A band you have to hear about
I just got back from ten days in the American South: highlights were visits to Memphis, Clarksdale, Muscle Shoals, Nashville and meeting Mark Ellen at Gatwick. However, as John Cleese used to say, this is the nub of my gist:
I only had a couple of nights in Nashville, so a waiter called Matthew in Merchant's Restaurant recommended that on a Wednesday night, the best band to see can be found for $5 - currently about $2.50 - at 3rd and Lindsley. They're called The Wooten Brothers, and the first hour of their set was among the best hour I have ever seen by any band. I can't really do them justice, but imagine a faster and even tighter version of Little Feat, throw in some James Brown, Prince and bass solos that don't make you look at your watch; and you have a starting point for appreciating the talents of The Wooten Brothers.
http://www.myspace.com/thewootenbrothers
I saw them with a guest guitarist, who was unbelievable; but everyone shone. Their MySpace page (above) has some audio examples of their work, none of which sounds as good as they did last Wednesday, but they'll do for now. You heard it here. I ain't foolin', regardless of the date.
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Sun
Did you make it to Sun Studios? I did Nashville & Memphis by Greyhound a few years back, and thought Sun was just extraordinary - incredibly atmospheric.
Sun Studio
Isn't it? The absolute high point, I thought. Even if it had just been Elvis who had recorded there, it would have been overwhelming. But to think of Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Howlin' Wolf, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, etc was all a bit - well, as I say, overwhelming. Although I told off the tour guide for not mentioning Charlie Rich. And they offer a free bus ride to Graceland and back, which is handy.
Sun again
We went to Sun and were guided round by a young man, probably no older than 21, so he wouldn't even have been born when Elvis died. But his sheer enthusiasm, knowledge and love of the music made him the perfect tour guide (small as the premises are).
I have a photo of me holding the mic that Elvis used for That's Alright. The young man asked us not to lick it!
Never mind all that
What was Mark Ellen *really* like?
Well...
He's very tall, isn't he? That doesn't come across on the podcast.
The Tallest Dude
Apparently Mr Ellen is over 8ft tall on a good day.
Is this thread an April Fools?
Would love to visit Sun Studios one day soon, but it won't be for a while yet (pours out hundreds of coppers from old beer tins and begins counting in ernest)
An "even tighter version of Little Feat"?
Sorry, Lucas, but I only got as far as the above sentence, and I KNEW this was an April Fool joke.
I was going to say...
...a tighter version of Little Feat, but realised how ludicrous that sounded. So I put in "even". Suffice to say they were damn tight. Honest.
Please Say I'm Not Fooling
I'd been meaning to post all this for a couple of days, and only afterwards did I notice the date. I should have waited another day...
Anyway, here's proof:
By the way, thanks to the Word posters that gave me tips like where to go in Nashville (MarkHagen), and to make sure I drove on the Natchez Trace Parkway (CarlP). Much appreciated.
Separated at birth?
David Gray and Lucas Hare?
Ouch
Now that really hurts. I knew I was thinning on top, but...
You're welcome
Glad you made it Lucas.
You're making me want to go back.
Sun studios blew me away too
I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prick up. What a fantastic shrine to a golden age.
did you perchance see the Dempseys whilst in Memphis? A fantastic live experience - kind of manic skiffle rockabilly type band with dynamic stage presence.
Ref Wooten brothers and bass solos - its not Victor Wooten, the bass guitarist in Bela Flecks band is it? if so he has a new solo album out i believe.
Didn't see the Dempseys
But I didn't really see the untouristy side of Beale St, to be honest. I get the feeling that it all kicked off after about 11pm, but I was on a weird clock and could never make it that far.
I had the image of Sun ruined a bit for me the other day when I read here:
http://boogiewoogieflu.blogspot.com/2008/03/paper-hat.html
that there was a whole period in between when it was a dumping ground for knackered old cars, before it was restored. Talking of which, I also made a pilgrimage to the site of Chips Moman's old American Studio, which was also an auto parts store for a while.