I,ve been asked many times who were my fave artists on motown..well marvin is top man for me but THE MONITORS have been a close second, and i was going to post this up the other day.Lost it,searched everywhere still no luck!!..So i bought it again as its the best kent release ever to my ears!..The Monitors were long in the making. In the early 1960s, Richard Street a member of the Distants in the late ‘50s with school friends and future Temptations Otis Williams and Melvin Franklin joins the new label Thelma Records as both the A&R director and an occasional recording artist, first leading a new version of the Distants and then a group called the Majestics. Street soon moves to Motown taking a job in the Quality Control Department, writing songs, producing and doing studio work. The Majestics, who include Warren Harris and the husband wife duo of John “Maurice” Fagin and his spouse Sandra, soon follow Street to Motown. The four record a few tracks that remain in the vault. The Majestics continue recording without a release until they take on “Say You,” a track intended first for the Four Tops and then the Spinners, in mid-1965. It becomes the A-side of their first V.I.P. single, but it is quickly withdrawn when Motown realizes a West Coast group named the Majestics has been releasing singles. The single is re-issued with a new name on the label, The Monitors. It reaches Number 38 on the R&B chart. The same track is used shortly after by the Temptations, who record their own popular version of “Say You” for their Gettin’ Ready LP. As the Vietnam War escalates in early 1966 and more servicemen are drafted, Motown dusts off its 1961 hit “Greetings (This You have to feel for those artists that didn’t get the breaks at
Motown. Most that didn’t were every bit as good as those that did. Their
lack of success was the result of being some way down a pecking order
dominated by acts such as the Temptations, Four Tops and Supremes. Even
the second wave of higher profile acts had to battle to be heard above
the big noise made by the hits of those groups. With hindsight, the
Monitors hardly stood a chance. Their lack of real success is no
reflection of how excellent Richard Street, Warren Harris and Maurice
and Sandra Fagin were as a group. Richard Street’s pleadingly soulful
lead was good enough to win him a gig with the Temptations in 1971,
where he replaced the group’s original lead singer Paul Williams. The
material the Monitors recorded, some of which Street co-wrote, was
frequently supplied by some of Motown’s biggest names, including Smokey
Robinson and Mickey Stevenson. They were recorded under the same
conditions as their bigger counterparts, and the end results were
invariably as satisfying. That their discography can boast merely a
couple of modest soul chart hits is a mystery that even Sherlock Holmes
would be at pains to unravel.Chart hits or not, the Monitors
have always been revered by the Motown collectors and soul fans, and a CD
devoted to their extremely fine recordings has long been overdue. The album is an extensive overview
of the group’s time at the company. Their one album, “Greetings! We’re
The Monitors”, is featured in its entirety. The album is joined here by two exceptional non LP flipsides and a
staggering 12 previously unissued tracks spanning the group’s entire
tenure with Motown. Ten of these have never been issued before in any
shape or form. Whatever it was that caused Motown to
pass over these tracks for release in the 1960s, it wasn’t a lack of
excellence.Say You!” is a superb addition to any soul fans collection and one of kents best issues! Sad to say that these great records got lost amid all the greatness existing else where at that time, only finding their audience long after they had disbanded.mainly via UK collectors....THIS IS A DANCERS DELIGHT!
AMM
**********REQUEST**********The Tasters!
27 comments:
Monitors never really obtained the level of success in the US as did their label mates. Love the preview, AMM. My ears are awaiting this one!
I love everything on the Kent label - and this looks like it will get my very special love! Thanks for review, P.
Thanks AMM. 'Best Kent release ever' is very high praise.
Great review thanks AMM
Great review. Thanks for this. (And Marvin was the best Motown had to offer . . .)
Guilty! Thanks, AMM!
This is new to me. I listened to "Say You" and I thought it was great. Nice Motown vibe. Can't wait to hear the rest. Excellent review AMM!!!
Thanks a lot for this review.
/Jumpstart
Wonderful post... many thanks for the review AMM
BigD
Great review, many thanks.
Wow, pretty rare I think, thanks a lot mate ✌🏻🌞
many thanks for your best Kent release; could replace my copy which original but VG- qlt!
This is a gem of of an album no duffers here Great review AMM
Cheers Pedro
Interesting review gracias
Just a quick one did they record after leaving Motown I thought they might have a couple of tracks on Buddah but I might be wrong on that one
Cheers Pedro
Thank you AMM For this Album
Thank you for an excellent review. Yes, the monitors were a very sound group. Thank you for all the details of their recordings. Thank AMM
Thanks once again for more Kent series amm!
Thanks for the background information on this group. Nice review AMM!!
Kent comps never disappoint AMM and The Monitors great group
thank you Reb
Yes I agree, this is easily one of the best Kent cd's featuring one of Motown great groups. As usual an excellent write up AMM
no link req thanks
Thanks
Got this...it`s GREAT!! But the booklet would be nice!!
Thanks AMM for this kent
Thank you, a lot of useful information and insight in your favorites.
WONDERFUL, many thanks for this review AMM
Hi AMM, This certainly looks great, thanks for the review
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