Any info on motown unreleased 1966 yet

[honest man]

Hello wonderin' if any info on Motown unreleased 66 available it will soon be Christmas just love this series ,anyone letting us know,please.Thank You.

[johnny_raven]

The Unreleased series [[in years past) have come out in mid December. There usually isn't an update beforehand ... unless Keith wants to jump in. Personally, I would like to be surprised by what will be on it.

[keith_hughes]

This isn't a jump, just a toe in the water ... it's happening ...

[booty]

When the 1966 set of Complete Motown Singles came out and featured the unreleased cuts on The Mynah Byrds there was talk of Neil Young being interested in releasing them on one of his sets. Could it be that other Mynah Byrds tracks appear on this release to renew their copyright?

[144man]

I remember reading that when HDH left Motown, they were sued for producing tracks not commensurate with their ability. I wonder if any of those will surface.

[keith_hughes]

Haven't found any evidence of that, 144man, I'm glad to say.

The whole thing has now gone to iTunes etc, I'm told, but I don't have a release date yet - just watch out for it.

Last time I counted there were 80 tracks, in 4 "bundles". Supremes fans can look forward to 5 new tracks, sadly Mynah Birds fans get only 2. I'd say that about 80% of the artists who got a 45 release in 1966 are represented - and there are 4 tracks by artists who didn't get any releases that year! Something new & fab for everyone, I hope.

Happy Christmas from all the Motown Unreleased team - credits are: Harry & self producing, Richard Hughes and Obie O'Brien with Mike Lawson mixing, Phil Nicolo mastering. And thanks to The Old Miner for lending an ear.

[alanh]

Thanks Keith, sounds interesting......and as always I look forward to our end of year 'unreleased' treat.

[daviddesper]

Prior to this thread, I was not even aware of this series. But since I have always considered 1966 to be THE PEAK year for Motown, I would be most interested in seeing what is still out there that has never been released. But I am correct aren't I, that this is download material only as opposed to CD releases? If so, that will be a disappointment to an old dinosaur like me, but yet it might be the impetus to get me to join the program!!!

[longtimefan]

Keith or anyone .... I wonder is The Supremes A Go Go is on its way to iTunes in the same batch? We have been tantalized for so-o-o-o long about this one!

[honest man]

Haven't found any evidence of that, 144man, I'm glad to say.

The whole thing has now gone to iTunes etc, I'm told, but I don't have a release date yet - just watch out for it.

Last time I counted there were 80 tracks, in 4 "bundles". Supremes fans can look forward to 5 new tracks, sadly Mynah Birds fans get only 2. I'd say that about 80% of the artists who got a 45 release in 1966 are represented - and there are 4 tracks by artists who didn't get any releases that year! Something new & fab for everyone, I hope.

Happy Christmas from all the Motown Unreleased team - credits are: Harry & self producing, Richard Hughes and Obie O'Brien with Mike Lawson mixing, Phil Nicolo mastering. And thanks to The Old Miner for lending an ear.

Keith will i still be able to download from Amazonuk.i have never bought from itunes would you advise please,Sounds great can't wait.Thanks again for info.as always.cheers

[alanh]

David - the series is download only.

Honest man - the series is usually available through all major download sites including Amazon and Google Play. Note Keith said iTunes etc

[honest man]

David - the series is download only.

Honest man - the series is usually available through all major download sites including Amazon and Google Play. Note Keith said iTunes etc

alanThanks for pointing it out to me,was almost gonna cry in my Cornflakes.ha,cheers mate.

[MelodyMan]

Hello Keith, I'm a new member here. My name is Ingo from Germany and we've had e-mail contact in November. I only want to know if the six songs by Gladys Knight & The Pips are on the playlist. Many greetings

[aarondillon2011@gmail.com]

5 new Supremes tracks? Or 5 new alternate versions/mixes of songs we already know? Trying to wait patiently for Supremes A Go-Go.

[keith_hughes]

Fair question! Looks suspicious, doesn't it? How could there be 5 unreleased Supremes tracks that no-one knew about?

One of them is a completely new version of a song they'd recorded nearly two years earlier [[but which had not been released at the time of the remake); the rest are songs that have never been released in any form by the Supremes.

I know nothing of where the A Go Go project is at. Really.

[aarondillon2011@gmail.com]

WOW...Meaning 4 unheard of songs? Now this I can not wait for ;-)

[daviddh]

1966. maybe Mother Dear?? wasn't it remixed for Go Go .

[jobeterob]

Well this is going to cause quite a splash

[daviddh]

iust don't like the way Universal keeps everything FBI AREA 51 top secret. is it really this top secret. find it frustrating that they [[universal) just cant say a release date.....Go Go or 1966 coming dec 16 or what ever.
would it be better PR to release an official statement with tracklisting to get everyone talking about it.

[Jaap]

iust don't like the way Universal keeps everything FBI AREA 51 top secret. is it really this top secret. find it frustrating that they [[universal) just cant say a release date.....Go Go or 1966 coming dec 16 or what ever.
would it be better PR to release an official statement with tracklisting to get everyone talking about it.

Yes, totally agree here. I understand that Motown/Supremes fans are not the most important demographic for Universal, but this album is so easy to market and 2016 was the year to do it. The first album by any "girl group" to make #1 on the album charts. And even though hardcore Motown fans are sometimes critical of The Supremes [[and particularly of the "lead singer"), to the general audience The Supremes still embody Motown. With Ross being honored by Obama mostly for being a Supreme, with the general audience knowing the classic "You Can't Hurry Love" [[even if it is because of that Phil Collins), and with the possibility of marketing The Supremes as the predecessors of many "girl groups" -- most notably Destiny's Child -- what are they thinking!?! If there is a Supremes album to market as a major "nostalgia" album for a GENERAL audience, Supremes A Go Go is THE album. Very frustrating that those in power at Universal are either sleeping or ignorant.

[alanh]

It's not just Motown that's being affected by Universal not giving advance release dates. I may be wrong but I believe that some months ago they took a decision to not pre-publicise release dates [[and even some releases) for all new albums. I don't understand the logic in that - surely they want to sell their material and build up demand? [[If I'm wrong with this, I'll gladly be corrected by someone 'in the know').

[bradsupremes]

Comparing to previous few years, Universal releases the Motown Unreleased tracks around this time. Unreleased '63 came out December 17, Unreleased '64 came out December 15 and Unreleased '65 came out December 11, so I wouldn't be surprised if we saw it released this week. Maybe Tuesday since that tends to be when music is released.

[daviddh]

It's not just Motown that's being affected by Universal not giving advance release dates. I may be wrong but I believe that some months ago they took a decision to not pre-publicise release dates [[and even some releases) for all new albums. I don't understand the logic in that - surely they want to sell their material and build up demand? [[If I'm wrong with this, I'll gladly be corrected by someone 'in the know').

I read that and think it very odd. just don't get it.

[alanh]

More likely to be Friday which since last year is the main internationally coordinated day for new releases.

[daviddh]

just thinking the same. it used to be Tuesday but now new releases seem to come out fridays

[alanh]

Re releaases, I totally agree David. But apparently this message was sent out to media outlets in July;

'Universal no longer wish to have any of their tracks, downloads, albums or releases [[other than major album titles) within the release schedule disclosed.'

[daviddh]

yes ,that is what I remember reading. non sense really.
we are the fans that support these releases. but I find Universal stance on this frustrating.
by the time Go Go comes, maybe no one will care.

[danman869]

I was wondering if Keith Hughes could tell us when the production credits for "Motown Unreleased 1966" will be posted on DFTMC.info ? Will it be on the same day the digital set is released to the public or...? I love having the production details for all the Motown music--the more info, the better! It helps paint a clearer picture of the track.

Thanks!

[MelodyMan]

Another Friday and nothing has happened. Where are the download albums of Motown Unreleased 1966? Universal is rude!

[alanh]

Another Friday and nothing has happened. Where are the download albums of Motown Unreleased 1966? Universal is rude!

It's frustrating MelodyMan because we have the expectation of 'Unreleased' releases at this time of year. But no date, this Friday or otherwise, has been promised or publicised. With memories of last year I agree that it would really be nice for us to have a date publicised that we can look forward to and I don't understand why one can't be given. But I'm not sure we'll get anywhere by calling Universal rude.

[MelodyMan]

Yes, you're right alanh. But who makes it so difficult to give us a release date, maybe iTunes or Amazon? I have a look at it several times a day like many of us here and yes...that's frustrating. And sorry, I don't want to say anything bad about Universal. Let us all hope for the next week.

[alanh]

It's the record companies that decide a release date and then tell the download sites when to make their music available, although some sites tend to put releases up a few days apart. As I said earlier in this thread, Universal for some reason is holding back on release details for all its albums, not just Motown. They apparently issued this statement in the summer: 'Universal no longer wish to have any of their tracks, downloads, albums or releases [[other than major album titles) within the release schedule disclosed.'

It makes no sense to us, the buying public[[!) but I'm afraid we just have to roll with it. I'm just grateful that these unreleased recordings are being made available at all and look forward to hearing them when they do eventually appear.

[bradsupremes]

It's the record companies that decide a release date and then tell the download sites when to make their music available, although some sites tend to put releases up a few days apart. As I said earlier in this thread, Universal for some reason is holding back on release details for all its albums, not just Motown. They apparently issued this statement in the summer: 'Universal no longer wish to have any of their tracks, downloads, albums or releases [[other than major album titles) within the release schedule disclosed.'

It makes no sense to us, the buying public[[!) but I'm afraid we just have to roll with it. I'm just grateful that these unreleased recordings are being made available at all and look forward to hearing them when they do eventually appear.

Don't be surprised if we see Motown Unreleased 1966 next year.

[johnny_raven]

Keith already stated that the tracks have been sent to iTunes, Amazon, etc. They will be uploaded when it happens ...

[daviddh]

again it would be nice to get a preview ,track listing ? but that would be to much like right

[booty]

Don't be surprised if we see Motown Unreleased 1966 next year.

Then they will be out of the 50 year Copyright - defeats the object. These are released for one purpose only - to extend the copyright. That we are able to purchase them is a bonus!

[motownjohnny]

Remember what happened last year with the Marvin Gaye '65 set? That was first released for download in S. Korea only, and those of us living in N. America, Europe etc. had to wait till April/May before we were able to access it. There was never any explanation for the delay forthcoming from the powers that be at Universal. So with the current lack of info such as tracklisting, release date etc. don't be too surprised if history repeats itself again this year.

[johnny_raven]

Well, if it makes you feel any better, South Korea doesn't have it yet either [[I just checked). Now North Korea? Maybe ...

[MelodyMan]

Yesterday I've had a chat with Andy and he thinks that "Motown Unreleased 1966" is coming - this week or next week. But he don't know a release date.

[lakedistrictlad1]

I'm curious to know what kind of mixing or remastering goes into these 'Motown Unreleased' sets?

I get the impression that they are minimum spend releases on Universals part. No physical, no booklet, no details - so I imagine the tracks are simply taken from the master reels as they stand.

Or maybe it just isn't that simple.

A question for Keith Hughes perhaps?

[danman869]

I'd like to hear from Keith in response to your question, too, but I think they are mastered/remastered before digital release. I've never heard "marked improvements/differences" in the sound quality when some if these previously unreleased tracks have appeared in Ace collections later, so I think they do master/remaster the tracks before digital release. Just my two cents, but Mr. Hughes...?

[bradsupremes]

I think they master all the tracks especially if they hadn't been released before. If a track was mixed in the 60's, they may use the original mix and just master it to clean it up. If a track was never mixed then I'd imagine they'd have to do both. It sounds like a lot of the Ace releases contain original mono mixes.

[MelodyMan]

Shouldn't we be satisfied in all ways to get these rare tracks? And I think that we will get a tracklist with infos by Keith on dftmc soon after release.

[jobeterob]

Yep.........

[bradsupremes]

I'm beginning to believe we won't see this release until next year.

[booty]

I'm beginning to believe we won't see this release until next year.

Surely they have to be released by 31st December otherwise they will fall out of copyright!

[bradsupremes]

Surely they have to be released by 31st December otherwise they will fall out of copyright!

Not if copyrights have been cleared. A' Go-Go won't get released until next year and I'm sure there are unreleased bonus tracks that won't fall out of copyright because they are being used on the collection. And Marvin Gaye 1965 wasn't released here until May of this year which was 5 months past the deadline.

[johnny_raven]

And Marvin Gaye 1965 wasn't released here until May of this year which was 5 months past the deadline.

That shouldn't count as it was released last December in South Korea.

[bradsupremes]

That shouldn't count as it was released last December in South Korea.

Don't copyrights work differently in other countries?

And if that's the case, then the bonus tracks on A' Go-Go would lose their copyrights

[keith_hughes]

bradsupremes is more or less spot on.

About half the tracks on 1966 Unreleased were taken from tapes mixed at Hitsville in 1966. The remainder were mixed specially for this release, mostly because they were never mixed at the time but in a few cases because the original mixes were not of sufficiently high quality to be released. Bear in mind that these tracks were not released at the time, and where they did mix them there was often only one mix, and it was just rough, really for audition purposes only - sometimes there's drop-out, distortion, clicks etc. All the tracks were mastered specially for this release.

Full details of the audio sources will appear in the Release Notes, which will be published on www.dftmc.info as soon as the release is available. I have no info on the release date, but for the reasons given by booty, I'm assuming it will be on or before Dec 31.