Ian Dewhirst

Nice post, IAN. This site works in a great way when you get guys coming on with a hunger for knowledge and then somebody gives it to them like that. I think THE BEATLES certainly were a significant part of the whole thing, too. Their impact on the states and as you outline, the UK Fashion/marketing/design boom that accompanied it was enormous and if you were BERRY GORDY and you saw how many units THE BEATLES were shifting across the pond, surely logic would automatically dictate you'd want a tie up for your artsists with their company in the UK?

I wonder how many 10 year old kids watched "Footsee" on Top Of The Pops in 1975, were mesmerised by the dancing and ended up @ Stafford or the 100 Club 10 years later listening to the real thing? And would they ever admit it? Ian D

Traditionally these label deals would work in 3 year terms with a 6 month sell-off. There would usually be a huge advance against royalties which would hopefully be recouped throughout the term by the sub-licensor (EMI in this case) ensuring that they 'worked' the label properly by gaining hits, organising Press, Promotion and PR, liasing with agents for tours and obviously Marketing, Distributing and selling the records. In most of these companies there would generally be someone who had either the 'ears' or experience in working licensed product. In EMI's case they had a historical precedent with Stateside so they'd already demonstrated their expertise in working U.S. repertoire in the domestic market so the decision for Motown to go with EMI was undoubtably a smart one at the time. In answer to the individual questions:- At the simplest level who decided what (and when) was released on the Tamla Motown label? This would be decided locally. It's always been accepted that different territories have different systems, different needs and different methods depending on the logistics of each territory, so the label manager would generally make those decisions. Bear in mind that EMI had a big advance to earn back so it was always in their interest to work the catalogue properly. EMI in those days was easily the safest set of hands in the UK (they had the Beatles - the biggest selling band in the world at the time) and their reputation was second to none. Sir Joseph Lockwood and Berry Gordy would have got along just fine since the UK would have been the biggest foreign territory for Motown and very much seen as the springboard to Europe and beyond. Who controlled stuff like label and sleeve design? EMI in consultation with Motown hence Tamla-Motown. In a country the size of the UK which had one of the healthiest record businesses in the world it was a doddle to distribute records in such a small territory and would have made more sense to keep a single label logo rather then several like the U.S. where sometimes it would take months to achieve a national breakout. Also the UK in the swinging 60's led the world in terms of certain expertise in Marketing, Fashion and Music so Berry would have assumed (quite rightly) that EMI knew what they were doing. In fact we were the first territory to take the Motown Sound to our collective bosom, so it made logistical sense to leave the Brits to it. Plus it paid off. I can remember seeing plenty of Motown acts on regular TV in the mid 60's whether they were on Ready Steady Go, the London Palladium or Top Of The Pops. Who designed and paid for other marketing stuff like advertising? EMI. I'm not sure whether this would have been recoupable or part of the general overhead cost. Tony Rounce may have some insight into this. And what was the basic financial arrangement. Did EMI simply pay over a fixed amt per record sold? Big advance at the beginning of each term with royalty accounting that would have run into several millions by the late 60's. Knowing the control that Berry liked to exert it is hard to imagine him handing over some of the "artistic" stuff. Or maybe he just had to trust that EMI knew their own marketplace. Berry would have trusted EMI to a large extent. They were arguably the best record company in the world at that point. Also don't forget that Berry had the foresight to set up Jobete Music (UK) Ltd as an independent Publishing entity in the UK, so he could moniter the record company via the UK Publishing company, so a perfect set-up in many ways. I presume the bulk of the above is correct but if anyone can add anything then please feel free. Ian D

You can almost feel the Spring signalling the end of a particularly vicious Winter and boy does it feel great! So this week's show hopefully reflects that with an overall happy vibe throughout as we do our usual dance through the eras. This week there's an interesting track from Lisa Shaw that slipped beneath the radar from 2008, a few incredibly tasty re-edits and remixes from the likes of Earth, Wind & Fire, Marvin Gaye and Gloria Scott, some under-appreciated 80's cuts, some underplayed 60's 70's Soul cuts and some glorious classics throughout the show culminating with the GLORIOUS Heaven N' Hell Orchestra track from '79 to close proceedings. Something for everyone hopefully! Six Million Steps Presents The Original Mastercuts Show LIVE with Ian Dewhirst between 2.00-4.00pm on Sunday 14th March 2010 on everyone's favourite Soul station www.starpointradio.com. Featuring..... 1st Hour Earth, Wind & Fire - Happy Feeling - Torchsoul Rework Fred Everything feat Lisa Shaw - Here I Am Marvin Gaye - I Want You - Remix Gloria Scott - (A Case Of) Too Much Lovemaking - Larry Sanders Re-Edit Mascara feat Luther Vandross - It's Cool Archie Bell & The Drells - Strategy Terri Wells - You Make It Heaven Cashmere - Inner Feeling Billy Griffin - Understand 2nd Hour Lou Johnson - Always Something There To Remind Me Cissy Houston - I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself Barbara McNair - More Today Than Yesterday Darrell Banks - I've Got The Feeling Sting - Winning Number Darrow Fletcher - It's No Mistake Moses Smith - Keep On Striving Bobby Wilson - Don't Shut Me Out Five Special - Heaven (You Are To Me) James Nelson - Mellow Mellow Me Patti Labelle - It's A New Day - Neil T's Chill Yer Boots Mix Lyfe Jennings - Smile Heaven 'N Hell Orchestra - Whatcha Gonna Do https://www.sixmillionsteps.com/6MS-...4-Starpoint.mp3 Will no doubt see some of you in Prestatyn at the weekend - actually Al's behind the decks next week so I may well ring in with a Prestatyn report (assuming that I can still speak that is)! Toodle pip! Ian D

Double agreed. A perfect instrumental that was designed for heavy all-nighter action! I'm interested in this auction 'cos I do actually think this is a lot rarer then people may think. There weren't that many copies originally and it's one that doesn't seem to crop up that much these days. Sold mine for £120 a couple of years back....... Ian D

It is. Right now anything up to 1960 is considered Public Domain under UK law. They are trying to extend the term to 70 years but at present it's still 50 years. Ian D

And coming up this week another journey through a musical oddysey which takes in the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's and 00's. Just one thing in common: Soul and tons of it! Yes folks, it's another installment of the Original Mastercuts show with Ian D this Sunday afternoon between 2.00-4.00pm on everyone's favourite Soul station, www.starpointradio.com. I'll be doing my thang and featuring...... Earth, Wind & Fire * Fred Everywhere feat Lisa Shaw * Marvin Gaye * Gloria Scott * Mascara feat Luther Vandross * Archie Bell & The Drells * Terri Wells * Cashmere * Billy Griffin * Lou Johnson * Cissy Houston * Barbara McNair * Darrell Banks * Sting * Darrow Fletcher * Moses Smith * Bobby Wilson * Five Special * James Nelson * Patti Labelle * Lyfe Jennings * Heaven 'N Hell Orchestra Hope you can join me for another Sunday afternoon Soulfest with the friendliest audience on t'internet. Ian D

Does anyone know what this eventually went for? Ian D

Apologies all. I had Bobby Taylor in my head......... Ian D

Not a Detroit label Nige. It was an L.A. label and more focussed on Pop/Rock...... https://www.bsnpubs.com/mgm/sunflower.html Ian D

Nope never seen the 12" - not sure if it even exists although stranger things have happened......I guess there's bound to be a fair bit of crossover with the Northern/Modern stuff from the early to mid 70's - it's a great area to plough for the sort of goodies on your reviews page...... Ian D

Much of the Mecca stuff was played at all-nighters in Yorkshire - Samanthas in Sheffield for a start and certainly Cleethorpes Pier if Lincolnshire counts as being North enough.......... Ian D

LOL, I spent years looking for some kind of hidden, secret connection between a Disco Digger from Scotland and the legendary Soul producer and artist from Detroit. I always thought there HAD to be a Northern connection and now you tell me it was just a random choice! Site looks great by the way. Congratulations. And well done for putting Quinn Harris "I'll Always Love You" on the "Disco Love" CD. A brilliant track which I actually found in L.A. in '76 along with Sweet Daddy Floyd. Have you heard the Fajado record 'cos I got that at the same time.....? Ian D

Yep. Their "You'll Get Enough" is a top-notch slice of brilliant late 60's Northern Philly which would have been a monster if it had been around in the early 70's. Damn, I wish I'd put in my Top 30 now! It really is one of my all-time faves..... Ian D

Possible? A dead cert I'd say. The intro arrangement is the same. Clarence Avant must have heard L.J. Johnson........ Ian D

Blimey, it's THAT Don Gardner then. Was a 75p record back then and seemed to be everywhere. I must confess it didn't hit me at the time so it makes perfect sense that it eventually became a 'crossover' item. Same as the Differences by the sound of it.......? Ian D

Was just going through this great thread again and came across this:- Were Gonna Make It Big - Don Gardner I don't know it. Anyone got any details or the label? Ian D

R.I.P Ron. One of the greatest vocal groups to ever grace the planet...... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWwauOBNAx0 Ian D

Believe me it was a gay paradise LOL. I was a young impressionable 'green behind the ears' 21 year old who arrived in L.A. with a Ben Sherman shirt, 22" side pocket chords and a pair of Kickers and within 2 days they had me dressed in full L.A. 'disco' gear in order to 'blend in with the crowd'. So when I hit "Dance Your Ass Off" I may as well have painted a bullseye on my ass! I was lucky to get out in one piece! Great club though. Shame I didn't stick around long enough to remember much...... Ian D

Talented lady. She co-wrote "My Baby's Got E.S.P." for Four Below Zero amongst other stuff and has been an actress for the last couple of decades...... Ian D

I don't think so but I could be wrong. I remember a lot of stuff was coming over from Canada at one point, around the time of Debbie Fleming, Marboo, Today's People, Nanette Workman etc, etc and I have a sneaking suspicion that Fay Hauser was big in Canada so it's conceivable that the track may have been issued there. I'll check with my mate Vince 'cos he's an expert on 70's Canadian pressings......... Ian D

Nope, it's New York all the way. Came out in the UK on Phillips too. Ian D

Better still it's got the full 11 minute album version of "Got To Give It Up" on the flip, which is much better than the 'A' side. Only one on Discogs @ 25 euros and much in demand! Ian D

15 UK copies on Discogs from £1.50 to £11.95.... https://www.discogs.com/sell/list?release_id=582754&ev=rb 2 US copies @ £4.50 & £6.99..... https://www.discogs.com/sell/list?release_id=1867581&ev=rb a fiver seemed fair for a mate but you can sit on yours by all means Ken...... and the re-issuing stuff for a fiver is 'cos we're in the middle of a recession and it's a good way of selling several thousand copies of each to a deserving audience! Ian D

Kinky Foxx is a £25 quider for a start! Piece of piss to list. You could do a couple of hundred on a Saturday morning easy. Once you get the hang of it you're looking at 1 minute each tops even with valuing 'em! No scans or anything needed 'cos it's all already there. Only 4 fields to fill in so easy peasy........ Ian D