Apple Wants to Open Song Vaults

[Bernie]

Just read a very interesting article about Apple Computer's ongoing plan to unearth rare tracks and offer them for sale online. One particular paragraph that caught my eye was this:
Motown Records also struck a deal to put the first 45 Motown singles and 45 classic albums on iTunes in honor of Motown's 45th birthday.

It goes on to say that, "95 percent of the vast Motown catalog is still unavailable to the public." What, 95 percent?!

Could you imagine if they could unearth all those rare 12 inch extended tracks and then offer them online? It would be so great!

Read the full story...

http://www.wired.com/news/digiwood/0...w=wn_tophead_1

[neonlights]

This is great news! I knew Motown had a whole lot of unreleased material, i didn't know it was 95 percent! Harry Weinger (who was mentioned in the article) presides over the Motown Bulletin Board (http://boards.motown.com) where they are barraged by fans requesting all sorts of reissues, so this might make their job a little easier...

[Forrrce]

95% can't be right! Where'd they keep all that? It'll take many years to put that little lot online, then.

No way, 95%...

[Graham_Start]

Does anyone know if that figure include all material unavailable today (in which case I can easily see 95%), or just material that was never released? If it's the latter, well... I guess their stuff was so good because they had such high standards and released only the very best.

[Disco Kicks]

Did they ever release any of their rare tracks.
It would be better holding out to their 50th birthday.

[Disco Funk]

I think 95%, if it is accurate, just refers to albums in print on CD or available for download. And they are probably ignoring CDs not made in the USA.

I hope they also put those Motown karaoke tracks online for download. There's a series of CDs out where they use the original motown recordings, and you can remove the vocals, so you get instrumental mixes of big hits from the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Disco Funk