Motown magic

[mysterysinger]

Anyone got info on this upcoming release? Just another re-hash?


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Motown-Magic/dp/B001W1T5WU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2CZZLHWI0ZGE9&coliid=I35YTCZVEGZCS8

[no_place_like_motown]

Anyone got info on this upcoming release? Just another re-hash?


If you click on "MP3 Download" you'll be able to hear the sound clips. Most of the tracks sound like rerecordings released on the Motor City label.

[copley]

It's rubbish from Ian Levine that 1st saw the light of day over 20 years ago. Avoid at all costs!

[tamla617]

what?the motor city 5/6 vol set?again?deep joy!whata nightmare!

[144man]

Does anyone think anything positive came out of the Motorcity experiment? It might be worth a thread.

[reese]

Does anyone think anything positive came out of the Motorcity experiment? It might be worth a thread.

It was nice to see some of the artists recording again. I know that material gets a bad rap, but I enjoy many of those recordings. STEP INTO MY SHOES by Martha and the Vandellas, HOLDING ON WITH BOTH HANDS by the Marvelettes, and SURRENDER by Bettye Lavette are some of my favorites.

[tamla617]

It was nice to see some of the artists recording again. I know that material gets a bad rap, but I enjoy many of those recordings. STEP INTO MY SHOES by Martha and the Vandellas, HOLDING ON WITH BOTH HANDS by the Marvelettes, and SURRENDER by Bettye Lavette are some of my favorites.

was there more than one of these?'cos i havent seen those tracks before

[tamla617]

Does anyone think anything positive came out of the Motorcity experiment? It might be worth a thread.

the thing that got me was i thought i was buying original motown material [[!) it was only after i'd got them home i found they were re done and recent recordings.

its ian levine's empire and previous that i dont/didnt like.

[copley]

It was a good idea badly executed. These lovely singers deserved proper arrangements & musicians not mechanical backing tracks. Also it's alleged that Levine did not pay the artists, just ask the likes of Martha!

[reese]

was there more than one of these?'cos i havent seen those tracks before

The Motorcity tracks have been released many times, and in many forms.

The Marvelettes' recording I mentioned was released on the album THE MARVELETTES...NOW, as well as a 12-inch single, and various compilations.

Martha's STEP INTO MY SHOES was issued on a 12-inch single, as well as various compilations.

Hot Productions released a whole cd of Bettye's Motorcity recordings. Again, they were probably released on other compilations as well.

[mysterysinger]

Ok so its the Motorcity stuff, thanks for the info. There were some good recordings came out of that project [[I like "SideStepping" by the Fantastic Four for example). The most positive thing that came out of it was the Legends of Motorcity Tour which meant I had the chance to see Marv Johnson, Syreeta, Kim Weston, The Elgins, Carolyn Crawford and Jean, Scherrie and Lynda of The Supremes, live in Manchester. Great show!
4954

[jsmith]

There are some good Motorcity [[& earlier Nightmare label) tracks .....
.... its just that they only form about 1% of the stuff cut for / released on the labels.

[144man]

It was a good idea badly executed. These lovely singers deserved proper arrangements & musicians not mechanical backing tracks. Also it's alleged that Levine did not pay the artists, just ask the likes of Martha!

I believe Ian Levine could not secure adequate funding for the project, and that is why mechanical backing tracks were used. As far as I know the artists were well aware that it was a labour of love designed to raise their profile, and were happy to give their initial services for a flat fee, receiving further payment when the hits started coming.

Unfortunately, Levine let his heart overrule his head, and decided to issue records on every former Motown artist he could find. As co-writer of nearly all the new material, he was spreading himself far too thinly, and quality suffered as a result. The demise of distributors, PRT, did not help, so the hits never came, and the financial problems were never solved.

Some artists were happy with his treatment of them e.g. Brenda Holloway as stated in an interview in "In the Basement" magazine.

I had front-row seats for the Legends of Motorcity tour at the Dominion Theatre, London, and agree with Mysterysinger that it was a great show.

A lot of the Motorcity recordings are virtually unlistenable now,but there are some I still like. The Velvelettes 12" extended update of "Needle In A Haystack" and Hattie Littles' "Running A Fever" immediately spring to mind. I must dig out the Marvelettes' track called [[I think) "Put It In Motion" as I remember being impressed by that at the time.

[144man]

I've dug out the Marvelettes' track and it turns out to be called "Getting Into Motion". It references 60s dance crazes, and begins with a monologue from Gladys. As I remembered, it's a strong track. Unfortunately the only place I can trace it appearing is on the US Various Artists CD, "The Best of Motorcity, Vol 3" [[HTCD 220).

[reese]

I've dug out the Marvelettes' track and it turns out to be called "Getting Into Motion". It references 60s dance crazes, and begins with a monologue from Gladys. As I remembered, it's a strong track. Unfortunately the only place I can trace it appearing is on the US Various Artists CD, "The Best of Motorcity, Vol 3" [[HTCD 220).

It is also on a Marvelettes collection "WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG AND IN LOVE" on the LifeTime label.

[144man]

It is also on a Marvelettes collection "WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG AND IN LOVE" on the LifeTime label.

Are the LifeTime releases comparatively recent? I more or less stopped looking for new Motorcity tracks when Hip-OSelect started issuing the real thing.

[noel181]

Anyone got info on this upcoming release? Just another re-hash?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Motown-Magic/dp/B001W1T5WU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2CZZLHWI0ZGE9&coliid=I35YTCZVEGZCS8

Just want to let you know that this 2CD set from Austria is NOT Ian Levine music, but original tracks. For the most part these songs have already been released on CD but
it contains 3 tracks from different G.C. Cameron albums and one track from The Undisputed Truth.

1)Don't You Want To Give It Up - G.C. Cameron
2)Include Me In Your Life-G.C. Cameron
3)This Will Make You Dance-G.C. Cameron
4)Brother Louie-The Undisputed Truth

All others have been released on CD but are rare tracks that you might not have in your collection. Check it out on Amazon.ca It was released May 18 2012
Seems like this discussion got on a wrong tagent. Hope this helps. Don't know if this available for download.

[copley]

http://www.amazon.ca/Motown-Magic/dp/B001W1T5WU/ref=sr_1_11?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1345459803&sr=1-11

You can see the track list on the cover.

[carole cucumber]

The back cover shows a 2009 copyright.

[jsmith]

On Amazon UK it states [[about this CD) ....
...... Currently unavailable.
We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.

[marv2]

what?the motor city 5/6 vol set?again?deep joy!whata nightmare!

No, "Nightmare" was the name of one of Ian's record labels! hehehehehehe.....

[marv2]

Does anyone think anything positive came out of the Motorcity experiment? It might be worth a thread.

Although I did not enjoy most of his work with the Motorcity project, I do know that Ian Levine took it all very seriously. I sat with him and Esther Gordy Edwards one night in Detroit at a concert promoting many of the old Motown Artists and their new Motorcity Records recordings. He had big plans to release the recordings and videos Worldwide. If this had been a success, it would have been an extended, permanent type situation. Many of the artists were excited about it.

[marv2]

The problem with a lot of the material from the Motorcity projects is that they sounded dated when they were first released in the late 80's and early 90's! They had the sound of mid 70's disco. Also they were classified as "Hi NRG"? I am not that familiar with that type of music, but I know I did not care for it.

[Motown1050]

The main problem I have with Ian Levine is the fact several of the artists I know are not receiving any royalties from these recordings, regardless of how many times the recordings have been rereleased. He's also holding onto royalities for the songs that the artists wrote or co-wrote.

[jobeterob]

Ian was way too late in the day with these recordings.

They did sound dated; they were not going to be hits or repeat history.

Seen as a nice attempt to give some people a 2nd chance and to get former label mates together, it was nice.

As for royalties ~ royalties have fallen to nothing for legitimate big name artists who actually signed contracts providing significant royalties. We are in an era where young people do not pay for music; they pay for a concert but not recordings.

Motown contracts were in an era when royalties were not very high; they were not high for the Supremes, Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Jackson 5, you name it. I'm sure it was not different for Motorcity.

Sales of Motorcity recording would not have produced significant royalties but I suppose every little bit counts.

[144man]

I remember a Charly employee telling me that I'd be surprised if I knew how few copies some of the Motorcity releases they were distributing sold.