The set was recorded in Gaye’s hometown of Washington D.C. at the Kennedy Center on May 1 1972 to commemorate ‘Marvin Gaye Day’ – a holiday which personally I believe we should all get around. The performance marked the only time Gaye performed his 1971 socio-political soul opus in its entirety, and includes live versions of ‘Right On’, ‘Wholy Holy’ and ‘That’s The Way Love Is.’
Originally released in 2001 to accompany a deluxe edition of the original record, What’s Going On Live arrives on vinyl courtesy of Motown/UME on Friday October 18. The vinyl reissue features a brand new mix from John Morales and is remastered by Alex Abrash, and arrives on a double LP and CD which includes rare photos from the performance and liner notes from David Ritz, a dedicated Marvin Gaye biographer.
Earlier this year also saw the release of You’re The Man – Marvin Gaye’s “lost album” recorded in the interim between What’s Going On and Let’s Get It On. It’s an incredible listen, and definitely goes to show just how strong Gaye’s songwriting and studio experimentation were at the time – as well as emphasising the talent of his session band, of course.
What’s Going On Live is set for release on Friday October 18 via Motown/UME.
