First Choice: Love Having You Around-Gold Mind Recordings [1977-1980 4CD-8/23/2024]

Info from Soul Music Records/Cherry Red:

First Choice: Love Having You Around-The Gold Mind Recordings

• SoulMusic Records in association with The Second Disc presents a 4CD box set of First Choice’s groundbreaking recordings for Salsoul’s Gold Mind imprint.
• Featuring 45 tracks including expanded editions of the three full-length albums.
• Plus a specially curated fourth disc that includes remixes and re-inventions. All audio has been newly remastered by Nick Robbins.

DISC ONE
DELUSIONS [EXPANDED EDITION]
1. Dr. Love
2. Indian Giver
3. Love Having You Around
4. Gamble On Love
5. Chances Go Around
6. I Love You More Than Before
7. Let No Man Put Asunder
8. Do Me Again
9. Jimmy “D”
BONUS TRACKS
10. Doctor Love [Original Tom Moulton Disco 12" Mix]
11. Doctor Love [Original Shep Pettibone 12" Mix]
12. Let No Man Put Asunder [Original Shep Pettibone 12" Mix]
13. Let No Man Put Asunder [Original Frankie Knuckles 12" Mix]
14. Let No Man Put Asunder [Original Acapella Version]
DISC TWO
HOLD YOUR HORSES [EXPANDED EDITION]
1. Let Me Down Easy
2. Good Morning Midnight
3. Great Expectations
4. Hold Your Horses
5. Love Thang
6. Double Cross
BONUS TRACKS
7. Now That I’ve Thrown It All Away
8. Love Thang [12” Disco Mix]
9. Double Cross [Tom Moulton Remix]
10. Double Cross [12” Larry Levan Remix]
11. Love Thang [Original Acapella Version]
12. Double Cross [Original Acapella Version]
DISC THREE
BREAKAWAY [EXPANDED EDITION]
1. I’m the One
2. Breakaway
3. Sittin’ Pretty
4. A Happy Love Affair
5. Pressure Point
6. I Can Show You [Better Than I Can Tell You]
7. Can’t Take It With You
8. House for Sale
BONUS TRACKS
9. Breakaway [12” Mix]
DISC FOUR
I CAN SHOW YOU: REMIXES & REWORKS
1. Love Thang [David Morales Remix]
2. Doctor Love [Basement Boys Respectful Club Mix]
3. Let No Man Put Asunder [Walter Gibbons Disco Madness Mix]
4. Pressure Point [Tony Humphries New Celcius Mix]
5. Double Cross [Danny Tenaglia Swing Mix]
6. Love Thang [Def Version]
7. I Can Show You [Better Than I Can Tell You] [Phonk D Edit]
8. Love Having You Around [Late Night Tuff Guy Rework]
9. Doctor Love [David's Jam]
10. Love Thang [David's Original Version]

Click below for more info & to pre-order from Cherry Red UK

First Choice: Love Having You Around - The Gold Mind Recordings ]1977-1980], 4CD Clamshell Box [cherryred.co.uk]

In the late 60s and early 70s Motown signed several well established acts but then sort of took their eye off the ball resulting in frustration. True that a lot was happening at once with the move to LA and entering the film industry with "Lady Sings The Blues". Nevertheless there were some fantastic tracks from artists such as Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Bobby Darin and to a lesser extent Sammy Davis Jr and Lesley Gore.

Thankfully, in the case of Bobby Darin, material that had long been vaulted has been made available over the years - mainly thanks to Joe Marchesse & co [[e.g. Andy Skurrow) who've made it possible for these tracks to see release on CD. The Real Gone CDs have wonderful liner notes as well and are well worth looking up. In particular, "Another Song On My Mind" includes a great resume of Darin's Motown career - much of this can still be seen on the Real Gone website -

https://theseconddisc.com/2011/02/16...-motown-years/

You can see the full CD artwork here -

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cookep...57668721459480

And here are the covers for Darin's Motown albums / CDs

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cookep...in/dateposted/

Please advise of any errors

BOBBY DARIN MOTOWN DISCOGRAPHY

Recorded - 6 February 1971 Live at The Desert Inn [[Renamed “Finally” but still unreleased at the time)

M1183 – 17 April 1971
A Melodie
B Someday We'll Be Together

M1193 – November 1971
A Simple Song Of Freedom
B I'll Be Your Baby Tonight

M1203 – 2 June 1972
A Sail Away
B Hard Headed Woman

M753 ALBUM AUGUST 1972 – Bobby Darin

M1212 – Promo 3 November 1972 [[withdrawn)
A Average People [[mono)
B Average People [[stereo)

M1212 – 3 November 1972 [[probably a bootleg)
A Average People
B Something In Her Love

M1217 – 20 November 1972
A Happy [[Love Theme From "Lady Sings The Blues")
B Something In Her Love

Bobby Darin died 20 December 1973

M813 ALBUM February 1974 – Darin 1936-1973

PR4 [[PROMO EP) - 1974
A1 If I Were A Carpenter
A2 Moritat [[Mack The Knife)
B1 Blue Monday
B2 Happy [[Love Theme From "Lady Sings The Blues")

MW3014 – 1974 [[UK & EU)
A Blue Monday
B Moritat [[Mack The Knife)

M5185 ALBUM July 1981 – Darin 1936–1973 re-issued with 5 tracks having different mixes.

MCD09070MD CD 1987 – Live At The Desert Inn [[first ever issue)

MOTD -5185 CD 1989 – Darin 1936–1973 first issue on CD.

3746351852 CD 1991 – Darin 1936-1973 CD re-issue

NTD-6509-2 CD 2005 – Live At The Desert Inn [[re-issue / remaster / 2 extra tracks “Work Song” and “Beyond The Sea”.

RGM-0440 2xCD 6 May 2016 – Another Song On My Mind [[Real Gone Music)

RGM-0714 CD 13 July 2018 – Go Ahead And Back Up [[Real one Music)

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Rhino Records will release this Sister Sledge compilation from their Now Playing series on vinyl on June 7, 2024. Six of the songs are from their blockbuster "We Are Family" album. There are a few good album tracks listed but I would've liked to have seen more versatility in the track list.

Disc: 1
1 He's the Greatest Dancer [[Single Version)
2 We Are Family [[Single Version)
3 Easier to Love [[2006 Remaster)
4 Thinking of You [[2006 Remaster)
5 Lost in Music [[Single Edit) [2006 Remaster]
Disc: 2
1 One More Time [[2006 Remaster)
2 You Fooled Around [[2006 Remaster)
3 All American Girls [[12" Version) [2006 Remaster]
4 Pretty Baby [[2006 Remaster)
5 Frankie [[2006 Remaster) [Edit Version]

Limited to 1000 copies for RSD 2024. The Flirtations are poised to release ‘Still Sounds Like the Flirtations’ – their first album of new material in 55 years. They are best known for their 1969 signature song, "Nothing But A Heartache”, off their debut album ‘Sounds Like the Flirtations’. That song spent 14 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100, and its success saw the group tour with Stevie Wonder, Tom Jones, The Four Tops and The Temptations. “Nothing But a Heartache” remains an undeniable Northern Soul classic; it has been streamed over 13 million times, and in 2022 was remixed by Tobtok and Oliver Nelson. On their forthcoming album, which was produced, engineered, mixed, and co-written by Ben Rice [[Joan Osborne, Valerie June), Earnestine Pearce, Shirley Pearce, and Viola Billups aka Pearly Gates tell the stories of their lives. Drawing inspiration from the churn of personal, social, and political situations that they have lived through over the past five decades, they capture a timeless and well-earned perspective on love and life. The record, which features the Dap King horns, contains standout tracks, including the reflective call to action “Memories”, co-written by Stevie Wonder; the hopeful love song “Ain’t No Easy Way” and the instant dance floor hit “Didn’t Anybody Tell You”, both co-written by Grammy-nominated songwriter Gian Stone [[John Legend, Meghan Trainor); the uplifting groover “Love Somebody”; and the roaring “Take It Back”, co-written by Dave Sherman [[Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Elle King). The recording process was a transatlantic adventure, with sessions at Abbey Road and Resident Studios in London, Degraw Sound in Brooklyn, and Creative Workshop in Nashville. Retaining the classic soul sound and melodic harmonies The Flirtations are known for, the album will not disappoint long-time fans, while also promising to bring their authentic, inimitable sound to a new generation of music. Track List: 01. Love Somebody 02. Didn’t Anybody Tell You 03. Ain’t No Easy Way 04. Memories 05. You Don't Live Here Anymore 06. [[Keep Chasing) Blue Skies 07. Take It Back 08. No One Does It Like You 09. Life Is Like A Mountain 10. Thought I Knew You

Martha in a bit of a Philly groove on her album "The Rest Of My Life". An expanded version of the album was issued on CD by Funky Town Grooves in 2014 [[whatever happened to them?). Not a Motown release, of course, but there can't be too many people more Motown than Martha.

01 Higher And Higher 3:35
02 [[I Want To Be With You) The Rest Of My Life 4:55
03 Second Chance 3:34
04 This Time I'll Be Sweeter 3:57
05 Love Blind 3:44
06 Thank You 4:51
07 Now That We Found Love 4:28
08 Love Strong Enough To Move Mountains 5:38
09 You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 4:30

Bonus Tracks:
10 [[I Want To Be With You) The Rest Of My Life [[7" Version) 3:27
11 You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' [[7" Version) 3:37
12 Thank You [[7" Version) 5:06
13 Love Strong Enough To Move Mountains [[7" Mix) 3:49
14 Now That We Found Love [[7" Mix) 3:29
15 [[I Want To Be With You) The Rest Of My Life [[Alternate Mix 1) 3:59
16 [[I Want To Be With You) The Rest Of My Life [[Alternate Mix 2) 4:58

I just wanted to share with the forum what a great time was had at the Motown Museum's Founder's Day yesterday. It was sunny and hot, but it was well worth attending. When I heard Claudette Robinson was going to be at this year's event, I knew I had to be there as I don't believe she visits Detroit very frequently. We were talking with fellow SDF member Nsoule when I turned around and lovely Claudette had just arrived and was standing a few feet away from us. I welcomed her with a hug and relayed how wonderful it was to have her present at the day's event. I said I had a photo that I hoped she could sign and she said she was planning to be there all day and we'd meet up later. The alumni were mostly inside the 2654 building due to the heat. When Claudette gave a short speech on the stage she mentioned many alumni were present, including Miller London, Pat Cosby, Martha Reeves and Sandra Fagin of the Monitors. I was able to reconnect with Claudette to have my photo signed, and a spicy Miss Reeves also signed a photo for me. Maybe it was the heat! Many of Claudette's extended family were at the event, it was certainly a Rogers family reunion. There was a lady who looked a lot like Tamla and I asked her if she was related and she was Claudette's niece. I said I could see the family resemblance! It was nice to see the current Motown Museum exhibit on Claudette and to hang out with the alumni. Here a few photos. Did any other forum members attend?
Darin

Claudette and I

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Miss Martha Reeves dancing away when they played "Dancing In The Street"!

Attachment 21387

The Hitsville window highlighting the current exhibit with beautiful photos of Claudette and the Miracles

Attachment 21388

Fellow forum member Nsoule and myself in Studio A

Attachment 21389

And lastly, my mementos of the day!

Attachment 21391