Rise

Format

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  5370306Long Player  £38.00

Label

UMC

Marvin Gaye

Whats Going On Deluxe Version

Half-Speed Mastering is an elaborate process whereby the source and the turntable on the disc cutting lathe are run at 16 2/3 R.P.M. The result is a record that is capable of extremely clean and un-forced high-frequency response as well as a detailed and solid stereo image. These half-speed masters of three classic albums were all cut by Miles Showell, the Mastering Engineer at the world famous Abbey Road Studios. Each album is pressed onto 180 gram heavyweight vinyl and includes a download card. Released on 21st May 1971 Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On is regarded by many as one of, if not the best soul album of all time. Recorded in several locations including the famous Hitsville U.S.A. in Detroit and The Sound Factory in West Hollywood, it was also the first album that gave a credit the Funk Brothers, Motowns legendary house band. The original album consisted of nine songs mainly focused on the suffering and injustice in the US in the late 1960’s from the eyes of a US veteran on returning home after fighting in the war in Vietnam. The 2 CD Deluxe Edition released in 2001 brought together the original LP as released, the Detroit Mix of the album, which was rejected at the time, plus a live recording from The Kennedy Centre Washington from 1st May 1972 which was his first live show after the death of his close friend and singing partner Tammi Terrell. Both versions of the album and the live recordings feature on the 4LP Deluxe Vinyl Edition of What’s Going On plus several other tracks including mono versions of the singles taken from the LP. Sly and the Family Stone might have psychedelicized soul music, but Marvin Gaye personalized it. Although the powers-that-were Motown didn't even want to release the record, the unexpected success of What's Going On, issued in 1971, inspired Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, and just about every other black artist on the planet to take greater responsibility for their music and its meaning. Gaye co-wrote the songs and produced the album, flavouring it with layer upon layer of his own multi-tracked vocals, oceans of hand percussion, strings, flutes, and jazzy horn solos. spacey and loose as a spliff-fueled sunday afternoon jam in the park, the nine songs all played like a hit single. The title track - inspired by his brother's return from the Vietnam war - and the obvious social commentary of Inner City Blues (Make me Wanna Holler) and Mercy Mercy Me (the Ecology) actually were hit singles. Two other tracks (Wholly Holy and Save the Children) would inspire hit covers by Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross, respectively. Nevertheless, What's Going On sounds as fresh today as it did the week that it came out.