1979 concerts in London, England at the Rainbow Theatre for the “Destiny World Tour”-Black Echoes- March 3, 1979
• Star Trak Westwood One Interview with The Jacksons, May 28, 1979
• LP Promo-Destiny album disc interviews the Jacksons, 1980
• “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)” Demo
• Executive Producer, Bobby Colomby interview
• Michael “Mick” Jackson discusses “Blame it on the Boogie”

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If you have feedback on this Michael Jackson podcast episode, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us at themjcast@icloud.com or find the links to our many social networks on www.themjcast.com. Keep livin’ off the wall.

079: Bryan Loren Special

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As regular listeners of The MJCast know, Jamon and Q are sensitive to the delicate nature of leaks. While often thrilling for fans, they can profoundly affect the trajectory of a song, an album, and a career. In the case of renowned record producer, singer-songwriter, and instrumentalist Bryan Loren, much of his work with Michael Jackson, to which he dedicated years of hard work, leaked out to the public. Because of these unfortunate events, as well as other factors, Loren never got credit or compensation for much of the material he created. Loren is now inviting Michael Jackson fans to consider respectfully offering him a token of thanks, a voluntary sum of money through his website, along with a note on how we’ve enjoyed his music over the years.

In this week’s exclusive interview, Jamon, who is hosting solo, welcomes Season 4’s first musical collaborator special guest, Bryan Loren. Loren has worked as a producer with a number of notable artists, including Whitney Houston, Barry White, Sly Stone, Sting, and, of course, Michael Jackson. A talented musician at a young age, Loren was a professional session artist by age 15 and had signed his first contract at only 17. He had two Billboard-charting R&B songs in 1984 as a solo artist, including ‘Lollipop Luv’ and ‘Do You Really Love Me’. Loren started working with Michael Jackson in the years leading up to the release of the Dangerous album in 1991. They collaborated on several songs together, including, to name just a few, ‘Work That Body’, ‘Serious Effect’, ‘She Got It’, ‘Man In Black’, ‘Superfly Sister’, ‘Mind Is The Magic’ and ‘Do the Bartman’. Their collaborative relationship and friendship would last for many years beyond those early sessions. Loren continues to make his own music as a solo artist, and plans to release his new album in the Summer of 2018.

This week’s episode is a a tough but important discussion about the deep and complex impact that leaks and other events have had on Loren’s life and career. Ultimately, The MJCast hopes that this interview will inspire listeners to think about the rights of artists, and about where lines must be drawn.

Links
• Bryan Loren’s website and letter to fans, which includes information about how to make financial contributions.
• Bryan Loren’s Facebook, Twitter and Apple Music pages.
• You can read Jamon’s ‘Thoughts on Leaks…’ op-ed here.
• The Philadelphia Experiment album
• The Jacksons’ self titled album and Goin’ Places
• Bryan Loren – Lollipop Luv (12″ Version)
• Michael Jackson – Superfly Sister
• Do The Bartman
• Gavin Christopher – One Step Closer
• Rufus & Chaka Khan – Destiny
• Bryan’s three favourite albums (Stevie Wonder’s Music Of My Mind, Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall and Steely Dan’s Aja).

Music Breaks & Ads
• Michael Jackson – Work That Body
• Michael Jackson – Serious Effect
• Do The Bartman
• Michael Jackson – She Got It

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• Facebook
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If you have any thoughts, opinions, or feedback on the show, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us at themjcast@icloud.com or find the links to our many social networks on www.themjcast.com. Keep Michaeling!