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Title: Motown: Money, Power, Sex, and Music by Gerald L. Posner ISBN: 0375500626 Publisher: Random House Pub. Date: 24 December, 2002 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 2.81
Rating: 2
Summary: Outsider Tries to Look In
Comment: One has to wonder what the point is behind this analysis of Motown. The problems can be seen right at the beginning of the book, as Posner describes in the preface that he was unable to interview virtually anybody. His main source of information is court records from the numerous lawsuits against Motown from artists trying to get their royalties. Therefore this is a very biased and lopsided book. First, Posner is clearly not a music writer and has extremely little understanding of the classic music of Motown and the social forces that shaped it and were shaped by it. When attempting to describe the sounds he can only use shallow adjectives like "funky" or "sharp." Posner instead focuses on the business behind the Motown phenomenon, as Berry Gordy started with $800 and built one of the greatest record labels in history, but then was unable to prevent its slow and painful downfall. However, as noted above, Posner mainly uses legal documents as evidence, so his stance on business practices is tilted toward Gordy's enemies from the outset.
Worst is Posner's coverage of individuals, especially Gordy himself. Since Posner admits that he interviewed nobody, then his descriptions of a person's private thoughts and beliefs, which he attempts frequently, can only be copied straight from other biographies with little surrounding context. Posner also easily joins the parade of disparagement against Diana Ross, who may just deserve people's wrath, but you should be suspicious when a person is criticized but is not there to give their side of the story. Posner also gets in over his head when trying to analyze the complex personalities of Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. Finally his slow-moving writing style doesn't give you the incentive to turn the pages, and the end of the story is appallingly weak with a halfhearted attempt to wrap up Motown's place in history.
If you are interested in the classic music of Motown and its talented stars, go elsewhere, please. This book does a better job of analyzing the business of Motown but is too fragmented and second-hand for true believability. If you're interested in that subject, also go elsewhere.
Rating: 4
Summary: Meticulously Researched, but more bitter than necessary
Comment: Motown Records is either a) a hallowed sanctuary of soul music best left to be adored from afar, or b) an empire built on dirty dealing and abuse (both emotional and monetary) best exposed as an example of exploitation. Or maybe it is both. Gerald Posner has a hard time making that decision, despite a well researched and historically well documented survey of Berry Gordy (and family's) legendary contribution to the music business.
Posner has crafted a study of Motown that presents its founders, and stars as less-than-perfect (though most often well-likable) pioneers in business and entertainment, working together, though often butting heads with each other, in defining a company built on a legendary sound. Everyone is familiar with most of the players - The Gordy Family (this book delves into the family more so than most other Motown studies, and makes clear that Berry was the head, though not the sole talent of the family), Marvin Gaye (who is painted as a head case through much of the book), Diana Ross (Posner adds some new "legends" to this diva's conduct file, none of them pretty or flattering), Stevie Wonder (both respected and severely exploited, given his youth), Smokey robinson (probably the smartest businessman in the Motown stable), and others. Posner shoots down the legendary "mob-connection" tale, but fills his book with court records, verified statements from insiders, and previously published facts to present a company where competition between artists fueled the hit pipeline, but with severe cost to artists (Florence Ballard's story is still painful to read) and creativity.
This book is a great, enjoyable read in many parts, but it fails to capture any of the joy of Motown. You are left feeling sorry for many of the artists you have come to love over the years. For this reason, I'm glad I saw "Standing In The Shadows Of Motown" before reading "Motown: Money, Power...", for that movie is a celebration of the most important element of the Motown legacy - some of the best music ever recorded.
Rating: 4
Summary: Good Place to Start
Comment: I thought this book was a good place to start, as a person who wanted to know more about Berry Gordy's Motown Records and the record label that changed Black music. Posner read alot of other books, news articles and court records to compile his information and puts all of his findings here in his book, which was great for me. I would say that if you want a general overview of Motown's history, then get this book. If you want an indepth delving into Motown's history, get this book to start with. Then read other books such as Temptations, by Otis Williams, or Dreamgirl and Supreme Faith by Mary Wilson of the Supremes, or Where Did Our Love Go by Nelson George.
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Title: Marvin Gaye: What's Going On and the Last Days of the Motown Sound by Ben Edmonds, Ben Edmunds ISBN: 1841950831 Publisher: Canongate Books Pub. Date: 07 October, 2001 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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Title: Motown : The Golden Years: The Stars and Music That Shaped a Generation by Bill Dahl, Weldon A. McDougal III ISBN: 0873492862 Publisher: Krause Publications Pub. Date: October, 2001 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title:Standing In The Shadows of Motown ASIN: B00008J2HC Publisher: ARTISAN ENTERTAINMENT Pub. Date: 22 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $22.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $17.24 |
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Title: Temptations by Otis Williams, Patricia Romanowski ISBN: 0815412185 Publisher: Cooper Square Press Pub. Date: August, 2002 List Price(USD): $17.95 |
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Title: Diana Ross: Going Back by Diana Ross, Rosanne Shelnutt ISBN: 0789307979 Publisher: Universe Books Pub. Date: December, 2002 List Price(USD): $39.95 |
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