The Isley Brothers only ever had 2 albums released on them by Motown [[as new releases that is). However, when they started having hits on T Neck, Motown cashed in by putting out the "Doing Their Thing' compilation. . . . BUT THAT WAS JUST IN THE US.
Those same 2 LP's also escaped in the UK but were quickly followed by further albums from the trio.
1st came the 'BEHIND THE PAINTED SMILE' LP in 69 -- 14 tracks, mostly lifted off the earlier 2 LP's.
Then in 1970, EMI put out [[on Regal Starline) the 'GREATEST HITS' album here.
'THE ISLEY BROTHERS' LP on Regal Starline hit UK record shops in Feb 72.
1972 also saw the 'TAMLA MOTOWN PRESENTS THE ISLEY BROTHERS' LP escaping on EMI's Music For Pleasure label.
So by 1972, the Isley's had 6 albums of purely Motown tracks put out in the UK. These contained many of the group's previously unissued Motown recordings.

The process of 'trawling' for unissued tracks was started by EMI staff in London around 1970 for Isley's material. A process since followed by US Motown & many other record companies around the world.
Anyone know who it was at EMI that decided it would be worth while asking the LA Motown office to send over copies of every Isley Brothers track recorded while they were signed to the label.

With Motown's mass withdrawal from Detroit & the shipping of many 'things of value' to California, it's lucky ALL [[?) the old master-tapes were included in that process. So much was just junked & left to rot in the Detroit buildings that the company had used ahead of the move, it's lucky that fate didn't befall old 'non-utilised' recordings.

Were any 'old unissued' track tapes' lost in the moving process ?
Who on the then Motown team took charge of the process and thus ensured 'valuable recordings' weren't just junked & therefore lost forever ?Attachment 20685