h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Tamla Motown Record Company - A717275
Author: Annie - What doesn't kill you makes you stronger - U128652

I'm clearing out my long-standing unfinished entries and starting with this.

few things ...

Smokey Robinson --> he's mentioned at the top, but not in the rest, wasn't he one of the major songwriters for them ?

The name Tamla Motown - wasn't that just the label name for UK releases ? In the US Tamla and Motown were seperate labels. Other labels were Gordy and Soul. Motown Records was the name of the company in the US.

Two things you could mention were its slogans - 'The Sound of Young American' was plastered over its records and the building had a sign saying 'Hitsville USA'. That prompted Memphis bassed Stax to brand itself Soulsville USA.

you mention the sound, but not the players. Earl Van Dyke and the Soul Brothers were the major musicans and they included James Jamerson on bass who was a huge influence on many bassists, inc Paul McCartney, and Benny Benjamin. Plus Dennis Coffey was also used as a guitarist

--> the era of the boy-band was born -->surly that was the Monkeys ?

I've done a major update

I've added a section on Diana Ross's career with Motown and also changed the title.

..and now there's a section on Smokey Robinson

...and I am probably going to write a separate entry on the Funk Brothers, considering all I've researched.

Phew - no wonder it's been unfinished! It's certainly comprehensive or is this the standard of Entries nowadays? One thing I do remember about the Motown sound in the 60's (and to be honest I wasn't a big fan) was the release of "Reach Out" by the Four Tops - an instant classic if there ever was one.

I *was* a big fan, I grew up loving the music and have never outgrown it. Marvin Gaye's dulcit tones can make my toes curl, and I can't think of better music to smooch to...

Thanks very much for your comments, POV_Gunn

Have you read the entry since the update, The_Jon_m?

I'm going to start by saying I love this. But I've got a few observations about the structure of the entry.

I'm thinking mainly about the way this will look in mobile - which should never be the main concern, but is still valid. Headers create 'chapters' in the Mobile Skin, so each chapter should, I feel, be quite meaty. A chapter that contains just one ine might feel a bit like a cheat. So...

I'd suggest you ditch he first line and first header. That quote is a marvellous intro - it says everything you instantly want to know about the music, the social history... just a perfect quote. I'd incorporate the first line into the first line of the main body, so that it reads: 'Situated in Detroit, Michigan, Motown Records was one of the most influential record labels of all time. It was the brainchild of...'

I'd also suggest ditching the 'It's A Family Affair' heading and making this paragraph two of the first section. it reads very well without it (even though it's a clever subheader).

Now here's the main structure thing. I'm really not sure what to make of the way the material's laid out and I can't decide if it's distracting or not. It's a bit stop-start in the way it's telling one story and then jumps to another, then back to the first, then onto a third... and so on. I think I'd be inclined to maybe make two entries out of this (although it might be best to submit them as one and then allow them to be split later). In which case, it might make sense to have the first half about the history of Motown and the second about the stars of Motown.

Now I know that suggestion is a bit like putting a scythe through the entry, but it does score on a few levels. Firstly, and most importantly, it makes the piece(s) easier to follow; secondly, it means you get an extra solo entry out of it; and thirdly, it means we have two entries to publish on one day.

Did I mention the in-house team love Motown? This does the subject justice - and then some!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4650482.stm

Oh kelli, my heart was in my throat when I loaded your link, I really thought it was going to be Berry Gordy's death or something.

Buildings are just bricks and mortar, home is the people you love.

Thanks Jimster, I'm so pleased to hear someone shares my love of Motown (which for me, has never dated) and I'll incorporate the changes asap.

Jimster, am I on the right track with this:
A8794623

If not, stop me now...(it was going to be an entry on just The Funk Brothers) but if it's getting too big, I can split the Funk Brothers & Diana Ross from the others...

I wonder how this entry reads now? Does it follow?

Would you like me to submit the other entry into PR or tack it onto the bottom of this one, for splitting later?

I think it'd be best to keep the entries as one for now - that way they both get accepted, subbed and published at the same time, and we look after the splitting at the final stage. But yes, that's pretty much what I had in mind. All that would need to separate it as an entry in its own right would be an introductory paragraph, pretty much summarising what Motown was and that these are the stars of the company. If you pop an tag in between the two entries, we'll easily see where the split would be.

If I were a sub, I'd be circling this thread like an eagle about now...

You've inspired the h2g2 team to spend five minutes this afternoon attempting 'Love Child' on the slide-whistle. It sounded awful

Oh I wish I could have been a fly on the wall of the office of the Towers...

Right, I've tacked on the artists entry to the end of this one. Unfortunately I couldn't get the tag to work, and it woulnd't update so I had to remove it to save my update.


So I did a line of stars **************************** instead, above the Funk Brothers.


Isn't that nugget I found about Jamerson playing on "What's Going On?" flat on his back fantastic? Loved that.

I've done everything except the intro para you asked for, I'm way too tired now - had my son off school with a tummy bug all day & my grandson from 4-9pm so better slope off to bed now

Will write it tomorrow when I'm fresher.

A split entry, subbing & publishing two together...another first for me
although if you want me to expand (what I left out) of Diana Ross's career (after she left Motown and what she's doing now, duetting with Westlife etc.) I can take her out and make her a completely separate entry, if you like. I'd only need a day or so to submit it to PR. I'll go with your suggestions anyway. I could write reams on them all, I have all the Motown Chartbusters LP's and must be hundreds of singles in my loft, there wasn't many I didn't buy. I even have The Motown Story a 5-LP Box Set all the artists introduce their own tracks - completely priceless to me.

OK I've made a start on the Diana Ross entry:
A8794623

See what you think.

I will add the rest of her career & personal life tomorrow.

If you hate the idea I can wipe it.

If it's an I can submit it separately or add it to this entry, I'm easy.

Now I'm really going to bed. Honest. Just let me read the posting at my "Streakers & Streaking" entry...

I mean of course, if you like the seperate entry on Diana Ross, I can cut all the info on her out of this one except for a basic description.

In the meantime, I'll go work on the Diana Ross entry

Doing a separate entry on Diana Ross would be good. Major subject though - very busy woman. Make sure you get a link to her listing on IMDB.com - she's done a few high-profile films.

I think it's best to keep the reference to her on the Motown entry as you've done already. Maybe worth calling the other entry 'Diana Ross - solo singer' and make it about her post-Supremes years, as I think you're planning to do (it looks that way anyway )