Nathaniel Mayer

Now you vinyl nuts out there will understand that feeling when you finally bag a tune you've been after for a while.

Today the eBay fairy has been kind enough to let me get hold of a lovely little Nathaniel Mayer tune: "I Had A Dream" on the old Detroit label Fortune.

This concentrated sugar rush of garage soul 'n' R&B was issued in 1963 and is a fine fine FINE example of what Mr Mayer was capable of.

Wiry guitar riff. Wailing call and response vocal line. Brutally rhythmic drum track. What more could you ask for? His few recordings for this label had a wonderful raw energy and were just in a class of their own.

The Fortune studio is often quoted as being a garage pioneer as a few of its hits actually were recorded in one. On another Mayer song, "Leave Me Alone" I fancy I can almost hear the garage door rattling in sympathy to one of the loveliest guitar solos of all time.

Unfortunately Mayers tenure at Fortune records was short lived. His first song, "Village Of Love" was his biggest hit, making it into the Billboard top 40 in '62. After that his idiosyncratic and alarmingly forward-thinking take on R&B didn't get the same level of attention in the mainstream again.

Mayer parted company with Fortune on bad terms then kind of went off the map for many years. The good news is that the "Nay Dog" is performing again and has recorded new material for the Fat Possum label in Mississippi.

By all accounts his performances are something to behold. 40 years on his singing has more power than ever. All hail the Nay Dog! Could you come and play over here Mr Mayer? Please?

Lucky Cat Radio show

Lucky Cat has #2 in a series of 2 about the contribution that the Chinese community has made to the music of Jamaica. This show is on today at 1300 GMT on Resonance FM. Expect a fine selection of Ska and Rocksteady.

Kitty sez:

More killer tunes and my jerk chicken recipe, mmmmmmmmm.
Blog will be updated with playlists, pics and recipe later today.

Also on every Friday 1-2 pm on Resonance 104.4 FM or listen online at www.resonancefm.com, repeated Tuesdays at 10am.

Funky16Corners

Larry Grogan is a New Orleans Soul and R&B afficionado who writes constantly inspiring stuff about his record collection.

Now there are two good reasons for name-checking the guy today.

1. He's been away from his keyboard enduring some painful sounding surgery and deserves a warm "welcome back"
   
2. His post today is about Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels "Breakout"

A thumping tune this and a firm Northern Soul favourite from the glory days. I'm pretty interested in this kind of song as it doesn't necessarily fit well into any particular category.

Sure it's well known on the Northern scene but it's far from being a straight Soul tune. Depending on your point of view "Breakout" could be on the periphery of Garage or a straight ahead Rock 'n' Roller.

Funky16Corners has an mp3 up temporarily so if you don't know it it's well worth a click.

And Finally...

...I hereby declare the Copesetic Nights blog officially open.

So what's it all about?
The blog I mean.

Well there'll be lashings of Soul, Ska R&B & Rocksteady for starters. We'll also be taking in some of the crazy sights that can be found on the web. Interesting titbits for your delectation and edification will be duly served.

Keep a look out for exciting stuff regarding weird radiogram cults and what not. How's that for a teaser eh?

In the meantime, feel free to have a gander at the small and imperfectly formed sister site at www.copesetic.co.uk and find out about an exciting opportunity to have a boogie in a smutty town in North West England. Smut as in soot that is.

Quite like the word copesetic as it happens.