Stax or Motown what's your preference?

[Fiftyboiledeggs]

For me Stax was more raw, had more soul.

Motown was pop centric.

The artists on Motown had to fight to get anything  soul/funk realesed eg, What's Going On, Papa was a Rolling Stone.

 

When artists left Motown they seemed to create more soulfoul work The Isleys , spring to mind..

[Geeselad]

It's like asking if I prefer salt or pepper, both are essential to enhance the food of life. 

[givemesoul]

For me motown everytime  many would argue an i'd agree without motown there would never have been northern soul far too many fantastic records to mention

[Leicester Boy]

Motown..no Motown no northern. 

[Robbk]

I like the older Stax records a lot, but, I LOVE, and can't live without my Motown music!

Edited August 31, 2022 by Robbk

[Twoshoes]

Good question and one that I've pondered over in the past. I think if you had posed it another way "if you could only have records from one or the other in your collection"  the answers may have been slightly different.

Both labels were instrumental in my life long love for the music, I'm going to plump for Stax for no other reason than I still get the tingle of excitement I got as a fifteen year old when I see that blue label and little stack of records. Back then Sam and Dave were magical names for me, Otis was King. 

  Much as I love Motown and I probably have an equal number of both labels in my collection Stax probably edges it with tunes I'd be at a loss to never hear again. 

  That said ask me again tomorrow after more thought and a few spins on the decks and it could be Motown. 

[Solidsoul]

I like them both in different ways.

Some Motown records are better than some Stax records and some Stax records are better than some Motown records!

[Shinehead]

Both labels produced some great music but both produced some rubbish too.

Agree though Stax produced more grittier stuff but fortunately for me I love all styles of Soul so both labels have  music I still go back to for pleasure.

[Hooker1951]

Yes Stax and Motown were major ingredients to the sounds we love but there were countless other labels with their own ingredients that made the Cake whole and unforgettable to give us the happiness of thousands of Soul nights over the the last six decades

KR

 

[Paul R]

No question!

[Geeselad]

24 minutes ago, Paul R said:

No question!

I'll raise you a;

 

[Mickjay33]

Motown every time sound track to my youth 

[Kenb]

I don’t agree with those that say No Motown - No Northern. There was plenty of label action that would have taken us there.

and in general it’s Coke or Pepsi / McDonald’s or Burger King.

[Stephen Houghton]

I like stax it's more underground for me ,when I here a stax tune people at the side of us ask WHOS THIS NEVER HEARD THIS BEFORE, ollie and the nightingales, I've got a feeling .class

Edited August 31, 2022 by Stephen Houghton

[Jimmy Mack]

Motown for me ,For every great Stax record Motown has 10 at least .

[Stephen Houghton]

But brill tunes either way your persuasion is 

[Soul-slider]

Motown. Only they could produce a tune like 'Suspicion - The Originals', wonderful!

[Robbk]

10 hours ago, Hooker1951 said:

Yes Stax and Motown were major ingredients to the sounds we love but there were countless other labels with their own ingredients that made the Cake whole and unforgettable to give us the happiness of thousands of Soul nights over the the last six decades

KR

 

Yes!  After (1) Motown/Tamla/Miracle/Gordy/Soul/Mel-O-dy/VIP, I'd put (2) Chess/Checker/Argo/Check-Mate, then (3)King/Federal/Deluxe/Bethlehem, then (4) VJ/Falcon/Abner/Vivid/Tollie/Exodus, then (5) Atlantic/ATCO/Cotillion, then (6) Mercury/Wing/Emarcy/Smash/BlueRock/Philips/Limelight, then (7) GoldenWorld/RicTic/Wingate, then (8) Thelma/DaCo/GeGe/KO, then (9) Columbia/Okeh/Epic/Date, then (10) Imperial/Aladdin/Lamp/Liberty/Minit,  (11) Modern/RPM/Flair/Crown/Kent, (12) Duke/Peacock/BackBeat/SureShot, (13) Revilot/Groovesville/SolidHit/GrooveCity, before we possibly finally get to Stax/Satellite/Volt/Enterprise at (14).  And probably, actually, I like Chance/Sabre, and Parrot/BlueLake, and RedRobin, and OldTown, and Rama, and Jubilee/Josie, and some other 1940s and 1950s labels better than Stax/Volt, if we use the  "You would have to forever do WITHOUT your records from THIS label", test.

[Hooker1951]

13 hours ago, Robbk said:

Yes!  After (1) Motown/Tamla/Miracle/Gordy/Soul/Mel-O-dy/VIP, I'd put (2) Chess/Checker/Argo/Check-Mate, then (3)King/Federal/Deluxe/Bethlehem, then (4) VJ/Falcon/Abner/Vivid/Tollie/Exodus, then (5) Atlantic/ATCO/Cotillion, then (6) Mercury/Wing/Emarcy/Smash/BlueRock/Philips/Limelight, then (7) GoldenWorld/RicTic/Wingate, then (8) Thelma/DaCo/GeGe/KO, then (9) Columbia/Okeh/Epic/Date, then (10) Imperial/Aladdin/Lamp/Liberty/Minit,  (11) Modern/RPM/Flair/Crown/Kent, (12) Duke/Peacock/BackBeat/SureShot, (13) Revilot/Groovesville/SolidHit/GrooveCity, before we possibly finally get to Stax/Satellite/Volt/Enterprise at (14).  And probably, actually, I like Chance/Sabre, and Parrot/BlueLake, and RedRobin, and OldTown, and Rama, and Jubilee/Josie, and some other 1940s and 1950s labels better than Stax/Volt, if we use the  "You would have to forever do WITHOUT your records from THIS label", test.

Hi Robbk

Thats certainly added on to my reply LoL,

ML

[David Meikle]

What would do you do if you were Berry Gordy, now regarded as one of the greats of popular music? Change the formula? That would have been incredibly stupid. He found the most amazing array of talent within the streets of Detroit. Singers, Songwriters, Arrangers, Producers, Engineers and Sound System people.

Before and after the glorious era, he released many “non-typical Motown” recordings too. He was not a one trick pony.

BTW an excellent contribution by Robb.

Sorry for being off-topic, but a particular favourite of mine is Mike Hanks whose contribution to Soul Music is also special.

Graham Finch told his story on the link below, where rightly he described him as a “Detroit Soul Legend”.

Mike lies in an unmarked grave in Detroit Memorial Park after being shot dead outside the Twenty Grand on March 20, 1970.

https://soulfuldetroit.com/web11-mike hanks/mike hanks text/index.html

[Mal C]

Probably Motown for me also, but there are Stax sides that Motown could never reach, Carla's work, Eddie Floyd and Johnnie Taylor and William Bell, what can you say...

And for most on here I would guess, the music Don Davis took from Detroit and produced at Stax could not be equaled even by Motown, it's that distinct and so part of the music we love, those Albums and singles underpin everything to us right?

As William Bell said, I'd have to be "The Man in the Street" on this one...

[Soulman58]

Motown for me, Atlantic would be before Stax.

[Robbk]

11 hours ago, Mal C said:

Probably Motown for me also, but there are Stax sides that Motown could never reach, Carla's work, Eddie Floyd and Johnnie Taylor and William Bell, what can you say...

And for most on here I would guess, the music Don Davis took from Detroit and produced at Stax could not be equaled even by Motown, it's that distinct and so part of the music we love, those Albums and singles underpin everything to us right?

As William Bell said, I'd have to be "The Man in the Street" on this one...

Many of The Don Davis Stax records I was including in the Revilot/Groovesville/Solid Hit category, as they were recorded in Detroit by Solid Hitbound, and Davis simply brought those masters into his Stax deal.

[Mal C]

9 hours ago, Robbk said:

Many of The Don Davis Stax records I was including in the Revilot/Groovesville/Solid Hit category, as they were recorded in Detroit by Solid Hitbound, and Davis simply brought those masters into his Stax deal.

I knew he brought masters with him to Stax, I'd read that somewhere, so I guess all of 'Rare Stamps' tracks, and the subsiquent singles were all 'Groovesville Music', all recorded in Detroit, realeased about 1969 into 1970. 

Checked a few 45's I have, The Mad Lads - Did My Baby Call, Groovesville Music, Produced by Don Davis, and recorded Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, realeased in 72, so I guess well after he had started at Stax. Do you know Robb what else Don produced at Stax, I assume he produced the Dramatics? I know he produced singles for Carla Thomas, wonder if that work outweighed the tracks he brought with him you think?

 

Edited September 2, 2022 by Mal C

[Keamus]

Motown for sheer volume, but Stax for selective quality. However, on balance Chess / Cadet probably takes first prize

Edited September 3, 2022 by Keamus

[Woodbutcher]

On 31/08/2022 at 16:09, Kenb said:

I don’t agree with those that say No Motown - No Northern. There was plenty of label action that would have taken us there.

and in general it’s Coke or Pepsi / McDonald’s or Burger King.

I'd like a Double Whopper with Cheese and a Pepsi please ... 

[Harrogatesoul]

Between the two? Stax everytime. Just been a preference since I started collecting. I've only a few dozen Motown 45s but I collect Stax and related labels. Nothing against Motown per se just prefer the grittier sound of Stax. 

[Mr Fred]

For me, Motown by a mile and to have grown up with Motown we have been blessed to experience the sound. Absolutely nothing like it. When you go to a northern soul night which also plays Motown to me is a more complete night. I remember years ago when I first heard The Isley brothers tell me it's just a rumour, it just blew is all away. Anyone on the scene that danced just had to dance to it .What a sound it was from them on my favourite Motown sound. Such a shame that what we hear these days on the radio,just doesn't come anywhere near. That's my opinion but I bet many on here agree with me as said earlier we were exposed to such beautiful music.regards Fred.

 

[Guest]

Since 'Friday Night' from Johnnie Taylor and the Isley's 'This Old Heart Of Mine' have remained favourite records for well over fifty years I ain't gonna choose. Why should I?

[Westender]

If pushed i'd go for Stax. Just a bit earthier, tougher and with the Muscle Shoals connection. Southern soul, for me, just hits the spot more often.

But we are comparing chalk and cheese to a degree as records made for Stax in Memphis just couldnt have been made by Motown in Detroit and vice versa.

 

[Bonzo100]

No contest as far as I am concerned,grand boulevard west by a country mile,nothing can compare to Brenda Holloway Every little bit hurts or the contours just a little misunderstanding,could go on and on  the time they moved to La mid 70 s it was all but over,till my dying day nothing comes close,having been in the northern scene since 1974i believe all the great sounds were done late 70 s

Edited September 12, 2022 by Bonzo100

[Robbk]

On 06/09/2022 at 05:06, Westender said:

If pushed i'd go for Stax. Just a bit earthier, tougher and with the Muscle Shoals connection. Southern soul, for me, just hits the spot more often.

But we are comparing chalk and cheese to a degree as records made for Stax in Memphis just couldnt have been made by Motown in Detroit and vice versa.

 

There WAS some overlap when Don Davis was producing for Stax.  But, I do admit that everything I've heard of his recording Stax artists sound conspicuously like Detroit recordings or good facsimiles.

[Benji]

I'm not a fan of Motown or Stax. And why should I? I acknowledge their influence in 60s soul music. And that's it.

[David Meikle]

Oh well then. Hope the rest of your day improves!

[Stephen Houghton]

Hear hear

[David L]

Re "no Motown, no Northern": we'd have to hope that the likes of Richard Wylie, Jack Ashford, Joe Hunter, et al. had spent a few years working for whoever had been successfully occupying Motown's niche in the market before they went off on their own to try to replicate that hypothetical label's success.

[Chalky]

On 31/08/2022 at 16:09, Kenb said:

I don’t agree with those that say No Motown - No Northern. There was plenty of label action that would have taken us there.

and in general it’s Coke or Pepsi / McDonald’s or Burger King.

All that creativity would have found an outlet somewhere.  If anything the creativity at Motown was maybe somewhat stifled at Motown as it settled into the formula it found the most success with.  

You only have to look at the amount of moonlighting for other studios and labels by those involved at Motown and by those who left Motown because they were often overlooked.

 

Edited September 10, 2022 by Chalky

[Chalky]

It is something I've never thought about and something I cannot really choose between.  As said both labels have their plusses and minuses.

Motown was probably the soundtrack of most of our youth and probably the way into this wonderful scene.  

[Benji]

14 hours ago, David Meikle said:

Oh well then. Hope the rest of your day improves!

Did I really sound that grumpy? Probably did.