Firstly a big thanks to everyone that contributed to the Ska Set topic I posted.

The new one which I am wanting to get better is Motown....

The usual way I get into it is start with a bit of commitments, In the Midnight hour - or Tears Of A Clown, Smokey R just to set the mood..

Then Nowhere To Run - Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
Can't Hurry Love - Diana Ross/Supremes
It Takes Two - Kim Weston/M
Dancing In The Street - Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
This Old Heart Of Mine - The Isley Brothers
Baby Love - Diana Ross/Supremes

And that kinda is it... I play others everynow and then, Respect - Aretha but I just wanna know what else is better....

I try and increase my knowledge by asking the dancing motown girls what they would like to hear next and 9/10 times its either "Something else like this - you're doing great", which obviously helps no end or something that is absolutely nothing to do with Motown...

No one has complained yet, but I just wanna be able to play a longer set incase it is ever needed.......

Many thanks for any help you guys can be!!

The Elgins - Heaven must have sent you
R.Dean Taylor - There's a ghost in my house
Isley Bros - Behind a Painted Smile
The Velvelettes - Needle in a Haystack
Stevie Wonder - uptight
The 4 Tops - Reach Out
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Jimmy Mack

I've just bought a reasonable Motown CD for less than a Tenner from HMV which has some of these and more

Aint too proud to beg
Heatwave
Baby Love
I cant Help Myself
Same old Song
Superstition

There is a brilliant 3 disc motown classic album available... with some wicked stuff on..... another I try to fit in is aint nothin but a house party... more northern soul but goes down really well!

Also you could add some old soul such as jackie wilson (your love keeps lifting me higher), soul man, sweet soul music, midnight hour, 634,5789

Thanks for the advice so far!!

I do try and put some soul in , like soul man, sweet soul music etc - but it's the main Motown that gets me...

Some of the tracks suggested have crashed the floor before for me, like Heatwave and Needle in a Haystack.. Played them, floor cleared......

I know that every gig is different, but I suppose I'm trying to find the sure fire tracks that always work, and like we know, nothing ever works ALL the time...

Will have to keep tryin em and see what happens!!!

Oh and Kaz, "Superstition" - would that really go down as a Motown track? Like the rest... It is a SUPERB track - Managed to play it a couple of weeks ago on a 2k sound system and it ROCKED!!!

Record Listings

Chartbusters

Classic Motown


Happy reading

Tonsk..... I dont know if others find this, but motown can be really dodgy... some tracks go well... whilst others will kill the floor... Heatwave would really be considered northern soul.... and tears of a clown is always an iffy tune..... You can usually second guess by the beat.. if you are playing upbeat then I wouldnt put in stuff like aint too proud to beg/this old heart..... but then again, things differ. Superstition is very much a motown track... but has to be played with the right sort of stuff... I often use if as a link track... coming out of motown into funky 70s if you get my drift!
One thing to remember is that the motown label contains so much stuff... so when people ask you for "motown" - ask them what is their particular fave track... this will hopefully give you a clue as to what their kinda motown is!

*S*

Dancing in the streets Martha and the Vandellas
Stop her on sight-Edwin Starr
Stevie Wonder's Superstition was on Motown!
ABC The Jackson 5

the Contours Do You Love Me


as to all time soul killer tracks..........

James brown's your man!

I feel good
etc etc

and KC and The Sunshine Bands thats the way I like it!