Dancin' In The Street

So. This comes a week late, but let's blame that on time zones or cyber-traffic jams or something like that. But, if you are a week behind in your reading as I appear to be in my writing, Motown kicked off its 50th anniversary celebration last Monday. This is the start to a whole friggin' year of concerts, albums, museum exhibits, you name it.

It's hard to believe Berry Gordy's little homemade studio - the wonderfully named Hitsville, U.S.A. - in Detroit is 50 years old this year. The time just flies. I mean, at the time, I was only -28 years old, and here we are already. Seriously, though, the Smithsonian has declared the "Motown sound" (which I will attempt to explain) a distinct part of American folklore. That's substantial. Quite very indeed substantial.

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The author would at this point like to warn you that the next paragraph is rife with music-geekery. If you don't have much interest in little details of musical production, feel free to skip ahead.

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So, think back. Pull out the classic songs from this era of music history, give them a listen. There's a distinctive reverb in all the songs - what a lot of people classify as the "Motown sound". Where did this sound come from? Well, apparently Gordy would transmit what was recorded in the basement of Hitsville to a speaker in the attic. This attic was empty, except for that speaker, and a microphone at the other end. So the Vandellas, Miracles, Temptations, all of 'em, sang across that empty room, and the rest is, as they say, history. At least, that's my favourite story of the behind-the-scenes tricks that make the magic happen.

If you're just joining us from the disclaimer, welcome back. I do hope you can think back on the oldies you maybe grew up with. I know it was half of my musical diet until I was in my early teens. There's obviously something special about the writers and the performers who came together half a century ago, because these songs get covered to this day. It's an homage no musician should be afraid to pay. And as listeners, we are perfectly within our rights to get out there and dance in the streets.

As for something to listen to... as you can see, I've given you a taste already. And there are just so many to choose from that defined that generation of music history... but you could start here. This and that, the other thing... drink it in!