What a shock! MOTOWN Now Operates Out Of The Capitol Records Tower in L.A.!

[Philles/Motown Gary]

According to Wikipedia, Motown Records now operates out of the Capital Records Tower in L.A.. This is news to me. Although unpleasant changes occurred at Universal Music over the past year or two effecting Motown fans greatly, I was under the impression that Motown was still located and operating, at least to some extent, in Manhattan.

Here’s the last paragraph of the Wikipedia article:

"Motown spent much of the 2000s as a part of the Universal Music subsidiaries Universal Motown and Universal Motown Republic Group, and headquartered in New York City. From 2011 to 2014, Motown was a part of The Island Def Jam Music Group division of Universal Music. On April 1, 2014, Universal Music Group announced the dissolution of Island Deaf Jam; subsequently Motown relocated back to Los Angeles to operate under the Capitol Music Group. It now operates out of the landmark Capitol Tower."

The entire Wikipedia article can be seen in the link below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motown [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motown)

[bradsupremes]

It should be noted this is the current Motown label and doesn't pertain to the classic Motown catalog. The classic Motown catalog still is overseen and run by Harry, Andy and the gang in New York out of the Universal Music Group building.

[longtimefan]

Speaking of....

I have not seen/heard anything fro Harry for ages. He used to post on the forum as well as tweet now and then with classic Motown updates. I hope that he is OK.

Sadly, I assume that there is actually nothing to report. UMG has basically shut down the classic releases. Just look at the HipO site to see how many releases one were being released annually! Now, "maybe" one to two a year. digitally

[Philles/Motown Gary]

It should be noted this is the current Motown label and doesn't pertain to the classic Motown catalog. The classic Motown catalog still is overseen and run by Harry, Andy and the gang in New York out of the Universal Music Group building.
Thanks, bradsupremes. I didn't know what to think. I wonder, does this mean that Motown's vaults are still in Manhattan or have they moved to California, too? One would think that wherever Motown goes, the vaults would follow.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Speaking of....

I have not seen/heard anything fro Harry for ages. He used to post on the forum as well as tweet now and then with classic Motown updates. I hope that he is OK.

Sadly, I assume that there is actually nothing to report. UMG has basically shut down the classic releases. Just look at the HipO site to see how many releases one were being released annually! Now, "maybe" one to two a year. digitally

Longtimefan, I spoke with Harry very briefly via email a few months ago. I just wanted to let him that we appreciate all that he, Andy, and George have done to keep classic Motown alive and available, and to let him know that we fans know that what happened at Universal is no reflection on him and the guys. We're upset with the powers that be, not him. He wrote back to say thank you. That was the last I've heard from him.

[soulster]

Thanks, bradsupremes. I didn't know what to think. I wonder, does this mean that Motown's vaults are still in Manhattan or have they moved to California, too? One would think that wherever Motown goes, the vaults would follow.

This was news like...a year ago. From what I remember about the press release last year is that Motown is now under the Capitol Records umbrella, is now relocated to the famous Capitol tower near the corner of Hollywood and Vine, and that UMG granted the label autonomy. The entire label has relocated back to Los Angeles.

[Methuselah2]

Harry Speaks!
From: Music Biz 101 & More
Published: March 4, 2015

https://archive.org/details/HarryWeingerUniversalMotownMusicBiz101MorePodcast

[soulster]

Harry Speaks!
From: Music Biz 101 & More
Published: March 4, 2015

https://archive.org/details/HarryWeingerUniversalMotownMusicBiz101MorePodcast
Good to know he's still VP at Universal, and it sounds like he's still in charge on catalog.

[keith_hughes]

Harry encouraged and approved the forthcoming Ace Fantastic Four CD, and made a number of useful suggestions. We thank him, as always, for everything he does to keep this series of releases running. And thanks to Andy, too, for assembling and shipping us the masters for the previously unreleased material.

[mysterysinger]

Someone hip-hopping it to Motown....http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/quality-control-music-announces-partnership-with-capitol-and-motown-news.15499.html

[Motown Andy]

Longtime Fan, classic releases are still going strong, just not on the Hip-O site! We remastered entire [[and nearly entire) album catalogs for iTunes over the last six months. Jackson 5 went up in September, The Miracles in October, Stevie Wonder in November, Marvin Gaye in January, The Supremes and Diana Ross in March, The Commodores and Lionel Richie last week, and another artist/group coming next month month! It's been very busy, and they sound great!

[jboy88]

Keep up the good work Andy, HW! Looking forward to the Fantastic Four CD!

[soulster]

Longtime Fan, classic releases are still going strong, just not on the Hip-O site! We remastered entire [[and nearly entire) album catalogs for iTunes over the last six months. Jackson 5 went up in September, The Miracles in October, Stevie Wonder in November, Marvin Gaye in January, The Supremes and Diana Ross in March, The Commodores and Lionel Richie last week, and another artist/group coming next month month! It's been very busy, and they sound great!

Andy, I, and many others of us, have no interest in lossy downloads, especially from iTunes. I also hope these remasters are also going up on Pono, too.

[calvin]

Andy, I, and many others of us, have no interest in lossy downloads, especially from iTunes. I also hope these remasters are also going up on Pono, too.

Most of the new titles are available from Qobuz as lossless downloads. I just noticed the new Commodores titles earlier this week, including "Movin' On" [[yes, it came out on cd recently, but from PTG - a vinyl rip, which I didn't buy). I plan to buy the download this weekend.

I'm not going to check them all, but I do see the Commodores on Pono, as well as the three Smokey Robinson & The Miracles albums that made their digital debut as downloads last year.

One exception I've noticed is that the stereo version of "Supremes Sing Country Western & Pop" is on the UK iTunes, but Qobuz only got the mono version, which I already have on cd. But this one is no big deal to me.

Also, strangely, Tata Vega's "Givin' All My Love" is available only for customers in Belgium and The Netherlands from Qobuz [[I also don't see it on UK iTunes).

[calvin]

Longtime Fan, classic releases are still going strong, just not on the Hip-O site! We remastered entire [[and nearly entire) album catalogs for iTunes over the last six months. Jackson 5 went up in September, The Miracles in October, Stevie Wonder in November, Marvin Gaye in January, The Supremes and Diana Ross in March, The Commodores and Lionel Richie last week, and another artist/group coming next month month! It's been very busy, and they sound great!

Thanks Andy for these releases! Thanks also to whoever is responsible for making them available as lossless downloads on Qobuz/Pono.

Now that you're going the download route, I hope we'll see a lot more of the albums that never made it to cd, including some of the lesser-known ones. Isn't it also a goal of Universal to get everything digitally mastered for archival purposes?

[soulster]

Most of the new titles are available from Qobuz as lossless downloads.

Unfortunately, Quboz still isn't yet up here in the U.S., and the albums aren't up on Pono yet. I'll check HD Tracks.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Andy, I've been purchasing ALL of your Motown downloads which never made it to CD. Personally, I have no problem with the "lossy" downloads. So far, the sound quality has been excellent. If you continue releasing the lossy versions, however, I urge you to release them on Amazon. Itunes has too many inherent problems whereby their downloads contain dropouts, unwanted noise, they won't burn to CD properly, etc., whereas I've never, ever had a problem with Amazon. I'm through giving itunes my hard-earned money. They've burned me for the last time.

[calvin]

Unfortunately, Quboz still isn't yet up here in the U.S., and the albums aren't up on Pono yet. I'll check HD Tracks.

Which album[[s) are you looking for? Many of these do seem to be on Pono, for example:

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, "Flying High Together"
https://www.ponomusic.com/ccrz__CCPage?pageKey=product&oId=of%3Aeefa69be624742aea4b4f2578a8cee60&type=Album&artistId=of%3A7102e78aca4d4c43bddef552b8944b09

The Commodores "Movin' On" seems to be in hi res only [[?), though I guess that's what you want [[Qobuz has lossless and hi res):
https://www.ponomusic.com/ccrz__CCPage?pageKey=product&oId=of%3A566bf601fe5b48a2abfba444293b418c&type=Album&artistId=of%3Aa0a72458e30a488387318a71c8f78dfb

Here's Rick James, "The Complete Motown Albums", one you expressed interest in:
https://www.ponomusic.com/ccrz__CCPage?pageKey=product&oId=of%3A4a8d2e422206494abfeed30c4317f582&type=Album&artistId=of%3A5d0f5f709142430bb20929aedc7c1248

[soulster]

Which album[[s) are you looking for? Many of these do seem to be on Pono, for example:

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, "Flying High Together"
https://www.ponomusic.com/ccrz__CCPage?pageKey=product&oId=of%3Aeefa69be624742aea4b4f2578a8cee60&type=Album&artistId=of%3A7102e78aca4d4c43bddef552b8944b09

I know about those. I just hav'e had the money to buy them yet. I hope they don't disappear before I get the chance to get 'em.

The Commodores "Movin' On" seems to be in hi res only [[?), though I guess that's what you want [[Qobuz has lossless and hi res):
https://www.ponomusic.com/ccrz__CCPage?pageKey=product&oId=of%3A566bf601fe5b48a2abfba444293b418c&type=Album&artistId=of%3Aa0a72458e30a488387318a71c8f78dfb

Here's Rick James, "The Complete Motown Albums", one you expressed interest in:
https://www.ponomusic.com/ccrz__CCPage?pageKey=product&oId=of%3A4a8d2e422206494abfeed30c4317f582&type=Album&artistId=of%3A5d0f5f709142430bb20929aedc7c1248

I know about those. I've been in a money crunch and haven't gotten them yet. I hope they don't go away before I get a chance to buy them.