European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 16, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 16 the stars and stripes monday september 16, 1985 nostalgia keeps Smokey Robinson Young by Diane Holloway Cox news service t ump arc a Mil lion  floating around the nostalgia hate some Are sad. And some Are  Robinson s is decidedly Happy look at that lace does that look like a . Unhappy Man no. It does not. Ii is the quintessential Happy face Pixie peaked eyebrows Bright Gripon eyes an impish Grin a Frame of Corkscrew curls he s 45 years old now but does t look a Day Over 25 humility a Strong personal code of ethics and ail around clean living Are probably responsible for Robinson s remarkable durability and happiness in a business not kno in for either. After More than 25 years As d Singer songwriter record producer and management executive with motown records Robinson says being part of the nostalgia crae to heartwarming. It does not make him Leel old or decrepit As some of his colleagues have said it makes Thorn feel. I Ihrk it s a Blessing Robinson said recently in los Angeles for someone to even know who i am today is really something i m grateful to have been around All these  Robinson started banging on a piano in Detroit when he was 3 years old. Sarah Vaughan was his favorite Singer and he was later influenced by Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson. In High school he wrote songs and formed a group called the matadors. Berry Gordy the future founder and president of motown was writing songs Lor Jackie Wilson when he first auditioned Robinson and the matadors. We Sang some of the original songs i d written in High school and that impressed him said Robinson. The matadors became the miracles and Berry started producing them on other labels. But he did t think his Young musicians were being paid enough so he decided to distribute them himself motown was born. Robinson and the miracles first release on motown was get a Job which established the company s Label. In 1958. They recorded shop around which was a Chart Topping hit and established motown As a future powerhouse in popular music. Other hits included you really got a hold on me satisfaction and fears of a Clown. When he was t singing with the miracles in the 1960s. Robinson wrote and produced songs for other motown artists such As Marvin Gaye Ain t that Peculiar the temptations my Girland Mary Wells my Guy. In the 1970�, Robinson left the miracles and launched a Solo career. At the same time he started moving his Way up the corporate ladder at motown. He is now vice president in charge of personnel. He quit performing for about three years but recently returned to a Busy concert and nightclub schedule. It s where i think i belong said Robinson. I was really going up the Wall when Robinson talks about motown records he s not just talking about a company or a Job. He s talking about his family and his life. Despite rumours of bad feelings Between Gordy and some stars like Diana Ross and the Fate Marvin Gaye who left motown after achieving Success Robinson said a 1983 motown special on television demonstrated How strongly the artists Leel about Gordy and the company. People came Back Lor their respect and love Lor Berry Gordy said Robinson. When people leave they always come Back. It s a very unique company. We Groom our people from infancy Lor show business. We Leach them everything irom stage presence to personal Hygiene. Then we put them into the world As  Robinson is of Tom asked Why he did t leave motown alter he became successful. I stayed because it s my  he said. I love motown and Berry s my Best Friend he is an honest Man and he has taken really Good care of  Leit there be any doubt about Robinson s ties to motown it should be noted that he has been Robinton for someone to oven know who i am today a really  married for nearly 20 years to Claudette Rogers one of the original miracles. Their son now 17, is named Berry. They also have a daughter tamil 14. Motown moved from Detroit to los Angeles in 1971, a move that Robinson initially opposed. Born and bred in Detroit he did t want to leave the City that symbolized motown. Some of the More cynical observers said the move to los Angeles was the end of the real motown. I was against moving out Here because i was afraid of the san Andreas  Robinson joked adding that the company needed to be near the Center of the recording business for economic reasons. Although the miracles Are part of his past Robinson keeps in touch with them. He does not forget old friends or colleagues and is intensely Loyal to them. Pete Moore he says is an Independent record producer in los Angeles. Ron White manag s several apartment buildings in Detroit. And Bob Rogers is forming a new group called the miracles which Robinson says he has every right to do. He was one of the original matadors. I wish him the Best of  Robinton it firm believer not Only in the motown sound but also in the motown ideals of Good taste and process localism. He thinks the motown sound is still popular because it s Quality  he does t feel As kindly about some of today s lyrics and music especially some of the videos seen on Cable s mtg. He says some Are  As the Parent of two teen agers Robinson is concerned about pop music. I think this suggestive material is ludicrous he said. Most of it has gotten Way out of hand and something needs to be done about it. Censorship i Don t know but there should be a Core of standards. I be often rejected records because they re too far out. Some have very sexually explicit lyrics. If they were rated a x. Or pm. That would be Fine but when they play them on the radio and on television so that kids 3 and 4 can hear them that s not right. At motown we have a stricter code than Normal. I think tradition keeps the younger acts straight because they know their predecessors were All top notch  when asked for examples of artists whose material he finds offensive. Robinson at first refused to name names but then he said motown s own Rick James is an example. He s a pus onal Friend of mind but i have trouble with a lot of his material said Robinson. I can talk to him about toning it Down but he thinks he has to project a certain image to remain popular " what can be done about x and a rated pop i think the Way it can be handled is for people like me to speak out whenever we can " said Robinson. We should be aware of our Power and take advantage of it. We Are programming for Young people and we should be aware of of influence on them. Robinson is recording a song be kind to the growing mind about his concern for impressionable youngsters