Motown Photos

[Kevin Jones]

Following a fascinating and in depth conversation I had some time ago with Andy Rix with regards to unissued Motown, the Motown tape vaults and numbers on the master tapes, the following has had me really thinking. With the release over the last few years of Motown CD Box sets ( Four Tops, Temptations, Supremes ) The Complete Motown Singles and the great Kent CDs, they all have fantastic photos from the 1960s and 1970s. These are either part of the fantastic booklets or cd covers and inserts.

Where do they come from ? Is there a master library somewhere, are they subject to copyright how do the music companies research the photos for their releases. I know The Michael Ochs Archives are extensive and Europe and Japan insisted on picture covers throughout the 1960s and 70s, but where do they actually come from ?

It is something that I should really know after collecting Motown for 45 years, but I hold my hand up and say I don't really know the true facts. If anyone could help like Andy Rix, Ady Croasdell or Keith Hughes or anyone for that matter I would be very grateful.

Regards

Kev Jones

[Winsford Soul]

Kev. Good luck with the quest. To be honest it's something that I have never thought about . Great question and I look forward to seeing the answers. 

Steve

[Winsford Soul]

https://www.flickr.com/groups/motown/

There's some very interesting picture's here. Doesn't answer your question though.

Steve

[BrianB]

Read Al Abrahams book. He was the Motown publicist and kept every article and photo published in the press. Its a fantastic book. I'll put the link up in a second.

[BrianB]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/095695930X?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00

[Davenpete]

Original pics are VERY scarce and usually expensive and usually still in copyright.

Most of those in CDs come from collectors (often specialists in black music promo pics).

Dx