Having now heard three different lead vocalists on "Baby Hit and Run", I have to say I prefer the Dennis Edwards version. I have this song in my collection sung by Billy Gordon and now by Jerry Green, but I don't have the Dennis Edwards version. Does anyone know if Dennis' version is available on compact disc, and, if so, which one[[s)?
NBS,
The Dennis Edwards version is on the UK 'Essential Collection': -
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Essential-Th...s=the+contours
Cheers
Paul
Received my copy today...well I thought ACE had topped themselves with the previous Brenda Holloway release but this one is off the scale....well done to all those involved...you sure know how to keep us Motowners happy.
[QUOTE=robb_k;239141] I have not heard JJ.'s first recordings produced by Joe Hunter and Fred Brown, Robb, but I have heard the Revilot recordings. I particularly like "Our Love Is In The Pocket" and "Now She's Gone". I would love to see a reissue label do a comprehensive multi-label anthology of J.J. Barnes which would hopefully include more of his previously unreleased Motown recordings.
I'm glad my Contours' compilation has just turned up. It's so hard being a loser.
[QUOTE=marv2;229441]
That's basically why Motown bought out Golden World/Ric Tic, to get J.J. Barnes [[Marvin Gaye soundalike) and all those artists away from producers who were using the Motown session musicians to make music that sounded like Motown.
They also took Richard Street and The Distants/Majestics, and Emanuel Laskey and Norman Whitfield away from Thelma, crippling them into folding, they bought out Artie Fields, they crushed Correc-Tone, stealing away William Weatherspoon, and forcing Robert Bateman to work more in New York, and Sonny Sanders and Don Juan Mancha, Fred Bridges and Jimmy Holland [[Holidays/Hollidays) to work more in Chicago. They also had a part in making it tough for Don Davis and LeBaron Taylor's Solid Hitbound Productions to operate, and to finally collapse.
All that was done to make sure that Motown had no strong competition for the Soul and Soul/Pop crossover market from Detroit, who could use their own musicians to simulate their "sound".
That helped Motown stay relatively "unique" in the business, until Stax and PIR started to make big dents in the Soul market near the end of The '60s and throughout The '70s.
"I'm still waiting" [[albeit, not very patiently) for my copy to be dispatched from Amazon UK, which has it listed as roughly half the price as that on Amazon US. Not sure what's taking so long but to save that much money, it's worth the wait. Amazon US seems to have raised its prices across the board on many new albums. This one is listed at over $40!
Well, it was anyway. I just checked the US listing and it's now at $27. That's better, certainly. I can't imagine what made them list it so high earlier, perhaps to exploit their "lowest price guarantee" on pre-release items or something inane like that.
But looks like NothingButSoul's purchase from Ernie's Reggae [[ebreggae.com) still has the price to beat, only $13.99! Wish I'd seen it there before I ordered mine from Amazon UK. Will have to watch them more in the future.
Last edited by kenneth; 07-04-2014 at 12:04 PM.
That's basically why Motown bought out Golden World/Ric Tic, to get J.J. Barnes [[Marvin Gaye soundalike) and all those artists away from producers who were using the Motown session musicians to make music that sounded like Motown.
They also took Richard Street and The Distants/Majestics, and Emanuel Laskey and Norman Whitfield away from Thelma, crippling them into folding, they bought out Artie Fields, they crushed Correc-Tone, stealing away William Weatherspoon, and forcing Robert Bateman to work more in New York, and Sonny Sanders and Don Juan Mancha, Fred Bridges and Jimmy Holland [[Holidays/Hollidays) to work more in Chicago. They also had a part in making it tough for Don Davis and LeBaron Taylor's Solid Hitbound Productions to operate, and to finally collapse.
All that was done to make sure that Motown had no strong competition for the Soul and Soul/Pop crossover market from Detroit, who could use their own musicians to simulate their "sound".
That helped Motown stay relatively "unique" in the business, until Stax and PIR started to make big dents in the Soul market near the end of The '60s and throughout The '70s.[/QUOTE]
Must accept most of that Rob, but there are stories that Ed Wingate approached Gordy with an offer to buy Golden World, which appealed to Motown as the Davison studio was thought to be an improvement technically and Motown needed extra recording facility.
Hi Snakepit: re Davison being an "improvement technically": I think that at the time Gordy bought out Wingate, Hitsville had been using 8-track equipment for over a year, whereas Golden World was still using 4-track, and it was engineer Mike McLean's first job at GW to upgrade the studio to 8-track. The idea was [[very broadly speaking) that then, band tracks could be cut at Studio A, sweetening added at B, and the singers could go wherever the producer could block time for them. For that to happen, they needed to be able to move the tapes from A to B and back as required, knowing they would be run on the same equipment.
I hope I'm right about that, I tried to confirm GW were still 4T at the buyout in Ralph's book [[honest, Ralph!) but I couldn't find it.
Last edited by keith_hughes; 07-05-2014 at 02:26 PM.
Ordered my copy! I can't wait to listen to it in it's entirety.
Hi Keith
Interesting. I've read that GW was judged a better studio. It may have been in the book by Motown engineer Harold Keith Taylor [[ great book by the way...if you are into the recording side of things..."The Motown Music Machine")
I'll have a check.
or was it in Ralph's book?
Last edited by snakepit; 07-06-2014 at 02:35 PM.
Having gotten my copy a couple of days ago and listened for a number of happy hours since, can I please add my thanks to all of those involved in this wonderful project. Another magical Ace release!
Next......
Finally ordered this just now. $17.63, including shipping from Ernie B's Reggae!
Thanks to everyone at ACE for this fantastic release. It's been 'nothin' but soul' on my cd player for the last few days. The amount of gems on this cd that have been in the cellar until now is incredible. The quality of Motown music never ceases to amaze me.
Received my copy yesterday, and the first thing I did was read the liner notes. I've always wondered why the group stopped recording and broke up and now I know why! What a sad ending to such an entertaining group. One question that still is unanswered is why Joe Stubbs came and went from the Contours so quickly. Was it the same reason why Dennis Edwards wanted out of the group? Regardless of the answer, the Contours made some great music during their time with Motown from Shake it Sherrie and Whole Lotta Woman to Can You Jerk Like Me to First I Look at The Purse to It's So Hard Being a Loser. Thanks to ACE for putting together this collection for us fans.
What a wonderful release this is.Not a dud track and the usual well put together booklet containing all the facts we need to know. The low point for me was that there is very little chance of a unreleased album of "It`s So Hard Being A Loser". Gee Keith you know ruin the dreams of someone who would like to put a title to all those unreleased numbers.
I particularly enjoyed the remade "First I Look At The Purse"
If you haven`t bought this yet- then get off your butts and order it - you won`t be disappointed.
Were the Dennis Edwards' solo tracks destined to be the Dennis Edwards unreleased album? I wasn't impressed with the solo tracks but appreciate them being released.
Tyrone
"I Grow Deeper In Love Every Day" is pure magic. Ivy Jo Hunter wrote some truly amazing songs.
MIKEW-UK -- Very interesting J.J. Barnes interview video. Thanks! It makes you wish we could sit down alone with each artist on the Motown roster -- one at a time -- and hear their behind-the-scenes recording-session stories they have to tell. It would be fascinating, for sure! - Gary
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