MOTOWN INDEPENDENT AGAIN?

Rip It Up, Issue 183, 1 October 1992, Page 20

MOTOWN INDEPENDENT AGAIN?

By the mid-80s, the Motown label was synonymous with oldies for the Bi# Chill generation. The label's crazed success of the 60s and 70s overshadowing contemporary achievements. In the label's heyday it consistently topped the sales charts and the Revenue listings for black-owned businesses. So when founder Berry Gordy sold the company in 1988, (to corporate interests with eyes on the label's past catalogue), it appeared to be a sad end of an era for an indie label. However the corporate buyers may have underestimated the committment of new boss, Jheryl Busby, to writing a very successful Chapter Two and reasserting Motown's independence. Busby phoned through to RipltUp on time, L.A. time 7pm. "I thought it was a wonderful opportunity to take on something MCA was buying. The first day on the job I walked out of the elevator, it was a little eerie, because the floor was empty, the people had gone and I saw the pictures of the Tempts, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, I realised it was more than just the next job in my career, this was a responsibility and an opportunity to write Chapter Two." "On the third day on the job I had a call from the guy at the Wall Street Journal and the Business section of the New York Times wanting me to do an interview, not the Entertainment section. With Motown it's an icon, known worldwide. MCA is a company, Motown is a name, it's more like having Disney." One of the new corporate owners of Motown was MCA (17%) and when their man Jheryl Busby was appointed the President / CEO, they may have got more than they planned on. From 1984 Busby had built up the MCA Black Music Division signing artists such as New Edition, Patti Labelle, Bobby Brown and Pebbles. But once at Motown, Busby was no longer an MCA Company Man and he became obsessed with rebuilding Motown. He made a move in 1991 that surprised the music business, he sued Big Brother MCA Distribution for breach of contract and sought safety in the arms of a Bigger Brother, moving Motown's distribution to Polygram.

MCA Versus Motown So while the USA music business is in a recession, Motown is on a new high having sold five million copies of Boyz II Men's Cooleyhighharmony album and two million copies of Johnny Gill's de-

but album and Busby's Motown is boldly in litigation with one of its owners,-MCA. The label is once again acting like that upstart independent from Detroit that shook the music world in the 60s.

Busby is quite open about the MCA versus Motown (& Polygram) court battle.

"What was at stake was the very existence of Motown and having watched (black owned) Philladelphia International and Stax labels close their doors I was not going to let it be on my balance sheet of life — The guy who wrote-off Motown."

The conspiracy theory on the 1988 Motown purchase was that Busby was a chosen scapegoat — a black executive given an impossible task.

"I'm not quite sure what really happened. I don't want to say anything bad, but I will say this, I found myself in a position where it was designed to fail. I tried every way 1 could to sit down with people and talk about redesigning something to work. I don't know why people didn't hear me. I know what it is to cry because people were not listening and I also know what it is to say enough is enough and Motown will survive and I will rally this com-

pany around its assets and the people who care and I'm going to move it forward. It was a lot to take on, it was very emotional. I spent five years developing relationships at MCA and this was me expanding their horizon. We were partners in this thing. Whatever would force a company to breach a contract, whatever would force someone to not take a serious look at an asset like Motown, I don't begin to understand." Busby now describes MCA as "a company that looks at litigation as a profit centre," noting that, "America is a country where sometimes the litigation process does hurt those people who can't financially stay in there, and yet Motown was going to die anyway because businessmen weren’t supporting it." MCA have previously been criticised for the manner in which the company gained ownership of the Chess catalogue after MCA unsuccessfully distributed the Sugarhill label (the prior Chess owner), leaving Sugarhill so indebted to MCA, that the Chess catalogue became MCA's property. Michael Bivins

Crucial to the success of Busby's Chapter Two is his link with New Edition's Michael Bivins who has

brought Boyz II Men (5 albums million sold), Another Bad Creation (2 million albums sold) and MC Brains to Motown via his Biv Entertainment.

"The relationship with Michael and I," says Busby, "Is one of total respect for his understanding of the youth market. He has concepts for movies, TV specials and clothing lines and we'll soon be announcing the "Biv 10 Deal" that will be more than a record label." Mo’Jazz

Busby claims the new Mo'Jazz label will, "shock America, as to how we’ve redefined jazz and stretched the dimensions. I think guitarist Norman Brown is an exciting signing and Foley who was Miles Davis' musical conductor at the age 19, his music is as innovative as George Clinton's and equally as funky and as sophisticated as Miles. Catalogue Busby see the label's past catalogue as the "financial foundation" of the company. "Our responsibility is to build frontline artists on top of that, but it's nice to have a company that can do here in the USA, $25 to S3O million a year, just on catalogue sales." "In the vaults we've found albums from the Jackson 5, Temptations and Supremes, never been released ever. The lead single from the Jackson Five mini-series has never been released before. So it's a dream for me, yet an awesome responsibility." The Motown Revue Busby is aware of the power of the video to sell an image of an artist overnight but sees the medium creating "disposable artists." "You used to have to do it by a tour, creating that one on one with the consumer. We plan to have Motown Revues again, putting our artists in front of their consumers where they have to practice that craft of reaching out and touching an audience." : Stevie Wonder Lifetime Deal Motown has revived the 60s "Sound of Young America" slogan with the recent success of teen acts such as The Boys and Another Bad Creation. But Busby also wants to focus on some of the Motown greats: "I'm soon going to announce a lifetime deal with Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross I've brought back and she is an owner, the Temptations are here and I'm currently trying to talk to the Four Tops. What I hope to do with our heritage artists is to realise that direct marketing is the future, of 'our business. The only

thing you can direct market are artists that have value in the market over time. We are an industry that has become very lazy, totally dependent on retail and radio to market our product." ... Motown UK > ' V- -

Busby has failed on two UK projects, for which he "takes the heat" — a deal with Jazzie B label Funki Dreds and Terry Jervis' Down To Jam Records. "1 have a tremendous respect for Jazzie B and the fact that he wanted to make his home here in Motown. We just weren't prepared, we changed our distributors and we needed a few years to build up our UK presence."

"We are announcing •UK Motown, a company in the UK to license material back to America and when Motown America passes our UK company has the right to take those artists where ever they want to, so it will be a UK look at what Motown can be." Street Label "There's a street label which we're currently putting together, which is slightly .to the left, called Left Out, where we'll enter into some of the hip-hop form of business, where you have the quick turnaround and standard contracts and you're able to get into the quick hit business.” Busby keenly speaks of numerous new Motown projects and artists but still sees a clear focus for the revived company. "We think we have a niche and it’s marketing urban America to the world." MURRAY CAMMICK Catalogue Reissues On local release again are compilations by the major Motown artists such as the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Four Tops and Diana Ross and lower profile artists such as Edwin Starr, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Isley Brothers, Martha & the Vandellas, Jimmy Ruffin etc. '

One of the gems here is The Hits of Edwin Starr, 20 tracks from his Doc Martens advert '25 Miles' (and numerous other 60s mod classics) to the psychedelic 'War', the best version of 'Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On', the acid soul 'Who's Right Or Wrong' and an ace version of 'Cloud Nine'.

Other Motown artists often sung a version of a Motown classic to rival the classic we know. On Gladys Knight's 17 Greatest Hits her version of the Tempts' 'I Wish It Would

Rain' is stunning plus their numerous Motown gems, the lesser know 'Daddy Could Swear, I Declare' being one of my faves. The 70s (post Diana) Supremes Greatest Hits &Rare Classics is interesting, containing some of the Supremes' finest moments 'Up the Ladder to the Roof', 'Stoned Love', 'Floy Joy' with lead vocals by Jean Terrell, Mary Wilson or Scherrie Payne plus three solo tracks by Terell or Payne. A rare gem is their 'You're My Driving Wheel' with the sassy Scherrie who fronted on their 70s NZ tour.

The compile by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas showcases 24 tracks by a vocal group who in "fame" terms were overshadowed by the Supremes, yet they've recorded many of the most frequently revived Motown hits, classics associated with the label, such as 'Heat Wave', 'Dancing in the Street', 'Jimmy Mack', 'Honey Chile' and 'Nowhere to Run'.

Jimmy Ruffin (brother of Temptation David) recorded the classic 'What Becomes of the Broken Hearted', one of the label's finest moments, but his 20 track compile has few gems and too many MOR moments. Ruffin needed more gritty soul material, there's probably some unreleased in Motown's vaults. Though not big hitmakers while on the label, the Isley Brothers Greatest Hits compile is 100 percent pure soul with songs like 'This Old Heart of Mine', 'Behind a Painted Smile’ (covered by Dave Dobbyn) and 'Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A While)'. Of the artists in the 20 track Motown Greatest Hits series, the Marvin Gaye and the Temptations collections are the most soulful, with the Four Tops featuring more MOR than one would expect and Diana Ross mixing Supremes material with her solo successes. The Marvin Gaye compile mixes the much-loved 60s assembly-line classics with his later songs reflecting the more introspective Gaye. To enjoy the later material in context, the original albums What's Going On, Let's Get It On and I Want You have been reissued along with the curious 1965 A Tribute to Nat King Cole where Gaye is best on the swing 'Straighten Up and Fly Right' and wet on 'Mona Lisa'. And there are numerous other 60s Gaye albums that are worthy of reissuing or compiling in addition to the material on release now.

MURRAY CAMMICK

TH E 70$: LITTLE STE VI E C ROWS U P

One day in 1985 the phone rang. When I picked it up, the voice at the other end didn't say anything, it just sang. Da-da-da du-dii du-du-DU-du. Then it hung up. I didn't recognise the voice, but the nonsense syllables were unmistakeable - they belonged to Stevie Wonder's 'Part-time Love', which was No 1 at the time. It was probably a wrong number; no one has ever said they "just called to say I love you" (his previous No 1 hit). But the moment epitomises the place Stevie Wonder's songs have in the world. Instantaneously recognisable, naggingly irresistable, they're so allpervasive you don't even have to tune in to hear them. Now in his early 40s, Stevie Wonder is in his fourth decade of making records. He had his first No 1 hit, 'Fingertips Pt 2', in 1963, and has had a lien on the charts ever since. His output has slowed down since his 70s heyday; he labours over records for years now, apparently obsessed with technology and'perfection. But last year's tossed-off /angle Fever soundtrack proved that the Midas touch with a melody is still there. From his Motown audition as a 10-year-old, when he impressed Berry Gordy by playing the harmonica, piano, organ and drums, Stevie has been the great all-rounder of pop. His ambition drove him to master everything, all instruments and styles of music. Many of his 60s hits - 'My Cherie Amour', 'Yester-me', 'For Once in My Life' - are not merely standards but muzak essentials. He could have retired at 21, his place in pop history assured. But he had only warmed up. In 1971 Wonder re-negotiated his contract with Motown. He stayed with the corporation, but on his terms: full artistic control. Like Marvin Gaye, he started thinking in terms of albums rather than singles, but the hits kept on coming. He mastered the latest electronic technology - primitive synthesisers - and, absorbing the influences of Hendrix, Sly Stone and Curtis Mayfield, became the innovative leader of black rock. Without sex or weirdness, he paved the way for later monomaniacal pop geniuses like Prince and Michael Jackson. Where I'm Coming From, Wonder's first release after being freed from the Motown chain gang, showed where he was going. He gave the new keyboards some feeling, flitted between styles and didn't always keep control of the schmaltz button. He hit his stride with Music of My Mind, the first of his albums to flow seamlessly from pumping funk to lyrical ballad and back again. ‘Love Having You Around' could be Sly Stone; the gorgeous 'Happier than the Morning Sun' Paul McCartney. He'd found his formula, and after touring with the Rolling Stones in 1972, the large white audience found him. The album that followed, Talking Book, was his first masterpiece. One side opened with 'You are the

Sunshine of My Life', a ballad so perfect no cabaret cover can destroy the beauty of the original. 'Superstition' led the other side; with its irresistable clavinette and horn riffs and mathematical structure it provides the link between the Stones’ 'Bitch' and Chic's 'Good Times'. Like Superfly, Talking Book is a pivotal album of the blaxploitation era. But it was only part one of a double whammy. Next came • Innervisions (1973), his most consistent album. The cinematic 'Living for the City' is all groove, a grim but captivating history of black life in seven minutes. Sweetening the social messages that were starting to emerge was such uplifting pop as 'Don't You Worry Bout a Thing', ‘Higher Ground' and 'Misstra Know-it-all'. Innervisions was the Thriller of its day: not just packed with hits but a musical signpost. Fulfillingness' First Finale, released soon after a violent car-crash, maintained his standards but didn't have the self-confidence of its predecessors. It disappointed a few at the time, but its depth has emerged over the years. Nevertheless, 'You Haven't Done Nothing' and 'Boogie on Reggae Woman' were unstoppable hits. Songs in the Key of Life was much anticipated, and being two albums plus an extra EP, more Stevie Wonder than you could shake a stick at. So sprawling and eclectic that 15 years later it still surprises with some hidden treasure, Songs had its share of hits: 'Sir Duke', T Wish', 'Love's in Need of Love Today' and, of course, the mawkish standard 'lsn't She Lovely'. Wonder took three years over Jour- ■ ney Through the Secret Life of Plants (1979), the mostly instrumental soundtrack to a film that was never made. Its indulgence confused many, but he won back his audience a year later with Hotter Than ]uly. Here he explored reggae and rap, continued his black consciousness campaign and, with 'Masterblaster', 'Did I Hear You Say You Love Me' and 'Happy Birthday' maintained his hit ratio. In the 70s he could do no wrong, but through the 80s it became uncool to champion Stevie Wonder. Whether it was his association with Paul McCartney, that his wholesomeness was so unrelenting or just that younger heroes had emerged, no matter: almost any release of his could demand space in the Top 5 as of right. He was the first to break the Motown production-line tyranny, kept exploring creatively, but never abandoned the Motown ideals of aiming at the widest possible audience, Like Prince or Michael Jackson, he sometimes has more talent than he knows what to do with - witness the occasional lapses in taste - but he has also given away songs others would kill to have written. His effervescent albums of the 70s often had the air of an endless street carnival, and everyone was invited to the party.

CHRIS BOURKE