Going way back to the mid 70's for todays post. This was the heart of the Disco era, Saturday Night Fever was being filmed and the Bee Gees would soon destroy any credibility the genre had but for now it was considered cool.
Prior to 1975, Disco was not a recognised word. In New York, the underground club scene was spawning a new hybrid. A mixture of funk and soul with a particular sound developed into a new trend that would eventually take the world by storm. Songs like...
Meanwhile, over in Detroit...
1971 saw the release of Motown Record's legendary Marvin Gaye release. What's Goin' On moved Motown music to a new level, changed their singles perspective to include albums and moved a whole generation. In June 1972, Motown announced that it was closing it's Detroit offices and moving it's headquarters to Los Angeles. While the move probably made sense , many Motown fans believe the company's heart and soul was lost when it abandoned Detroit. Motown slumped between 1972 - 1976 with only one Top 10 entry in 1975.
Back in New York...
In 1974 Tom Moulton was getting his first 10" acetate cut with nice deep grooves at Media Sound. Having run out of 7" blanks Tom got a 10" acetate and this 'accident' led to the DJ Only 12" promo. The 12" Single was the final ingredient to the breakthrough of what would become, the Disco Remix. The first official 12" release was in 1976. Salsoul Records released Ten Percent by Double Exposure, a three minute track turned into an eleven minute opus by Walter Gibbons, and the rest, as they say, is history.
In 1976, the fortunes of Motown rebounded with six releases reaching the Top 10. Three of them reached #1, including Love Hangover by Diana Ross and Love Machine by The Miracles. It's probably fair to say that Disco gave Motown a new lease of life. This album is clearly a collection of tracks Motown felt fit the bill. My favourites here are Diana Ross (Love Hangover is an Anthem!) & Eddie Kendricks but The Supremes & The Originals are also fair tunes, if somewhat dated. Thelma Houston is a fine artist but Don't Leave Me This Way has been tainted with Hi-Energy success?
'Disco was a dance fad of the Seventies with a profound and unfortunate influence on popular music.'Although disco was the most prominent form of popular music in the 1970s, it never got the credit it deserved. 1979's Disco Sucks revolution and in particular, Chicago's Disco Demolition Night all but destroyed the shallow, music industry gravytrain globally but it also permanantly scarred the term Disco. Thirty years later it's still a negative term and the reason I'm putting in so much info here.
The Penguin Encyclopedia of Popular Music 1989
Prior to 1975, Disco was not a recognised word. In New York, the underground club scene was spawning a new hybrid. A mixture of funk and soul with a particular sound developed into a new trend that would eventually take the world by storm. Songs like...
Zing Went the Strings of My Heart - The Trammps (Buddah, 1972)...played by DJ's such as Larry Levan at David Mancuso's Loft Nights, fed a dancefloor monster with a growing appetite.
Soul Makossa - Manu Dibango (Atlantic, 1973)
The Player - First Choice (74)
Meanwhile, over in Detroit...
1971 saw the release of Motown Record's legendary Marvin Gaye release. What's Goin' On moved Motown music to a new level, changed their singles perspective to include albums and moved a whole generation. In June 1972, Motown announced that it was closing it's Detroit offices and moving it's headquarters to Los Angeles. While the move probably made sense , many Motown fans believe the company's heart and soul was lost when it abandoned Detroit. Motown slumped between 1972 - 1976 with only one Top 10 entry in 1975.
Back in New York...
In 1974 Tom Moulton was getting his first 10" acetate cut with nice deep grooves at Media Sound. Having run out of 7" blanks Tom got a 10" acetate and this 'accident' led to the DJ Only 12" promo. The 12" Single was the final ingredient to the breakthrough of what would become, the Disco Remix. The first official 12" release was in 1976. Salsoul Records released Ten Percent by Double Exposure, a three minute track turned into an eleven minute opus by Walter Gibbons, and the rest, as they say, is history.
In 1976, the fortunes of Motown rebounded with six releases reaching the Top 10. Three of them reached #1, including Love Hangover by Diana Ross and Love Machine by The Miracles. It's probably fair to say that Disco gave Motown a new lease of life. This album is clearly a collection of tracks Motown felt fit the bill. My favourites here are Diana Ross (Love Hangover is an Anthem!) & Eddie Kendricks but The Supremes & The Originals are also fair tunes, if somewhat dated. Thelma Houston is a fine artist but Don't Leave Me This Way has been tainted with Hi-Energy success?
OK, I admit it. I bought the album mainly for the glorious cover art by Helene Majera. Seems she lost her way after this album cover. ;-)
- Thelma Houston - Don't Leave Me This Way
- The Originals - Down To Love Town
- Dynamic Superiors - Stay Away
- Jermaine Jackson - Lets Be Young Tonight
- Diana Ross - Love Hangover
- Eddie Kendricks - Goin' Up In Smoke
- The Supremes - You're My Driving Wheel
- Tata Vega - Full Speed Ahead
Filename: A Special Motown Album.rar Filesize: 80.26 MB
