Motown

Posted by: Wazza69 on 25 July 2008

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone had any recommendations for an introduction to Motown? Perhaps a compilation or boxset?

Thanks

Posted on: 25 July 2008 by KeanoKing

I'll be interested in this one. Would like to start listening to more motown myself.

KK

Posted on: 27 July 2008 by ewemon

Motown Chartbusters series would be a good place to start. That would give you a really good overview of their artists since the early 60's through to the late 70's

You can usually find them in Tescos for a few squid.

Posted on: 27 July 2008 by Analogue

quote:
Originally posted by Wazza69:
Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone had any recommendations for an introduction to Motown? Perhaps a compilation or boxset?

Thanks

Hi Wazza69,

Kiki Dee was the first white/european female vocalist to be signed up to Motown, in 1969.The cd is called - Love Makes The World Go Round,

Detais here http://hmv.com/hmvweb/simpleSearch.do?searchUID=&pGroup...&btnSubmitSearch.y=7

Hope this helps,

Chris N

Posted on: 27 July 2008 by steve10

Just finished watching the the Stax stuff on BBC4 and it strikes me that to get an over view on Motown would be to watch the 'Standing in the shadows of Giants' dvd then get hold of the music in the chronological order as its is told in the film .
You then get the music as it unfurls and progresses.
Whith regard to the cds, avoid the cheap supermarket/petrol station crap and seek out the fine remasters that have steadily been coming out.

Posted on: 28 July 2008 by ewemon

quote:
Originally posted by steve10:
Just finished watching the the Stax stuff on BBC4 and it strikes me that to get an over view on Motown would be to watch the 'Standing in the shadows of Giants' dvd then get hold of the music in the chronological order as its is told in the film .
You then get the music as it unfurls and progresses.
Whith regard to the cds, avoid the cheap supermarket/petrol station crap and seek out the fine remasters that have steadily been coming out.

Personally I find most of the current remasters earbleeders steve. The best versions are those done by in the mid 90's.

The current remasters are boosted in the upper midrange. So you get hot trebles

I still have all my original early Motown singles from the early 60's think there is about 500- 600 in total.

The reason I recommended the Chartbusters series is that they have been around for many years and you get an overview of most of Motowns artists so you can pick what you like. As well as not having been remastered.

Then go out and buy the artists you like voice wise.

Now if you want recommendations then I can certainly give a huge list.

Posted on: 28 July 2008 by John M

I agree with Steve about the "Standing in the Shadows" documentary. I was mesmerized by this film. It was fascinating to see the layers peeled back from the incredible mass of music that made up Motown, from the dirt floor in Gordy's one room basement studio to the top of the charts. My father was born and raised in Detroit so I spent parts of my childhood in the 60's hanging out there. But most of my exposure was just listening through the AM radio which woke me up every morning for school.

One of my favorite collections on CD is here -

This has the mono mixes (mastered in 1992 which I prefer to the remasters, as mentioned here by ewemon) of a great collection of the many popular hits. For vinyl I stick with the 45 rpm singles whenever possible but there is a pretty cool 5 lp collection of the 60's era called the Motown Story that has interviews with the artists between cuts.

Happy listening!

John

Posted on: 28 July 2008 by KeanoKing

Hi Ewemon,

Hit us with the list

By the way, finally got the Felice brothers - self titled CD. Superb! Oh and finally got round to RL Burnside!!! How did i miss him

ATB

KK

Posted on: 29 July 2008 by ewemon

Now this is not a complete list but discs I have had in my possession over the years. Some were vinyl which I no longer use. But have never got around to replacing them.

Also it is not definitive

Stevie Wonder-
Songs in the Key of Life
Innervisons- (best version by far I have heard is the MFSL)
Music of my Mind
Fullfillingness First Finale
Uptight
Signed Sealed Delivered
Where I'm Coming From
My Cherie Amour
For Once in My Life

Marvin Gaye-

Let's Get it On
What's Goin On
Moods of
I Want You

Smokey Robinson-

Goin' to a Go Go
Tears of a Clown

Diana Ross-

Diana Ross
Diana and Marvin

The Supremes-

Where Did Our Love Go
Diana Ross & The Supremes join The Temptations
The Supremes Sing Holland Dozier and Holland
I Hear a Symphony
Supremes a Go Go

Four Tops-

Self Titled
Four Tops Second album
Reach Out
Still Waters

Jackson 5-

ABC
Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5

Isley Brothers-

This Old Heart of Mine

Jnr Walker-

Shotgun

Jimmy Ruffin-

Sings The Top Ten

Temptations-

Meet The Temptations
Sings Smokey
Temptin Temptations
Masterpiece
All Directions
Zoom
Gettin' Ready
I Wish It Would Rain
Cloud Nine
Psychedelic Shack.
With A Lot of Soul.

Now a couple of things. Be careful if you buy the latest two albums on one disc series. Some of them especially in the Temptations series have shortened tracks.

IMHO the best versions on cd I have heard of most of the above are the earliest or mid 90's lot.

The best Innervisions is the MFSL IMHO. I don't like the current remastered Stevie Wonder I personally prefer the earler masterings.

With Marvin Gaye get the Gavin Lurssen masterings from the mid 90's. They can usually be found very cheaply.

One last thing I have missed out some artists like Martha Reeves, The Elgins, Tammi Terrell and lots of others simply because of space.

Posted on: 29 July 2008 by rega1

quote:
Originally posted by ewemon:
Now this is not a complete list but discs I have had in my possession over the years. Some were vinyl which I no longer use. But have never got around to replacing them.

Also it is not definitive

Stevie Wonder-
Songs in the Key of Life
Innervisons- (best version by far I have heard is the MFSL)
Music of my Mind
Fullfillingness First Finale
Uptight
Signed Sealed Delivered
Where I'm Coming From
My Cherie Amour
For Once in My Life

Marvin Gaye-

Let's Get it On
What's Goin On
Moods of
I Want You

Smokey Robinson-

Goin' to a Go Go
Tears of a Clown

Diana Ross-

Diana Ross
Diana and Marvin

The Supremes-

Where Did Our Love Go
Diana Ross & The Supremes join The Temptations
The Supremes Sing Holland Dozier and Holland
I Hear a Symphony
Supremes a Go Go

Four Tops-

Self Titled
Four Tops Second album
Reach Out
Still Waters

Jackson 5-

ABC
Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5

Isley Brothers-

This Old Heart of Mine

Jnr Walker-

Shotgun

Jimmy Ruffin-

Sings The Top Ten

Temptations-

Meet The Temptations
Sings Smokey
Temptin Temptations
Masterpiece
All Directions
Zoom
Gettin' Ready
I Wish It Would Rain
Cloud Nine
Psychedelic Shack.
With A Lot of Soul.

Now a couple of things. Be careful if you buy the latest two albums on one disc series. Some of them especially in the Temptations series have shortened tracks.

IMHO the best versions on cd I have heard of most of the above are the earliest or mid 90's lot.

The best Innervisions is the MFSL IMHO. I don't like the current remastered Stevie Wonder I personally prefer the earler masterings.

With Marvin Gaye get the Gavin Lurssen masterings from the mid 90's. They can usually be found very cheaply.

One last thing I have missed out some artists like Martha Reeves, The Elgins, Tammi Terrell and lots of others simply because of space.

growing up in the Detroit area, I must say you have covered it well. I would like to add...

Bill Withers

Al Green

Ray Charles

Marvin Gaye - The Millenium Collection is well done.

rega1

Posted on: 30 July 2008 by John M

quote:
Originally posted by rega1:

Bill Withers

Al Green

Ray Charles

rega1

I totally agree with those additions, but humbly mention that, staying true to the original thread, they are not of the Motown "stable " of artists. The Motown sound, the Sound of Young America and all that, I consider to be pretty much what the OP was asking about. I do concur that Al, Ray and Bill are certainly fantastic additions to anyone's soul and R&B listening exploration. Al Green had a couple of LPs on the Motown label, but only in the later 70's, but a majority of his most popular work was on Hi records. Bill Withers was Sussex/Columbia and Ray Charles of course practically made Atlantic Records in the 50's and paved the way for the soul explosion of Motown. I know this is not news to anyone, and no offense Rega1, just trying to refocus on the original question.

I also think Ewemon pretty much covered it but I came up with a few others of my favorite Motown LPs -

Martha Reeves and the Vandellas - Heat Wave
Edwin Starr - 25 Miles and War and Peace
The Marvelettes - S/T
The Contours - Do You Love Me
Rare Earth - Get Ready (with a 20 minute version of the title track - one of my favorites)
Temptations - Puzzle People
Gladys Knight and the Pips - If I Were Your Woman

So much to go listen to now!

John

Posted on: 30 July 2008 by John M

And going a bit deeper on the motown "collection" exploration, I love this series of anthologies called Cellarful of Motown. It has several volumes and is researched and beautifully detailed in the way that is typical of the British, in my yankee opinion. I really enjoy the UK view and passion for (if I may be so general) American soul and R&B music.

Posted on: 30 July 2008 by rega1

[/QUOTE]

I totally agree with those additions, but humbly mention that, staying true to the original thread, they are not of the Motown "stable " of artists. The Motown sound, the Sound of Young America and all that, I consider to be pretty much what the OP was asking about. I do concur that Al, Ray and Bill are certainly fantastic additions to anyone's soul and R&B listening exploration. Al Green had a couple of LPs on the Motown label, but only in the later 70's, but a majority of his most popular work was on Hi records. Bill Withers was Sussex/Columbia and Ray Charles of course practically made Atlantic Records in the 50's and paved the way for the soul explosion of Motown. I know this is not news to anyone, and no offense Rega1, just trying to refocus on the original question.

I also think Ewemon pretty much covered it but I came up with a few others of my favorite Motown LPs -

Martha Reeves and the Vandellas - Heat Wave
Edwin Starr - 25 Miles and War and Peace
The Marvelettes - S/T
The Contours - Do You Love Me
Rare Earth - Get Ready (with a 20 minute version of the title track - one of my favorites)
Temptations - Puzzle People
Gladys Knight and the Pips - If I Were Your Woman

So much to go listen to now!

John[/QUOTE]

You are correct. I was not drawing an exact line between Motown, and the R&B / Soul, but point well taken, and your additions are top notch.

Love the "Rare Earth" addition

rega1

Posted on: 30 July 2008 by ewemon

Always thought that Rare Earth were a bit out of place in the Motown roster. A white rock band admittedly from Detroit but totally out of place with the Motown sound.

Posted on: 30 July 2008 by ewemon

By the way lads thanks for reminding me about Rare Earth. I had totally forgotten about them and used to love them so I went and bought 4 albums of theirs.

If you are thinking about getting the long version of Get Ready it is on the Millenium Collection.

Posted on: 30 July 2008 by John M

Just curious - which 4 rare earth albums? I kind of agree, but as far as blue eyed soul goes, they play the hell out of it. A bit less out of place than Kiki Dee however...

I really only rate the self titled Rare Earth album. Ecology kind of bores me. THe only version of Rare Earth S/T I have is the vinyl version, and this has the long version of get ready. That is my jam!!!

Posted on: 30 July 2008 by ewemon

Millenium Collection as that is the only way you can get the long version of Get Ready
Ma
Ecology
Get Ready

The last two were an old Motown twofer from '94. Which having a couple of these twofer discs the sound quality is quite nice.

Would buy a copy of their Live lbum but didn't want to overspend on them.

Posted on: 31 July 2008 by Mike Hughes

I'm with John M on this. If you want the best way in on CD combined with pretty much the best sound then the first of his two box sets is the one. Great booklet too.

Mike