Berry Gordy's Motown- The complete singles collection?

[skooldem1]

Does anyone think that there will be another company that would be willing to sell the complete Motown singles collection [[Under Berry Gordy's reign) which was up to 1988? While the existing Motown singles project is appreciated, it doesn't give us all the Motown singles. There is no reason why the post 1972 years should be neglected. There are many fans of Motown releases, during these years.

[carole cucumber]

My guess is that if any other company were to tackle the 1973-1982 singles, they would not likely pour the time and energy into many of the features that made the Hip-O/Motown Select such a stunning set. While we might get to hear the songs officially issued in that time period, I suspect that we would miss out on much of research, writing, photos, picture sleeves, sheet music, memorabilia, etc. that made the series a collector's delight.
And as Universal/Motown is in possession of the master tapes, someone[[s) from the Universal staff would have to be involved in a substantial fashion, nonetheless.

[Lulu]

Tough call. We know the output was significantly less but there were some major highs particularly from Stevie, Marvin, Diana and the Commodores not to mention Boyz II Men later on.

[144man]

The Motown Sound no longer existed as such after 1972 except for artists who were already on the roster. A few of the artists signed afterwards such as High Inergy and Teena Marie have their merits, but there is not the same integrity and quality from 1973 onwards to feed the compulsion to possess every track scheduled for release.

[skooldem1]

See that's the thing. No one said anything about the "Motown Sound". I was talking about a real "complete" Motown collection of singles. I feel that the people in charge of the current project are biased. It is about what they feel, what they consider to be "Motown". Thus leaving true collectors that want all of the singles feeling cheated.

[144man]

But I am a true collector and went on collecting everything until well into the 80s. In retrospect I wish I'd stop collecting earlier, as Motown had become just another record label. If the Complete Motown Singles were extended further, it would have to include records on the Morocco, Melodyland/Hitsville/MC, and Prodigal labels, and these tracks would just not appeal to the same people who bought TCMS up to 1972.

[Ngroove]

But I am a true collector and went on collecting everything until well into the 80s. In retrospect I wish I'd stop collecting earlier, as Motown had become just another record label. If the Complete Motown Singles were extended further, it would have to include records on the Morocco, Melodyland/Hitsville/MC, and Prodigal labels, and these tracks would just not appeal to the same people who bought TCMS up to 1972. There's still such thing as the "skip" button. As even I know, there's some MOR filler stuff in the 1972 - below Singles Collections. Not everything, chances are a third-fourth of them are "hits" if lucky, but it's about the VARIETY, that finally, we may equally have a chance to listen to many, MANY stuff previously unreleased on CD, as those that have been pressed on disc a few hundred times already.

[woodward]

I personally have little if any interest in anything after 1972, but I would like to suggest a "complement collection" to the TCMS. As we know, Berry bought out Golden World in 1966 so Universal should own all the masters for anything released on the GW labels. Why not an issuance of Golden World/Ric Tic/Wingate output from 1962 to 1968? I estimate that there were 104 actual 45's issued on these 3 labels which equates to 208 songs. An entire collection of these 208 songs would make an ideal conclusion to the TCMS series. What does anyone else think about this suggestion?

[Ngroove]

I personally have little if any interest in anything after 1972, but I would like to suggest a "complement collection" to the TCMS. As we know, Berry bought out Golden World in 1966 so Universal should own all the masters for anything released on the GW labels. Why not an issuance of Golden World/Ric Tic/Wingate output from 1962 to 1968? I estimate that there were 104 actual 45's issued on these 3 labels which equates to 208 songs. An entire collection of these 208 songs would make an ideal conclusion to the TCMS series. What does anyone else think about this suggestion?
Not 70s-80s Disco / Funk and their progressive sounds...."pass" from me. But really, to all who says 70s or 80s will be "Too New / Too Contemporary", c'mon - Mary Jane Girls' "All Night Long" and "Boys" are already over THIRTY years old now - doesn't sound thirty years old, like Marvin's "I Heard It Though the Grapevine" was thirty years old, when I heard it in 1998.

[Ngroove]

And HIGH INERGY, woo! As really, more stuff released of them on CD, than that "Best Of - Lovin' Fever" collection chose NOT to! If 12" be released would be swell, but if not, a formidable enough single-length representation of "Love Is All You Need" and "Shoulda Gone Dancin'" would be swell enough, in the 1978-1979 Singles Collections.

[soulster]

Does anyone think that there will be another company that would be willing to sell the complete Motown singles collection [[Under Berry Gordy's reign) which was up to 1988? While the existing Motown singles project is appreciated, it doesn't give us all the Motown singles. There is no reason why the post 1972 years should be neglected. There are many fans of Motown releases, during these years.

It would be a licensing nightmare even if Universal allowed it. Remember how much trouble even Universal had licensing Stevie Wonder or Rare Earth singles tracks for the last set? Sorry, I want those sets to be available in my lifetime for a somewhat reasonable price!

Think of the money they would have to pay Universal big money for the use of their facilities and tape vault work. Those tapes aren't leaving!

But, I agree! There are scads of singles I would love to have in the post-1973 era. Just because the label moved to Los Angeles and the industry changed, doesn't mean the quality of the music was lessened.

[Ngroove]

Other Highlights: Rise and Fall of Commodores, Rick James. Other reasons such a concept would be sweet for me: Dynamic Superiors, Eddie Kendricks, Jermaine Jackson, Willie Hutch, Tata Vega, Thelma Houston, Bonnie Pointer, Jerry Butler, Teena Marie, Switch, Mary Wilson, Scherrie and Susaye, Apollo, Kagny and the Dirty Rats, Bobby Nunn, Finis Henderson, Michael Lovesmith, Dazz Band, General Kane, Vanity, Stacy Lattisaw, Maureen Steele, Sam Harris, Garry Glenn, Wilson Pickett, Bruce Willis, Carrie McDowell

[honest man]

I Would not buy them ,1972 TCMS finished at the right time for me. More or less have already purchased what i like from 72 onwards,BUT i would die for the Golden World -Ric - tic etc in a Complete Box SET presentation as Woodward mentioned earlier , cheers.

[144man]

Other Highlights: Rise and Fall of Commodores, Rick James. Other reasons such a concept would be sweet for me: Dynamic Superiors, Eddie Kendricks, Jermaine Jackson, Willie Hutch, Tata Vega, Thelma Houston, Bonnie Pointer, Jerry Butler, Teena Marie, Switch, Mary Wilson, Scherrie and Susaye, Apollo, Kagny and the Dirty Rats, Bobby Nunn, Finis Henderson, Michael Lovesmith, Dazz Band, General Kane, Vanity, Stacy Lattisaw, Maureen Steele, Sam Harris, Garry Glenn, Wilson Pickett, Bruce Willis, Carrie McDowell

As a completist, this list just serves to remind how many of these I have in my collection and how infrequently I play them when compared to records released before 1972. On the other hand, I too would love to have a box set of Ed Wingate's labels.

[carole cucumber]

It would be a licensing nightmare even if Universal allowed it. Remember how much trouble even Universal had licensing Stevie Wonder or Rare Earth singles tracks for the last set? .....But, I agree! There are scads of singles I would love to have in the post-1973 era. Just because the label moved to Los Angeles and the industry changed, doesn't mean the quality of the music was lessened.The Rare Earth label singles wouldn't present that much of a problem as 1973-75 saw nine releases, seven of which were by the group Rare Earth.

[carole cucumber]

As a completist, this list just serves to remind how many of these I have in my collection and how infrequently I play them when compared to records released before 1972. On the other hand, I too would love to have a box set of Ed Wingate's labels.

If the Complete Motown Singles Series post 1972 is not feasible at this time, I would hope that in some fashion the work of artists other than those already in our collections [[listed in other posts) could be gather together in some way. It would be great to have digital copies of some overlooked gems from lesser-known artists. Elaine Brown's Black Forum single [[in fact the only Black Forum single) is a pleasant surprise. Blinky's 'You Get A Tangle In Your Lifeline' features such a sensuous delivery, as do songs by Art & Honey. Because of the success of Pippin, Irene Ryan [[Granny Clampett of the Beverly Hillbillies)-though not everyone's cup of tea, had a few fun releases. Recordings by Zell Black and by Different Shades of Brown were soulful. Stoney got to show her chops via a solo single without Meatloaf. And it would be nice to have post group member singles by Martha Reeves, Paul Williams, C.P Spencer, Scherrie Payne gathered into one place.
And although I've only heard a few of Motown's foray into country in the mid-late 70's, I'd welcome more.

[soulster]

Other Highlights: Rise and Fall of Commodores, Rick James. Other reasons such a concept would be sweet for me: Dynamic Superiors, Eddie Kendricks, Jermaine Jackson, Willie Hutch, Tata Vega, Thelma Houston, Bonnie Pointer, Jerry Butler, Teena Marie, Switch, Mary Wilson, Scherrie and Susaye, Apollo, Kagny and the Dirty Rats, Bobby Nunn, Finis Henderson, Michael Lovesmith, Dazz Band, General Kane, Vanity, Stacy Lattisaw, Maureen Steele, Sam Harris, Garry Glenn, Wilson Pickett, Bruce Willis, Carrie McDowell

No lie! And, don't forget Billy Preston, Syreeta, The Boys, The Four seasons, T.G. Sheppard, Rockwell, The Temptations, Eddie Kendricks, David Ruffin, Smokey Robinson, High Inergy, Stevie Wonder, Grover Washington, Jr., The Emotions, Fenderella, El Debarge, Debarge, Bunny DeBarge, Mary Jane Girls, Bobby M, Giorgio...and many, many more!

[soulster]

If the Complete Motown Singles Series post 1972 is not feasible at this time, I would hope that in some fashion the work of artists other than those already in our collections [[listed in other posts) could be gather together in some way. And, I know people who live in the U.K./Europe, and Japan, can get stuff quite easily, but we U.S. citizens, even with ordering online, are screwed, and this is where the music came from! Either the music is rare, or costs an arm and a leg.

[jboy88]

I think the point of the TCMS ending with '72 was to capture not just Detroit era, but the singles era. By the early 70s, the market was becoming more album driven. And the songs being put out as singles were being edited for time and not really being heard the way it was intended. I noticed this on several tracks on the '70 and '71 edition. This maybe a factor as to why the series was set up the way it was.

[skooldem1]

Well the singles were what they were. If they were edited they were edited. The title of the series is deceiving. It is not the complete Motown singles.

[calvin]

I personally have little if any interest in anything after 1972, but I would like to suggest a "complement collection" to the TCMS. As we know, Berry bought out Golden World in 1966 so Universal should own all the masters for anything released on the GW labels. Why not an issuance of Golden World/Ric Tic/Wingate output from 1962 to 1968? I estimate that there were 104 actual 45's issued on these 3 labels which equates to 208 songs. An entire collection of these 208 songs would make an ideal conclusion to the TCMS series. What does anyone else think about this suggestion?

I think this would be great, though I doubt we'll ever see it from Universal. Maybe this could be something for Ace/Kent?

[Ngroove]

I think the point of the TCMS ending with '72 was to capture not just Detroit era, but the singles era. By the early 70s, the market was becoming more album driven. And the songs being put out as singles were being edited for time and not really being heard the way it was intended. I noticed this on several tracks on the '70 and '71 edition. This maybe a factor as to why the series was set up the way it was.

True, True, but this age, especially of R&B in particular, of digital, the emphasis of "album driven" in terms of promotion and release today are particular and few. Namedly, mostly "Let's Get It On", "I Want You", "Street Songs", and Stevie Wonder and Lionel Richie are safe too. We also have a few Diana Rosses and Teena Maries. But I still want / am still waiting for High Inergy's "Turnin' On", and Bunny DeBarge's "In Love" would be swell too. 12" forms for some, or single cuts for all, just something, better than nothing.

[radionixon]

I'd love this to happen - I love Seventies Motown and disco-funk, I've said before I'd be absolutely willing to help out in any way possible - but I doubt it's in any way realistic, even as a cheap and cheerful bare-bones download-only effort.

Here's a question for you all. It's a given that Seventies Motown [[as in, post-'72, post-Detroit Motown) isn't the same as Detroit-era Motown, and save for the lure of following certain people's continuing stories after 1972 [[Marvin, Stevie, Diana, the ever-shifting later line-ups of the Supremes and Temptations) the fanbase is likely to be different, as the torch is passed and a new generation of stars takes over [[Lionel and the Commodores, Rick James, Teena Marie, DeBarge).

If we take it as read that the 1973-1988 Motown story doesn't really compare to the 1959-72 story, my question is this... imagine Motown had actually shut down [[or the brand and label family, Motown/Tamla/Gordy etc. were retired) in December '72, and Gordy instead started over with a new label out west, Sunset Records or Interstate Records or something. All the artists', writers' and producers' contracts are migrated to this hypothetical company, and all the 73-88 records remain exactly the same. What would this new label's place be in musical history? Would we see a Sunset box set now, a la TSOP? I guess what I'm asking is, if you take away the glorious Detroit years and the expectation created by the Motown name, where does 70s/80s Motown stand?

[Ngroove]

If we take it as read that the 1973-1988 Motown story doesn't really compare to the 1959-72 story, my question is this... imagine Motown had actually shut down [[or the brand and label family, Motown/Tamla/Gordy etc. were retired) in December '72, and Gordy instead started over with a new label out west, Sunset Records or Interstate Records or something. All the artists', writers' and producers' contracts are migrated to this hypothetical company, and all the 73-88 records remain exactly the same. What would this new label's place be in musical history? Would we see a Sunset box set now, a la TSOP? I guess what I'm asking is, if you take away the glorious Detroit years and the expectation created by the Motown name, where does 70s/80s Motown stand?
C'mon....seriously. Yes, am aware, when lookin' at reviews such as Amazon on the "Los Angeles" 1972-1992 Motown set for instance, when sayin' "Not as Good as the first one in terms of quality" or "Should be condensed to two discs rather than four", but seriously...."Brick House", "Three Times A Lady", "Somebody's Watching Me", "Super Freak", "All Night Long [[All Night)", maybe "Rhythm of the Night" too has since became just as anthemic parts of the American pop culture songbook with the "I Can't Help Myselves" and "Dancing In the Streets". Like the 1959-1972 sets, other than perhaps 1966 volume which I would assume has a high ratio of "hits", there's hits, really good hits, that would get the people movin' and feel good, and there's "clunkers", like MOR Soupy Sales and, sorry Sammy Davis Jr. Other words, if popped in the CD player, such a collection, no doubt there's "blahs", whether truly stunk, or just don't personally agree by personal taste, like for me Charlene's "I've Never Been To Me" or Motown Country in general because I'm not a country person, but, keep on pressin' that "skip" button, until find that groovy, feel-good, maybe even "get down" tune, from the big stars who cranks out groovy tunes, maybe even a few new names that you'd believe should long had their big shot long ago, if it weren't for their name's not "Diana Ross" or "Stevie Wonder". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitsville_USA:_The_Motown_Singles_Collection_Volum e_2_1972%E2%80%931992

[Ngroove]

And, I really would think about the potential-or-not 1976-1978 collections also, because of Fifth Dimension. FIFTH DIMENSION, PEOPLE!!!! I don't understand, how everyone, as well as all the CD makers, identifies them only as "Up, Up, and Away", "Wedding Bell Blues", and "Stoned Soul Picnic", up until the early seventies, then treat them like they stopped there, simply drop them, like "Star Dancing" and "High On Sunshine" never existed. If no singles were pumped from said albums, thus making post moot, never mind, carry on then.

[carole cucumber]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitsville_USA:_The_Motown_Singles_Collection_Volum e_2_1972%E2%80%931992

Harmour Love - Sheniah Carrie???????????????

[radionixon]

C'mon....seriously. Yes, am aware, when lookin' at reviews such as Amazon on the "Los Angeles" 1972-1992 Motown set for instance, when sayin' "Not as Good as the first one in terms of quality" or "Should be condensed to two discs rather than four", but seriously...."Brick House", "Three Times A Lady", "Somebody's Watching Me", "Super Freak", "All Night Long [[All Night)", maybe "Rhythm of the Night" too has since became just as anthemic parts of the American pop culture songbook with the "I Can't Help Myselves" and "Dancing In the Streets". Like the 1959-1972 sets, other than perhaps 1966 volume which I would assume has a high ratio of "hits", there's hits, really good hits, that would get the people movin' and feel good, and there's "clunkers", like MOR Soupy Sales and, sorry Sammy Davis Jr. Other words, if popped in the CD player, such a collection, no doubt there's "blahs", whether truly stunk, or just don't personally agree by personal taste, like for me Charlene's "I've Never Been To Me" or Motown Country in general because I'm not a country person, but, keep on pressin' that "skip" button, until find that groovy, feel-good, maybe even "get down" tune, from the big stars who cranks out groovy tunes, maybe even a few new names that you'd believe should long had their big shot long ago, if it weren't for their name's not "Diana Ross" or "Stevie Wonder". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitsville_USA:_The_Motown_Singles_Collection_Volum e_2_1972%E2%80%931992

I love Seventies Motown, but it's my personal view that the Motown name is a hindrance rather than a help when giving these records their proper dues, because Motown had so sucessfully defined what "Motown" means and so people now [[and at the time, if some of the firsthand accounts in this thread are anything to go by) will listen to e.g. a High Inergy or DeBarge or Rick James track and go "it's not really Motown for me any more". Which to me is missing the point; Seventies Motown shares some personnel but it's really a different story and a different sound - like comparing Wings to the Beatles, Style Council to the Jam, PiL to the Pistols.

[144man]

What makes it different is the ratio of misses to hits. There are many good records from 1973 onwards, but a lot more that one would play once and never want to hear again.

[Ngroove]

*SIGH* OK....I guess I'll have to wait the snail-pace even longer for the specialty party companies - Soulmusic, Big Break Records, Funkytowngrooves, or the Motown divisions of Britain, Japan, or beyond - for those underrated gems - with a BIG IF - since Motown Domestic, all they pump out, classics-wise, is still the same old Jackson Five / Marvin Gaye / Temptations / Supremes, in "greatest hits" / "love songs" form, handfuls of them, and rarely others else, every year nowadays....HURRY UP, with "Turnin' On", High Inergy, Big Break Records, I haven't forgotten....