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.

An excellent point Fiftyboiledeggs. I often wonder what Sharon Jones made of the whole affair. Cultural appropriation 1.0.1. What I find telling is that during the initial release and hype around Back To Black the influences were deliberately obscured/underplayed. No mention of Ashford & Simpson, Holland Dozier Holland or the Supremes from whose back catalogue was shamelessly plundered. We got oblique references to "60s girl groups" and The Ronettes. I honestly believe Amy found herself stuck in a 60s straight jacket from which she would've struggled to shake off.

I've never quite understood the adulation poured on Amy Winehouse. Her albums were very good but far from ground breaking. Back to Black was a blatant rip off of the Motown song book, every track plagiarised Holland Dozier Holland & Ashford & Simpson classics. Her aesthetic was a mash up of the Ronettes, Dusty and 80s new wave duo Strawberry Switchblade. Truth is Amy Winehouse was a 60s tribute act. Along with Mark Ronson Amy managed to hoodwink a generation ignorant of the music she plundered and the middle class white rock journalists who were just as ignorant. Take time to listen- the lyrics of classic Supremes tracks and Marvin and Tammi's hits can almost be sung over Back to Black tracks. She was AWFUL live as any YouTube clips will confirm. Where would she have gone next? How long could she have continued plundering other artists back catalogues? She is the perfect example of cultural appropriation. Having said all this I still enjoy her recordings but I do prefer the originals...

So good to see these contemporary documents/views and opinions recorded for posterity- they really capture the scene as it was- not the edited fuzzy romantic version as remembered!

I greatly appreciate the time effort and dedication that has gone in to the production of this series of books. The levels of expertise is astounding and it really is great that the many experiences/memories and important biographical info is recorded for posterity. Updating the publication on a regular basis also acts as a snapshot, a time capsule- capturing the mood of the scene at a particular point in time. There is no doubt these books will become important documents to folks in the future who wish to research the history of the Northern Soul Scene. Looking forward to this new edition.

Thanks Drew, don't know how I missed it, did seem kinda strange! Thanks, don't know how I missed it!

I was disappointed that no mention was made of the sad passing of the great Mary Wilson. Mary made such an important contribution to the success of the Supremes and Motown. She had a great smoky sexy voice that was criminally underused during the Diana Ross years. Her contribution to maintaining the Supremes legacy, fighting for the rights of original group members of classic Soul/R&B bands who were being ripped off by fake performers posing as the official version of the band. The Supremes were at the pop end of the spectrum but they certainly opened lots of doors for fellow performers who gained greater acceptance and success. It's easy to forget that in 1964 when Where Did Our Love Go was released in the UK the Supremes were "hip" and the record was regarded as being too raw and soulful to be a mainstream pop hit (see the reviews in Record Mirror, Melody Maker & NME)- a UK pop band covered the track and was expected to win the race to for a chart placing. The rest... is history!

Ordered my copy this morning- looking forward to its arrival. KENT/ACE always deliver on quality when it comes to the original material and sound quality. The accompanying booklet is a major bonus- always painstakingly researched and jam packed with scans, photos and info about the artists and the history of each track.

Mmm it all looks rather "hand knitted", an amateur enterprise that although prepared with love by a keen fan/fans will most likely be peppered with errors. The design and layout has that unprofessional appearance. Good luck to them

Fascinating article. Ray talks about this period during an early 90s appearance on the Geraldo USTV talk show special "The Women Of Motown" which is posted on YouTube, worth checking out as Mabel John & Kim Weston also appear.

Bought this cd and it is awesome!