Tuesday, June 30, 2015

The Year That Changed Soul...


Today would have been the 72nd birthday of Florence Ballard, one of the original members of one the most successful bands of all time, The Supremes. Her sad departure from The Supremes forms the backdrop to one of the best music books I have read in a long time. Stuart Cosgrove's Detroit '67 documents the most significant 365 days in the history of soul music, with its focus on the meltdown of Motown Records and the race riots that were engulfing Detroit at the time, all set against the backdrop of the rapidly escalating Vietnam War.

The book goes through each of the twelve months of '67 chronologically, beginning with the great snowstorm that covered detroit that year and taking in key events such as Florence Ballard's departure from The Supremes, the July riots, the duets of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, the eventual departure of the songwriting team Holland-Dozier-Holland from Motown and the emergence of one of the most important bands ever, the MC5. You can tell this has been a labour of love for Cosgrove and at over 600 pages it is a labour of love to read it as well. You can literally feel the tension as the story unfolds as he really gets into the heart of the issues. The book, and the themes behind it, are just as relevant today as they were back in the late 60's, with Cosgrove's keen eye on social justice shining throughout.

1967 ended in social meltdown and intense legal warfare as the complex threads that held Detroit together finally unraveled. Detroit 67 is the story of the year that changed everything and Stuart Cosgrove chronicles this turbulent year with such empathy and compassion for the characters within the book that once you pick it up you will not want to put it down. An essential music book that will be hard to beat as the best music book of 2015.



13 comments:

  1. Cosgrove can be a bit annoying on the radio but from your review I may put some of my forthcoming birthday money towards this

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  2. I've just checked the price - all my birthday money!

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  3. It is expensive, but worth every penny. He can be a tad annoying on the radio but he has certainly done his homework for the book

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  4. Nice review, it sounds good (and I too have a birthday looming very soon!)
    I loved that BBC Four documentary Motor City's Burning a few years ago (and especially enjoyed the MC5 footage) Not sure I'd want to go to Detroit myself, but I'm thankful for what it's brought us...

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  5. Hi C, don't think you'd want to visit these days. Bristol looks much nicer, although maybe didn't provide with as much classic music over the years...

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  6. Hi praise, Scott. Your words have me very interested in this one. Looking forward to the Chrissie Hynde autobiography too.

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    1. I have already dropped a few hints 'bout the Chrissie Hynde one. I couldn't put Detroit '67 down once I got started. I think it's his attention to detail and how he weaves all the parts together that made me enjoy it so much..

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  7. Still to get round to this one but looking forward to doing so.

    Detroit has to be pound for pound the greatest music city on earth.

    Jamie

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  8. Hi all, agree with 99% of above comments. This is defo on the holiday book list. Have loved Stuart 'Doc' Cosgrove since NME days of the 80's and to combine that with a love of The Supremes is top notch. I've been saying for years to anyone that would listen (inc you, Mr Scott) that after Diana Ross left (sorry 'Ms Ross') The Supremes were a Fantastic soul/pop band. Consider this, between 1970 & 1972, they released a quad of the best four singles of that era - Automatically Sunshine, Floy Joy, Nathan Jones, and possibly THE best single of all time, Stoned Love, written and penned by a certain Frank Wilson. Nothing against Ms Ross, some fine back cat, both 60s and solo, but it has always annoyed me when the Supremes (that's The SUPREMES) don't get the kudos Sorry, rant over, normal service resumed.

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  9. Hi all, agree with 99% of above comments. This is defo on the holiday book list. Have loved Stuart 'Doc' Cosgrove since NME days of the 80's and to combine that with a love of The Supremes is top notch. I've been saying for years to anyone that would listen (inc you, Mr Scott) that after Diana Ross left (sorry 'Ms Ross') The Supremes were a Fantastic soul/pop band. Consider this, between 1970 & 1972, they released a quad of the best four singles of that era - Automatically Sunshine, Floy Joy, Nathan Jones, and possibly THE best single of all time, Stoned Love, written and penned by a certain Frank Wilson. Nothing against Ms Ross, some fine back cat, both 60s and solo, but it has always annoyed me when the Supremes (that's The SUPREMES) don't get the kudos Sorry, rant over, normal service resumed.

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  10. I thought that the book was very good but could have done with a better editor, if one was employed at all as the repetition and the rather high number of spelling errors was quite frustrating. I know, I can talk!

    It is expensive CC, doubly so if you leave your first copy on a BA shuttle to London, with under a hundred pages to go!

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