Does anybody actually know the difference between these two types of music?
Motown & Northern Soul
Most punters at a function don't.
Do you?
Full Version: Motown Vs. Northern Soul
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Thats cheating! 
Dont forget Atlantic Soul too 8)
Motown isnt the only label.
I use this collection a lot, sorry about the URL:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00062F...=UTF8&s=gateway
Motown isnt the only label.
I use this collection a lot, sorry about the URL:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00062F...=UTF8&s=gateway
Motown means material from Berry Gordy's Motown group of labels - Tamla, Motown, Gordy, Soul, VIP etc.
Performers include Martha & The Vandellas, Four Tops, Miracles, Temptations, Earl Van Dyke & The Soul Brothers, Gladys Knight, Stevie wonder, Velvellettes, Marvelettes, Contours, Mary Wells, Marvin Gaye, Shorty Long, Isley Brothers, etc etc.
In fact a number of other record companies copied the Motown sound - Golden World/Ric-Tic being a good example. Edwin Starr's "Agent 00 Soul", "Stop Her On Sight" and "Headline News" were recorded for and issued by that company which was bought by Berry Gordy, thereby eliminating the competition. Subsequently Edwin Starr was thought of as a Motown artiste. Ironically some Motown product is regarded as Northern Soul.
The term "Northern Soul" was coined by the late Dave Godin. At the time there were more funky sounds being played in the southern part of the UK whilst northern clubs were playing mostly "four on the floor" type beats which were often similar in sound to stuff from the Motown stable. He called it "northern soul" ( not to be confused with "Southern Soul" which refers to material from the southern states of the USA and performers from the chitlin' circuit - e'g Sam & Dave, Ann Peebles, Al Green, Otis Redding, Bobby "Blue Bland".
Performers include Martha & The Vandellas, Four Tops, Miracles, Temptations, Earl Van Dyke & The Soul Brothers, Gladys Knight, Stevie wonder, Velvellettes, Marvelettes, Contours, Mary Wells, Marvin Gaye, Shorty Long, Isley Brothers, etc etc.
In fact a number of other record companies copied the Motown sound - Golden World/Ric-Tic being a good example. Edwin Starr's "Agent 00 Soul", "Stop Her On Sight" and "Headline News" were recorded for and issued by that company which was bought by Berry Gordy, thereby eliminating the competition. Subsequently Edwin Starr was thought of as a Motown artiste. Ironically some Motown product is regarded as Northern Soul.
The term "Northern Soul" was coined by the late Dave Godin. At the time there were more funky sounds being played in the southern part of the UK whilst northern clubs were playing mostly "four on the floor" type beats which were often similar in sound to stuff from the Motown stable. He called it "northern soul" ( not to be confused with "Southern Soul" which refers to material from the southern states of the USA and performers from the chitlin' circuit - e'g Sam & Dave, Ann Peebles, Al Green, Otis Redding, Bobby "Blue Bland".
| QUOTE (iany @ Aug 10 2006, 10:51 AM) |
| Does anybody actually know the difference between these two types of music? Motown & Northern Soul Most punters at a function don't. Do you? |
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| Thats cheating! |
Up until a while ago I was actually unsure of the difference but thanks to fellow members on the forum I was edumacated!
Sorry, I took your post as a general question and wanted to provide a slightly more eloquent answer than what I could type!
Hope it helps anyway.
MOTOWN IS A RECORD LABEL NOT A GENRE! 
Sorry but that really gets on my
Sorry but that really gets on my
Spot on, Steve.
But that label tended to use the same session musicians and recording equipment, which did give a lot of their output a very distinctive sound back then.
As for Northern Soul, I have always taken it to be an upbeat form of what now gets called 'Motown'. 'Needle In A Haystack' by the Velvelettes epitomises it I think.
But that label tended to use the same session musicians and recording equipment, which did give a lot of their output a very distinctive sound back then.
As for Northern Soul, I have always taken it to be an upbeat form of what now gets called 'Motown'. 'Needle In A Haystack' by the Velvelettes epitomises it I think.
| QUOTE (Andy Westcott @ Aug 10 2006, 08:50 PM) |
| Spot on, Steve. But that label tended to use the same session musicians and recording equipment, which did give a lot of their output a very distinctive sound back then. |
Interestingly, some of the Funk Brothers ( the Hitsville session players ) played on sessions for other Detroit-based labels.
Motown is a record label, Northern Soul varies from Philly Motown sound a likes like Candy and The Kisses"The 81", Cliff Nobles"The Horse" and even Tony Blackburn was played at the Wigan Casino as Lenny Gamble
Dubbed by Dave Godin during a visit to the Twisted Wheel in Mancs, Northern Soul still has a large following in the North of England and also in Ireland Scotland Wales etc, and also Austrialia.....
check out this website for more info
http://www.northernsoul.co.uk/ns/
Dubbed by Dave Godin during a visit to the Twisted Wheel in Mancs, Northern Soul still has a large following in the North of England and also in Ireland Scotland Wales etc, and also Austrialia.....
check out this website for more info
http://www.northernsoul.co.uk/ns/
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