Where Did Our Love Go?: Rise and Fall of the Motown Sound - Softcover

Nelson George

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0711909849 ISBN 13: 9780711909847

Publisher: Omnibus Press, 1987

Synopsis

The acclaimed best selling story of Tamla Motown records - the most successful independent record label in the world. Now acknowledged by critics in both the US and Europe as the definitive account of the rise and fall of the Motown Sound. It covers the careers of all the great Motown artists - The Supremes, Marin Gaye, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Four Top, THe Jackson Five and many more. It tells the story behind all their hits and how the company was run on factory like principles by Berry Gordy who as a result became the richest black American in history. it paints a portrait of gullible artists signing away their rights and, eventually, falling out with Gordy over monetary matters and that many of the back room boys at Motown - the writers and the musicians who played on the records - got a pittance for their efforts.

About this title

Book Description:

Where Did Our Love Go? chronicles the rise and fall of Motown Records while emphasizing the role of its dynamic founder, Berry Gordy Jr. First published in 1986, this classic work includes a new preface by Nelson George that identifies Motown’s influence on young recorders and music mogels of today, including R. Kelly, D’Angelo, Sean Combs, and Russell Simmons.

 

Gordy’s uncanny instinct for finding extraordinary talent--whether performers, songwriters, musicians, or producers--yielded popular artists who include the Supremes, the Jackson Five, Smokey Robinson, the Miracles, the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, the Four Tops, and Stevie Wonder. Not shy about depicting Gordy’s sometimes manipulative and complex relationships with his artists, George reveals the inner workings of the music business and insightful material on the musicians who backed these stars. The large cache of resulting Motown melodies is still alive in commercials, movies, TV programs, and personal ipods today.

About the Author:

Nelson George, often described as 'the best black writer on black popular music in America' has written a new epilogue to his classic history of Tamla Motown Records, abook that is regularly cited as among the best rock books ever written. George continues to write about music and popular culture for a number of US magazines. He lives in New York.

About this edition

• Publisher: Omnibus Press
• Publication date: 1987
• ISBN 10: 0711909849
• ISBN 13: 9780711909847
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 272