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Tamla Motown


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Tamla Motown records started by Barry Gordy with $800 loan from his family is 50 years old today. Diana Ross started to work for Barry as his first secratary, there have been some great songs and artists from that label over the years including either 181 or 189 number ones.

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Got into Motown in the mid 60's. Relatives brought back early Motown records from New York (along with Ben Sherman shirts) when working on the Liners. Really fresh sound and went well with the sharp suits and smart appearance of those associated with the 'cutting edge' sounds.

 

Can still remember the Tempations lead singer David Ruffin blasting out 'Aint too Proud to Beg' and being thoroughly hooked. Also remember the BBC DJ, Mike Raven, playing the Four Tops new release 'I'll Be There' twice in succession, much to the annoyance of the BEEB.

 

If you like the music check out the Funk Bros CD. The Funk Bros were the Motown House Band. Great Muscians

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Got into Motown in the mid 60's. Relatives brought back early Motown records from New York (along with Ben Sherman shirts) when working on the Liners. Really fresh sound and went well with the sharp suits and smart appearance of those associated with the 'cutting edge' sounds.

 

Can still remember the Tempations lead singer David Ruffin blasting out 'Aint too Proud to Beg' and being thoroughly hooked. Also remember the BBC DJ, Mike Raven, playing the Four Tops new release 'I'll Be There' twice in succession, much to the annoyance of the BEEB.

 

If you like the music check out the Funk Bros CD. The Funk Bros were the Motown House Band. Great Muscians

 

Can't say that, in all my years, I've heard that one! Did you mean the Jackson 5? Or a different song title?

 

Tamla Motown is the label as we know it in Britain and the rest of the world. Gordy actually started Tamla Records in 1959 and Motown Records in 1960. They were seperate labels until they merged in the 80s and sold to MCA.

 

Now you are on my wavelength!

 

Tamla, Motown, Gordy, Soul, all released their own imprints and, indeed, did merge into one main label. At the same time Tamla Motown (the UK imprint) aligned with European Motown releases for a new record numbering system. Later the company was sold to MCA and then Polygram.

 

By then, for me, the magic had long gone!

 

The company is now owned by Universal

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Tamla Motown records started by Barry Gordy with $800 loan from his family is 50 years old today. Diana Ross started to work for Barry as his first secratary, there have been some great songs and artists from that label over the years including either 181 or 189 number ones.

 

 

Barry Gordy? Wasn't it Berry Gordy?

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ESB

 

Sorry the Four Tops song was 'Reach Out, I'll be There' (old age and all that!!!)

 

As an affectionado of Motown would be interested in your favourite Top 10 or so

 

In no particular order, and the content is liable to change on a whim!

 

Marvelettes - The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game

Jimmy Ruffin - Everybody Needs Love

Undisputed Truth - Smiling Faces (Sometimes)

Temptations - Girl (Why'd You Wanna Make Me Blue?)

Isley Bros - I Guess I'll Always Love You

Brenda Holloway - Can't Hold The Feeling Back

Carolyn Crawford - Until You Came Along

Eddie Holland - I Like Everything About You (Acetate)

Temptations - Papa Was A Rolling Stone

Four Tops - Love Feels Like Fire

Four Tops - Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)

 

Plus, well! Take your pick.

 

It's a pity I can't PM you as you are a Registered User.

 

Mods! Please tell me how I can contact this fella, promise I'll not abuse him!

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In no particular order, and the content is liable to change on a whim!

 

Marvelettes - The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game

Jimmy Ruffin - Everybody Needs Love

Undisputed Truth - Smiling Faces (Sometimes)

Temptations - Girl (Why'd You Wanna Make Me Blue?)

Isley Bros - I Guess I'll Always Love You

Brenda Holloway - Can't Hold The Feeling Back

Carolyn Crawford - Until You Came Along

Eddie Holland - I Like Everything About You (Acetate)

Temptations - Papa Was A Rolling Stone

Four Tops - Love Feels Like Fire

Four Tops - Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)

 

Plus, well! Take your pick.

 

It's a pity I can't PM you as you are a Registered User.

 

Mods! Please tell me how I can contact this fella, promise I'll not abuse him!

 

ESB - I only recognise 1 song from your top ten . You don't have Abraham Martin and John, or I heard it through the Grapevine(in my mind, an almost perfect pop song), Tracks of my tears. I still play Motown Chartbusters Vol3.

 

In my day you either liked Motown/soul/reggae or Progressive Rock but not both. I went down the progressive rock route with a secret love of soul so as not to lose my street cred...I was the only bloke with a skinhead haircut Crombie in the queue for tickets to Led Zeppelin at the Gaumont!!!! Happy days

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ESB - I only recognise 1 song from your top ten . You don't have Abraham Martin and John, or I heard it through the Grapevine(in my mind, an almost perfect pop song), Tracks of my tears. I still play Motown Chartbusters Vol3.

 

In my day you either liked Motown/soul/reggae or Progressive Rock but not both. I went down the progressive rock route with a secret love of soul so as not to lose my street cred...I was the only bloke with a skinhead haircut Crombie in the queue for tickets to Led Zeppelin at the Gaumont!!!! Happy days

 

I know what you mean about my choice. Over the years I have heard so much Motown that I tend to seek out the album tracks or less well known singles. I rarely buy a Motown CD these days because they are almost always full of the usual suspects. The only exceptions of late being the Cellarful Of Motown series and the excellent Complete Motown Singles Collection series, the latter being quite expensive at about £80 a throw and now only 3 sets from it's conclusion.

 

Oh! I also like E.L.P. (for what it's worth!)

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Tamla Motown records started by Barry Gordy with $800 loan from his family is 50 years old today. Diana Ross started to work for Barry as his first secratary, there have been some great songs and artists from that label over the years including either 181 or 189 number ones.

 

 

Barry Gordy? Classic.

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I know what you mean about my choice. Over the years I have heard so much Motown that I tend to seek out the album tracks or less well known singles. I rarely buy a Motown CD these days because they are almost always full of the usual suspects. The only exceptions of late being the Cellarful Of Motown series and the excellent Complete Motown Singles Collection series, the latter being quite expensive at about £80 a throw and now only 3 sets from it's conclusion.

 

Oh! I also like E.L.P. (for what it's worth!)

 

I bought a DVD of E.L.P last year and i wish I hadn't. I was a big fan of them and again queued all night for tickets. Its what you did in the 70's. I don't think much of E.L.P's music has aged that well.

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ESB - I only recognise 1 song from your top ten . You don't have Abraham Martin and John, or I heard it through the Grapevine(in my mind, an almost perfect pop song), Tracks of my tears. I still play Motown Chartbusters Vol3.

 

In my day you either liked Motown/soul/reggae or Progressive Rock but not both. I went down the progressive rock route with a secret love of soul so as not to lose my street cred...I was the only bloke with a skinhead haircut Crombie in the queue for tickets to Led Zeppelin at the Gaumont!!!! Happy days

 

I took the rock route as well as I thought motown was awful, imo that is.

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In no particular order, and the content is liable to change on a whim!

 

Marvelettes - The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game

Jimmy Ruffin - Everybody Needs Love

Undisputed Truth - Smiling Faces (Sometimes)

Temptations - Girl (Why'd You Wanna Make Me Blue?)

Isley Bros - I Guess I'll Always Love You

Brenda Holloway - Can't Hold The Feeling Back

Carolyn Crawford - Until You Came Along

Eddie Holland - I Like Everything About You (Acetate)

Temptations - Papa Was A Rolling Stone

Four Tops - Love Feels Like Fire

Four Tops - Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)

 

Plus, well! Take your pick.

 

It's a pity I can't PM you as you are a Registered User.

 

Mods! Please tell me how I can contact this fella, promise I'll not abuse him!

 

ESB

 

Glad to see you have avoided the 'popular' choices.

Early Temps with David Ruffin/Eddie Kendricks on lead better, IMO, than subsequent stuff when Dennis Edwards repalced Ruffin.

Also Isley Bros much underated

Will spend some quality time compyling dance/romantic Top 10's.

Compared to Saints, Motown has rarely let me down altho have enjoyed past performances of both rather than todays insipid stuff.

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ESB,

 

Forgive me for starting what amounts to a personal message board with you but have you come across the Motown 'Big Hits & Hard to Find Classics' CD.?Some duffers on there like Charlene & Tom Clay but many good tracks that never made the charts.

 

Also altho generally against covers (altho Marvin Gaye 'Grapevine' and Aretha 'Respect' are two which were improvements on the originals) have a listen to Joan Osborne (a white singer) if you can.

Had never heard of her before but her covers of 'Heatwave' & 'What Becomes of the Broken Hearted' with the Funk Bros are brilliant IMO.

 

Cover of 'Shotgun' by Gerald Levert featuring Tom Scott is also fantastic epecially with the volume at full power.

 

As a wanna be drummer it's great listening to the two Funk Bros drummers bashing out the synchronised beat.

 

Hope non Motown/Soul lovers enjoy their own genre's as much as I have enjoyed my choice for over 40 years.

 

PS Best wishes with the Ford campaign. Have spent a lot of time with Ford people in Basildon & Cologne as well as locally and their Management is so fragmented compared to the Japanese manufacturers.

Problem is overall product quality is now v good but who has the cash/desire to buy?

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Used to love listening to the Motown records, played pre-match, over the Tannoy at the Dell in the 1960s-70s. The musical taste definitely went the way of Yes, Led Zep, Sid Barrett Pink Floyd, etc... XTC and onward, but in my heart I can still hear those old classic Motown records, and they still give me a buzz. This is typical of the era:

 

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=8zCz8SKmGek

 

Brilliant stuff.

 

EDIT: Got to add this:

 

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=DqahfIsYCGk

Edited by St Landrew
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Used to love listening to the Motown records, played pre-match, over the Tannoy at the Dell in the 1960s-70s. The musical taste definitely went the way of Yes, Led Zep, Sid Barrett Pink Floyd, etc... XTC and onward, but in my heart I can still hear those old classic Motown records, and they still give me a buzz. This is typical of the era:

 

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=8zCz8SKmGek

 

Brilliant stuff.

 

EDIT: Got to add this:

 

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=DqahfIsYCGk

 

Don't get me started on youtube! go there to follow one link and find yourself watching or listening to something totally different, only some 3 hours later!

 

Lots of stuff on there celebrating M50. Also some good progs from BBC Radio 2.

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ESB,

 

Forgive me for starting what amounts to a personal message board with you but have you come across the Motown 'Big Hits & Hard to Find Classics' CD.?Some duffers on there like Charlene & Tom Clay but many good tracks that never made the charts.

 

Also altho generally against covers (altho Marvin Gaye 'Grapevine' and Aretha 'Respect' are two which were improvements on the originals) have a listen to Joan Osborne (a white singer) if you can.

Had never heard of her before but her covers of 'Heatwave' & 'What Becomes of the Broken Hearted' with the Funk Bros are brilliant IMO.

 

Cover of 'Shotgun' by Gerald Levert featuring Tom Scott is also fantastic epecially with the volume at full power.

 

As a wanna be drummer it's great listening to the two Funk Bros drummers bashing out the synchronised beat.

 

Hope non Motown/Soul lovers enjoy their own genre's as much as I have enjoyed my choice for over 40 years.

 

PS Best wishes with the Ford campaign. Have spent a lot of time with Ford people in Basildon & Cologne as well as locally and their Management is so fragmented compared to the Japanese manufacturers.

Problem is overall product quality is now v good but who has the cash/desire to buy?

 

You should receive a mail 'from above' giving you contact details for me.

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