Midnight Love: The Marvin Gaye Tour of Ostend, Belgium
I made my way to the tourist information centre, where I was given headphones and an iPhone with a built-in app called ‘The Marvin Gaye Midnight Love Tour’. Developed in 2011, it is the first and only organised tour dedicated to the memory of Marvin Gaye in the city, where he wrote the album that managed to get his wayward career all too briefly back on course. History has been kind to Marvin, who is now generally considered one of the most important musicians of the 20th century, so it is hard to believe the sad state of affairs his life was in shortly before his death.
British soul singer Jamie Liddell, who hosts various videos included on the app, reminds us how, like the city of Ostend, Marvin’s star had long since faded when he made the journey there…
“By the late winter of 1981 Marvin Gaye’s career and personal life were at an ebb. After a disastrous European tour and stranded in London, Marvin faced two failed marriages, four million dollars of debt to the IRS, the end of a long time partnership with Motown Records, drug addiction and depression.”
The Midnight Love tour started at the beach, looking out over the stark ‘Nordzee’, where my audio guide told how Marvin’s sojourn to Belgium came to be. Concert promoter and Ostend resident Freddie Couseart, a long time fan of Marvin Gaye, had the dream of getting the singer to perform at the local Kursaal Casino. His obsession, like so many European promoters of black music, seems to have been born out of a mixture of shrewd opportunism, a kind of egoic lust for black music collector-kudos and a genuine love of the man and the music. Ultimately though, this fandom would lead to his own exploitation.
NEXT: Marvin Gaye – Midnight Love Part 4: Cocaine, anonymity, and ‘Transit Ostende’.
This article is wonderfully written, with beautiful, powerful accompanying photographs. I appreciate how your initial intentions were to uncover the path of one ghost, and in fact you’ve uncovered a million others as a result of the brute that was Leopold II. Regarding your spitting at the vulgar misrepresentation of history, enshrined in false iconographic form, I felt similarly whilst travelling around Mexico, Colombia and Brazil. It came to a head in Cartagena, northern Colombia, a city central to the slave trade and the colonial raping of a thriving civilisation. I’d been told “you must go there”, “the old city is so beautiful”. Contrary to people’s valorisations, I felt a deep sense of unease, sadness and anger whilst surrounded by some of the most astoundingly beautiful architecture. Not only was it stained in the blood, sweat and tears of the slaves, but it was a staunch reminder that the systems of segregation, oppression and inequality born from that era were resolutely still in place. The poverty, squalor and economic deprivation that characterises Colombia are manifestly obvious in Cartagena. Those with wealth enjoy the old colonial centre, whilst former slaves provide them with tours in the ornate horse and carts from back in the day. I wrote about it after escaping this travesty, which helped me to process my anger to some extent. I wish I’d spat, but I went trekking for five days instead! Here’s the piece I wrote, for anyone interested:
http://anactivistabroad.com/2013/06/17/little-brother/
Wow! Really enjoyed this. A fascinating mix of history, reflection and the search for “soul” of a place , of a time, of a person and of an empire.
Great stuff.
Great read! Now I am intrigued to embark on this marvin Gaye digital tour, whilst listening to his album. Something tells me I’ll also “voluntarily” add my spite of King Leopod’s through the activation of my salivary glands;) hehe !
Great read! Now I am intrigued to embark on this Marvin Gaye digital tour, whilst listening to his album. Something tells me I’ll also “voluntarily” add my spite of King Leopod through the activation of my salivary glands;) hehe !
You wrote this piece as beautifully as Marvin sung some of his best work. I loved it.
This is very well worded and useful, thankyou. I like the way you explain key concepts minus hyperbole. It’s useful information and I deem you worth sharing.