Motown - they revolutionize music in the 70s

Motown - they revolutionize music in the 70s

Was curious about what Motown means and spent last Friday evening over coffee reading on it. The name is synonymous with hit songs of the 70s and 80s in the US.

It was quite a fascinating read about "Motown", it was a recording company in the city of Detroit, US in the 60s-80s that revolutionize music. Bringing together and creating a unique sound for the first time; they forged the R&B which a black type of music and the pop music which more of white type of music. The Motown unique sound heard for the first time in that era did immensely contributed to end the racism because it wasn't just producing a unique blend of R&B and Pop, it was producing most of the top hits songs of all time, and it was at the peak period of civil rights movement in the US. When the Motown come on the radio or when they play live, both the white and black come together. Though many of the lyrics were not political in their message but the music itself reached deeper and broke barrier.

The Motown records musicians were a group of all black and one white jazz musicians. From playing brass instruments they moved onto electric instruments and the rest was history. They did almost everything to produce many of the hit songs in the 70s and 80s. Arranging the music and playing the music, they did them.

Some of the top bands we may know include Jacksons 5, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder and many others... The same group of musicians produced, arranged and played almost all their music.

It was a pity that most of these Band members who were the minds behind arranging and playing even writing some of these grate songs of all times were not remembered well in history.

Among the rest of the Funk Brothers, one that got my interest more is the bassist, James Jamerson. The amazing thing was that, at that time it was also the first time electric bass guitar was invented and came out. Before Motown he plays classical piano and the jazz bass guitar... he usually plays at clubs around Detroit and was scouted by the Motown founder and brought in to join the team. When he got the electric bass he's bassline to this day lays the foundation of most bass style that come after. You just take a listen to some of the songs by Lionel Richie or Marvin Geye or other Motown bands of that era 70s-80s, the bass played was the first time people hear this kind of bass in the music. They say, the bass is like the foundation of music, you won't even appreciate it until you remove it from the tract you will realise the music has no structure. Jamerson was the man.

One funny story about him, maybe a rumor but it was recorded; he was a drunkard and some of the bass-line he played for some songs, he did it while being drunk and wasn't following what was written on the musical sheet. And sometimes studio could even postponed recording session to have him available first. He is just unmatched at that time.

Just reading on the oldies :)

Still the best!

 

By WGuti 05/10/2021