Lamont Dozier discusses Mike McClain, the Studio & The Motown Sound

[MIKEW-UK]

[StuBass1]

Mike is one interesting guy...cussing you out one moment, and insisting you meet him for lunch the next lol...Most people don't know what a genius he is though, along with some great stories...told only the way Mike can...

[soulster]

Lamont Dosier pretty much backs up what i've always said: the sound of classic Motown wasn't just the room. Like Goldstar in L.A., a lot of it came from that human baffling that resulted from a crowded room, and it was in the gear they used. They used stacks of EQ, compressors, and an EMT plate. It was also the sound of the gear Mike McClain built. before they went to eight-track in late 1964, they did a lot of bouncing which added to the sound.

The musicians will play however they do, but the non-Motown records they did play on still doesn't have the sound of those made in that house.


Another interesting thing is how astonished pop/rockers were at the sound of Black records in general in the 60s. Remember that a lot of them, including Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones, and The Beatles, at the time all recorded for major labels with staff engineers who followed certain procedures and protocols for recording, mixing, and mastering. The independent labels like Motown, Stax, Muscle Shoals, and others, had no such orthodoxy. They flew by the seat of their pants and did whatever they thought was necessary to get what they wanted, or was a simple happy accident of the recording environment they used.

[StuBass1]

The Motown "Sound" was absolutely a bit of a fluke... the result of several random unconnected, often unplanned contributions from a variety of people, disciplines, and sources...unlike the business aspect of the company which was strictly controlled and regulated to advance the sound. The studio set up as Mike often explained to me was thrown together with minimal resources relying on a kid who showed up at Motown's doorstep one day asking for a job. The musicians came together from wherever Berry Gordy could find musicians willing to work for literally "peanuts" to help him develop a sound. The result was a sound that was so unique, using techniques that others failed to understand and the "professionals would initially criticize, yet captivated the listening audience beyond what the more sophisticated studios were producing. It's really interesting that upon a close listen to much of the early Motown body of work that the horns were often slightly out of tune, and the tracks were not up to the standards of what would be acceptable at the major labels...but Gordy thrived on and promoted those idiosyncrasy's, instead focusing on the overall sound and could put himself in the place of the consumer as opposed to the "professionals". Even in later years...I personally know of a situation where a track on a high budget project was cut and the arranger pointed out to Gordy that one of the horns was out of tune and wanted to recut the track. He was met with an icy stare from Mr Gordy who insisted that he liked the way it sounded...in tune or not...

[theboyfromxtown]

Mr Gordy once said "If I don't hear it, it didn't happen"

[soulster]

The fact is you need both types of people in the world: those who look at the big picture, and those who focus on the details.

[762rob]

Wow, recorded 30 miles from my house!

[tmd]

Is there more to this interview, I could watch this for a couple of hours. Great to hear MM get some of his dues.
Kind of cool to think an 18 year old white kid had so much influence on the Motown sound.
That is what makes Motown special.

[MIKEW-UK]

Sadly, MTSU have confirmed to me that at this time no more video of the evening will be made available. I believe the full recording of the evening is of historic interest and it is indeed sad if it is not made available some time soon.
Look at the tiny audience which attended! I would have paid $1000 to have sat through 90 minutes of Lamont's recollections, as I am sure many others would do likewise.

However, I do have a little bonus here for you, which is highly entertaining and of special appeal to the Supremes fans.