Tamla Motown - Help From USA Req'd.

[marmite7]

Hi to all you Americans :)


Can anyone help me with identifying Motown labels?

Which is an original release / reissue / etc?

I only have access to info on UK releases.

Marvin Gaye - In The Groove (Tamla TS285) 1968 Two tone mustard & brown label.

The Marvelettes - Self Titled (Tamla 274) 1967 Yellow label with brown globe.

Earl Van Dyke - That Motown Sound ((Motown 631) 1965 Blue label with Detroit area map.

Tammi Terrell - Irresistable (Motown M5-231V1) 1968 as above.

Mary Wells - Vintage Stock (Motown 653) 1966 as above.

Mary Wells - Two Lovers (Motown M5 221V1) 1963 as above.

Shorty Long - Here Comes The Judge (Soul SS709) 1968 purple spiral/circles.

Chris Clark - Soul Sounds (Motown 664) 1967 Sealed, so unable to check label!


All help very much appreciated.

Mark

[DISCODISK]

sorry im not american
where to start :o
SOUL had two labels first was white pink then after 19 singles changed to purple design for singles and albums early 66

MOTOWN very early singles striped design,early albums state motown in odd lettering then map design and stayed that way right through [in the 80s it was still the map with a different shade of blue]

TAMLA earliest singles yellow with black tamla,then striped design then globes and started to change to the more familiar mustard and brown as you say round 1966

motown is a minefield specially with re-issues youve just got to find the clues with tamla re-issues were never on the globes design so an old early tamla single that has the mustard design is a reissue,very early albums are thicker cardboard with back cover label glued on,other clues check inner sleeves and see what other albums are being advertised and late 60s inner sleeves invite you to join the motown fan club
all your albums are 'probibly' original with the exception of tammi terrell [originally 652] and mary wells two lovers[originally 607 and title two lovers and other great hits yet with only two lovers stated on label]
without looking at them they are probibly 80s re-issues hope that helps

[DISCODISK]

oh and GORDY it was also round 66 that the its 'whats in the grooves that count' design was changed

[ol'skinflint]

Originally Posted by marmite7

Hi to all you Americans :)

I'm not 100% sure I understand the question, but every reissue Motown album I've looked at is easy to identify because they have the word "reissue" printed at the bottom of the cover, they list the date of the original release, and they are ALL on the Motown label, regardless of which label released them initially.
Can anyone help me with identifying Motown labels?

Which is an original release / reissue / etc?

I only have access to info on UK releases.

Marvin Gaye - In The Groove (Tamla TS285) 1968 Two tone mustard & brown label.

The Marvelettes - Self Titled (Tamla 274) 1967 Yellow label with brown globe.

Earl Van Dyke - That Motown Sound ((Motown 631) 1965 Blue label with Detroit area map.

Tammi Terrell - Irresistable (Motown M5-231V1) 1968 as above.

Mary Wells - Vintage Stock (Motown 653) 1966 as above.

Mary Wells - Two Lovers (Motown M5 221V1) 1963 as above.

Shorty Long - Here Comes The Judge (Soul SS709) 1968 purple spiral/circles.

Chris Clark - Soul Sounds (Motown 664) 1967 Sealed, so unable to check label!


All help very much appreciated.

Mark

I'm not 100% sure I understand the question, but in the United States, reissue Motown albums are easy to identify. They print the word "reissue" on the back cover, they list the date of the original release, and ALL reissues are printed on the Motown label, regardless of which label released them initially.

[marmite7]

Originally Posted by ol'skinflint

I'm not 100% sure I understand the question, but in the United States, reissue Motown albums are easy to identify. They print the word "reissue" on the back cover, they list the date of the original release, and ALL reissues are printed on the Motown label, regardless of which label released them initially.

Sorry, but I thought the question was simple! Perhaps it's different in the US, but here in the UK not every re-issued vinyl has this indicated.

Using the Rare Record Price Guide book, the differences in 1st pressings, 2nd & even different label represses are given, making it much easier to date & value a record.

I just need to be able to do the same for my American Tamla/Motown albums.


EG: Mary Wells - Two Lovers (M5-221V1) has "Originally released 1/31/63" in a small box, then underneath 1963 Trademark Motown Record Corp.

However - I believe this is 70's repress / reissue, as the label is the royal blue issue, with Detroit city map at the top.

Tammi Terrell's Irrestistable (M5 231V1) is the same.

Earl Van Dyke's That Motown Sound feels heavier in weight, has a much darker blue label and the cat # is different (just S-631) from 1965. Is this a first press?

Choker Campbell - Hits Of The Sixties, once again has a lighter blue label, but the shorter cat# S-620. 1965

The Marvelettes - Self title, changes again, with the Globe (+ a disc) on a yellow background label and has Tamla, instead of Motown. (Tamla 274)

Marvin Gaye - In The Groove has the same sort of "thick" jacket as the previous three and once again is on Tamla, although this time there's only one "flattened" Globe at the top of the label. Cat# TS285 1968.

Nowhere on any of them does is it say reissue, which I think some are, so perhaps that's not always been the practise?

Thanks for the info discodisk

I think I've got it now!