There is a certain fill that I always refer to it as the “Motown fill”.
It starts off either on a snare or a high tom, but then rattles a snare roll of some sort, some are single strokes.
The best examples I can give are the intros to “This old Heart of Mine“ by The Isleys and “Its the Same Old Song” by The Four Tops.
Nonetheless, it is distinguishing and to me an overlooked aspect of the Motown beat.
That is it!'the Motown pickup' ...3 different ways...laid out here by the master, go to 0:15 .
How cool is that? Hear that so many times on a lot of the tunes.'the Motown pickup' ...3 different ways...laid out here by the master, go to 0:15 .
That "Motown fill" you speak of...it's the pickup, right? The one that starts "Ain't to Proud to Beg"? (fill, then "I know you want to leave me"...Yes that High tom tone is what I’m referring to, it is so striking yet pausing, you knew a fill explosion was to ensue.
Yessr that’s the diddy laid out in plain sight!That "Motown fill" you speak of...it's the pickup, right? The one that starts "Ain't to Proud to Beg"? (fill, then "I know you want to leave me"...
If that's the one, WhoIsTony? informs us that that's a 6 stroke roll. One note on the high tom and the other 5 on the snare.
I wonder if it's him playing "Heat wave". Seriously cool shuffle in that song.Pistol Allen's forte' was shuffle grooves
I don't know the answer to that. But my gut feeling is that's it's 100% for sure Benny Benjamin. I'm not sure if Pistol was even there at Motown when "Heatwave" was recorded. Not sure. That track...whoever played it....is one great high energy shuffle. Really, it makes the whole song. It just jumps right out of the record grooves.I wonder if it's him playing "Heat wave". Seriously cool shuffle in that song.
It was recorded in 1963 and from what I've read, Pistol started there around that time too. Who knows?I don't know the answer to that. But my gut feeling is that's it's 100% for sure Benny. I'm not sure if Pistol was even there at Motown when "Heatwave" was recorded. Not sure. That track...whoever played it....is one great high energy shuffle. Really, it makes the whole song.
I don't know the answer to that. But my gut feeling is that's it's 100% for sure Benny Benjamin. I'm not sure if Pistol was even there at Motown when "Heatwave" was recorded.
There are several youtube videos that have extended versions and isolated tracks of many of the popular songs by the Supremes, Four tops and Temptations. Pretty cool to hear vocals and stuff by themselves.Has anybody ever heard of any of Motown mixes being remixed/ remastered? That usually does great service to listeners of the low end.
Yessr!Here's some isolated JJ bass tracks: