Motown
MJ the Musical, Prince Edward Theatre review - glitzy jukebox musical with a superb star but a void insideFriday, 29 March 2024In a secret chamber somewhere, the producers of MJ the Musical may be keeping a portrait of the King of Pop that has acquired all his scars, physical and psychological.Few of them, though, are on show in this version of the ongoing Broadway hit... Read more... |
Hitsville: the Making of Motown - a thrilling celebration of the record label's heydayTuesday, 01 October 2019Berry Gordy, who founded the Motown label in Detroit in 1959, borrowed his star-maker machinery from the car assembly line. When he worked at the Lincoln-Mercury plant he was inspired by how a bare metal frame would emerge as brand new car. “What a... Read more... |
CD: The Bo-Keys - Got to Get Back!Sunday, 19 June 2011When I put together my book Rock Shrines, about places music fans go to pay tribute to their dead heroes, I was particularly struck by the story of Ben Cauley. He was trumpet player in Otis Redding's band, The Bar Kays, and the only person to be... Read more... |
CD: Hanson - Shout it OutSunday, 08 May 2011Of course, Hanson are a joke. Literally. On the internet you’ll find them as a subsection of "blonde jokes". And looking back on 12-year-old Zac’s ridiculous hair on “MMMBop”, it’s easy to see why. But they are no longer blond, nor are they kids... Read more... |
The Supremes: A Saga of Motown Dreams, Success and BetrayalSunday, 06 September 2009At first sight, it seems extraordinary that there has never been a serious biography dedicated to the Supremes before now. They achieved more than enough to deserve a shelf-ful. In their heyday from 1964 to 1969 America loved them to... Read more... |