Red Mosquito

Presented without commentary, because no commentary could do this pure greatness justice...

Lament wrote:I'll think you'll be really surprised at how devastatingly groundbreaking a lot of these artists were. Rock bands pretty shamelessly ripped off a lot of what they were doing.

I can believe that. A lot of people praise Motown for its innovations; they're not wrong are they? I'm realising how "black" Jimi Hendrix will sound now.

Also, I'm listening to Superfly on Youtube. Another instant classic.

Curtis Mayfield is so great. I've got Superfly uploading for you right now (as well as There's A Riot Goin' On and Psychedelic Soul).

With all due respect to Stevie & Marvin & The Supremes & The Temptations, this is my favorite Motown single of all-time (and probably my second favorite song ever)...

Lament wrote:With all due respect to Stevie & Marvin & The Supremes & The Temptations, this is my favorite Motown single of all-time (and probably my second favorite song ever)...

I think I know that song but I will confirm after I've finished listening to Curtis.

By the time we're done blasting you with funk, soul, and Motown records, you're gonna be growing yourself an afro.

Lament wrote:Presented without commentary, because no commentary could do this pure greatness justice...

One of the coolest frontmen going, surely. Handsome motherfucker too.

Lament wrote:By the time we're done blasting you with funk, soul, and Motown records, you're gonna be growing yourself an afro.

Does it just become instinctive, telling which one you're listening to? At the moment I would struggle to neatly divide these genres.

So apparently this happened last year:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/1 ... 98921.html

I do love the Temptations!

So yeah, I did underestimate Talking Book. It's taken longer to sink in than others but it's pretty damn good.

His voice sounds so damn perfect on "I Believe".

Who are the women of Motown I should be listening to other than Diana Ross? What has Aretha Franklin got to do with everything? She'd be described as "Soul", right?

Interesting article on Sly.

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainmen ... ne/279142/

harmless wrote:Who are the women of Motown I should be listening to other than Diana Ross?

Martha & The Vandellas (you probably know "Heatwave"), Mary Wells, Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Marvelettes. I'm probably missing a big one.

theplatypus wrote:

harmless wrote:Who are the women of Motown I should be listening to other than Diana Ross?

Martha & The Vandellas (you probably know "Heatwave"), Mary Wells, Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Marvelettes. I'm probably missing a big one.

Lament wrote:With all due respect to Stevie & Marvin & The Supremes & The Temptations, this is my favorite Motown single of all-time (and probably my second favorite song ever)...

"Never Can Say Goodbye" for me.

Speaking of women, I didn't like reading today that Marvin Gaye was a violent misogynist. That he was shot by his father dragged me into his biography, and now I'm wishing What's Going On wasn't such a fantastic album.

harmless wrote:

Lament wrote:funk, soul, and Motown

Does it just become instinctive, telling which one you're listening to? At the moment I would struggle to neatly divide these genres.

It's difficult to neatly divide them at times, but you'll pick up on it. The stuff you're listening to it pretty much the era when funk grew out of soul, and a lot of it ended up on the Motown label, so there's a ton of crossover. Sly and Curtis Mayfield I'd both say progressed from soul to funk (Sly actually kinda invented funk). The Temptations went from a very traditional Motown sound to funk. Stevie Wonder went from a traditional Motown sound to a blend of soul and funk. Marvin Gaye went from Motown to soul. Not that there wasn't a lot of soul in the Motown sound, but the Motown sound was a very unique and recognizable pop sound/approach. I apologize cause probably none of this makes sense anywhere outside of my head...

harmless wrote:What has Aretha Franklin got to do with everything? She'd be described as "Soul", right?

They call her the Queen of Soul. She's unreal.

theplatypus wrote:Martha & The Vandellas (you probably know "Heatwave"), Mary Wells, Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Marvelettes.

I second Jorge's list.

theplatypus wrote:"Never Can Say Goodbye" for me.

That's a fantastic choice. What a beautiful song.

harmless wrote:Speaking of women, I didn't like reading today that Marvin Gaye was a violent misogynist. That he was shot by his father dragged me into his biography, and now I'm wishing What's Going On wasn't such a fantastic album.

Yeah, he had some serious demons. I always wondered if subconsciously that was part of why I never got anywhere near as into him as I did with Sly or Stevie Wonder.

I'm glad Talking Book is sinking in for you, harmless. It's a beautiful record.