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Rayber 1001 (B), January-April (?) 1959
B-side of I Can’t Concentrate
(Written by Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson)
In many ways, it’s a bit of a shame this record’s weird status as an early Motown/Not Motown curio has kept it out of the generally-accepted canon.
I mean, it’s not amazing or anything; both sides are pleasant enough, but hardly life-changing, this little doo-wop sketch being the weaker of the two. It’s perhaps a pity no more was ever heard of Wade Jones; there’s nothing here to suggest Jones had much of a career ahead of him as a star singer, but he’s not bad or anything, and the A-side I Can’t Concentrate showed definite songwriting potential. It’s not even that my decision to accept it in my personal Motown canon means this is now our first exposure to William “Smokey” Robinson, rather than the horrible cack-handed Sheb Wooley pastiche It as per the “official” discography.
No, it’s that this actually makes a bit more sense as a Motown “origin myth” than the actual official first Motown record, Marv Johnson’s Come To Me, which was a success right off the bat, hitting the national charts once it had been picked up by United Artists and setting a chain of events in motion which would inexorably, if improbably, lead to Motown becoming the greatest record company the world has ever seen.
This, by contrast, is very much a tentative, toe-in-the-water, we-don’t-really-know-what-we’re-doing-yet sort of a record; even if Wade Jones’ credentials as a candidate for First Motown Recording Artist are themselves decidedly shaky (we’ll never know for sure, but it seems likely this came out later in January 1959 than Marv Johnson’s record – indeed, there’s plenty of compelling evidence that it may not have surfaced until several months of the year had already passed), it somehow all feels more plausible as a first attempt.
Insane is a nice enough song, despite its rough edges. It’s a slow, chugging doo-wop ballad that barely scrapes past two minutes but feels shorter still. It’s not really clear what this little vignette was meant to achieve; is it showcasing the range of Wade Jones, the artist, in the hope of some radio play or a contract from an establishd label? Or is it an advert for the songwriting services of the Rayber company, Berry Gordy’s offer to do something like this for you, too – so long as you had the necessary green?
It didn’t achieve either of those purposes; Wade Jones was never heard from again, and neither Berry Gordy nor Smokey Robinson would spend much of their lives cutting demo records for enthusiastic jobbing local singers and writers. It’s too short to get its hooks into you, except that it doesn’t really have any hooks either, being somewhat flat and inoffensive; it’s a very pedestrian arrangement, hardly showing off the Rayber arranging service in its best light; it doesn’t sound as nice as the A-side, Wade on slightly ropey form, the backing vocals a little less harmonious, the band a little more bored. Everything – the song, the vocals, the performance, everything – just feels a bit stumbling, even clumsy.
Still, like the A-side, its Historical Value is through the roof, even if it was destined to be a footnote; for that, it’s worth hearing whatever its quality, and its quality is far from awful. In any case, the story, officially, hadn’t even started yet. With that, it’s over to you, Marv Johnson.
MOTOWN JUNKIES VERDICT
(I’ve had MY say, now it’s your turn. Agree? Disagree? Leave a comment, or click the thumbs at the bottom there. Dissent is encouraged!)
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Marv Johnson “Come To Me” |
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There has been discussion on You Tube about the possibility there was a Rayber 1000 record (search Wade Jones). Craig Morer who sells alot of oldies on ebay had a reissue of Rayber 1000 titled MAGIC and LAZY DAISY. No mention of the artist. I can’t vouch for its existence, but it is a lead for a youthful researcher to follow-up on.
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The pressing of RayBer 1000 is a bootleg of 2 previously unreleased recordings by The Five Stars, which were recorded in late 1958 for George Goldner’s End/Gone/Mark-X Records. The Five Stars were the precursor group of The Voice Masters, who recorded for Gwen Gordy’s Anna records in 1958 and 1959. Their core later morphed into Motown’s Originals.
Their 1958 recordings were produced by Berry Gordy, recorded at Bristoe Bryant’s Studio in Detroit, and leased to Goldner. He released 2 of them on Mark-X Records in late 1957, and 2 on Gone Records in late 1958. Apparently there were another two cuts that remained unreleased. They were found among Goldner’s master tapes, and bootlegged onto a fake “RayBer” Record, as they were from one of the earliest recording sessions produced by Berry Gordy. They have NOTHING to do with Berry and Raynoma Gordy’s RayBer Music Recording Company. He recorded the false “RayBer” Five Stars’ cuts before he and Raynoma became partners.
Other projects handled by RayBer Music were the Mike Power record released on Zelman Records, and the Nick and The Jaguars on Ridge Records. According to the story I heard from a Motown worker who was around in early 1959 (I forget who it was), the Zelman Record was funded by Mike Power(s), himself, after Berry had tried unsuccessfully, to procure financing and to place it on an existing label. Berry had it pressed on a label he decided should have a “Jewish-sounding name”, to give an impression of adequate “money backing” for the label. He could have released it on “RayBer” records, had he wished to. It was that firm’s project. I believe this was corroberated by Louvain Demps’ comments.
Ridge Records was owned by a local Detroit businessman. Gordy placed the Nick and The Jaguars’ record on that label (leased). After Tamla started up, Nick and The Jaguars moved to Berry’s new label.
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Edit: The Five Stars’ second Goldner release was on End Records, rather than Gone Records (as I had stated above).
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I don’t think anyone can pick holes in your scholarship, Robb! Thank you for taking the time to set all this information out for future readers.
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Further edit:
The Nick and The Jaguars’ record I referred to on Ridge Records was actually performed by The Biscaynes (who are purported (or guessed) by some, to have actually been Nick and The Jaguars). The Don McKenzie release on Ridge Records was also published by Jobete Music, and must also have been placed on that label by Gordy. Perhaps Gordy found a financier to finance his projects with The Biscaynes and McKenzie, and the latter named the label. Or, if the rumours that there were other releases on Ridge, with no Gordy involvement, are factual, Gordy just leased the recordings to Ridge’s owner. Clearly, the Ridge records, RayBer, Zelman and first two Tamla Records were pressed at the same pressing plant in early 1959.
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Both the Nick & the Jaguars and the Biscaynes tracks are filed in the library as by “FARROWS, JOHNNY”, which seems to clinch that particular identification, Robb.
The Wade Jones single was held off the Singles set as we weren’t able to establish ownership, and we probably never will, now.
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Good to see you posting here, Keith. I look forward to reading more of your comments.
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I listen to the music of the songs that I’m not familiar with while I read your reviews. 100% I agree with you about this record. Like you said above it does not have a hook. Thanx for the history lesson!
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Wish definitely not better than the A-side. Insane was dull, off key, and I felt like it was all over the place. Could have been better recording. The verdict is on the money. Not very good.
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Just listened to this a few minutes ago. For my ears, it’s nice- nice, not wonderful. The funny thing though is that something in the music immediately reminded me of the Miracles’ “Bad Girl” (only now realized the songwriter credits here) and I was prepared to claim a new fave.
The gentle, chiming vibes are a nice production touch. I was thinking this was going to be very pleasant until the background, or in this case, CO-STARRING vocals kicked in. A little too loud and too ungainly for a song that starts out tipping in on cat’s paws. Those BVs; if only they were polished up, toned down and realigned so as not to come off as trying to bury Wade on his own record.
This ain’t bad, just uneven and rough in spots. A 3 on a good day, a 3 on a bad day. I’ll probably go back to it again on occasion. This place is pure catnip for a Motown fan like me. I’d probably never have known about Wade except through Motown Junkies.
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