More new motown cd / download releases

[Philles/Motown Gary]

To Motown4Ever518: Thanks! It's nice to meet you. I've only been on the Motown Forum site for a short time, but I'm loving it!

Listen, as far as making download transfers to CD, I'd like to help you, but I'm not in a position where I can do it now. As it is, I have to employ [[yes, HIRE!) my neighbor/"friend" to do that for me on my PC for my own download-to-CD transfers. We usually burn a few at a time [[as I buy them) which takes the better part of an evening, and which usually leaves me a nervous wreck [[for various reasons). And I can only do it when he's available, which isn't all that often. So, hopefully you can understand that it isn't feasible for me at this time. Maybe you could ask around for another volunteer?

[Philles/Motown Gary]

To soulster: Well said, Buddy -- a vicious cycle. And join the club in struggling to pay bills. [[You haven't lived until you've had to buy Insulin out of your own pocket!) But that's another story.

I know exactly what you mean regarding the jacked-up bass on some of those BBR discs. I listen to my CD's using my Sony CD Walkman which came out about 6 years ago along with my Sony Studio Monitor over-the-ear headphones. You wouldn't believe the combination! People hear it and say, "My God! It sounds like a home stereo!", which it does. It's loud and powerful -- perfect for cranking Phil Spector and Motown! The headphones go down to 5 Hz or something like that. The bass is deep and powerful, which sounds fantastic on most CDs. But, lately, some of the BBR discs are so over-bassy it's annoying as all hell. And, I love bass, so for me to say there's too much bass, you know it's gotta be bad. I play my music cranked really loud, so after a while, my ears adjust to the over-bassiness. But, at first, it seems so senseless, unless they're trying to make the music sound beefier for those listening to it through their SmartPhone transistor-radio speakers. Who knows? Still, in all, bless BBR's heart for making these rare Motown titles available. Take care and talk soon! - Gary

[calvin]

To calvin: Say, when you bought The Temptations' "Wings Of Love" download from Qobuz, did you by any chance also get The Tempts' "Back To Basics" as well? That's another Motown album that I've been hoping to see show up on CD or at least as a download. - Gary

No, and I don't find "Back to Basics" on their website. I was recommending Qobuz as an alternative because they offer lossless downloads, not because they have a better selection of Motown titles. They don't - if Qobuz offers a Motown title, I think you can bet that Itunes, Amazon, Google Play, etc also offer the same title in the UK. I see that Google Play and Amazon both offer "Wings Of Love" in the UK, for example.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

To calvin: Can we buy music downloads from Amazon UK?

[calvin]

To calvin: Can we buy music downloads from Amazon UK?

From the US, I would expect Amazon UK will block you from completing a download purchase of "Wings Of Love".

You write "we" - you do know that I live in the UK, right? Or perhaps by "we" you mean you and other forum members in the US.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

To calvin: I meant we Americans, including you. I didn't realize that you were from the UK. Or, if I did, I had forgotten. - Gary

[calvin]

To calvin: I meant we Americans, including you. I didn't realize that you were from the UK. Or, if I did, I had forgotten. - Gary

Gary, I'm both American and British. I was born and grew up in Michigan, not far from Detroit. But I live in London now.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Calvin, oh I see. Cool! Were you living near Detroit during Motown's 1960's heyday?
- Gary

[calvin]

Gary, I was born during Motown's heyday. The earliest Motown song I remember hearing on the radio when new was "Just My Imagination". My two oldest brothers had a lot of Motown singles in our house - especially from the Supremes and Martha & The Vandellas.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Calvin, so your memories of Motown began about the time they packed up and moved to California. Too bad you weren't born just a few years earlier. You would have been right in the middle of it all!! - Gary

[soulster]

To soulster and calvin: Since getting into CDs back in 1987, I've only had one CD go bad. It happened in the 1990's, and it was the Rhino Records release of the Phil Spector/Philles Christmas Album. The CD had played fine until one day, out of the blue, when it developed the equivalent of vinyl surface noise. The music played and tracked okay but it sounded like a scratchy record. I ditched in and bought a new copy, never to have another problem with it again.

Out of the 5000+ CDs I have, not a single one has ever gone bad on me. I also keep them in the original CD cases. Now, i've had some major problems ripping some of the ones made by WEA that were manufactured in the 90s. In most cases, it turned out to be the burner. Fortunately, when I ripped my CD collection seven years back, I had two burners installed in my computer.

The only cosmetic problem I've had with my CDs was caused by the old-style vinyl view packs that I started using when I was a mobile D.J. back in 1997. The view packs were thicker than they are now, and they stunk like a new shower curtain. After a few years, they somehow ate away at the ink on the label side of a few CD's. Only a very few. They looked like hell but they still played fine. I ended up ditching the CD's and replaced them with new copies. I'm still using the old view packs, though, as well as the newer, thinner, improved models which are much easier on the CDs.

That's one of the reasons I resisted ditching the jewel boxes. I do put the existing CD-Rs in those Lase-Logic-type binders and have had no problems. I stopped being a DJ in the late 80s. Whew!

As far as blank CD's, I had been using TDK's, which were supposedly the best on the market. They always worked great for me...er, that is, until TDK got the not-so-bright-notion to start manufacturing them in Turkey where production was supposedly cheaper, or so I read. From them on, the once-dependable TDK blank discs were now full of defective skips.

Those TDK blanks haven't been the same since about the year 2000. They used to use Mitsubishi's Azo dye, which had a bluish tint. Back then, I used several brands, from TDK, to Fuji, to Sony, among others. I found, at the time, Mitsui and Kodak to be the best. But, as I learned as I went on, it was just as much about the burner, the burn speed, and the burn quality too. Except for the premium brands like Mitsui and Kodak, it didn't matter what brand you use. It's all a crapshoot. I've had professional Quantum discs go bad on me, too, ones with irreplaceable music on them. Obviously, I use the computer with software to make my CD-Rs.

Imagine spending hours compiling the perfect Various-Artist Motown CD, only to discover half-way through playback that the blank disc was defective, which then meant having to start all over from scratch. Let's just say that I was not a happy camper. Because of that, I rarely ever use my CD recorders any more. I simply don't have the patience to play the bum-disc game.

THis is why I like using the computer as opposed to a standalone burner. You can get your entire CD contents mastered in the computer before you burn the actual disc. If anything ever goes wrong, you can just burn another one. If there is a problem with one of the songs, you can go in and fix it, insert it into the existing program, and burn a new disc. With just archiving the files, you can go back at anytime and tweak something.

Other than that, the only problem I've had with blank, home-made CD's was unintentionally self-inflicted. Before using a soft, permanent-ink Sharpie to label a CD by hand with the Artist Name and CD Title, I have to draw light pencil lines across the CD in order to keep my writing straight and even. Otherwise, the Artist Name and CD Title will look like a roller coaster track going up and down. A few times I had accidentally pressed down a bit too hard with the pencil line which, after a couple of plays, ate through the disc into the data, thus ruining my hard work. Again, not a happy camper here!

If you must write on a CD-R, writs on the center spindle area, or anywhere at the edge of the parameter opposite of where there is no data written on the play side. THose neato paper labels I used back in the late 90s were part of the problem. They could render your CD-R unplayable in a matter of months. That's why I started printing the artwork right on the printable CD-Rs, if I need to. Again, you can only do this in the computer. If you use a professional burner, you can use these blanks too.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the life-span of my commercial CD's and my home-made CD's. And, soulster, this is especially for you -- some of my home-made CD's, which I made a few years ago for a friend, have been carelessly left in his car CD player throughout the duration of a very cold winter [[yes, even in the South!) and a VERY hot, scorching summer or two.

The difference is if you leave them in sunlight. That will kill the CD-R. Cold is OK, as long as you keep them out of sunlight.

I dig talking about this stuff. At least this applies to the topic of downloads.

[soulster]

Gary, I was born during Motown's heyday. The earliest Motown song I remember hearing on the radio when new was "Just My Imagination". My two oldest brothers had a lot of Motown singles in our house - especially from the Supremes and Martha & The Vandellas.

I was born just in time to remember those 45s when they came out the first time. My first Motown memory is "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" by The Miracles. Next it was "Come See About Me" by The Supremes, "My Guy" by Mary Wells, "Baby Don't You Do It" by Marvin Gaye, and "My Girl" by The Temptations. I heard them all on the original 45s.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Soulster, so you were a D.J., too, eh? That’s another thing we have [[had) in common. Back in 1998, the powers-that-be were threatening layoffs at the college I worked at, and my boss highly recommended that we find back-up jobs, just in case. I decided to start my own mobile disc jockey service. I invested in [[went in debt for) a $12,000 D.J. system that was powerful and impressive as all get out. [[It would fill a room of 300-400 people, the dealer said.) I bought a new trailer to keep the D.J. equipment in, and I traded my Honda Civic in for a new Honda CRV which was powerful enough to haul my equipment and my 5,000 CDs at the time. [[I’ve got about 7,000 now.) I D.J.’d some outdoor parties for free for our neighbors on the lake which led to D.J.-ing Dean Witter’s [[investment firm) annual Christmas party at a swanky local country club. They were so impressed with my music and my sound system that they offered me the job of D.J.-ing their next year’s Christmas party! Thrilled as can be at getting my foot in the door of what could have become a very prosperous opportunity, we were gonna sign the contracts a month later in January. Unfortunately, that never happened. Driving home from work one day in early January, 1998, a woman failed to yield the right of way and totaled my new CRV. Worse, she managed to kill my right ankle bone which was ground into dust from the impact of the crash. Although I was laid up for six months and unable to sign the new contract at the time, Dean Witter still wanted me, and I had every intention of going through with my plans of DJ-ing their 1999 Christmas party. As luck would have it, however, on December 7, 1999, I underwent my third surgery on my ankle which they ended up fusing. The fusion did more harm than good. I was laid up for another six months and, when recovered, no longer had the balance nor the strength required to lug around that huge, heavy equipment. Such was the end of my mobile D.J.. experience. But, man, I loved playing my favorite tunes at the various parties and watching the dancers’ reactions! 1960's AND 1970's Motown, as always, was a guaranteed floor filler. Everybody loves Motown music, and rightfully so.

Like you, I, too, love talking about this stuff. Were you a mobile D.J. or did you have a stationary position? I can certainly understand how having your music on downloads and a computer would make your D.J.-ing a lot easier compared to lugging around a ton of heavy CD’s, but, sound quality-wise, I'm pretty sure I would have stuck with CD's.

[mysterysinger]

As an aside Gary, many Philles [[and other Spector) albums are available on mini-LP CD release. I'm sure you got the Philles Album Collection? However, "A Christmas Gift For You" is available on mini-LP as are the albums by The Righteous Brothers, Ike & Tina Turner and the A&M release on The Checkmates [[I haven't yet got the latter 2 on mini-LP though).

Check out some pics here. Will add more when I get chance including the many compilations and releases on Leonard Cohen, Darlene Love and Starsailor etc.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cookep...7638780981186/

[soulster]

Soulster, so you were a D.J., too, eh? That’s another thing we have [[had) in common. Back in 1998, the powers-that-be were threatening layoffs at the college I worked at, and my boss highly recommended that we find back-up jobs, just in case. I decided to start my own mobile disc jockey service. I invested in [[went in debt for) a $12,000 D.J. system that was powerful and impressive as all get out. [[It would fill a room of 300-400 people, the dealer said.) I bought a new trailer to keep the D.J. equipment in, and I traded my Honda Civic in for a new Honda CRV which was powerful enough to haul my equipment and my 5,000 CDs at the time. [[I’ve got about 7,000 now.) I D.J.’d some outdoor parties for free for our neighbors on the lake which led to D.J.-ing Dean Witter’s [[investment firm) annual Christmas party at a swanky local country club. They were so impressed with my music and my sound system that they offered me the job of D.J.-ing their next year’s Christmas party! Thrilled as can be at getting my foot in the door of what could have become a very prosperous opportunity, we were gonna sign the contracts a month later in January. Unfortunately, that never happened. Driving home from work one day in early January, 1998, a woman failed to yield the right of way and totaled my new CRV. Worse, she managed to kill my right ankle bone which was ground into dust from the impact of the crash. Although I was laid up for six months and unable to sign the new contract at the time, Dean Witter still wanted me, and I had every intention of going through with my plans of DJ-ing their 1999 Christmas party. As luck would have it, however, on December 7, 1999, I underwent my third surgery on my ankle which they ended up fusing. The fusion did more harm than good. I was laid up for another six months and, when recovered, no longer had the balance nor the strength required to lug around that huge, heavy equipment. Such was the end of my mobile D.J.. experience. But, man, I loved playing my favorite tunes at the various parties and watching the dancers’ reactions! 1960's AND 1970's Motown, as always, was a guaranteed floor filler. Everybody loves Motown music, and rightfully so.

Damn. Ain't no words for that.

Like you, I, too, love talking about this stuff. Were you a mobile D.J. or did you have a stationary position? I can certainly understand how having your music on downloads and a computer would make your D.J.-ing a lot easier compared to lugging around a ton of heavy CD’s, but, sound quality-wise, I'm pretty sure I would have stuck with CD's.

I was a mobile DJ, but I didn't stick with it long. It was right around the time when X-rated hip-hop started getting popular and I didn't like having to play it around children. Rap is something to kick back and listen to at home or in the car, or around adults, not kids. So, I bailed. Besides, I already had a day job that paid more.

They didn't have affordable home computers back then. You had to carry CDs and records around. Today, everything you need is on a laptop. But, remember, you don't have to settle for mp3s. FLAC has the exact same sound quality as CDs.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Thanks, mysterysinger. I already have everything that you pictured and showed above on Near Mint vinyl and CD. In fact, I have the Philles Christmas LP and CD on every label it was ever reissued on, including the original release on Philles. On vinyl, I've got all three versions of "A Christmas Gift For You From Philles Records": The original 1963 Blue/Black PR label; the 1964 Yellow/Red PR label; and the Promo White/Black PR label [[super-rare). Obsessive, right? Probably so, but, as a kid, Philles was my very first favorite record label. Those Phil Spector productions on The Crystals, The Ronettes, and Darlene Love were powerful and exciting! They still give me goosebumps today, as does Motown, which was waiting right around the corner for me in 1964 starting with Mary Wells' "My Guy". We were so lucky to have lived through that era when the songs had melodies that you could actually sing, real instruments were used, the production and musical arrangements were exciting, and the singers could really SING! I wish we could go back. - Gary

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Thanks, Calvin. - Gary

[mysterysinger]

Reminder of releases and coming up.