Picked up some nice vinyl today

[tsull1]

Huge vinyl sale by a record club in town. Picked up "Euphrates River" by The Main Ingredient, "Main Street People" by The Four Tops, and "Masterpiece" by The Temptations, total cost under $20 and all in great shape.

Struck out in trying to find Four Tops/Supremes "Return of the Magnificient 7" and almost bought Ohio Players "Honey" just for the cover :>) but realized I have it on CD.

... Now I have to find a turntable. For some stupid reason I got rid of a lot of vinyl when I went CD many years ago. Now I'm buying more vinyl this year.

[nomis]

..thats cool Tsull..In my town there is only one shop left that sells vinyl and I have a feeling in my bones its not going to be there much longer..as a teenager I remember there where shops selling cheap vinyl everywhere..theyve all gone now.

[soulster]

... "Main Street People" by The Four Tops,

I discovered this fine album used . In fact, I found a white-label promo pressing. It's a shame this isn't available to the masses on CD. In fact, IMO, the first three Four Tops ABC/Dunhill albums are one of the best triple KO punches ever. I'll take "Keeper Of The Castle", Main Street People", and "Meeting Of The Minds" over any album they did at Motown. The best thing the Tops ever did was move to ABC/Dunhill in 1972. But, it would have been cool if the song they did with the Moody Blues had been issued as a single in the U.S. and included on an album while they were still at Motown.

[GeeTee(HPK)]

tsull,
I'm sure you will be able to find yourself a good turntable,because "vinyl rules !" :)

[soulster]

May I suggest something like a rega?1888

[tamla617]

soulster
you talking about "so deep within you"? are you looking for it?

[stephanie]

Soulster I was waiting for someone to make a comment about the Four Tops albums outside of Motown. I like these albums so much better because they dont follow the same Motown machine pattern [[which is good dont get me wrong) but its nice to hear the guys harmonize and have a chance to shine outside of Levi. When Still Water came out I was ecstatic because it showed them as a group and although Levi is the lead singer these guys can really sing and Lambert and Potter gave them great material. Even a silly song like Catfish warmed my heart when I heard it and the little Cameo inflections [[well like Larry Blackmon)

It doesnt matter what label they are on they are a joy to work with according to everyone.

[tsull1]

Thanks for the suggestions on the turntables, that's why I come to this site, to get some tips from people who are passionate about music.

As for The Four Tops non-Motown albums, I agree somewhat. I have the "Nature Planned It" album and it is outstanding. The Motown albums were fine, but lots and lots of filler from doing so many covers. "I'm a Believer" the Monkees tune remade by The Four Tops? Probably not necessary. Not sure why they had so many covers on those Motown albums. The Dunhill stuff is highly underrated.

[soulster]

soulster
you talking about "so deep wthin you"? are you loking for it?

?????? I don't understand your question.

[soulster]

Soulster I was waiting for someone to make a comment about the Four Tops albums outside of Motown. I like these albums so much better because they dont follow the same Motown machine pattern [[which is good dont get me wrong) but its nice to hear the guys harmonize and have a chance to shine outside of Levi. When Still Water came out I was ecstatic because it showed them as a group and although Levi is the lead singer these guys can really sing and Lambert and Potter gave them great material.

With Dunhill, they had a chance to stretch. They were allowed to pretty much produce themselves and pick their own material. In fact, it was Lawrence Payton who pretty took over the role of producer, despite Potter and Lambert's name on the label.

[soulster]

http://www.rega.co.uk/html/p3.htm

http://www.thorens.com/turntables/drives.html

http://www.musichallaudio.com/products.php?l=3&c=2

http://www.vpiindustries.com/static.php?page=Tables


http://www.project-audio.com/main.php?info=turntables&cat=turntables&lang=en

[zebop]

I've got Four Tops Main Street People on vinyl, it sounds great on record too. I've got the 8 track too. :)

[soulster]

I did a made a nice needledrop of it.

[Sotosound]

But, it would have been cool if the song they did with the Moody Blues had been issued as a single in the U.S. and included on an album while they were still at Motown.


I'm guessing that Soulster means "Simple Game", which was a Top five hit in the UK in Autumn 1971.

"So Deep Within You" was released in the UK around 18 months later, i.e. in early 1973, after "Keeper Of The Castle" had become a hit. "So Deep" is a great track but not an obvious one for release as a single.

What surprises me is that Motown felt that [[as with "Tears Of A Clown") they just had to remix "Simple Game" before releasing it as a single in the USA. Why, I don't know, but IMHO they ruined it by doing so since they took the big echo away from the brass in the intro, which was the thing that grabbed the UK listener as soon as the track began.

The contrasts between the big echo-ey brass intro, the quietly Lawrence Payton-sung sung verse, and the Levi Stubbs-sung build up to the big unison-then-harmony chorus are what make the track so strong.

Without the big intro, the listener has to wait for the first chorus before the track really takes off, which isn't good in the 3-minute single market where the intro absolutely has to grab the listener's attention. [[The stereo mix is even more of a damp squib in this respect.)

To my knowledge, the UK single mix is only available on the Hip-O 50th Anniversary 2-CD Anthology. The US single mix can be found on the "Ultimate Collection" CD, and a longer version of that mix can be found on "Fourever".

The stereo mix is, however, widely available. [[Shame, that!)

As for "Main Street People", I won a copy in a competition run by "Record Mirror", a long-defunct UK music paper, and it's a great album. There are no covers of contemporary hits and Levi is allowed to sing rather than strain his larynx. My favourite tracks are "Just Can't Get You Out Of My Mind" and "Whenever There's Blue".

To be safe, I bought a second UK copy in the late 70s and found a good condition US copy more recently.

Love it!

Just to wrap up my meandering on the Four Tops, a favourite track of mine is "[[I Think I Must Be) Dreaming" from "Keeper Of The Castle". This track was the UK single follow-up to "Keeper". It got a lot of airplay but sadly didn't chart. In terms of lyrical content, if fits in well if played after "Where Did You Go?" and "I Just Can't Get You Out Of My Mind". The first two songs are about love that's lost, and "Dreaming" is where this lost love returns. [[How pathetically sentimental can a guy get?)

[soulster]

I'm guessing that Soulster means "Simple Game", which was a Top five hit in the UK in Autumn 1971.

"So Deep Within You" was released in the UK around 18 months later, i.e. in early 1973, after "Keeper Of The Castle" had become a hit. "So Deep" is a great track but not an obvious one for release as a single.



Ah, that's what Motown_M_1056 was talking about! See, that song was not issed in the U.S., AFAIK.

That's what's confusing about this forum, you don't know what country a poster is from unless it is referenced in their post.

[tamla617]

soulster
not sure how i confused you.i was asking if you were talking about the four tops single "so deep within you" recorded in the same session with the moody blues and blue mink aswell as "simple game" in highbury,north london while they were over here on tour 1970.simple game was the 2nd biggest hit from the 4 tops over here,1st was reach out.
and you're right "so deep" wasnt released in the states