Ooh I agree with you there Ralph, ‘Zeus’ is an excellent name ;)
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Ooh I agree with you there Ralph, ‘Zeus’ is an excellent name ;)
Mac Suazo....XIT. ..........I sent Mac an email inviting him to join this thread.
Gary, I'm curious. What Two Tracks on the Stoney and Meatloaf album don't you care for. I have my own problems with a couple of them myself.
Tom. The band had a promo picture. The four of them around a campfire and all in some sort of weird pose. One looked like he was hanging from a cross...another praying to the fire. Can't remember it all but it was so edgy it gave me the creeps. I wanted it for the album cover.. Turned out the pic creeped Harry out also and he nixed it for the cover. Wish I had that picture.
Talking of Meatloaf does he keep in touch and is there a sense of achievement there with you guys? Their album was released on Prodigal too I believe - another story there perhaps.
Mystery, We stayed in Touch for a while after the Motown days. He called me all excited to tell me of his upcoming role in Rocky Horror. I was happy for him. After that, life got in the way, I suppose.
A word of caution regarding the Prodigal version. Completely different than the original and horrible! I was never sure why the new version, along with the ugliest album cover ever conceived, was released instead of just re releasing the original. anyway. Stay away from it.
Hey Ralph! My copy of Stoney & Meatloaf's album is the original Rare Earth version. Here's a quick breakdown of my favorite tracks and lesser favorites -- my favorites being those containing the most ingredients of the "Motown Sound" [[horns and strings, back-up vocals, highly-stylized musical arrangements/productions, and that certain indefinable "magic" that makes it Motown.
FAVORITES [[Love 'em!):
[[I'd Love To Be) As Heavy As Jesus
She Waits By The Window
It Takes All Kinds Of People
What You See Is What You Get
Sunshine [[Where's Heaven)
LESSER FAVORITES:
Game Of Love
Kiss Me Again
Jimmy Bell
Jessica White
LEAST FAVORITE:
Lady Be Mine
Overall, I love this album, Ralph. You did a great job on it! I really wish it would get a CD release to replace my current vinyl-to-CD home-made copy. I also wish you had produced a second Stoney & Meatloaf album. Are there any Stoney & Meatloaf previously-unreleased tracks in the vaults?
- Gary
Now i never knew that it was a different recording. Thanks for the warning. Wonder if either version of the Stoney & Meatloaf album will surface on CD. They must have thought a lot of it to consider re-recording it. I did have the Prodigal version on LP but wasn't enraptured with it.
Gary, We are pretty much on the same page regarding least favorite songs. Meatloaf had wanted to do Jimmy Bell as a solo. Stoney had complained to me that I was pushing her too hard in the studio, getting power out of her big voice and could she please pick a song she could sing without grinding it. She chose Game Of Love.
I liked Lady Be Mine but should have taken the production a little further.
My big disappointment: Sunshine Where's Heaven. I over produced the sucker. The song was originally meant to be kind of a laid back Soft Rock kind of song. At least that is how I wrote it. I didn't have any verses written, only the chorus. Mike Valvano and I sat in my family room one afternoon to write the verses. We were having trouble getting anywhere. We noticed my young daughter playing in her sandbox in the yard. Before I knew it we were writing about a couple that had lost a child. Not quite where I wanted to go and the production was getting away from me. Tom Baird can be heard wailing away on the piano going into the fade. So there are times I wish I could do a song over again.
I love your behind-the-scenes Motown stories, Ralph! It's fun to learn how a beautiful song got its start on a quiet afternoon in your family room. I still wish that you and Russ would collaborate on a Motown book. Take all of the behind-the-scenes stories that you shared with us in your many You-Tube videos, add additional stories like this one, and you've got a fantastic read for Motown fans!
Truthfully, I'm glad that you "over-produced" "Sunshine [[Where's Heaven)." I love the intensity of the vocals and strings. It was perfectly and appropriately Motown. If you had made it less intense, less glossy, and more rock oriented, it probably would have dropped to my "Lesser Favorites" category. As it is, I love it and wouldn't change a thing.
Oh my Ralph that does sound weird. Perhaps too weird. :D
I also read that Motown tried to make the album more conventional/pop-friendly by ensuring the tracks were relatively short. But the LP didn’t do very well because Motown didn’t really know what they were doing with it...?
Yes... https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-g...s-mw0000252206
Interesting :)
The Power Of Zeus album "The Gospel According to Zeus" has been released at least twice on CD. I have a copy issued on the "Twilight Zone" label, cat. no. TT019 that I purchased some years back from a seller in Stockholm. It's also been released on the U.K. Traffic label and if anyone is interested, copies are currently available on Ebay UK. from a seller in Australia, who has two copies for sale and provided the following info and description:
'When one thinks of Motown Records, heavy guitar riffs and psychedelic rock is not the first thing that comes to mind. Perhaps that's why Power of Zeus's The Gospel According to Zeus, the debut rock release by Motown subsidiary Rare Earth Records and the Detroit band's first and only full-length album, has achieved mythological status in the years since it's release in 1970. Marked by the virtuoso guitar work of Joe Periano, Power of Zeus create an album that merges the high-concept songwriting of Pink Floyd with the tight, powerful arrangements of Black Sabbath; see the slow psychedelic dirge "Green Grass & Clover" or the raw energy of "Sorcerer of Isis" for examples. Initially disregarded by critics and audiences, Gospel has since been recognized as a classic album and become a much sought-after collector's piece, representing the lone, great effort from a band later torn apart by drug abuse and in-fighting. Get On Down is proud to present this forgotten gem as it was intended to be heard, with a new digital audio transfer from the original analog tapes.'
Disc 1
Track 1 : It Couldn't Be Me
Track 2 : In The Night
Track 3 : Green Grass And Clover
Track 4 : I Lost My Love
Track 5 : The Death Grip
Track 6 : No Time
Track 7 : Uncertain Destination
Track 8 : Realization
Track 9 : Hard Working Man
Track 10 : The Sorcerer Of Isis [[The Ritual Of The Mole)
mysterysinger, I agree the Japanese Mini-Lp Cd's are superb, both in terms of aural quality and their faithful reproductions of the original cover artwork. They're also not too expensive, which is a bonus.
Were you aware that the Poor Boys only Rare Earth album "Ain't Nothin' In Our Pocket But Love" originally released on Rare Earth [[RS 519) was issued in mini-lp format last year? I'm sure new copies can still be readily purchased.
Regarding the Stoney & Meatloaf album, are there two versions of that one? I once saw a track list for it that seemed to have a few songs not on the original recording while missing a couple. I can't remember exactly, I would have to see if I could find my notes on it.
Well now, I've probably misunderstood the meaning of "completely different than the original and horrible" since I'd thought that meant re-recorded somehow, but it probably doesn't mean that.
The original 1971 release featured tracks:
A1 [[I'd Love To Be) As Heavy As Jesus
A2 She Waits By The Window
A3 It Takes All Kinds Of People
A4 Game Of Love
A5 Kiss Me Again
B1 What You See Is What You Get
B2 Sunshine [[Where's Heaven)
B3 Jimmy Bell
B4 Lady Be Mine
B5 Jessica White
Apparently, as per Discogs, the 1978 re-release omits 4 songs from the original 1971 Rare Earth Records release:
1.[[Id Love To be) As Heavy As Jesus
2. It Takes All Kinds Of People
3. Game Of Love
4. What You See Is What You Get
However, it adds 4 previously unreleased songs:
1. Stone Heart
2. Who Is The Leader Of The People
3. Everything Under The Sun
4. It features a longer, different mix of "Jimmy Bell" from the 1971 release.
So that's interesting - but it also changed the front cover from what was a tasteful portrait to what I can only describe as a dog's dinner.
The Big Pink mini-LP CD has the original artwork and the following track listing:
01. [[I'd Love To Be) As Heavy As Jesus
02. She Waits By The Window
03. It Takes All Kinds Of People
04. Game Of Love
05. Kiss Me Again
06. What You See Is What You Get
07. Sunshine [[Where's Heaven)
08. Jimmy Bell
09. Lady Be Mine
10. Jessica White
11. Stone Heart
12. Who Is The Leader Of The People
13. Everything Under The Sun
Everything Under The Sun was a song I had high hopes for. However some sort of miscommunication with arranger Dave Van Di Pitt had the horns coming out like a Sousa march of some sort instead of the New Orleans style I had in mind. #11 and #12 I didn't produce. That would have been produced by Nick and Dino. Harry had opened S&M to other producers, a decision I wasn't all that happy about.
t
Please excuse me if this has been mentioned previously, and a cursory look did not detect it, but Smokey Robinson's album, "Smokey," from 1970 featured XIT on the track, "Just My Soul Responding." https://youtu.be/mBny0vgnGkQ
Just in case Gary gets excited, "Everything Under The Sun" is a different song to anything recorded at Philles by The Ronettes or Ike & Tina.
Yeah, thank you very much for the heads up, Motown1050. I just ordered my CD copy of Stoney & Meatloaf -- a dream that I never thought would come true.
And you're not alone in your wish that Rustix Rare Earth albums would get a CD release. In fact, I thought I was alone on that one. You are the first and only Motown fan, other than me, who admits to loving their first "Bedlam" album. Every track on that album had "pop hit" stamped all over it. Rustix was from Rochester, NY, where I'm from. I couldn't believe that the group didn't succeed with Motown. Friends who I played it for at the time all loved it. All that "Bedlam" needed was a chance to be heard.
Attachment 13902
Reading the posts about the Rare Earth label recordings on CD got me interested all over again! I once owned all the LPs on the Rare Earth label, and only retained a few when I got rid of my vinyl collection. I held on to Impact Of Brass, The Cats, The God Squad, The Messengers, Matrix, and, of course, the two XIT albums because I liked them so much. Reading the info about the XIT albums being available on CD triggered an online hunt, and I found and ordered the 'Silent Warrior' CD. Now I will enjoy it even more, since it sounds much, much better than my old LP! Sometimes, reading SoulfulDetroit posts can be an expensive [[but enjoyable) exercise!
Aside from the 3 tracks on TCMS, I believe the only other track by the Impact Of Brass which is available on CD is "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" on the CD album of "The Key To The Kingdom". Does anyone know of others [[aside from TCMS and TKTTK)?
Whilst not [[yet) available on CD as far as I know, some of you might be interested to know about this European compilation album from the days of the Rare Earth label.
The Rarest On Earth
A1 –Rare Earth Get Ready
A2 –The Rustix I Heard It Through The Grapevine
A3 –Dennis Stoner Lost Along The Highway
A4 –The Sunday Funnies Walk Down The Path Of Freedom
A5 –Stoney & Meatloaf Jimmy Bell
A6 –My Friends I'm An Easy Rider
A7 –Corliss Nelson The Way I Live
B1 –R. Dean Taylor Taos New Mexico
B2 –The Messengers Window Shopping
B3 –The Poor Boys Beg Me
B4 –Ken Christie & The Sundance People Jesus Is The Key
B5 –XIT Nihaa Shil Hozho [[I Am Happy About You)
B6 –The Sunday Funnies It's Just A Dream
B7 –Rare Earth I Just Want To Celebrate
Attachment 13903
With regard to the US Rare Earth label albums available on CD, obviously most are now obtainable but these are the ones still to make an appearance as far as I know [[please advise if I have any of these wrong).
Not yet on CD -
508 Rustix - Bedlam
509 Messengers - Messengers
513 Rustix - Come On People [[this is available on download via Amazon)
521 Cats - 45 Lives
527 Magic - Magic
529 Impact Of Brass - Down At The Brassworks
530 Dennis Stoner - Dennis Stoner
531 God Squad - Jesus Christ's Greatest Hits
532 Repairs - Already A Household Word
533 Other People - Head To Head [[un-issued on Rare Earth)
537 Howl The Good - Howl The Good
544 Puzzle - Puzzle [[un-issued on Rare Earth)
549 The Pretty Things - Real Pretty [[but the two albums it comprises are on CD anyway)
Also, whilst 518 Lost Nation Paradise Lost is on CD, I believe these are of unofficial issue.
Please let me know of any of these you've found on CD or alternatively on download at a push.
Magic's album [[minus 2 tracks) are available for download and The Cats album is available as part of [[I think) 2 Anthologies.
Thanks for that JR.
Before I forget, Howl The Good is also available on a Big Pink mini-LP CD.
Has anyone heard anymore about The Stoney and Meatloaf expanded edition?
From what I was told it will be a September release.
Thanks for the update Ralph.
Two more album available on CD for the first time :
_ Down At The Brass Works - The Impact Of The Brass
https://www.catchopcd.net/mini-lp-cd...ni-lp-cd-.html
_ Magic - Magic
https://www.catchopcd.net/mini-lp-cd...ni-lp-cd-.html
Both CD are out of stock but you can find them on ebay
Can see my collection [[so far) here
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cookep...57692706116875
Does anyone have the Impact Of Brass album? Is it any good!? I've heard one or two songs from it and it sounds nice!:D
Never heard about this digital compilation issued in 2015 :
" The Detroit Sessions" by Magic
https://www.amazon.com/Detroit-Sessi.../dp/B00TQTH1HG
It contains , to my knowledge , some songs previously unreleased : "Artificial Dream" , "Get Up" , "I'm Singing A Song" and "Light Up Your Window" [[ informations about this four tracks on DFTMC )
Very nice find on that digital release "The Detroit Sessions" by Magic.
All 16 tracks there are listed on DFTMC but of the 11 songs on the "Magic" album on the Rare Earth label only 9 are included [[missing "Keep On Movin' On" and "Don't Use Your Love To Blind Me") - so may still need to buy the Big Pink CD release to have the entire album.
That, of course, means that 9 of the tracks on the digital release weren't on the album and seemingly unreleased until 2015?. Many of the tracks are quite enjoyable too even on first listen.
It's a fairly typical Motowny instrumental thing - good for background music. The single release "Never Can Say Goodbye" / "So Far So Good" [[available on TCMS) is typical of the feel of the album. It's not a lot like a proper brass band sound really [[being a Northern England lad) - the closest they get to that type of sound is actually on another album "The Key To The Kingdom" which is also available on CD and the track I'm referring to is "What a Friend We Have In Jesus" - it's a beauty.
The Impact of Brass do have a Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/The-Impact-...08452869196895