MOTORTOWN REVIEWED
When Detroit’s premier label came to Britain, fans soon learned that its 45s held the essence of soul. But Tamla Motown’s LPs have the reputation of being nothing like as good – and some don’t fetch the high prices you might expect. In the first part of an examination of UK Motown’s albums, Dave Sallis sifts the gems from the junk, and analyses the company’s attitude towards the long player
Soul music has always been dominated by the 45rpm single, particularly so during the 1960s. The genre has veered towards this format for maximum effect; whether in the form of approximately three minutes of an infectious dance rhythm or a tortured heart-rending ballad. No self-respecting soul DJ would consider anything other than the look, feel and content of a 7” single; definitely no CDs or downloads for them!
Rarely a week goes by without a number of collectable soul singles being sold for over £100, and in some cases for well over £1,000! No need to remind you that the most expensive 45 ever sold, at over £25,000, is Frank Wilson’s Do I Love You on Motown – the torchbearer of soul music collectables. The genre’s collectors will pay whatever it takes to secure the right single, yet soul albums are, in the main, treated with indifference and often something close to contempt.
During the 60s soul music just didn’t “do” long players! There is nothing in the canon to compare to The Beatles’ various sought-after albums, psych/prog nuggets or pop/beat musthaves. Certain soul albums do sell for over £100; a select few can fetch more, but the majority never attain that sort of figure. Paradoxically, the market for rare soul singles is in a very healthy state, with sale prices …
by Dave Sallis
<< Back to Issue 398
Already a Magazine Subscriber? Register now for online access.
