Reply With Quote"Just keep thinking about you" Tata Vega
"Heaven Must have sent you" Bonnie Pointer
"Down to love town" Originals
Early club classics:
"Date with the Rain" Eddie Kendricks
"It's a shame" Spinners
"My Mistake" Diana Ross/Marvin Gaye
Platinum Record [Level 8]
The supreme tunes...
"Don't Leave Me This Way" by Thelma Houston
"The Boss" by Diana Ross
"Love Hangover" by Diana Ross
"Upside Down" by Diana Ross
and the underrated tune...
"Let's Run Away Together" by GC Cameron
:D
Gold Record [Level 7]
"Just keep thinking about you" Tata Vega
"Heaven Must have sent you" Bonnie Pointer
"Down to love town" Originals
Early club classics:
"Date with the Rain" Eddie Kendricks
"It's a shame" Spinners
"My Mistake" Diana Ross/Marvin Gaye
No Longer Charting
For a label with the stature of Motown, it BOMBED in the Disco stakes. A most disappointing output in the heyday of Disco, as far as I was concerned, with a few exceptions.
Now, this can either mean that the most commercial dance label of the '60s stuck to a more soulful route and didn't allow themselves to be sucked in, or they were just plain out of touch. I'll leave you to decide.
For me, the best Motown Disco product was:
Jermaine Jackson - Let's Get Serious (woweeeee!!!!)
Rick James - Give It To Me Baby/Superfreak/You and I
Temptations - Treat Her Like A Lady (I used to absolutely love mixing that record so that it came in real hard at the opening hollers. Whatever it was mixed out of, this used to give a real lift to proceedings)
TIna Marie - Behind The Groove (wicked)
Tata Vega - Get It Up For Love (more Chaka than Chaka)
Stevie Wonder - I Wish (sooo f*****g good)/Superstition
Commodores - Brick House/Machine Gun
Dazz Band - Let It All Blow
Ju Par Universal Orchestra - Funky Music (not strictly Motown, but a small subsidiary)
As you can see, most of these were either before or after Disco's heyday.
As for Thelma/Originals/Diana....... :roll: I played 'em, but wasn't 100% convinced.
Chart Hit [Level 6]
I'll throw in Esther Phillips' "What A Difference A Day Makes" (1975), which was on the Kudu label, which I think was a subsidiary of Motown, and Jermaine Jackson's "Erucu" from the Mahagony soundtrack and, most recently, the "Larry Levan's Paradise Garage" cd.
"Everyone knows the real reason why you got that part it was the time you spent on that casting couch"--Antoine Merriwether
"Excuse me, Miss Thing, but both of us spent time on that couch"--Blaine Edwards
Double Platinum Record [Level 9]
'Love Machine' by the Miracles has always been a disco fave of mine. I also like 'Got To Give It Up' by Marvin Gaye, 'Keep On Truckin' by Eddie Kendricks, 'Baby I Will' by Michael Lovesmith, 'Disco Royale' by Cuba Gooding, 'You & I' by Rick James, 'I Was Born This Way' by Valentino, 'Machine Gun' by the Commodores, 'Walk In The Night' by Junior Walker & 'Let Yourself Go' by the Supremes.
I personally very much enjoyed Motown's output in the 70s & early 80s; I don't agree with all the people who reckon the label went downhill after the 60s. IMO, their material remained prolific & of a very high quality with the exception of Linda Carter's stuff! (I s'pose it has camp value :lol: )
...ya gotta beat the street......
Gold Record [Level 7]
apart from the obvious my favourite motown club tunes from say 1973
THE ZOO[THE HUMAN ZOO]-COMMODORES
IM TRULY YOURS-ERIC & THE VIKINGS
FIRST ROUND KNOCKOUT-JOE FRAZIER
CONTROL TOWER-MAGIC DISCO MACHINE
OVERTURE-MIRACLES
ABANDONED-TATA VEGA
LET YOURSELF GO-SUPREMES
THE DOWN SOUND-FINISHED TOUCH
I JUST WANT THIS FEELING TO LAST-BLOODSTONE
GOOD LOVIN IS JUST A DIME AWAY-ORIGINALS
BTW overture got a u.k only 7" release but credited as THE MIRACLE WORKERS :o
SALSOUL1975 kudu was never part of motown they just re-issued some kudu product in the 80's
Double Platinum Record [Level 9]
DD, can u tell me how many LPs Tata Vega had out. I like what I've heard of this talented lady but I don't know much about her discography? Were any of them as good as 'Get It Up For Love'?
...ya gotta beat the street......
Advance Promo Copy [Level 3]
Its not Motown but have you all heard "Motown Review" by Philly Cream? Its on the Fantasy compilation "Smokin Disco" alongside Sylvester, FLB and Slick.
Gold Record [Level 7]
I have that LP. It features quite a few long lost artists like Brandy Wells, Fat Larry, etc. Wasn't it on Larry's WMOT label?
Underground Hit [Level 5]
Thelma Houston "Saturday Night..."
Syreeta "Can't Shake your love"
Stone City Band "Ladies Choice"
Teena Marie "I'm just a Sucker/Behindthe Groove"/Need Your Lovin"
Also not stricty disco but a fantastic jazz funk LP and from the era is the debut LP from Ozone "Walk On" on Motown
Leather is the way forward!
Gold Record [Level 7]
Originally Written by Leatherman
Leatherman, wasn't that the
SEND IT LP? I was gonna verify... but I have something blocking my A-T section in my house :P . If so, Gigolette was a club favorite where I attended.
Gold Record [Level 7]
e_funk, 'Send It' was the third LP. 'Walk On' was just an instrumental jazz-funk set, kinda like The L.A. Boppers, minus the vocals. Great LP - very un-Motown (apart from Dr. Strut) and completely different from their subsequent offerings. Check it, if you see it - it's very lively and funky.
Sounds like you may be missing their 'Jump On It' LP , also -worth it for the title track and the funky 'Ozonic Be-Bop'. I still name tapes after that one! :lol:
I loved 'Gigolette' also, as well as 'Our Hearts (Will Always Shine)' from 'Glasses'. Ever heard the 'L'il Suzy' LP? Rock'n'roll!!!! :o
Underground Hit [Level 5]
Well these are some of mine are guys: :D :D
Festival Time - San Remo Strings
The Zoo - Commodores
Let it All Blow - Dazz Band
Keep on Truckin' - Eddie Kendricks
Love Machine - Miracles
Third Finger Left Hand - Martha Reeves & the Vandellas
Superstition - Stevie Wonder
Frank Wilson - Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) - Frank Wilson
alright so Franks an oldie but it's my kinda DISCO
thats before you can say owt QUINNY
Keep the Faith
Triple Platinum Record [Level 10]
I think the BEST were:
DISCO ERA: "Got to Give It Up" by the magnificent Marvin Gaye (what a sexy groove & vocal!!!)
EARLY 80S (POST DISCO): "Give It To Me Baby by the incorrigible funkster Rick James (what great hooks & irresistible beat!!!!)
Both would be in my Top 20 of alltime.
"Lost inside adorable illusion...."
Test Pressing [Level 2]
Steely,
I have two of Tata Vega's albums. One, Try My Love, is from 1978 (this is the one with "Get It Up For Love" and "Just Keep Thinking..."). The other LP is her debut, called Full Speed Ahead, which was released in 1976 (also on Tamla). A great LP -- same producer (Winston Monseque) as on the later one, and the title track is just what it says: "Full Speed Ahead".
As for other great disco moments on Motown, I'd like to add Billy Preston & Syreeta's "Go For It" to the list. I've always loved the nine-minute 12" version of this track!
-Kari
Double Platinum Record [Level 9]
Thanx kari for the Ms.Vega info. I also agree with u about that Billy Preston & Syreeta track; very under-rated.
...ya gotta beat the street......
Gold Record [Level 7]
Forrrce, I've only heard the LP's SEND IT & LI'L SUZY
by the way Forrrce, I played Li'l Suzy at my club for about 8 weeks before it almost emptied the floor... :oops: I suppose the novelty was over... hehe
Gold Record [Level 7]
Favorite Motown Disco Tracks
Bonnie Pointer - Heaven Must Have Sent You
Supremes - Medley 12"
Rick James - Dance Wit Me
Temptations/Rick James - Standing On The Top
Marvin Gaye - Got To Give It Up
Eddie Kendricks - Get The Cream Off The Top
Eddie Kendricks - He's A Friend
Teena Marie - Behind The Groove
I'm sure there are more....
Double Platinum Record [Level 9]
I just found that Tata Vega LP 'Full Speed Ahead' in a shop today & it's brilliant, thanx again Kari. I love her voice; sometimes she sounds like Yvonne Elliman doing a Chaka Khan impersonation!
...ya gotta beat the street......
Gold Record [Level 7]
OMG how could I miss this thread :oops:
I have a few disco favs from the motown label too...(well kinda disco anyway)
Temptations / Power
Temptatations / Miss Busybody
Temptations / Bring Your Body Here
Dazz Band / Let It Whip
Debarge / Wear it Well (12" is great)
High Inergy / Shoulda Gone Dancin'
Thelma Houston / I'm Here again
also - loads of Stevie W. qualify for this thread I guess
Gold Record [Level 7]
theres one more motown album too STEELY totally tata [77]
and as KARI mentions billy preston tucked away on the b.side of billy and syreetas it will come in time is 'all i wanted was you' from billy,very uptempo quite overlooked really
another overlooked was david ruffuins 'youre my peace of mind from 76 again very uptempo and david sounding as good as ever :P [one that should have gone in the disco records with harmonica topic]
and from the prodigal label 2 great ones from 75
EDDIE PARKER-BODY CHAINS
SOFTOUCH-AFTER YOU GIVE YOUR ALL[WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO GIVE] the best two on the label :P
Gold Record [Level 7]
Hi... this is my Top Three:
-Teena Marie - "Square Biz"
-Commodores - "Brick house" (12")
-Marvin Gaye - "Ego tripping out"
Underground Hit [Level 5]
No list is complete without "I Was Born This Way" by Carl Bean, an anthem for the gay community.
One earlier post mentioning the apathy of Motown during the disco era could further be cemented with one phrase: They were very late getting into the game.
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