Motown Help Needed

[paulisded]

I'm going to appear on a podcast later this week making the case that the Motown studio band is more deserving of a place in the R&R Hall of Fame than the majority of artists that have made it. I need a recommendation of a track that proves this point. What is the most rocking Motown track? The tune can be a standard hit, but even an obscurity can be used.

[pennington]

I agree that the Motown studio band had the talent. But was there one set band or were different musicians hired for different recording sessions?

[disneyspy]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IXD4G1iSfcs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[disneyspy]

no one greater than stevie wonder

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QeULODEQ9Lw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[hanso]

The Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972. The Funk Brothers played on Motown hits such as "My Girl", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Baby Love", "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours", "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", "The Tears of a Clown", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", and "(Love is Like a) Heat Wave".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Funk_Brothers

Take your pick from above. There is a great Docu. on them.

I like "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)"

"Ball of Confusion's" lyrics are delivered over an up-tempo instrumental track with two drum tracks (one for each stereo channel), multitracked wah-wah guitars, and an ominous bassline by Funk Brother Bob Babbitt that opens the song, as well as a harmonica solo played by fellow Motown act Stevie Wonder.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_of_Confusion_(That's_What_the_World_Is_Today)

[Dude!]

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/s3bksUSPB4c" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Dude!]

or...

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XE2fnYpwrng" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[paulisded]

The Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972. The Funk Brothers played on Motown hits such as "My Girl", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Baby Love", "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours", "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", "The Tears of a Clown", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", and "(Love is Like a) Heat Wave".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Funk_Brothers

Take your pick from above. There is a great Docu. on them.

I like "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)"

"Ball of Confusion's" lyrics are delivered over an up-tempo instrumental track with two drum tracks (one for each stereo channel), multitracked wah-wah guitars, and an ominous bassline by Funk Brother Bob Babbitt that opens the song, as well as a harmonica solo played by fellow Motown act Stevie Wonder.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_of_Confusion_(That's_What_the_World_Is_Today)

Ball of Confusion is a great choice. Thanks.

[Snoogans]

The Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972. The Funk Brothers played on Motown hits such as "My Girl", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Baby Love", "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours", "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", "The Tears of a Clown", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", and "(Love is Like a) Heat Wave".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Funk_Brothers

Take your pick from above. There is a great Docu. on them.

I like "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)"

"Ball of Confusion's" lyrics are delivered over an up-tempo instrumental track with two drum tracks (one for each stereo channel), multitracked wah-wah guitars, and an ominous bassline by Funk Brother Bob Babbitt that opens the song, as well as a harmonica solo played by fellow Motown act Stevie Wonder.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_of_Confusion_(That's_What_the_World_Is_Today)

if i remember right, there was a huge thing about them a few years back. I remember them being on RF and i think some movie was made about them. They DEFINATELY deserve to be in the HOF.

Though, alot of the artists that they preformed for wrote their own songs and basically just told the band how to make the songs go. So alot of those artists (stevie, Marvin Gaye, etc) definately deserve the respect they get.

However there were a great number of other Motown acts who didnt write anything, words included, and were just there to be nice voices with good looking faces, not unlike the pop boom over the last 10-15 years was. And those acts were MADE by the Funk Brothers

[paulisded]

if i remember right, there was a huge thing about them a few years back. I remember them being on RF and i think some movie was made about them. They DEFINATELY deserve to be in the HOF.

Though, alot of the artists that they preformed for wrote their own songs and basically just told the band how to make the songs go. So alot of those artists (stevie, Marvin Gaye, etc) definately deserve the respect they get.

However there were a great number of other Motown acts who didnt write anything, words included, and were just there to be nice voices with good looking faces, not unlike the pop boom over the last 10-15 years was. And those acts were MADE by the Funk Brothers

That's exactly my point. The ones who are true artists deserve to be in. The others who were primarily puppets that did as they were told may have put out nice singles but they weren't true legends. I feel the same way with Phil Spector. Ronnie Spector was the voice behind some legendary tunes but she was in no way an artist (despite Ron's love for her).

[Snoogans]

That's exactly my point. The ones who are true artists deserve to be in. The others who were primarily puppets that did as they were told may have put out nice singles but they weren't true legends. I feel the same way with Phil Spector. Ronnie Spector was the voice behind some legendary tunes but she was in no way an artist (despite Ron's love for her).

you should feel the same way about a large number of new bands too. Obviously backstreet and 98 degrees and britney and them never have a shot to make the HOF but, they are basically frauds. they dont do shit but show up and do the same thing thousands of other people can do.

Whenever i hear any song, in any kinda music, i make sure that group wrote the thing before i really respect it.

[Recyclerz]

if i remember right, there was a huge thing about them a few years back. I remember them being on RF and i think some movie was made about them. They DEFINATELY deserve to be in the HOF.


Standing In The Shadows of Motown (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0314725/)

[Snoogans]

Standing In The Shadows of Motown (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0314725/)

that was it. Fuckin good movie. I watched it at some screening so i forgot the name. Man those guys were fuckin sick

[Recyclerz]

that was it. Fuckin good movie. I watched it at some screening so i forgot the name. Man those guys were fuckin sick

Yep it is and they are. This is one of several movies I would have probably missed if I didn't listen to Ron.

[Snoogans]

Yep it is and they are. This is one of several movies I would have probably missed if I didn't listen to Ron.

to be honest, at the time i really didnt know that was even goin on. I knew they had studio bands, obviously, from listenin to Motown shit. But i never knew it was 1 fuckin band who wrote probably half the songs they did the backing on for artists who couldnt have even given a fuck about them, but actually woulda been nobodies without them.

its all because of Ron that i even know what the deal was now

[paulisded]

you should feel the same way about a large number of new bands too. Obviously backstreet and 98 degrees and britney and them never have a shot to make the HOF but, they are basically frauds. they dont do shit but show up and do the same thing thousands of other people can do.

Whenever i hear any song, in any kinda music, i make sure that group wrote the thing before i really respect it.

Well, yeah, I obviously agree with all of that.

[A.J.]

As good as the Wrecking Crew. (http://www.wreckingcrewfilm.com/)