MOTOWN MEMORIES

Part 2: Dave Sallis celebrates the enduring collectability of classic-era Motown 45s

Last month we looked at the ‘500 series’; the name given to the first 100 singles on the UK Tamla-Motown label, issued between March 1965 and March 1967. This month we move the story through to the beginning of 1972 and to Motown catalogue number TMG 799, the point after which many serious Motown fans began to lose interest. By 1967, the dynamics of the company were slowly changing. Plans were announced to move from their ‘spiritual’ home of Detroit and de-camp to Los Angeles, which was eventually completed in 1972. Motown’s success had been built on having an ‘authentic’ and distinctive urban sound produced within the inner-city by inner-city artists. Los Angeles had glitz and glamour; ingredients associated with the white middle-class audiences that Motown founder Berry Gordy had constantly courted. Sceptics declared the proposed move was hardly the environment to continue producing creative music.

From its formative years, Motown had developed the uncanny ability to crossover; appealing to a white record-buying public without alienating its core black audience. From the start, Motown had sought to ‘whiten’ their artists by embracing Broadway musicals, standards, and cabaret. Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops and The Supremes, among others, had played prestigious supper-club venues and …

by Dave Sallis
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