motown generation

Yvon · #1 09-04-2006, 09:18 PM

I went to see that concert last night.
It's a pretty big concert, it's kind of a motown revue.
They have been playing it in montreal and quebec city 4 times a week for about 6 months now.
It was very good, I had a good time, but I am a big motown fan, so it was not perfect!!

here's a link
http://www.lecapitole.com/motown/fs-motown-fra.html
Sorry I couldn't find an English link

If you click on extrait vidéo you will be able to see about 7 minutes of the show.

So, before the show, there is a short intro where they talk about the artist in motown, Marvin, smokey, Diana, Micheal etc...
Of course not a word about the funk brothers.
Not long after that, they are talking how motown was a black label, but the back ground music was get ready

The bass player was using an active lakland (55-94 or something like that, I don't know much about the lakland)with rounds. He was even slapping sometimes!!

I don't want to hear slap bass in ain't no mountain high enough!

Also, just like the funk brothers we couldn't see the musicians much, we could see them through a window in the set. Often we couldn't see them because there was a curtain.
Also at the end, they presented all the singers and the dancers one by one. But when it was the musicians it was only "lets make some noise for the musicians".
Also the band was very laid back on the balads, a little too much for my taste.

On the good sides, the songs where all great sounds, the band was really good and really tight. The singers where really good (exept Sylvie DeGroseiller I can't stand her!).
They did an amazing medley in the encore where they played all the song of the show in about 15 minutes, I thought it was great!

And the food before the show was also very good

Yvon · #2 09-04-2006, 09:25 PM

song list, in order

Intro
My guy/my girl

Dancing in the street
uptight
for once in my life
signed sealed delivered i'm yours
you are the sunshine of my life
superstition
sir duke
stop in the name of love
where did our love go
baby love
you can't hurry love
shop around
please Mr. postman
do you love me
my guy
I can't help myself
same old song
baby I need your loving
reach out
get ready
my girl
get ready
if I were your woman
night shift
what's going on
mercy mercy me
how sweet it is
sexual healing
I heard it through the grapevine
Ain,t no mountain high enough
I want you back
abc
never can say goodbye
never can say goodbye (Gloria gaynor)
don't leave me this way
upside down
I'm coming out
give it to me baby
super freak
all night long
say you, say me
endless love
Master Blaster
I just called to say I love you (was it on motown?)
do i do
rhythm of the night

Lazylion · #3 09-05-2006, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yvon

Not long after that, they are talking how motown was a black label, but the back ground music was get ready

Smokey Robinson and the Miracles not black enough?

**cheezewiz** · #4 09-05-2006, 04:41 PM

Anyone slapping on Motown classics should be greeted with a kiss from a tazer.

**Pacman** · #5 09-05-2006, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheezewiz

Anyone slapping on Motown classics should be greeted with a kiss from a tazer.

Or roundwounds, or a 5 string, blah, blah, blah....

There's been some great covers of Motown songs that have slapping in them. Try stepping outside of your box, it's light outside.

matrok · #6 09-05-2006, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lazylion

Smokey Robinson and the Miracles not black enough?

Like me, perhaps he's only familiar with the Rare Earth version.

SBassman · #7 09-05-2006, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheezewiz

Anyone slapping on Motown classics should be greeted with a kiss from a tazer.

+1

While it's great to think - and play - outside the box, there's a time and a place for everything. And when we're talking about some of the classic Motown lines, slapping should not be heard.

It's bad enough that most peolpe don't know/hear the contribution of those bass lines to the songs. In many cases, the bass line Was the song, and the singer came along for the ride. The least that can be done is to play those lines the way they were recorded.

Tazers set to stun.

**Pacman** · #8 09-05-2006, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SBassman

It's bad enough that most peolpe don't know/hear the contribution of those bass lines to the songs. In many cases, the bass line Was the song, and the singer came along for the ride. The least that can be done is to play those lines the way they were recorded.

Tazers set to stun.

So you play "Heat Wave" and "My Guy" and "Place in the Sun" on upright, right? And you never use roundwounds on old Motown tunes, of course...

Good thing the great bass players don't think like so many here....they'd never have moved past the Fender PBass.

Yvon · #9 09-05-2006, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matrok

Like me, perhaps he's only familiar with the Rare Earth version.

I am aware of the other versions, but it's still a rare earth song. And rare earth was the first white band signed by motown.

I just thought it was funny. But I was probably the only in the teather who found it funny!!

Yvon · #10 09-05-2006, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pacman

Or roundwounds, or a 5 string, blah, blah, blah....

There's been some great covers of Motown songs that have slapping in them. Try stepping outside of your box, it's light outside.

If you do a cover of a motown song and you want to slap I have no problem at all.
I usually prefer when someone who cover a song do it his own way.
I would prefer to hear a country version of I was made to love her then hearing someone do it note for note.

But in THIS case, I thought it would have been important to play it note for note and with the same sound and feel.
It was the purpose of the show I think. Make you think it was the four tops, or the temptation in front of you.

SBassman · #11 09-05-2006, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pacman

So you play "Heat Wave" and "My Guy" and "Place in the Sun" on upright, right? And you never use roundwounds on old Motown tunes, of course...

That's different flavors of essentially a similar tone, v.s. a tone that just doesn't fit. Sorry, bad illustration.

fryBASS · #12 09-05-2006, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pacman

Good thing the great bass players don't think like so many here....they'd never have moved past the Fender PBass.

**Pacman** · #13 09-05-2006, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SBassman

That's different flavors of essentially a similar tone, v.s. a tone that just doesn't fit. Sorry, bad illustration.

Electric and upright are different flavors of a similar tone? Maybe to your ears...

SBassman · #14 09-05-2006, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fryBASS

Actually, it's the great bass players that know when to check the slapping at the door.

SBassman · #15 09-05-2006, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pacman

Electric and upright are different flavors of a similar tone? Maybe to your ears...

No, but electric and upright as recorded on the Motown tunes
were indeed different flavors of a somewhat similar tone.

**Pacman** · #16 09-05-2006, 08:55 PM

Like I said, maybe to your ears....

I for one am glad that people are willing to be innovative and forward thinking. Just like the guys at Motown when they first recorded the electric bass. Imagine "What's Goin On" with upright...

But, Yvon, in the instance you're talking about I agree. For a tribute or retrospective show, I'd be all over the original parts.

bucephylus · #17 09-05-2006, 08:57 PM

You know, I can't tell if this is the classic "European reproduce the composers intent" vs. "African music as a language" paradox or where some of the comments are coming from. If so, there are a spectrum of opinions, and none wrong.

I also have an abiding love for Jamerson's bass work, and on some tunes, like "What's Goin On," try to get close to his lines - they are so special.

But, I'm also not above slapping the Marvin version of the Grapevine rhythm; eg:

http://www.soulfulhorizons.com/music/grapevine.mp3

(Sorry about the mix, the bass is a little buried) If you don't care for that approach, that's OK with me too, each to their own.

However, if it's the Gladys version, then its pizz all the way.

I personally think the choice depends on how the style fits. But, there are always going to be different points of view - that's diversity! If you want to play it like its Beethoven, OK, that's your choice. Let's try to respect each other's space. Hearing and thinking about the different approaches is a GOOD thing.

**cheezewiz** · #18 09-05-2006, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pacman

For a tribute or retrospective show, I'd be all over the original parts.

Well, after a page of posts, you finally grasped my point.

**Pacman** · #19 09-06-2006, 04:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheezewiz

Well, after a page of posts, you finally grasped my point.

Well, it's hard to grasp that point when you write:

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheezewiz

Anyone slapping on Motown classics should be greeted with a kiss from a tazer.

JimK · #20 09-06-2006, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yvon

I am aware of the other versions, but it's still a rare earth song. And rare earth was the first white band signed by motown.

"Get Ready" is as much as Rare Earth song as is "I Know I'm Losing You"...or as much as "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" is CCR.

Smokey wrote "Get Ready" & I'm pretty sure it charted pre-Rare Earth's cover(which I also like; Rare Earth's live version usually took up an entire side of the LP).
One upon a time, Motown had a side label going on called 'Rare Earth'...it was here where Motown wanted to put its white Rock acts. I recall having a couple of those 45s (like the 2:30 AM-radio version of "Get Ready" by Rare Earth & "Indiana Wants Me" by R. Dean Taylor) with that kinda cool artsy-orange label.