"Before Destiny’s Child came along, it was the Pointer Sisters."

August 14, 2015 8:34 PM

Anita Pointer: Civil-Rights Activist, Pop Star, and Serious Collector of Black Memorabilia

(via Neatorama)

posted by Blue Jello Elf (11 comments total)

Without this post I would not have been introduced to the masterpiece that is Dare Me, so I am thankful.
posted by Anonymous at 9:25 PM on August 14, 2015

"...there were the signs on the water faucets, “colored” on one side and “white” on the other side. Me and my friends would go downtown and drink on the white side and then run away to make the townspeople mad..."

Jesus, what a great interview.
posted by Cookiebastard at 9:44 PM on August 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

What a fascinating article! I'd love to see her whole collection someday.

I've always loved the Pointer Sisters. Aside from their obvious musical chops and the fact that they're just as great live as they are mixed, I've always appreciated the fact that they know how to be sexy and fun and glamorous without the need to be hoochie and undignified.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 12:10 AM on August 15, 2015 [1 favorite]

In between The Pointer Sisters and Destiny's Child there was En Vogue.
posted by wabbittwax at 5:26 AM on August 15, 2015 [4 favorites]

Excellent article, thank you. In addition to all the personal detail on life in Jim Crow-era America, as a huge fan of Blue Thumb-era Pointers, I loved reading about how the group came into being. Much as I enjoyed their big '80s hits, listening to their takes on "Cloudburst" or "Salt Peanuts" and hearing all that church and rock and soul into those vocalese standards is still the best, for me.

Here, the sisters take "Cloudburst" on two wheels.
posted by the sobsister at 6:43 AM on August 15, 2015

That article just kept getting better and better. Such a unique perspective on the African American experience in the West and in the South. Highly recommended!
posted by Captain Chesapeake at 8:58 AM on August 15, 2015

Wasn't Destiny's Child some individual singers put together by a record company? The Pointer Sisters started singing together in the church children's choir before the youngest one started kindergarten.
posted by bukvich at 9:19 AM on August 15, 2015 [1 favorite]

Without the Pointer Sisters, no Destiny's Child, no Beyoncé, and sure as hell no "I woke up like this." If anything, their 70s albums make their 80s albums look like child's play. Really, just sheer excellence.

And she's right, they were everywhere at one point in the 80s. Even more ubiquitous than Beyoncé is now. Break Out was inescapable.

She says this at the end of the interview:

"I am grateful for the #BlackLivesMatter campaign. For many hundreds of years, white supremacists would kill our people with no repercussions. It’s horrible the way people think that they are better than others. I just don’t get it. I wasn’t raised that way."

Wow, what an amazing woman, what an amazing interview. Thank you for posting it!
posted by blucevalo at 10:02 AM on August 15, 2015

Went to the Paramount way back when to see a double bill of Taj Mahal and the Mahavishnu Orchestra. And Taj Mahal at one point picked up a double bass to do Texas Woman Blues and brought out the Pointer Sisters, about whom at this point, all we knew was for back up singing for Taj and Dave Mason.

And they came out in perfect 1930s ensembles, dresses, hats and shoes. They had it down. And sang so sweet, to boot. We were blown away.
posted by y2karl at 11:50 AM on August 15, 2015 [4 favorites]

For the record, after Googling around a number of Mahavishnu Orchestra devoted sites, I see way back when was March 26, 1973. Yikes!

Here is Taj Mahal Hearts the Pointer Sisters from 2013.

And here is Kalamu ya Salaam on their collaboration.

And from Recycling the Blues and Other Related Stuff, here is Taj Mahal - Texas Woman Blues
posted by y2karl at 11:59 AM on August 18, 2015

> That article just kept getting better and better.

Yes! And I never get tired of the Pinball Count Song. Thanks for posting this.
posted by benito.strauss at 12:19 PM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]