Agreed, but for a perhaps surprising reason--- they were very sloppy. The human ear likes sloppy, rock and roll lives on the dirty signal, and a rich tone is one where the harmonics bleed into the tone.
The "soullessness" of later Motown comes from the fact that Berry Gordy found an even cheaper way to produce the backgrounds by replacing the cheapest session men he could find by even cheaper electronics. Still, for sheer "swing" it is hard to beat the Detroit members of the "Funk Brothers"--- the later LA session men were stronger musicians, mostly, but lacked that down and dirty feel.
Wikipedia has a pretty good listing of the various members here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Funk_Brothers
Today I am listening to : Little Feats, Bonny Raitt, Blind Willie Johnson, Black Crowes, and Leon Russell.
"Darkling I Listen; and for Many a Time" , Fear and Trembling, coming soon!
"The Scarlet Colored Beast" The Sword Review, September 2007
"Nothing But Our Tears" The Sword Review. August 2007
"Weaving Spiders Come Not Here" The Sword Review, July 2007
"The View From the Shotglass Floor" Ray Gun Revival, Feb 2007
"Six Zombies Doing That Mick Jagger Strut" Damned in Dixie, July 2007
"The Death of Number 23" Dark Krypt, Fall 2006
"Servant of the Manthycore" Sword Review, April 2006
"Voice of the Spoiler" Sword Review, up now!
"Dancing with the Elder Gods"-- Thirteen Magazine, October 2005
"It's a Living" Byzarium---November 2005
"An Exorcism Straight, Hold the Elvis" The Sword Review, October 2005
Host, 2005 Nebula Awards Live Chat, sff.net
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