Ronnie McNeir-Makes A Move.
Label: Kent Soul.
Format: CD.
It's always exciting to discover a lost album. I've discovered a number of lost albums over the years, and still, it's exciting to listen to an album that was recorded forty or more years ago. It's like going back in time, and eavesdropping on the session.
Apart from either an artist or group, their producer and engineer, nobody else has heard the album since it was recorded. For whatever reason, the album was never released and often, the tapes are left gathering dust.
There could be many reasons for that. This includes the old favourite "artistic difficulties." Basically, the group fell out after recording the album, and the album was shelved. The group's one shot at glory often then lies unheard for half a lifetime.
Occasionally master tapes are lost by an artist. I was involved with an album where the tapes were thought to be lost, stolen or destroyed, but turned up thirty years after the album was completed. The tapes were discovered by the artist in a box in a dusty basement. Upon listening to the album, I realised it was an important find, and within seven months, this groundbreaking album was released to widespread critical acclaim.
Similarly, the tapes to another album that was recorded in the late-seventies and early-eighties were only discovered in 2023. By then, the group had long since split-up and its cofounder and driving force had passed away. Listening to the music for the first time, there was a sense of anticipation and excitement as I was transported back in time, and taken behind the Iron Curtain. Although the genre-melting music hadn't been mastered, it was innovative, way ahead of its time and pushed musical boundaries to their limits, and sometimes, way beyond. Soon, a deal had been done with one of the biggest independent labels to release the album. It was hailed as the album that featured what was a successful group at the peak of its powers.
However, sometimes, a lost album is recorded at the start of an artist's career, way before they enjoy commercial success and critical acclaim. That was the case with the twelve tracks on Ronnie McNeir's lost album 'Makes A Move,' which was recently released by Kent Soul. By then, McNeir was twenty.
McNeir was born on 14th, December 1943, in Camden, Alabama. He was born into a musical family. His grandfather played trumpet, while his mother played piano and sang. Later, his brother would play organ in church. Before that, the McNeir family were on the move.
Seeking a better life, they headed north to Pontiac, Michigan, where McNeir's father started work in the automobile industry. McNeir was only six months old when the family made the move to Pontiac. However, the move meant that the family had a regular and steady source of income.
Pontiac was also where McNeir's musical journey began. Aged nine, he started piano lessons. However, after about six months he stoped going to the lessons. Despite this, by the time he was ten or eleven, McNeir discovered he could play by ear.
Around the age of twelve, McNeir started writing songs. This was the start of a long and successful career.
In 1965, thirteen year old McNeir entered, and won a competition on WCHB, the Detroit-based radio station. By then, he was being influenced by soul, gospel and Motown. Especially Marvin Gaye and David Ruffin.
Music wasn't McNeir's only interest. He was a keen and talented basketball player, and harboured an ambition to become a pro. However, sadly, a car accident meant these dreams were at an end, and McNeir decided to try and make a career out of music.
The following year, 1966, McNeir made his recording debut. He penned 'Sitting In My Class.' McNeir's father knew Doc Kyle, who owned the De-To label and Detroit Sound Recording Company. Kyle signed McNeir to De-To, and 'Sitting In My Class' was released later in 1966. However, the single failed to trouble the charts.
It was a familiar story, Kyle failed to promote the single properly. Kyle had previously been program director of a local radio station, and after retiring, moved into artist management. The studio was more of a hobby for Kyle, and it seems so was the De-To label.
However, by the mid-seventies, 'Sitting In My Class' was a favourite on the UK's Northern Soul scene. By then, McNeir's career was well underway.
Before that, McNeir moved to California, and started singing in a church choir with Rene Moore. That was where Kim Weston, who was a member of the church, first met McNeir in 1971 and recognised his talents.
A member of the church asked Weston to speak to McNeir. When she met him, she liked him and decided to introduce McNeir to her husband Mickey Stevenson, who was a songwriter and producer who previously, had worked at Motown. However, Stevenson was about to take up a role as executive producer at RCA. The meeting between Stevenson and McNeir was a fortuitous one for both men.
Stevenson signed McNeir to RCA, and later in 1971, he began recording tracks for his debut album. Eventually, McNeir had recorded over twenty tracks. Eleven of these tracks became McNeir's critically acclaimed self-titled debut album. It was released by RCA and showcased a talented and versatile singer, songwriter and musician. McNeir effortlessly switched between soul, jazz and R&B, his delivery heartfelt, emotive and as if he had lived and survived the lyrics. Great things were forecast for McNeir after the release of his debut album.
Despite that, McNeir never released anther album for RCA, and the other tracks lay unreleased. It wasn't until March 2019 that the tapes were discovered in Stevenson's archive by Alec Palao and Ady Croasdell of Ace Records.
Six years later, twelve tracks from the tapes were released as 'Makes A Move.' Eight of the tracks McNeir cowrote. This included 'Let's Make A Move,' 'I'm Sorry,' 'Ronnie's Bag 1' and 'Ronnie' Bag 2 with Andre Moore. McNeir penned 'My Day Will Come,' 'Tell Your Mama' 'Eastside, Westside' and the instrumental 'East Side with his wife Mona.
The other four tracks were cover versions. This included Bob Dylan's 'Blowin' In The Wind,' Eddie Holland and Eddie Kendricks and Norman Whitfield's 'The Girls Alright With Me.' Robert Dobyne, Charles Jones and Robert Staunton penned 'Say You.' There's two versions on the album, including the Long Version.
Opening the album is the title-track, 'Makes A Move.' It's funky soulful and dancefloor friendly. The soul-baring 'I'm Sorry' features a heartfelt vocal from McNeir who was only twenty when he recorded the track.
This is followed by two cover versions. The first is a joyous reading of 'The Girls Alright With Me.' It comes complete with soaring backing vocals and bursts of blazing horns. Then 'Blowin' In The Wind' is transformed into an uptempo, vivacious and soulful song. The rhythm section drive the arrangement along, and it's punctuated by horns. They provide the accompaniment to an impassioned vocal. The result is a version that's very different to the original, but loses some of the meaning of Dylan's lyrics.
'My Day Will Come' is a beautiful, cinematic ballad which features a heartfelt vocal from McNeir. It's without doubt the highlight of the album.
'Say You' was originally recorded by The Monitors in 1965, when they were signed to Motown. The long version sees McNeir reinvent the track. He slows the tempo and it becomes a laidback and sensual ballad
Another of the highlights of the album is 'Tell Your Mama.' McNeir delivers a needy, pleading vocal and is joined by female backing vocalists on this tale of hope, hurt and heartache. Then 'Eastside, Westside' is funky and soulful with lyrics full of social comment. It's all change on the Ronnie's Bag 1' which heads in the direction of jazz, before 'Ronnie' Bag 2' combines funk and fusion. The two tracks showcase McNeir's talent and versatility.
McNeir is at his most soulful on 'Say You,' as he breathes life, meaning and emotion into this beautiful ballad.
Closing 'Makes A Move' is 'Eastside, Westside - Long Instrumental' where McNeir enjoys the opportunity to stretch his legs as he combines musical genres to close the album on a hight.
In 1971, McNeir recorded the twelve tracks that belatedly became 'Makes A Move.' He was only twenty, and a truly talented singer, songwriter and musician. McNeir cowrote eight of the twelve tracks on an album that features everything from soul and R&B to funk, fusion and jazz. Throughout the album McNeir's vocal brings the lyrics to life, breathing meaning and emotion into them.
Quite simply, Ronnie McNeir's lost album 'Makes A Move' is a tantalising taste of what was still to come from a talented and versatile singer, songwriter and musician, who would go on to enjoy widespread critical acclaim and commercial success during a long career.
Ronnie McNeir-Makes A Move.
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