Vol. 1 of the Complete Motown Singles release

News of a forthcoming series of releases from Detroit Free Press

Clipped from the above, news of a "Vol. 1 of the Complete Motown Singles" release coming soon

For this current member of that demographic, the big news is this: Early next year, the greatest pop music ever made will finally be getting the respect it deserves. A division of Universal Music called Hip-O Select is releasing "Vol. 1 of the Complete Motown Singles." Its a six-disc set that compiles, in order of release, the A side and B side of every single released on the various related labels -- Motown, Tamla, Gordy, Soul and others -- from 1959 to 1961, more than 150 tracks in all.It will be followed a few months later by "Vol. 2," and then, periodically, by more sets, each collecting a years worth of single releases, concluding in 1972, when Motown officially left Detroit.

Cherishing a treasureIf you know where to look, you can find illegal collections of Motown music, some duplicating albums that have never been released on CD and others collecting rare tracks that periodically have become new all over again in English dance clubs (many of which have been hosting what they call northern soul nights for years).

But except for the endless greatest hits collections and movie soundtracks, Motown has been ill-served by the many hands it has moved through............

The full article by Terry Lawson on Detroit Free Press