Explain me Motown

Completely disagree on Standing in the Shadows. Ben Harper and Meshell Ndege'ocello weren't great fits, but Joan Osborne was perfect for "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted." And how could you not love Bootsy on "Do You Love Me"?

Standing in the Shadows is worthwhile for fans but for newbies I'd say not so much.

The other key artist not mentioned by Keith is Gladys Knight. Don't miss her!

ABSOLUTELY OTM

The Temptations Psychedelic Soul
Willie Hutch The Mack
The Jackson 5 Dancing Machine
Smokey Robinson Quiet Storm
The Miracles City of Angels
Diana Ross Diana (produced by The Chic Organization)

"Walk Away From Love" -- David Ruffin
"It's A Shame" -- The Spinners
"War" "25 Miles From Home" -- Edwin Starr
"Girl You Need A Change of Mind" "Date With The Rain" "Keep On Trucking" "Boogie Down" -- Eddie Kendricks
"Smiling Faces Sometimes" "Law of the Land" -- The Undisputed Truth
"Get Ready" "I Just Want To Celebrate" "Born to Wander" "Hey Big Brother" "Ma" -- Rare Earth
"Stoned Love" "Floy Joy" "Let Yourself Go" The Supremes
"Don't Leave Me This Way" -- Thelma Houston
"Got To Give It Up" -- Marvin Gaye
"Brick House" "Machine Gun" "Nightshift" -- Commodores
"Cruising" "Being With You" -- Smokey Robinson
"That Girl' -- Stevie Wonder
"Let It Whip" -- Dazz Band
"Let Me Tickle Your Fancy" -- Jermaine Jackson
"Rhythm of the Night" -- DeBarge
"Somebody's Watching Me" -- Rockwell
"Don't Look Any Further' -- Dennis Edwards

I've just today come to the extremely belated conclusion that Motown is the single greatest record label ever to have existed in terms of ethos, breadth, consistency, imagination and pure hit rate. No other label or imprint can touch it.

Oder?

Can't argue with that.

i'll say it again, that standing in the shadows film was one big steaming pile of cash-in shit. how could they get it SO wrong

"Walk Away From Love" -- David Ruffin

song is amazing

so has anyone been buying those "complete motown singles" things? only one volume left to go, i believe. i don't have the cash, but jesus...

who has the time to hear them all

Thought this revive was going to be about recent Supremes bio.

In which Jack Ashford both vigorously defends the Funk Brothers legacy and claims that most of the stories about them were made up by him, presumably to mess with Slutsky.

Matos review of said book: http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-supremes,30144/

I just watched the Temptations miniseries--when I checked it out of the library I thought it was just footage of the Temps. Turns out it was some made-for-tv thing that would never end. It was good in the late 50s when the boys were just singing on street corners and getting started and wearing pegged jeans with loafers, but then it would never end. I had to fast forward through the last half of it. No wonder--just found out it was 4 hours long.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Temptations_(TV_miniseries)

Recently read Barry Gordy's biography, after interest being resparked after seeing him speak at MJ's funeral. Might read Smokey's bio next, maybe not. Read Nelson George's book on Motown--surprisingly wasn't that insightful to me.

VP, you should read the Marvin Gaye bio Divided Soul by David Ritz. You could also read the Dennis Coffey book, I know QBPL has a copy.

Thanks for recs. I kind of want to read "Dancing in the Street: Motown and Cultural Politics of Detroit" but I fear I am too lazy. I love Marvin Gaye. I checked out his "Live in Montreaux" video, which I think was recorded the year before his death. It was good, but I think I fell asleep in the middle.

i hadn't noticed before today how much of a motown cop hall & oates's "maneater" is!

nelson george's book is zzzzzzzzz. so is david ritz's marvin gaye bio. i wish i knew some good writing on motown.

I just watched the Four Tops 50 year anniversary celebration. I thought it would be cheesy, but it was actually very strong. Levi Stubbs came out in a wheelchair for one song with Aretha Franklin that was very affecting.

Motown v Stax Smackdown on WNYC Soundcheck right now.

is the berry gordy book worth reading? it's been a few years since i read smokeys. i enjoyed it but it got incredibly bleak & sad toward the end (think he wrote it in the late 80s, early 90s, just after he fixed the crack habit)

smokey robinson had a crack habit?

that's actually a massive downer to think about

I was surprised to learn recently about Smokey's late-period coke habit, but I assumed it was powder, no? Crack would be really o_O

Berry Gordy's book is a light, easy read. Apparently he and Marvin were into the coke as well. It's slanted very favorably to Gordy, of course. The one surprise I had was that Gordy actually came from a prominent African American family--I think their picture was in Life Magazine in the 40s.

RIP at 93 guitarist Joe Messina from Motown’s Funk Brothers band

http://www.soultracks.com/story-joe-messina-dies

My hero! RIP :(

Messina was a teen guitar prodigy at Detroit’s Cass Tech high school, and as a young man became part of the ABC television network studio band, where he had the opportunity to work with many of the all-time jazz greats, from Charlie Parker to Dizzy Gillespie

My understanding was that that was on the Soupy Sales show and that pretty much any touring jazz act that came through would play on that.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/people/2022/04/04/joe-messina-motown-guitarist-and-member-funk-brothers-has-died-age-93/7271120001/

Recommend me some obscure sublime tracks...I get tired of working my way through the catalog.

Thanks!

i and others have beaten the drum for solo Eddie Kendricks in case you haven't heard those albums

Seconding.

Nixon-era Motown is tops: spookier, thicker bottom.

I've always liked this Spinners track from the band's early Motown era (when they were variously credited as the Detroit Spinners or the Motown Spinners).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmMlVm85RRQ

This whole album is great, but this is especially magical
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWNwpCnraIc

Nixon-era Motown is tops: spookier, thicker bottom.

this immediately popped in my head when i read that

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99FrA6KAua0

Stop the War, also off that Temps album, is S*T*U*N*N*I*N*G

Barrett Strong, Motown artist known for ‘Money,’ dies at 81

Realised today that of course The Complete Motown Singles are on streaming! When the CDs of that came out I felt like it was a step too far for me as a collector, yet I felt slightly sad that I wouldn't be taking the plunge.