Search - Nathaniel Mayer :: Village of Love

Scorching, raw early '60s Detroit R&B! Get it!

06/23/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This import-bootleg CD is not just a reissue of the 1963 "Going Back To The Village Of Love" LP (as one reviewer here has erroneously stated)... it has 21 tracks in all, which means it has Mayer's entire recorded (previously released) output (1961-1966) for the Fortune label out of Detroit. Fortune was known for its raw, rough, honest sound -- the antithesis of the polished, slickly-produced recordings over at Tamla/Motown. Fortune was the biggest label in Detroit before Motown, and Mayer's recordings probably represented Fortune's peak in terms of creativity and energy (although sides by Gino Parks, Nolan Strong & the Diablos, and Andre Williams are right up there). Certainly, "Village Of Love," wailed by an 18-year-old Mayer in 1962, was Fortune's biggest hit ever. Distributed by UA, "Village" -- a slice of supercharged doo-wop/R&B -- didn't just make #22 pop and #16 R&B on the Billboard charts. That doesn't tell the whole story. Check it out: it hit #8 on the WABC New York survey, made #6 in Los Angeles on KRLA, and rocketed all the way up to #2 on the WLS Chicago survey. So... in the nation's three biggest urban markets, "Village Of Love" was a solid Top Ten hit. But Mayer's artistry, and that of his backing bands, went way beyond "Village." Listen to the pounding proto-garage guitar on the urgent "Leave Me Alone" (it should have been huge, but it was ahead of its time in late '62) and the insistent, primal rhythm of "I Had A Dream" (from '63). Then, Nathaniel was on the cutting edge of the funk explosion with "I Want Love And Affection (Not The House Of Correction)" in 1966. The song's memorable refrain, "I can't stay no more, in DeHoCo," was a reference to the infamous, now-extinct, Detroit House of Correction. Mayer -- who still puts on an insane, high-energy live show -- has seen his music influence many of today's up-and-coming garage-rock/punk/soul acts, particularly new, Detroit-based artists. "Village Of Love" was covered by the Detroit Cobras; "Leave Me Alone" was remade by the Austin, Texas-based Hard Feelings; and the Gibson Brothers cranked out a psychobilly version of "I Had A Dream." Moreover, fans and collectors now seek out Mayer's original Fortune-label 45s. Mayer is a legend in Detroit and all over the world. So... who the hell is/was Dick Jacobs, anyway? Just who did he ever influence? Jeez... put him in the "circular file" with Bert Kaempfert!!!"

Soul Food at its best

TimothyFarrell22 | 07/16/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is classic, raw and wild SOUL. Although Mayer had only one real hit (Village of Love), the remainder of the set is simply amazing. He could have been a twin brother of Gino Washington..."

Detroit's baddest!

TimothyFarrell22 | Massachusetts | 06/29/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mayer has always been criminally neglected. The best R&B I've laid my ears on, it is very unfortunate more do not know of this great artist. Hey, why doesn't Norton make a comp of some of his stuff? Until than, we just have to stick to this pricy import. But it's worth whatever price. Most people who do know of him remember his masterpeice, the great "Village of Love". There are few songs that I love as much as I love that one. It is sad that it gets played rarely on oldies stations, and is availible on few compilations. He was by far Fortune's greatest artist, who were known for a more raw side of R&B than Mowtown. They eventually went out of business and were forgotten, but at least we still had the great music that was recorded there. He has made something of a comeback in recent years, with an album on Fat Possum and some live shows (which I hope to see one of eventually). A must-buy for fans of rock 'n' roll."