It came out as part of a multivolume series Motown had called Disco Tech. Everything else in that series was a various-artists compilation. The Magic Disco Machine obviously wasn't, but because it was part of a series, people tend to list it as if it were a various-artists thing.
Lesser Known Motown Releases Suggestions
- Thread starter motown67
- Start date
this was the group Formerly known as Maxaynim into this space dudes records, dont think he had any major hits, i only know these three joints...
I'm not 100% positive, but I think Andre Lewis was the only member who was in Maxayn.
Ah! That's the one I was trying to remember - yes, a fantastic
album, pretty much end-to-end.
Speaking on this album, I got 2 different label pressings, one on VIP and one on Pulsar, does anyone know which is the original?
The version on Pulsar (Man In Love) is the original, from '69. Motown then reissued it on VIP in '71 after Floyd started having hits on Chimneyville ("Groove Me," "Woman Don't Go Astray," etc.).
I have that best-of in the Motown Superstar Series (with a B&W promo shot of the group in white suits, from when G.C. Cameron was still with them), as well as two or three of the 45's.
I didn't mean to imply that the Spinners' Motown records were bad per se, I just don't think they were distinctive.
Ya see, the songwriters at Motown tended to save their best stuff for whomever was selling. Because the Spinners weren't yet the superstars they became over at Atlantic, seems to me that a lot of their records were either hand-me-downs from another Motown act (like "Message From A Black Man," originally done by the Temptations), or just material that sounded like B-sides. Again, I'm not saying that they sucked during this period - I actually like "It's A Shame," and "I'll Always Love You" is a neglected classic. They had some good records in release when they were with Berry Gordy. But they weren't INCREDIBLE, like those early Atlantic records with Thom Bell producing, and had they stayed at Motown, they probably wouldn't be as well-remembered.
The Spinners only had two proper Motown albums, the one you have (Second Time Around) plus an earlier LP with a yellow cover (contains "I'll Always Love You"). Any other album is a reissue of some kind, like the album I got.
And that's why I was so surprised that the Originals' Naturally Together was as good as it was, because I was half-expecting it to be another second-rung project like the Spinners were. If the songs on the Originals' LP weren't written especially for the group, they at least sound like they were.
Supergood said:
Puzzle - The Second Album (1973)
Some enjoyable Blood Sweat and Tears-type Jazz Rock featuring John LiVigni on lead vocals. I think this one is better than their self-titled debut, which was also released on Motown.
LiVigni would go on to change his name to John Valenti 2 years down the line and record the modern/northern/crossover soul classics "Why Don't We Fall In Love?" and "Anything You Want" for Ariola Records.
SG
Hey,
This is a cool LP, and I featured "State of Mind" from it at 18 minutes in here:
[media]https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?feed=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mixcloud.com%2Fbigstacks%2Fmaxin-and-relaxin%2F&hide_cover=1&light=1[/media]
Also, here is another cool, little-known Motown-affiliate Gordy Records release:
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
pickwick33 said:
this was the group Formerly known as Maxayn
I'm not 100% positive, but I think Andre Lewis was the only member who was in Maxayn.
Yeah, I ride for Mandre ever since my uncle gave me the "Freakin's Fine" 12" back in 1979. My joint is "Wonder What I'd Do" from the self-titled joint, which I featured on my "Saturday Coolout" mix a few years ago:
[media]https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?feed=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mixcloud.com%2Fbigstacks%2Fthe-saturday-coolout%2F&hide_cover=1&light=1[/media]
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
