Moutton Noir

Such sad news. Q was a giant of the music industry who worked with so many generations of artists over the past 70+ years.

Looking forward to this!

He was the GOAT. I was fortunate enough to see him live twice and it was an amazing experience- vocal perfection. The greatest male singer of any genre I saw live on stage in my 64 years. He never fully achieved his potential or achieved the success he so rightly deserved. He should've been in the A list. Looking forward to this documentary

Hey, just a note- the correct term is a BALLAD, not Ballard. FYI, Cheers!

ACE/KENT never fail to delivery!

Bruce Springfield has always spoken of his love for R&B/Soul music and the direct influence it had on his musical development. he has performed many old soul tracks in his live sets over the decades. I don't understand all the fuss surrounding this project. There would appear to be a lot of narrow mindedness and dare I say immaturity from the Springsteen fans and Soul fans alike. Many artists have undertaken similar projects at a later point in their careers. There just seems to be a lack of tolerance by so called fans who are determined to pigeon hole artists and keep them stuck in a silo. If by recording these tracks it makes a few more people seek out the originals then surely that should be welcomed? Every one of us had an entry point to the music we love. It's not where you start from, it's the journey that you take on the way to your destination! Now Do I Love You? Deed I Do! Lionel had nothing to do with Nightshift!

A fascinating read. I had no idea that Glen Campbell was a session player on the record or that Patrice & Brenda were on backing vocals. That really is a winning combination. It's kinda ironic that one of the best examples of the mid 60s Motown sound was actually recorded in California!

So great to see Gloria finally releasing a 2nd album. She deserved to be a star.

Looking forward to the revised edition. A treasure trove of information about the records and artists and indispensable reference.

I'm well aware of Godin's pivotal role in promoting African American artists music here in the UK. This is more about Godin's arrogance. There is something of a messiah complex associated with him. The painting depicts an important element of Black culture. Who is Godin to criticise the work of a black artist and the decision of a black singer in their choice of subject matter. Did Godin think he "knew better" Was it a "paternalistic" viewpoint? Sometimes our bias can manifest itself in ways we never knew possible- even when we convince ourselves that such bias doesn't exist!

So a white Englishman objects to a painting by a black artist chosen as the cover art for a Marvin Gaye album? A black artist? Just what did Mr Godin find "objectionable" about the painting? It clearly shows a group of African Americans having a high old time in one of the infamous Juke Joints. Mr Godin does appear to have had something of a Messiah complex...

Long overdue! Motown also deserves a similar in-depth approach like the Ken Burns Country Music series. I was disappointed by the recent movie/documentary that promised much but delivered little.

When I see these pieces of plastic selling for crazy prices I'm reminded of the Tulip madness that gripped the Netherlands when collectors paid similarly outrageous sums for tulip bulbs. One day someone realised the madness- the emperor wasn't wearing any clothes and the bottom fell out of the market. I recommend folks go research this period in history. I'm an avid collector of music- vinyl 12",45,33, CDs SACDs etc but I refuse to fuel the greed. Of course I share the passion for the music and I love tracking down discs but common sense has to kick in at some point.

Interesting article. At long last black music cultural icons are being given their place in the long tradition of Hollywood music biopics. First can I point out the error- "Coal Miners Daughter" was based on the life of Loretta Lynn. "Sweet Dreams" was the Patsy Cline bio-pic starring Jessica Lange. The first major studio biopic of a major black star has to be "Lady Sings The Blues" released in 1973 and starring Diana Ross as... Diana Ross! The movie plays fast and hard with the truth regarding the biographical facts of Billie Holliday's life and career. Diana Ross famously lost out on the Oscar which went to Liza Minnelli for her OTT cringeworthy performance as... Liza Minnelli in "Cabaret". "Lady" was a culturally significant movie, proving that major movie with a black cast could succeed at the box office. Strangely the movie was shown only twice on UK TV back in the 80s and despite a major US anniversary release has never been available on video, DVD or Blu Ray. It also seems to be overlooked when documentaries feature the history of "black cinema" and Ross is almost never recognised by female African American actors when they collect THEIR awards. Diana broke through so many glass ceilings and broke into so many areas of the music and wider entertainment industry both as a Supreme and as a solo performer. Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, Gladys Knight, The Supremes (DreamGirls doesn't count!) The Motown Story (NOT the jukebox stage show) are all ripe for the picking. The Marvin movie has been talked about for the past 40 years! It's just good to finally see these great artists receive the recognition they deserve on the silver screen, exposing their music to a whole new generation for the first time, cementing their legacy and keeping their music alive.