Is it only me that misses Motown??

[davismanLV]

Since I lost my baby.... best music ever!!

 

[silverfox103]

Hey Tom

Motown was great, they had great artists.

To name a few: Smokey Robinson, Mary Wells, the Platters, the Miracles, the Chiffons, the Temptations, the Four Tops, the Shirelles, the Supremes, and Martha and the Vandellas.

I would say their "hay day" was 1960 to 67.

Tom

 

[JohnW63]

It wasn't my thing, growing up, but I appreciate it now.

 

[Coop47]

I'm more of a Stax guy, but Holland-Dozier-Holland had an amazing run. A hit-making machine.

 

[Nuuska]

Summer 1977 I visited their recording studio in Hollywood. They were very kind and showed me one of the two studios they had. To think back how simple equipment they were using - highest quality naturally - but only such tiny amount of buttons and potentiometers compared to what was available already those days.

Sound was shaped in the big room by musicians - and recording gear was just capturing the magic.

 

[GGJaguar]

Really great music. My sister had a bunch of Motown records and I would sit outside her room and listen when she was playing them.

 

[Bill Ashton]

As noted above, at the time it was produced I did not care for "soul" music at all, though I can appreciate it now. And as also
noted above, I too am more of a Stax-Volt guy today Give me Steve Cropper and a tele!

 

[walrus]

Could Motown exist today? Actual singers with great voices, great backing musicians, and a solid business "vision"?

So many artists today dependent on computer technology, autotune, etc. It makes what Motown did seem even more amazing.

walrus

 

[Tom O]

Miss it a lot. I grew up listening to Motown only 90 miles from Detroit. Motown even had blue eyed soul music. Saw Rare Earth many times when they were a cover band in East Lansing

 

[walrus]

Rare Earth's "One World" is one my favorite albums!

walrus

 

[jp]

Big Motown fan. Still have my records!

 

[Rocky]

Could Motown exist today?

Well, one reason Motown was successful was a uniformity of sound. You could hear a song, and immediately know what label it was on.

Now with nearly 25 years(!) of autotune being an effect on nearly all popular record, you could say that part of the process has been achieved.

 

[dreadnut]

Great stuff, shaped my informative years along with Rock & Roll.

Temptations - best vocal group ever?

 

[silverfox103]

Great stuff, shaped my informative years along with Rock & Roll.

Temptations - best vocal group ever?

I would have to agree with that, but Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons should at least get honorable mention.

Tom

 

[dpc915]

The quality of music, the studio musicians, the artists. Timeless. I was lucky enough to visit the original studios in Detroit back in 2000? So much magic from that local and vibes.

 

[Cougar]

There is certainly NOTHING like Martha and the Vandellas being put out today!

 

[mellowgerman]

This one may not have been officially Motown, but certainly has a lot of overlap. Great tune.

 

[Teleguy61]

There is certainly NOTHING like Martha and the Vandellas being put out today!

Unbelievably great record.
The urgency of Martha's vocal is stunning.
If you have no response to her call to action, check yourself for a pulse please.

 

[Teleguy61]

I'm more of a Stax guy, but Holland-Dozier-Holland had an amazing run. A hit-making machine.

Me too.
Hayes/Porter tunes and Booker T and the MGs are just great in my book.
Duck Dunn and Al Jackson Jr were a great rhythm section.
The whole band in fact--not one wasted note, ever.
Their cuts with Wilson Pickett are stellar--99 and 1/2, Midnight Hour--they are considered throwaways, like
Mustang Sally, but listen to the band y'all--that groove is a mile deep, and getting deeper.
Brilliant in my book.
(I know that Mustang Sally is Muscle Shoals, Roger Hawkins and Tommy Cogbill--I meant that as an example of
a great cut that is dismissed because it's been overplayed.)

But any band with James Jamerson in it was pretty outstanding also.