motown - HecklerSpray

Conrad Murray’s Defence Won’t Be Able To Say That Michael Jackson Molested Kids, Regardless Of Whether He Did Or Not

August 25th, 2011 By Michael Park

Prosecutors in the Dr. Conrad Murray manslaughter trial have made moves to block all testimony related to allegations that?Michael Jackson inappropriately gave “the feel” to myriad children placed in his care.

Court documents which alarmingly landed on the desks of TMZ ?have suggested that prosecutors want?Judge Michael Pastor?to bar?Steve Robel- a key Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s investigator in the 2005 MJ molestation trial- from testifying? in Murray’s defence.

In a move probably designed to drag up the molestation charges in an effort to make Jackson seem like a mentally disturbed lunatic with a penchant for the flesh of little children, Robel has been placed on the defence witness list.

Nick Ashford’s Best Tunes (RIP)

August 4th, 2012 By Mof Gimmers

Another stinkin’ obituary here, this time, legendary songwriter Nick Ashford who joins Jerry Leiber amongst the choir invisible who are now going to have one helluva songwriting duo working for them now.

Ashford was half of the legendary Motown songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson who penned more astonishing songs than you’ve had hot dinners.

Together, they wrote hits for Diana Ross, Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, Marvin Gaye, Marlena Shaw and, of course, had a number great records out themselves. So, instead of wallowing, let’s look at the amazing music.

Gig Review: Vintage Trouble, Manchester Academy 3

August 5th, 2012 By Mof Gimmers

“It’s funny when people ask me that. We like to have a good time, all the time,” said Ty Taylor, lead singer of rock ‘n’ soul outfit, Vintage Trouble. “Like Spinal Tap?” His face fell. See, Vintage Trouble is irony-free soul music. They’ve got a really, really lousy name – Vintage? Really? Why not throw ‘retro’ in there as well? Or ‘stonewashed’? – but loadsa bands have, right?

See, Vintage Trouble take their facsimile version of ’60s soul music around the world which is lapped up by those who were there and still regard it to be the best music in the world. And while you can convince yourself that to be true, there’s something missing from this crew of slick soulsters.

And that’s context.

Marvin Gaye Biopic Due (We Can’t Think Of A Joke For The Headline)

February 16th, 2011 By Mof Gimmers

Marvin Gaye, one of the greatest soul singers who graced our undeserving ears, is going to be the subject of a new biopic directed by Julien Temple. Hardly surprising that someone would want to make a film about him with the life he had!

Professionally speaking, Marvin Gaye went from being a great pop star to a socially aware, right-on soul preacherman. From the glorious two-minuters of ‘It Takes Two’ and ‘Heard It Through The Grapevine’, to the far-reaching LPs of ‘What’s Going On’ and ‘Let’s Get It On’, Gaye covered a lot of ground.

However, away from the microphone and piano stool, Gaye had a soap opera of a life which belied the control he had musically. While ‘Inner City Blues’ confidently went about changing people’s perceptions of what black music could offer the world, Gaye couldn’t hope for a stable private life.