Founded by Barry Gordy as Tamala Records on Jan. 12th. 1959.
I want to thank Motown for releasing some damn fine music for 50 years. In the 60's and 70's their music meant a lot to me.
Rock On!
Death Hag Extraordinaire
Founded by Barry Gordy as Tamala Records on Jan. 12th. 1959.
I want to thank Motown for releasing some damn fine music for 50 years. In the 60's and 70's their music meant a lot to me.
Rock On!
Stay in Drugs. Eat your School. Don't do Vegetables.
Death, drugs tarnish Motown's legacy
Marvin Gaye is seen in this handout photo from 1971
Some time during the 1970s, Marvin Gaye reflected on his turbulent career in an obscure tune called "Dream of a Lifetime."
"I thank God for my wonderful life," sang the Motown Records enfant terrible. "I've had my ups and downs, but I thank God."
Gaye's life ended violently in 1984. His father, a former preacher, shot him dead during a domestic dispute the day before the singer turned 45.
As Motown celebrates its 50th anniversary throughout 2009, the record label and music fans will no doubt focus on the upbeat songs and fresh-faced performers who brought joy to millions of people around the world.
Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross and Stevie Wonder have become legends in their own lifetimes, but fortune was not as kind to other artists and composers who toiled in the spartan studio at "Hitsville U.S.A." near downtown Detroit.
Drugs, poverty, suicide and murder claimed many Motown figures. Gaye, a tortured soul whose stardom was marked by drugs, divorce, label disputes and bankruptcy, is probably the highest-profile casualty.
A year before Gaye was killed, virtuoso bass player James Jamerson died in obscurity. A raging alcoholic who played on Gaye's landmark 1971 album "What's Going On," Jamerson has since been deified by aficionados.
SUICIDE IN CAR
Others remain less well known.
Roger Penzabene, the co-writer of the Temptations' mournful masterpiece "I Wish It Would Rain," committed suicide in 1967. Hard-partying drummer Benny Benjamin, the backbeat of the Motown sound, was silenced by a stroke in 1969 after battling drugs and alcohol.
Temptations co-founder Paul Williams, the heart of the group and lead singer on "Don't Look Back," turned to alcohol and was eventually unable to perform. Two years after quitting, he shot himself dead in 1973, while sitting in a car parked two blocks from Motown.
Another troubled former Temptation David Ruffin, who sang lead on "My Girl," died of a drug overdose in 1991.
Early Motown star Mary Wells of "My Guy" fame died the following year of throat cancer. She endured poverty in her dying days, as did former Supreme Florence Ballard, who succumbed to a coronary thrombosis in 1976.
Of course, most labels have a lengthy list of casualties, and creative people do have their frailties. But Motown, initially at least, treated its artists like family, taking care of all their personal and professional needs.
Yet it also was run like an auto assembly line, with heavy pressure on everyone to keep churning out hits and to tour relentlessly.
"Those who drank or did drugs became alcoholics and addicts because of the stress of the road," said Billy J. Wilson, head of the Detroit-based Motown Alumni Association. "They become depressed, and the depression was based around the environment of the entertainment business."
Some evidently thrived, like the Four Tops, whose lineup remained unchanged until 1997. But others had existing conditions exacerbated by the demands of stardom.
"Jamerson was hellbent on drinking himself to death," said Alan Slutsky, whose Jamerson biography "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" inspired the 2002 documentary of the same name. "He had issues going on in his head that had nothing to do with Motown."
Ruffin, Slutsky added, "was a just a lunatic. He would have been crazy anywhere." And Gaye, he said, "was tormented by a gazillion phobias."
Motown Records founder Berry Gordy did warn his stars about the perils of showbiz and the necessity of saving money, "but you just can't watch all the adults," Wilson said. "Trying to babysit adults, forget that."
Wilson, who was friends with Ruffin, said he refused Motown's offers of help. Ballard, another friend, was miserable on the road, broke her contract with Motown, and accordingly never received any royalties.
"She screwed up," Wilson said. "Everybody that died in a tragic way, they all regretted their actions."
Death Hag Extraordinaire
Anybody getting rich and famous in a short time will have to deal with the worst kinds of temptations. Some folks can handle it, others can't. Still a problem to this day, this forum is proof of that.
Stay in Drugs. Eat your School. Don't do Vegetables.
Woo Hoo, I'm downtown here at work in the Cass Corrider............why are they not dancing in the street to celebrate????? Maybe because its 20 below zero?!?!?!?!?
Great post Clean, Motown is certainly one of the things I'm proudest of for my hometown. The music meant & still means a lot to me & brings me great comfort with all the memories. Marvin Gaye is my favorite, to listen to and to look at.....what a fine man he was!
And you are so right about achieving success, God only knows what trouble I would have found if I had all that money & resources at my disposal!
Death Hag Extraordinaire
I still drag out my old Motown tunes when I am in the mood. The music will always mean a lot to me.
Stay in Drugs. Eat your School. Don't do Vegetables.
Whatever happened to Motown or the Motown sound?
Who's still creating it today?
Anyone?
I have always loved Motown records.....I loved the style of music that they created. Here is something I found on the Top 5 discoveries made by that record company. Enjoy
http://www.randysrodeo.com/features/motown/artists.php
Good find! I love to listen to old motown on my record player.
My top three have been Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross and the supremes and last but not least the fantasic, incredible, talented Jackson 5
Renowned Death Hag
Yay Jackson Five.
My favorite song of theirs is "Stop the Love".....damn Micheal had an incredible voice!!
I think Boyz II Men were their last BIG discovery.
Motown Philly anyone?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHzkICG47LU
Renowned Death Hag
Originally Posted by soonerpimp
Their music was the shiznit when I was in junior high
You know I always favored the song Ben.....I was a weird teenager though.
Renowned Death Hag
That was a good one too
A lot of people say that Diana Ross "discovered" them. But that was just a PR stunt by Berry Gordy. The real story is kind of interesting...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jac...Joining_Motown
I grew up on Motown hits. Loved all of the Motown players. I just wish ol boy Gordy didn't get whipped by Diana Diva Ross. I heard she took him for big bucks when she had his "Love Child".
*shano breaks out into song* Looove Child, never meant to beeee, Loove child born in povertyyyy!
Didn't Diana Ross steal the lead singer spot from Florence Ballard. I heard that somewhere.
"Not too hard......Not too soft"
Renowned Death Hag
Are you coming on to me?
I kid, I kid.
Love that song.
"Smack it up flip it rub it down ohhhh noooo!"
"Smack it up flip it rub it down ohhhh noooo!"
"Take a look at me
Tell me do you like what you see
Do you think you can
Do you think you can do me?"
"Backstage, under age, adolescent
How ya doin Fine she replied
I sighed I like to do the wild thing
Action took place
Kinda wet, don't forget
The J, the I, the M, the M, the Y, y'all
I need a body bag"
Rofl! Yes I know not Boys II Men but they were hot when I was growing up.... Bell Biv DeVoe was the shit for singing about bangin underage honeys... lol
Renowned Death Hag
Motown has had some great singers, The Jackson 5 were fantastic though.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Here one day, Gone one night, Gone too soon...
Missing you forever...
WTF Man , what about Rare Earth ??? The best act Motown ever had and they arent even on the list ...... Woah !
"Smack it up flip it rub it down ohhhh noooo!"
I feel like I'm at my high school reunion! (oh shit my 10 year is this year..god i'm getting old!)
I'm sitting here at working singing right along.......
Motown, Gerald Posner's extensive account of Berry Gordy and era is a terrific read.
I have many of the old Motown hits on my IPOD. Also, Standing in the Shadow of Motown, DVD. The Funk Bros. didn't, like many, receive the credit they deserved.
First week of September I'm getting to meet Chris Clark, who was I believe the first white female signed with Motown, a past girlfriend of Gordy, one of the credited screenwriters on "Lady Sings the Blues" and became a top Motown Film Executive (for Mahogany, The Wiz), eventually leaving the company when it sold.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgjNtJHy9IY&feature=fvw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6hE_...eature=related
She's relocated to the Palm Springs area and is close friends with the Travilla Estate, whom I'm working with. Probably get to hang out with her for several days and have a ton of questions about behind the scenes...just hope she answers them.
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