What About Other Motown Reissues?

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06-09-2018, 08:13 PM
aarondillon2011@gmail.com

What About Other Motown Reissues?

So, over the years from 2004-2012, and again 2017-present we had hip-oselect/Universal release several Supremes albums on cd in expanded form, several Smokey solo albums, a few Miracles albums, one Temptations album [[1990), complete Marvelettes albums and a couple of Lost and Found sets. Has anyone asked the question recently? Will we be getting Mary Wells, Four Tops, Stevie Wonder [[60's Albums), Marvin Gaye [[60's albums) and the rest of Smokey Robinson and The Miracles remastered on cd? I don't care if they are not expanded myself. Matter of fact I would be happy for 2fers again. Anyone?
06-09-2018, 10:35 PM
WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance

Good question and one I've been wondering for some time now. I kept wondering if there were some legal issues with releasing Stevie Wonder's 60's albums. Why has the Four Tops' "Now" album been so elusive on CD all these years? Ditto for the Miracles' 70's lps. I don't think any of those has EVER been put out in CD form. Someone has done an excellent job with putting all of Marvin's 60's albums into box sets with mini album cover jackets, so that's fantastic.
06-10-2018, 03:17 AM
Ngroove

http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/fl/11/397/1/
http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/fl/11/397/2/
http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/fl/11/397/3/
http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/fl/11/397/4/

A few years back, there was a few extensive enough waves of Motown Universal-Japan reissue releases. Not only reissued albums on the big acts, but take a look: The Originals, The Spinners, The Isley Brothers, the Monitors, G.C. Cameron, Chuck Jackson, Syreeta, Edwin Starr.

Highly unlikely Motown US would ever again have interest in reissuing outside of Supremes / Temptations / Marvin Gaye / Stevie Wonder "Music Of My Mind" - Up / Jackson Five / Michael Jackson.

But nevertheless, my trust in Motown reissues today lies in European imports, such as Tamla-Motown, Ace / Kent Soul, Big Break Records.
06-10-2018, 03:49 AM
mysterysinger

Universal Motown in Japan issued all of Stevie Wonder's Motown albums in mini lp format, as they did Marvin Gaye, Jackson 5, Michael Jackson and several but not all DRATS and Diana Ross albums. Most can be seen here..
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cookep...6226647http://
06-10-2018, 03:15 PM
soulster

Quote:

Originally Posted by aarondillon2011@gmail.com

So, over the years from 2004-2012, and again 2017-present we had hip-oselect/Universal release several Supremes albums on cd in expanded form, several Smokey solo albums, a few Miracles albums, one Temptations album [[1990), complete Marvelettes albums and a couple of Lost and Found sets. Has anyone asked the question recently? Will we be getting Mary Wells, Four Tops, Stevie Wonder [[60's Albums), Marvin Gaye [[60's albums) and the rest of Smokey Robinson and The Miracles remastered on cd? I don't care if they are not expanded myself. Matter of fact I would be happy for 2fers again. Anyone?

The only way to get the Rick James remasters is to download them.

It pisses me off that Motown won't reissue any of the Switch albums.
06-10-2018, 04:51 PM
mysterysinger

1 Attachment(s)

It seems all the Switch albums are available on CD. The ones re-issued by BBR also contain bonus tracks.

Attachment 14305
06-11-2018, 11:58 AM
alanbill1074

I'm probably alone on this but I'd like to see Bruce Willis Return Of Bruno reissued and expanded. If you get past who it is, it's actually a really strong album.

Currently picking up some of the 80s Temptations Japan reissues.
06-11-2018, 01:48 PM
blkfrost

I would be happy with all of Jr. Walker albums, the remaining Miracles albums not on CD [[with and without Smokey), The Temptations Wings of Love, the remaining two Undisputed Truth albums, High Inergy, the remaining four albums from the Originals, Jerry Butler's It All Comes Out In My Song. There are others, but I am happy to start with these.
06-11-2018, 06:36 PM
TomatoTom123

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanbill1074

I'm probably alone on this but I'd like to see Bruce Willis Return Of Bruno reissued and expanded. If you get past who it is, it's actually a really strong album.

I didn't expect to see that in this thread alan! Lol

I remember finding out that Bruce Willis had recorded an album on Motown [[something I still can't quite believe) and I think I refused to even listen to any of his recordings for fear of them being absolutely awful!!! But, I checked out some of the tracks just now and I liked all of them! They're actually pretty good, much in the R&B/Soul vein as well.
06-11-2018, 09:46 PM
Coppelia-Birdsong

I'd really love some more of the unissued Supremes stuff, like the Disney album for example.
06-12-2018, 04:06 AM
Ngroove

More Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, other than Heat Wave and Dance Party, reissues would be nice, as well as keep them long in print too; I have heard one of their later albums was reissued, but by now astronomically priced.

Marvelettes - My opinion, they don't count in "recently reissued" category either, at least in the accessible sense, for their reissues too are limited run and expensively out of print. Re-run them to print, including their early albums, so I don't have to have such a hard time sorting out the official reissues from the needle-dropped public domains when I search for them on Amazon.

And, Tamla-Motown - print out more Billy Eckstine and Barbara McNair Motown Anthologies - Chris Clark's too, please.
06-12-2018, 04:12 AM
marybrewster

"Funny Girl" on CD, please!
06-12-2018, 10:53 AM
alanbill1074

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomatoTom123

I didn't expect to see that in this thread alan! Lol

I remember finding out that Bruce Willis had recorded an album on Motown [[something I still can't quite believe) and I think I refused to even listen to any of his recordings for fear of them being absolutely awful!!! But, I checked out some of the tracks just now and I liked all of them! They're actually pretty good, much in the R&B/Soul vein as well.

I know! But the musical pedigree on there is so strong. If it was anyone but Bruce Willis it would be much more talked about.
06-12-2018, 03:46 PM
reese

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanbill1074

I know! But the musical pedigree on there is so strong. If it was anyone but Bruce Willis it would be much more talked about.

His version of RESPECT YOURSELF with June Pointer was pretty good.
06-12-2018, 03:48 PM
reese

It would be nice to have cds of the Mary Wells' RECORDED LIVE ON STAGE and Martha and the Vandellas Live!, as well as the Supremes' FUNNY GIRL and ON BROADWAY.
06-12-2018, 04:31 PM
soulster

Quote:

Originally Posted by mysterysinger

It seems all the Switch albums are available on CD. The ones re-issued by BBR also contain bonus tracks.

Attachment 14305

I have an issue with the crazy amount of compression and EQ bbr adds to their releases. I'd rather wait until Universal gets it together and remasters them domestically.
06-12-2018, 04:41 PM
sansradio

I'd like to see Motown at The Hollywood Palace get a reissue.
06-12-2018, 04:43 PM
alanbill1074

BBR have had some good releases but I think they take the path of least resistance on a lot of stuff, and sometimes use questionable sources for masters that aren't checked before pressing.
06-14-2018, 08:12 PM
mysterysinger

In terms of the Switch albums, there have been some re-mastered versions issued but NOT domestically [[US).

The initial Switch album has been released 4 times on CD.

Switch - PTG Netherlands [[PTG 34110) 2011, Motown Japan [[UICY 75818) 2013, Motown/Gordy Japan [[UICY-75553) also 2013 and Big Break [[CDBBRX0164) 2014.

Switch II - PTG Netherlands [[ PTG 34128) 2012

This Is My Dream - PTG Netherlands [[PTG 34081) 2010

Reaching For Tomorrow - Surface Records UK [[SR113) 2008 and Motown Japan [[UICY75870) 2013

Switch V - Motown? Europe [[8109-10072) 2009 [[although it has a Motown logo and says under licence from PolyGram, this may be a bootleg)

Am I Still Your Boyfriend [[Not actually a Motown release) - Big Break [[CDBBR 0058) 2012.

Now PTG in the Netherlands has also issued other Motown remasters such as
Val Young - Seduction [[PTG 34034) 2007
Rick James Presents Bobby M - Blow [[PTG 34043) 2008
Ozone - Glasses [[PTG34045) 2008
Dazz Band - Keep It Live [[PTG 34059) 2010
Dazz Band - Invitation To Love [[PTG 34066) 2008
The Temptations - Truly For You [[PTG 34079) 2009
Switch - This Is My Dream [[PTG 34081) 2010
Jean Carne - Trust Me [[PTG 34097) 2010
Switch - Switch II [[PTG 34128) 2012
T-Boy Ross - Changes [[PTG 34142) 2012
Commodores - Movin' On [[PTG 34168) 2013
Commodores - Heroes [[PTG 34189) 2014
The Temptations - Surface Thrills [[PTG 34190) 2014

As I have no PTG releases [[yet) I wondered what experience other forum members have of them and of the sound quality.
06-15-2018, 03:04 AM
alanbill1074

They are taken from vinyl but of a very high standard.
06-15-2018, 04:34 AM
soulster

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanbill1074

BBR have had some good releases but I think they take the path of least resistance on a lot of stuff, and sometimes use questionable sources for masters that aren't checked before pressing.

The problem isn't with the sources, it's with the mastering, what they do to the tapes after they digitize them.
06-15-2018, 04:36 AM
soulster

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanbill1074

They are taken from vinyl but of a very high standard.

That is a no-go for me. If I want something taken from vinyl, I can do it myself, and I guarantee I can do a better job of it than the record labels can.
06-15-2018, 01:41 PM
144man

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomatoTom123

I didn't expect to see that in this thread alan! Lol

I remember finding out that Bruce Willis had recorded an album on Motown [[something I still can't quite believe) and I think I refused to even listen to any of his recordings for fear of them being absolutely awful!!! But, I checked out some of the tracks just now and I liked all of them! They're actually pretty good, much in the R&B/Soul vein as well.

Did you check out which tracks the Temptations were on?
06-15-2018, 05:43 PM
TomatoTom123

Was that "Under The Boardwalk" martin? I didn't check that one out but I remember watching a video of it ages ago.
06-15-2018, 07:10 PM
144man

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomatoTom123

Was that "Under The Boardwalk" martin? I didn't check that one out but I remember watching a video of it ages ago.

That was the one I was thinking of, Tom, but I'll have to look at the album sleeve to check whether there were others.

EDIT:Just checked album sleeve. Under the Boardwalk was the only track with the Temptations on backing vocals.