What exactly gives a record that sweet Motown sound? The Guardian UK recruited music industry vet Harry Weinger, who controls the vast Tamia Motown catologue, to desconstruct the mastery behind the magic of a Motown record. Weinger discusses the production-line perfection of the Funk Brothers and the technical prowess of the Temptations, but it's clear he thinks the Motown studios in Detroit played an irreplaceable part in generating those dozens of pop hits before the label moved to L.A. in 1972.
Excerpt:
The first thing, he says, is something that can't be replicated: the
Hitsville USA studio at 2648 West Grand Boulevard in Detroit. "It was
really someone's house, so right away, there was a familial atmosphere
and folks relaxed," Weinger says. "But there was also the sense of
friendly competition. You were not only ready to go, but you also wanted
to beat the other guys and be better."
Read more about the legacy of Hitsville U.S.A.
here.
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