Not long after this, Holland-Dozier-Holland left Motown to set up Invictus records. As part of the deal they were under pressure to produce and release their first album, so brought in McKinley Jackson and the Politicians as their first signing.

'The problem was that the album was rushed and poorly promoted, all they (Holland, Dozier and Holland) we're interested in, was meeting their contractual obligation'.

This album caused a small stir on the R&B charts, but never gave them the fast start they had hoped for.

For the next few years the group become the main stay at Invictus, playing on nearly everything that was released there.

The line up also continued to change, as Danny Woods started to develop his solo career, as well as singing with Chairman of the Board; another group managed by Betty.

But the group continued working round the city's clubs and it was them that opened up on the first night at the Mozambique Club.

'This was a much more black club than the others in town, the acts here we're much more cutting edge. Regulars we're Darrel Banks, Funkadelic, Emanuel Laskey and Cody Black as well as us'.

But the time at Invictus was relatively short lived. 'Things then started to fall apart there, everybody was off doing other things'.

When the company finally closed its doors, he headed out for the west coast with Richard Popcorn Wylie and Lamont Dozier to ABC records.

By this stage of the conversation my time was running out as it was mid afternoon and I had a long drive down to my next meeting in Nashville. But as we agreed to continue this conversation next time I was in town, he reflected on the Detroit years.

He can now see that he has a lot to be proud of, and is much more at ease with his achievements. Even though he may not have received, fully the credit for the true contribution he made.

For him the greatest moments during this period in his life were working with Marvin Gaye and Dionne Warwick. I tell him that next time we meet I wanted to discuss his work on one of my favourite albums, Richard Popcorn Wylie's ESP, on ABC. He smiles, 'Yes that was a good album, wasn't it?’

But not only did he continue his great career out on the west coast, he also passed his talents down to his next generation which, when he told me, came as a great surprise. His son is Proof, of the talented hip hop group D12.

music: "Love Machine pt2" - The Politicians (Hot Wax 7114b)

Continued