King Floyd Heart Of The Matter

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

I was going to ask if anyone had bought this album and if someone knew the backstory on King Floyd's association with Motown. Now, I think I figured out that Motown basically made arrangements to distribute this album; it wasn't recorded at Hitsville and had no Jobette songs on it. Thank goodness for YouTube! I was able to hear a few of the songs and realized there wasn't anything specifically Motown about it. Good music, to be sure, but for years I always wondered about this LP.

Didn't realize this is the man behind the song "Groove Me" [[where have I been hiding?) I also found the original album cover for this album- Motown just "retrofitted" it with a new title.

[kenneth]

I've never seen the original cover before. I have the "Heart of the Matter" album but honestly, I don't think I've ever played it. I bought it long after it was released. I was told by the record store owner who sold it to me that it was licensed tracks and was a very unusual practice for Motown. I think Motown put out the album after Floyd's success with "Groove Me," which was a big hit nationally.

King Records, on the other hand, did this very frequently across all genres of music that they also recorded - R&B, C&W, Gospel, and more.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

I've never seen the original cover before. I have the "Heart of the Matter" album but honestly, I don't think I've ever played it. I bought it long after it was released. I was told by the record store owner who sold it to me that it was licensed tracks and was a very unusual practice for Motown. I think Motown put out the album after Floyd's success with "Groove Me," which was a big hit nationally.

King Records, on the other hand, did this very frequently across all genres of music that they also recorded - R&B, C&W, Gospel, and more.

Thanks for that story, Kenneth! That record store owner was very knowledgeable! I had always been interested in getting this, but after learning this was just licensed material, I probably won't be in such a rush to get it now. The music is good, but it just isn't Motown [[grin!)

On the subject of King Records, only recently have I started noticing their album releases. I thought they were strictly R&B. In fact, for the longest time, I used to think it was something like James Brown's own label. Then I saw a surf music album with the King logo and I was thinking WHAAAAAAAAT? The internet is truly an amazing place to learn!

[kenneth]

Thanks for that story, Kenneth! That record store owner was very knowledgeable! I had always been interested in getting this, but after learning this was just licensed material, I probably won't be in such a rush to get it now. The music is good, but it just isn't Motown [[grin!)

On the subject of King Records, only recently have I started noticing their album releases. I thought they were strictly R&B. In fact, for the longest time, I used to think it was something like James Brown's own label. Then I saw a surf music album with the King logo and I was thinking WHAAAAAAAAT? The internet is truly an amazing place to learn!

I started collecting the King label back in the 80s, and began to amass all LPs from the label and their rare budget label, Audio Lab. They recorded a vast array of music, some of it forgettable, but some of it wonderful. They had unique albums of C&W singers doing R&B, and vice versa. One of their albums is "Freddy King Goes Surfing [[!)". They jumped on every band wagon at one time or another but their owner, Syd Nathan, was really smart and recorded lots of fabulous blues, R&B, C&W and gospel music.

I don't have any of their ultra rare LPs - like the "Battle of the Blues" series, but I have all the James Brown [[of course), 2 autographed Freddy King LPs, and some other really great stuff.

They did have their low moments. There was a series of "24 Hit Songs" by an artist on one LP, and they were heavily promoted as "24 Songs" for the price of one album. But the songs were all sloppily edited so they could fit 12 songs on a side!

One time I told a record store guy that I was collecting all King albums, and he remarked that if he ever collected an entire label, it would be either King or Atlantic, which was even more innovative than King and likely has a huge catalog which overall holds up a lot better, considering all their great R&B and Jazz artists.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

I started collecting the King label back in the 80s, and began to amass all LPs from the label and their rare budget label, Audio Lab. They recorded a vast array of music, some of it forgettable, but some of it wonderful. They had unique albums of C&W singers doing R&B, and vice versa. One of their albums is "Freddy King Goes Surfing [[!)". They jumped on every band wagon at one time or another but their owner, Syd Nathan, was really smart and recorded lots of fabulous blues, R&B, C&W and gospel music.

I don't have any of their ultra rare LPs - like the "Battle of the Blues" series, but I have all the James Brown [[of course), 2 autographed Freddy King LPs, and some other really great stuff.

They did have their low moments. There was a series of "24 Hit Songs" by an artist on one LP, and they were heavily promoted as "24 Songs" for the price of one album. But the songs were all sloppily edited so they could fit 12 songs on a side!

One time I told a record store guy that I was collecting all King albums, and he remarked that if he ever collected an entire label, it would be either King or Atlantic, which was even more innovative than King and likely has a huge catalog which overall holds up a lot better, considering all their great R&B and Jazz artists.

Well now, you've got me very interested in the King catalog of albums. There is a website, "Both Sides Now" and that is where I started learning about the huge landscape of music that appeared on that label. I was really surprised, and reading your history of the label makes it even more impressive. Like I said, I was thinking this was just a label was just created for James Brown's music, so what an eye-opener you're giving me.

Wow! 12 songs per side? 24 "Hits" on one album? Now I'm curious as to just how those edited songs ended up sounding. I think I have a new lot of albums to look for. My recent pleasure is collecting albums from Crown Records, one of those budget lines that tried to dupe people into buying knock-off albums. Actually, there are some very good country albums they released by no-name artists and I'm really loving the Mexicali Brass LPs. I know those are supposed to be Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass knock offs, but somehow, the music ends up being something completely unique unto itself. Mexicali Brass tunes are more like a mash up of a hot 50's/early 60's R&B band playing with a Mariachi kind of horn section over the top. In other words, the material rocks much harder than anything Herb Alpert recorded.

[kenneth]

Ah yes, Crown Records! I think they grew out of the remnants of Modern, but I'm not sure of that. The albums seemed identical in terms of manufacturing as if they were from the same label. They have some interesting albums. I think I have some Mexicali Brass but [[as usual) I haven't played them!

I think a few members of the Byrds recorded a folk album on Crown in the early, early 60s. I believe they also had a lot of "hot rod" LPs, riding on the coattails of songs like "Hot Rod Lincoln."

I've always loved budget labels. I thought it was always interesting that they were sold most often in non-record store outlets, like on racks in grocery stores, or bins in the dime store, almost never sold in legit record stores while cataloged amongst the popular label product.

You have to be careful with some of those labels though. I have an Ink Spots album and I think it's on Crown. Anyway, it was sealed with a big sticker on it "2 for $1". I've been going through my collection and I decided to unseal it and play it. It didn't track on either side...the needle just skipped over the whole album! I kind of laughed to myself, thinking "Gee, so glad it was kept sealed...what...50 years or so...?" Ah well!

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

I actually have a couple of those Crown Ink Spots albums too. I know they were pretty much re-recordings of earlier material and I'm assuming it was a different lineup of Ink Spots. All the same, they are fun albums to listen to and surprisingly well-recorded.

I think you are right about Crown having roots to Modern. A guy has a blog that is devoted to the Crown Records story and he details how a lot of Modern albums ended up being reissued on Crown with different artwork. The whole Modern/Crown set up was the work of two brothers, Saul and Jules Bihari. https://www.bsnpubs.com/modern/modernstory.html [[I LOVE this site!)

That is so funny about the 2-for$! album goof up! Sounds like typical Crown!

[kenneth]

Here's a few of the "24 Hits" LPs, all on Ebay right now:







On some of them, the tag line reads "24 Songs Instead of 12!" So funny.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Ok, these are great and I only mean that in that the art work is just so no-holds-barred!

"Hank Ballard" "Wants you to hear these Songs! Priceless!

[lockhartgary]

I am not what you would call a collector, but somewhere I have a Queen 78.

Does anyone have any of the 10 inch albums on Federal [[Dominoes and Midnighters)? Those are hard to find.

[kenneth]

I am not what you would call a collector, but somewhere I have a Queen 78.

Does anyone have any of the 10 inch albums on Federal [[Dominoes and Midnighters)? Those are hard to find.

I wish! I have a few Dominoes and Midnighters 78s, but none of the early albums.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

To WaitingWatching and Kenny -- Back in the 1950's when I was just a little kid knee-high to a grasshopper, I had a couple of cheap knock-off albums on the Crown label that my parents let me pick out at Newberries' Five & Dime store.

Do you guys remember the yellow Spin-O-Rama label or the blue Waldorf label? Like Crown, both were budget labels typically containing hits of the day performed by unfamiliar artists, although on Spin-O-Rama, I had a Prez Prado LP. When I was in Kindergarten, I snuck my new Various Artists rock 'n' roll Waldorf album to school and had my Kindergarten teacher play it for the class. Mind you, this was 1955, and she was NOT thrilled to see such a risque album cover showing a man and a woman jitterbugging with cocktails-in-hand being brought to class! I think she may have played a small portion of just one song before sending a scolding note home to my parents. [[Sorry for getting you in trouble, Mom and Dad! I shouldn't have snuck it to school.)

Also, there was another LP budget label in the '50s that was dark reddish-brown with silver trim [[not unlike the early Cadence label) but I can't recall the name of it. I had a knock-off Boogie Woogie album which I loved. Do any of you remember Spin-O-Rama, Waldorf, or the dark reddish-brown label that I can't quite recall?

[kenneth]

Hey Gary,

Of course I still have some Spin-O-Rama and [[I think a couple) Waldorf albums.

I'm not sure about the other label you're speaking of, but there was a budget label made up of Royale, Allegro and I think a couple other labels which were issued by RCA - but not the Radio Corporation of America, which is the major label, but Record Corporation of America. I think some of these had dark labels. They often had compilations, or sometimes one singer on Side 1, and a different singer on Side 2. Some of them are actually not bad in terms of music. One I recall that I have is "Juanita Hall and Choir." Hall was an African American singer/actress whose looks were somewhat versatile and she played the Pacific Islander Bloody Mary in the original film version of "South Pacific" and also the overbearing Asian aunt in the film version of "Flower Drum Song." She had a lovely voice. But those albums made Crown look like luxury items. Some of them had absolutely horrible sound!

And by the way, I think your teacher was obviously close minded and probably a real priss! Who could not appreciate Perez Prado?

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Hey Gary,

Of course I still have some Spin-O-Rama and [[I think a couple) Waldorf albums.

I'm not sure about the other label you're speaking of, but there was a budget label made up of Royale, Allegro and I think a couple other labels which were issued by RCA - but not the Radio Corporation of America, which is the major label, but Record Corporation of America. I think some of these had dark labels. They often had compilations, or sometimes one singer on Side 1, and a different singer on Side 2. Some of them are actually not bad in terms of music. One I recall that I have is "Juanita Hall and Choir." Hall was an African American singer/actress whose looks were somewhat versatile and she played the Pacific Islander Bloody Mary in the original film version of "South Pacific" and also the overbearing Asian aunt in the film version of "Flower Drum Song." She had a lovely voice. But those albums made Crown look like luxury items. Some of them had absolutely horrible sound!

And by the way, I think your teacher was obviously close minded and probably a real priss! Who could not appreciate Perez Prado?

Hey Kenny! I should have known! If anyone still had those old, cheap, budget albums in his collection, 'twould be you! 😉 LOL!!! Actually, it wasn't the Perez Prado mambo LP on Spin-O-Rama that shocked my Kindergarten teacher. It was the rock 'n' roll jitterbug album on Waldorf. Yes, I, too, think Mrs. Gillotti was being overly-touchy and prudish. It broke my heart. The old bat ruined my show & tell!

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Hey Kenny! I should have known! If anyone still had those old, cheap, budget albums in his collection, 'twould be you!  LOL!!! Actually, it wasn't the Perez Prado mambo LP on Spin-O-Rama that shocked my Kindergarten teacher. It was the rock 'n' roll jitterbug album on Waldorf. Yes, I, too, think Mrs. Gillotti was being overly-touchy and prudish. It broke my heart. The old bat ruined my show & tell!

I'm glad Kenny had the answers to your question! I think I have heard of Spin-O-Rama, but not the others. One other budget label, Pickwick was really something. I still have a Pickwick Sesame Street album my folks bought for me when I was 5 or so. How I still have that album with me, I'll never know. It just seems that no matter how many times we moved, it was just...there! I also have a couple Motown albums that were re-released on Pickwick. It's strange how they would cut a song or two from the albums. The covers were so bargain-basement! But I love them all the same!

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Thank you, WaitingWatching. Other than RCA Camden, Pickwick was the main budget label that I remember from the '60s. Like you said, they had a history of leaving out a couple tracks on their reissues. I wasn't aware that Motown had released anything on Pickwick. Being the high-class label that they were, I'm surprised that Motown would stoop that low. To me, Motown and Picwick are at opposite ends of the quality spectrum.

[reese]

Thank you, WaitingWatching. Other than RCA Camden, Pickwick was the main budget label that I remember from the '60s. Like you said, they had a history of leaving out a couple tracks on their reissues. I wasn't aware that Motown had released anything on Pickwick. Being the high-class label that they were, I'm surprised that Motown would stoop that low. To me, Motown and Picwick are at opposite ends of the quality spectrum.

Motown released quite a few albums on Pickwick including shortened versions of WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO [[retitled BABY LOVE) and AT THE COPA by the Supremes. They also released FEELIN' BLUESY and EVERYBODY NEEDS LOVE [[retitled I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE) by the Pips and other albums by the Miracles, the Vandellas, and Mary Wells.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Thanks for the info., Reese. Those reissues somehow managed to escape me, although I would have never bought them as I already had the original Motown LP releases. Just out of curiosity, when did those Pickwick reissues come out? I'm guessing in the '70s?

[reese]

Thanks for the info., Reese. Those reissues somehow managed to escape me, although I would have never bought them as I already had the original Motown LP releases. Just out of curiosity, when did those Pickwick reissues come out? I'm guessing in the '70s?

Yes, the 70s.

[MIKEW-UK]

I bought the VIP album by King Floyd. There were some familiar names on the credits. Harold Battiste from New Orleans, Mac Rebennack better known as Dr John, and Little Milton. This is as far from Motown and as close to New Orleans as you can imagine...

[Graham Jarvis]

Enjoyed all the Album's, made me smile & the "Groove Me" is from 1971 same as King Floyds Motown album.: Groove Me!