By Chancellor of Soul (66.207.40.18) on Wednesday, February 26, 2003 - 05:13 pm:

Name your favorite show produced by Motown and
describe why it's your favorite.

Peace,
Mike Boone
(Chancellor of Soul)

By Ritchie (62.254.0.10) on Wednesday, February 26, 2003 - 05:25 pm:

As we on this side of the pond never got to see any of them, there's not much to reminisce about. Except the one...

Ready Steady Go's "Sounds Of Motown" special in 1965. Starring the Miracles, Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Martha & the Vandellas and the Supremes, and introduced by the lovely Dusty Springfield, it's 50 minutes of pure Motown joy. Here are the greats at the peak of their powers, just on the verge of their breakthrough in Europe. The highlight for me is Dusty's duet with Martha on "Wishin' and Hopin'" - two girls doing what they do best - and loving every minute.

PS - I just forked out $20 for a DVD, and it's a bootleg. Still, to paraphrase a famous saying, "it's what's on the screen that counts!"

By john dixon (205.188.209.38) on Wednesday, February 26, 2003 - 05:46 pm:

You are so right Ritchie, I saw it three or four times about ten years ago when my local video briefly (!) stocked it. Why doesn't Dave Clark release it on dvd? He still owns the rights to RSG doesn't he? I've got to have it. As Ritchie said, everyone is in peak form here. Martha Reeves at her sexiest, mercy, and Dusty's solo turn on "You've Lost The Sweetest Boy" smoked. She more than acquitted herself in their presence.

By Ritchie (62.254.0.9) on Wednesday, February 26, 2003 - 05:58 pm:

By Ritchie (62.254.0.9) on Wednesday, February 26, 2003 - 06:02 pm:

BTW, that's not the bootleg DVD - it's the cover I designed for the CD I made from the soundtrack :o)

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, February 26, 2003 - 06:20 pm:

My favorite would have to be MOTOWN 25.

It was indeed an exciting special even though the televised version featured many truncated performances (except for Marvin & Michael and ain't nobody gonna tell THEM how much time they're gonna have on stage!). I'm hoping that Miss Suzanne DePasse will find it in her heart to release a "director's cut" of the special.

As for Ready Steady Go, the problem Dave Clark may have with releasing the shows on home video is getting clearances from the artists (or their estates) to put the shows out on DVD & VHS. With artists wanting what's rightfully theirs (which is to be paid for their work), he may not have the budget to pull this off. Then again, maybe if he kept his Dave Clark Five "best-of" CD on the market, he would have enough money to pull this off!
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By STUBASS (206.135.204.2) on Wednesday, February 26, 2003 - 06:46 pm:

"MOTOWN AT THE APOLLO" WAS A VERY GOOD SHOW!!!...BY THE WAY...MY BROTHER WAS FLOWN IN TO TO SOME OF THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THAT SHOW!!!...STU

By Nish (66.119.33.135) on Wednesday, February 26, 2003 - 10:09 pm:

Tempts and Tops was a good show!!! And T.C.B. is the standard by which all artists' specials on the networks should be judged.

By R&B (138.238.41.128) on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 09:47 am:

NISH YOU TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH,T.C.B.ALL THE WAY.

By Common (209.2.55.170) on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 09:57 am:

Hello everyone,

Motown 25 show was best show that was produced by the company. Motown At The Apollo is there right behind it. I have it on my old beta tapes & I'm trying to find a way to transfer them. I would love to watch this show again.

KevGo: Didn't Motown release an extra 30 minutes on the VHS version of Motown 25?

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 10:34 am:

Common:
You may be right about the VHS having an extra 30 minutes. I'll have to check.
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By stephanie (64.63.221.201) on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 10:49 am:

MOTOWN 40 was the best!!!!! It had old clips and interviews of the stars. Motown 30 sucked bigtime!!! I like Whoopi Goldberg but some of the acts on the show were NOT Motown and I love Robert Townsend but there were way too many Comedy skits..
Steph

By TonyRussi (68.18.49.69) on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 12:37 pm:

I have the Ready,Steady Go Motown Special.I purchased it on VHS many years ago and love to watch it....I love the ending jam of "Come On Do the Jerk".Martha told me that while they were over there that Dusty Springfield recorded a whole LP with the band.I wish I had a real clear Motortown Revue(1963)even though the sound is not good I still love it.

By cleoharvey (160.79.83.208) on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 04:12 pm:

I believe in terms of impact and the history that it was making at the time, I would have to say TCB starring Diana Ross and the Supremes and the Temptations. It was a "crossover" special and was the highest rated pop/rock special ever produced at that time. It was also historical because the stars were black and not guesting on a special or tv show hosted by nonblacks. It also introduced Dennis Edwards to the entire country and established that Diana Ross clearly had the talent to eventually go solo. It also produced a #1 album. I was a teenager at the time and it was very exciting and my entire family felt proud. We sometimes forget these moments. It was a beautiful, classily produced special.

Ps: I was not so wild about GIT on Broadway a year later. Although it had great moments (Temptations Sunrise/Sunset) the special seemed kind of hokey.