Since Luke passed, I’ve been thinking a lot about our shared studio moments and this song really sticks out in my memory. This was right around the time that Luke introduced me to Kait Lawson and pretty soon she was singing background vocals on everything we were working on. The crew hanging around and working at High/Low were really starting to gel and make cool stuff. We seemed to be finding some magic with every song.
In the early years, this magic seemed to come fast. “What happens if I plug this thing into that thing?” Every day is a new discovery. But as you get older and hopefully better at what you do, “can you believe becomes “great work becomes more ne your craft but the nd to stick in your rvoir of inspiration. on’t need much to hing special. That ee great singers, es on harmonies with mic and a beat up old ll remember what ike when we heard irst time. I can still smile on Luke’s face. Maybe I can transmigrate there right now if I try hard enough.
3. William Luke White - “Tell Me Where You’re From From”
Luke and Clay Hardee showed up at High/Low one night after what we’ll call a “long dinner.” They’d run into a friend of a friend and he told them a story about being harassed by airport security earlier that day. Long story short, the TSA officer saw this guy’s ID and then proceeded to ask where he was “really” from. His ID was issued in Tennessee but the officer wanted to know where he was “from, from” and Luke’s song was born.
After relaying the story to us, Luke got to work on the song. He was vibrating. Tuned into some special frequency. For whatever reason, this story had sparked something creatively. The dark humor of it. The irony of Luke singing it. This ridiculous thing, turned on its head, was now serious commentary on the world. The best kind of satire. Randy Newman would have been proud.
From start to finish it probably took 30 minutes to complete. Lyrics, music, the arrangement, additional vocals and overdubs. He had a full conception of the song, heard it clear as day and within a week the song was recorded just as he’d described it in that first burst of inspiration. It was breathtaking to witness.
Tim Regan (Snowglobe, The Pirates, Antenna Shoes, Spiral Stairs)
When Luke and I toured around the world, in whatever band at the time, we would always bunk up. So for 15 years, plus or minus, we would sleep in two twin or double beds in many different classes of hotel rooms. Luke was always more of a night owl than me, but I could normally stay up chatting with him and whomever we were with until lights out. In the last couple years of our touring life, I would have to wake up at a reasonable hour (nine-something AM) for work and knock out some stuff. I started noticing that Luke would be talking a bit in his sleep. I have learned recently that I also talk in my sleep, and have been known to carry on full conversations until the wee hours. . . I have been wondering lately how many conversations I’ve had with Luke that I don’t even know about.
There was also this great time when we were on tour and had the day off in Prague. We spent a lot of the day doing some touristy things, walking all around the center of the city, across bridges and parks, and eating crazy sausages and drinking big steins of beer. It was wonderful. Later that evening we went to a new “fancy” restaurant. Luke stepped outside for a cigarette at the waning of our big band dinner. About five minutes later, he ran inside and said, “you have to come see this!” I walked outside and met some Czechoslovakian kids in their early 20s. Especially this one girl who spoke very little English but could recite (with all the moves) multiple Three 6 Mafia songs. If you’ve ever heard Luke laugh his boisterous, uncontrollable wild laughter. . . this is my perfect memory of that laugh.
Jeff Hulett (Snowglobe,)
Luke White was my friend and bandmate. When Jeffrey James & The Haul started up in the early 2000s, I could barely play guitar and sing. Luke was so helpful and encouraging. He taught me different chords and helped arrange my songs in a way that was certainly more interesting. He just made us better. Then he joined Snowglobe and took us to a completely different level. Any group he played with, he just made better. That was his super power.
I also played hoops with Luke for many years on the Robot Badgers. He was a marksman from deep and played ferocious D. Lastly, I always enjoyed my time being canoe partners with Luke on the many bachelor parties we attended together, including mine. He was a great navigator and always got us back on track when we veered off course. I miss him greatly and encourage everyone to dive into his deep and diverse catalog of music.
Luke with Toby Vest, Jeff Hulett, and Brad Postlethwaite
Steve
Selvidge (The Pirates, Antenna Shoes, Sons of Mudboy)
I loved singing with Luke. Our voices meshed well together. I'd be doing my gig, singing something like "The Ballad of Otis B. Watson," wishing that someone would sing the harmony because no one in my band sings - and he would just show up out of nowhere on the mic with me with that beautiful voice and a smile on his face. He taught me just to get out there and play and sing. Don't worry that you didn't write it. I will always be grateful to him for that.
Luke and Steve Selvidge
Chris Milam
Luke's enormous gifts and bigger heart have made him a treasured member of our community for a long time. Staying at the studio a little bit longer to try another guitar idea on someone else’s song. Knowing this chorus needs an extra high harmony, full-throated, at the end of a long day; raising his head to the roof and nailing it on the second take. Telling me, “I don’t play much slide” before trying it anyway on a Dylan cover. Laughing after the song and yelling out “woah,” the only person in the club surprised by his brilliance. Luke embodied everything I love about Memphis and Memphis music. He showed up for his people every time, with singular talent and boundless generosity.
“Luke embodied everything I love about Memphis and Memphis music.”
Mark Edgar Stuart
I had just started singing and writing songs. Luke was a huge supporter, encouraging me every step of the way, even covering my song “Myra Gale” at his own shows. That was a first for me. Such a great feeling, especially from someone so great. We always talked about starting a band like The Band. I’d be Levon, and he’d be Danko! It never happened but we still made a lot of music together thanks to tons of shared mutual friends, mostly in the studio.
I really got to know Luke while producing the first James and The Ultrasounds record. I knew right away this dude was the real deal with such discerning ears. Luke was such a unique player with his own voice. Luke was a total vibe. His presence was chill, but there was always a tinge of underlying intensity. It was his passion for whatever he was talking about, whether it be music, sports, TV, or his dog.
Probably my favorite memory, though, is our Breaking Bad watch parties. Before streaming, you had to watch shows in real time, so it was every Sunday night religiously at my house. Such an eclectic group of folks, we’d all bring food and drinks. One night Luke brought ratatouille! Afterwards we’d smoke cigs and spill tea on my front porch. One of his cigs was still in my ashtray up until a year ago. Wish I would’ve left it!
Our last gig together was Hot Tamale Fest a few years back in Greenville, MS. He played bass on my set. We all drove down together, Argroves (another incredible human) was with us. We had some good QT, car rides are good like that. I hate that we lost touch in the past year or so, that’s on me. We had a few nice text exchanges, though. We both loved guitars, Luke hipped me to Reverb. “Dude, have you seen this new app!?” We had matching J-35s, I eventually sold mine but I'm sure wishing I still had it now.
Anyhoo this was supposed to be short. Dang it. . . dang it, dang it, dang it. All of it. . . “Go down Miss Moses, there’s nothing you can say, it’s just ol Luke, and Luke’s waiting on the. . . ” Godspeed my friend.
James Godwin (James & The Ultrasounds)
My aim here is to honor Luke, and the many, many wonderful moments we shared together.
Long story short, we spent what feels like thousands and thousands of hours together. From the P&H Cafe, to the Buccaneer, the Hi Tone, to England, France, Germany, West Virginia, New Orleans, NYC, Austin, Philly, Switzerland, Holland. . . damn near everywhere. We were usually the lone smokers in the band, which means Luke and I spent countless hours standing around in front of, or behind various establishments all over the world together. Observing. Discussing. Plotting. Laughing.
There was a time in which Luke and I would meet REGULARLY at the P&H Cafe for beers, darts (Luke was a master dartsman), and hoops. We pretty much witnessed the entire “Grit and Grind”-era side by side. During these nights, we’d kick around song ideas and talk about playing together someday. I’d already had a small batch of tunes worked up, and was flirting with the idea of performing them live under the moniker of “James and The Ultrasounds.” Luke was into the idea and convinced me over time that it wasn’t a completely asinine notion. . .
In 2012, I went to Europe on a six week tour playing bass in John Paul Keith’s band. I couldn’t wait to tell Luke all about it, and how I was now hellbent on getting back to Europe, but with my own band this time. That quickly became our common goal, to go on tour in Europe together. About a week later, Luke introduced me to our new bass player, a man known as Tall David. I’d already roped John Argroves into playing drums, so now we were ready to rehearse. About three months later we were on the road up the east coast, dialing it in. A few months later we were in the studio cutting “Bad To Be Here” for Madjack Records. Shortly after that, we were on a plane to Europe, just like we’d planned. There are just a billion stories in all of that. Far too many to recall at once. . . oh, and yeah, we did fight from time to time, like gentlemen for the most part. Booze, gals, money (what’s 25% of zero?), stage volume, setlists (he loved a setlist, I love to abandon them). Just the stuff band dudes fight about. . . good and proper. Nothing so heavy that we couldn’t always find our way around it.
Luke. . . ya know? What a blessing to have known such a warm and tender soul. He was a real musician. A REAL MEMPHIAN. I felt so close to him, like a brother so many times. Two dudes cut from the same cloth, yet wildly, vastly, intensely different. To know him was to love him. He didn’t have a gift, he was the gift.
He was a dear friend and we experienced so many things in life together. I will miss him greatly. They really don’t make ‘em like that anymore.
A 30 YEAR CELEBRATION 1995-2025
April 24
Tommy Wright III
Runnin-N-Gunnin
July 31
8Ball & MJG
On Top of the World
June 26
Lil Noid
Paranoid Funk
August 28
Children of the Corn
The Single
May 29
Al Kapone
Da Resurrection
September 25
Three 6 Mafia
Mystic Stylez/Live By Yo Rep
FOURTH THURSDAYS @ 7PM FOURTH THURSDAYS @ 7PM
CRATE DIGGING WITH WITH QEMIST QEMIST
For years, Qemist (Michael Ivy) has been a key figure within the vanguard of Memphis’ electronic music scene, bringing his signature fusion of house, techno, footwork, and juke to small clubs, major festivals(SXSW,DeepTropics),and the airwaves as the host of “ComputerNoise”onWYXR.Duringa recent visit to the shop, we asked if wecouldjoinasheshoppedtolearn about some of his personal favorites...
Prophet- “Wanna Be Prophet- “Wanna Be Your Man” Your Man”
songisreallyheavy,kindoflikedrumandbass,veryfast.Andthenit goesintolikethisoneareaofthesong,whereit'sjustabeautiful melodythatletsyoucatchyourbreath,andyoufeellikeyou'reina beautifulforest.Theseguysareinsane,butyeah,that'sagreat album.
First of all, congratulations on such a big honor and thanks for taking some time to talk with us. I wanted to talk to you about the recent induction of Big Star’s #1 Record into the Grammy Hall of Fame. What a fitting, if overdue, honor for that album and the band. Tell us a little bit about how you learned that it was set to receive the award.
Sure, let me make a short story long …so the Big Star quintet was doing some touring last year and kind of brought this heart murmur problem of mine to a point where it needed to be addressed. It was February 6th, and I was scheduled to go in to have that valve replaced. I got up that morning at 3 o’clock to be there by 5 am. Diana, my wife, was still getting ready so I decided to check my email and there is one from the Grammy folks at the Grammy Hall of Fame saying that #1 Record was being inducted. I thought to myself “what a great moment to get an email like this” and went in to have the surgery. Surgeon said I had a smile on my face the whole time…nah, kidding, but I’m surprised it didn’t cure the heart! (laughs). Now I’m ok, but what an incredible way to find out.
In addition to having #1 Record inducted into the Grammy hall of fame, you were able to perform at the induction ceremony with Stax legend Eddie Floyd. Tell us a little bit about that experience and your connection with the soul music that was pumping out of Stax back in the 60s and early 70s.
So as I was looking at the other inductees, I noticed that Eddie Floyd, his famous single “Knock on Wood” was being inducted. There’s such
an incredible connection between Stax and Ardent, with the Big Star records being distributed by Stax. In fact, my brother Jimmy and I used to have a soul band in ‘68 and “Knock on Wood” was a staple of the songs we played.
So I sent a note to a friend at the Grammy Museum and said that I’d love to sit in with Eddie Floyd on “Knock on Wood” and kinda laid out my connections to that song, how I still play, with the Big Star Quintet and Those Pretty Wrongs. So I heard back from my friend and she said “Oh, I think that’s a brilliant idea, just let me run it by the producer.” Plus I think Deannie Parker (legendary Stax publicist) said some good things about me to her, so then I was in!
I was ecstatic, and focused much more on that than the honor of the induction of #1 Record because I had a performance to do that night with the house band. All these guys are ace players, so I went through every version of the song. I listened and played through Al Jackson’s version on the single over and over. Then I got a video of Steve Potts playing it with Bobby Manuel on guitar when Eddie was performing it at the White House for Obama. It’s a live version, so there were more fills and all that sort of thing that Steve Potts, being an incredible drummer, was doing. After learning those versions, I just started playing through it on my own. Afterwards I called Steve Potts and he said, “Well man…why don’t you just do what you do?” So I figured ‘that’s great, I’ll do that, but I’ll keep these other versions in mind.’”
So the morning of the rehearsal before the gala, I came back in and there was Eddie Floyd sitting by himself. I had on an Ardent t-shirt, and as I approached him, he started smiling. He said, “You’re the Big Star guy, aren’t you?” I told him about my conversation with Steve and Eddie said, ‘well, why don’t you count it off and just do what you do?’ What a guy! We talked for about 45 minutes and that alone would have made the trip worthwhile.
That seems like it would be a blast. Did he have any old stories that he shared with you?
Yeah, he told me about “Big Bird” - the song. He was in Europe for a Stax/Volt tour and he had just learned about Otis Redding and the Bar-Kays going down in the plane. He was devastated and with maybe three dates left on tour, was desperate to get back to the States for the funeral. After finishing the last of the dates, it looked like he was going to be back in time for the funeral.
So his plane is taxiing on the runway, but quickly has to turn around. There was a mechanical problem that had to be fixed. Eddie worried he’d never make it back, but an hour later the problem had been fixed and they boarded again. As the plane began to take off, he kept saying to himself, ‘Get on up, bird bird! Get on up, big bird!” Months later, he was back in Memphis, locked down at Stax after Dr. King’s assassination. He decided to go over to Booker T’s house and told Booker his idea about willing that big bird up. The rest came pretty quickly and they had the song written that afternoon.
Inspiration leading to collective creative output. Reminds me of the story of Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham writing “Cry Like a Baby”... in the wee hours in a coffee shop, desperate to come up with a new tune for the Box Tops.
Yeah, or “Hold on, I’m Coming” where David Porter is in the bathroom and Isaac Hayes calls to him, “Well, I think I’ve got something…” and David responds, “Hold on, I’m coming.”
Well, #1 Record is nothing if not a work of complete inspiration. What if any expectations do you recall the band collectively having for it upon its release?
I have to admit, when Chris and Andy and I first got together, and then Alex joined a few months later, and we were just rehearsing
these songs, that was enough. Just magic moments. I had been playing cover songs for the most part and now I’m in this situation where I have to create drum parts. Alex and Chris and Andy were writing these just incredible songs, so it was an inspiration…that experience.
I can remember tracking songs and just that fun of being creative. We talked about where Chris and Alex came up with these beautiful melodies. “(The Ballad of) El Goodo” was one that I have a pretty strong memory of making. It was all under the auspices of John Fry and Ardent and never would have happened with his generosity and giving spirit. We had that time in the studio without the clock running to record, listen back with John who was this magic engineer and sonically so inspired. If we walked out after that last day of mixing and nothing else happened, that would have been enough.
Over the years, as the album found an enthusiastic audience among critics, fans, and musicians, were you aware of its growing influence among groups like The Replacements, R.E.M., Primal Scream, and Teenage Fanclub?
You know…I’d get little peeks of the record kind of finding its way out into the world. Initially it was (legendary promoter) John King jumping all over the place, and the response we got from the Rock Writers Convention.
Can you talk a little about that experience from your perspective?
John King got Stax to help finance an event bringing over 100 rock writers to Memphis with the intent of unifying or possibly unionizing, but definitely unifying them so they would have power to get better pay. With all those writers coming to Memphis though, they had the job of trying to herd cats that didn’t want herding. All kinds of writers were there: Lester Bangs (Creem/Rolling Stone), Andrew Tyler (the NME), Richard Meltzer (Crawdaddy/Creem/Rolling Stone), all of these iconic music journalists.
That was the first real audience that Big Star ever played for and they knew the songs already…knew all the lyrics. With a little help of a bit of drink or from whatever recreational stuff they had, they just went nuts. That was a moment when I realized the music was having an impact. I noticed thereafter that anytime they heard a band that reminded them of Big Star, they would mention us. When they’d interview someone like Mike Mills or Peter Buck (from REM), and those guys would say some really nice things about us, it would be so encouraging.
I thought, ‘oh, it’s still finding its way.’ Later, Jeff Buckley did a brilliant version of “Kangaroo”, or Wilco did “Thirteen”, or The Bangles did “September Girls”...these just kept cropping up. It was exciting, but didn’t really have a big impact on my life until ‘93 when Alex and I reunited and started playing together with John and Ken from The Posies.
The fact that people still care and are interested is what is thrilling to me. Big Star being a common denominator allowed me to meet all kinds of people. I think maybe that was my biggest takeaway from it all
If you had to pick some personally favorite songs from the record, what would they be and why?
Yeah…all of them! (laughs). Maybe “When My Baby’s Beside Me” because I had to create that little fill (it’s the perfect one around 2:22 in the song). I was so excited! “Feel” and “The Ballad of El Goodo”...I was really excited to create something out of nothing. It’s not like they’re (the fills) hard to do, but it’s part of a composition. “Thirteen” blew me away, as did “Try Again.” There’s so many!
So what is it like continuing to share that music with the current Big Star Quintet?
Ha, it feels like it was a long marketing campaign to get here (laughs)...but yeah, it’s a connection to the world and that’s pretty amazing. Getting to play with Mike (Mills) and Pat (Sansone) and John (Auer) and Chris (Stamey) and share that music amongst ourselves, which is a joy in itself. We have a good time with a lot of different audiences and places we’ve been to perform like Spain, Norway, and the UK.
Thanks for your time and congratulations again on receiving this recognition for the enduring love that we all have for Big Star and #1 Record, in particular.
The Big Star Quintet is on tour this summer, performing locally at the Germantown Performing Arts Center (GPAC) on Saturday, July 19. Limited tickets are still available as of this writing from gpacweb.com.
Jody Stephens will be performing at The Green Room in Crosstown this month, on June 27th, with Those Pretty Wrongs, his project with songwriting partner Luther Russell. For more tour dates and info, visit thoseprettywrongs.com.
CONFERENCE 2025 MAKING VINYL
This June, record makers of all stripes descended upon the Renasant Convention Center for a few days of the Making Vinyl conference. After a number of years of lobbying for Memphis to host, the conference chairman Larry Jaffee decided 2025 was the year to gather domestic and international pressing plants, record labels, distributors and a number of other industry professionals in the Bluff City. Three days of educational events, conversations, and demonstrations culminated in an address from Sun Records royalty Jerry Phillips, to the delight of all those in attendance. No doubt, this year’s conference brought the industry together to discuss all things wax, but it also sent everyone home with a little extra soul in their step.
Local participants featured on panels discussing a range of topics as well as offering to welcome the world to Memphis. Shangri-La co-owner John Miller joined a panel with Goner co-owner Eric Friedl, and Clifton Muhammad and his partner Connie Anderson, co-owners of Chicago’s south side staple, Record Track. That panel focused on record stores as community centers, and each shop shared historical and current ways they have operated as resource and information hubs for creatives, gathering places for community events, and developmental employment opportunities for artists of all stripes. Friedl and Miller told about the early days of the Shangri-La and Goner labels, to endless shows, record swaps, book signings, album releases, etc. as record collectors from far and wide leaned in. Clifton’s story of inheriting his uncle’s old shop and transforming it into a community hub (after initially planning to liquidate) proved particularly gripping. Since he and Anderson recently bought a number of vacant lots from the city, their plans continue to expand, so be sure to visit them next time you take I-55 north. The panel seemed to really connect with the crowd and afterwards a label executive approached Miller to recount a story about proposing to his wife in Memphis decades ago, and how Shangri-La’s Kreature Comforts: Lowlife Guide to Memphis had been a treasured piece of Memphis culture that they still fondly recall from their first trip to town.
One of the major sponsors for this year’s conference, Memphis Record Pressing, maintained a presence throughout the conference, as well as opening its doors to attendees for tours. Following its $30 million plus expansion, MRP continues to bolster the local music economy, and provided visitors with a first hand view into who they are. Said MRP’s Frank McLellan, “With MRP being one of the largest manufacturers of vinyl in North America, and especially the conference being in Memphis, it was a way to show other companies in the industry what we are all about. That we aren’t just some factory bulk producing product for the masses, but that there is a genuine burning passion for the trade and the community surrounding it. We are music lovers first and foremost. We are always looking to connect and learn from other businesses and individuals, because no one does things the same way. Stay learning!” When asked about conference takeaways, McLellan thoughtfully recounted, “There is a thriving ecosystem of professionals that seem to be passion driven first. The folks in this industry know how important this medium is to the consumers. This isn’t selling chips or soap, this is the power of music and art all wrapped up into one physical item. It has been a transcendent experience for anyone putting a record on a turntable for nearly a century. I think the professionals in this trade understand that and it changes the attitudes and ultra competitive nature you may see in other industries. There’s a shared sense of ‘let’s make sure we are all making quality records so this industry will continue to thrive’.”
In addition to covering the present state of the industry, the conference also featured a number of looks to the future of what has become again a major global industry. Panels discussed how gen Z views vinyl ownership, trends in eco-friendly packaging and environmental offset measures, as well as the potential for global trade wars to affect supply chains. The general consensus appeared to be that nobody could predict the long term effects of the ramp up in tariffs. Industry vet and Take Out Vinyl owner Jeff Powell mused, “There seems to be a bit of trepidation about what the future may hold as far as the Trump tariffs come into play, but no-one really knows exactly how it plays out. I don’t think that the vinyl industry is in danger of collapse or even close to that. It might mean that prices go up a little industry-wide, but that’s not unexpected.” Among frequent conference devotees, there also seemed to be a notable difference in the number of attendees, with current US border and travel policies influencing the ability and willingness of certain companies to send employees.“It seemed a little less attended in general, and I think mainly that was due to less international industry people attending. In general, I think (they are) worried about how they will be treated at our borders. Several friends have told me so,” Powell confirmed.
Current geopolitics and its accompanying pressure on the industry aside, everyone seemed to agree that the creation for and enjoyment of music in the vinyl format remains robust and offers irreplaceable experiences that promise to continue for years to come. We couldn't agree more, and are grateful for the opportunity to get involved with this year’s conference. For more information on Making Vinyl, including its September international event in the Netherlands, visit MAKING VINYL or check out their INSTAGRAM for photos and videos from Memphis.
TOP With author, music nerd,
& film
buff Billups Allen
In his hilarious new book I Exhibited Films For A Year. I Lost Money, but I Think I Made My Point, Billups Allen writes about his ill-fated attempt to host an independent film series at the Lamplighter Lounge. Billups-who publishes Cramholezine, contributes music and movie writing regularly to several publications, and who is regularly behind the counter at Goner Records--seemed like an ideal guide through some of the best (and worst) music films around. Without further ado, here‘s Billups Allen’s list of “5 Music Movies I Revisit Regularly.”
I can always watch a good music movie. I can most-often always watch a bad music movie. But there are those--surely you have your own--that you can turn on at any point and watch under any circumstance.
These are the stories where your favorite characters and musicians never grow old. Your favorite songs are still relevant. These are movies that feel like visiting old friends....
A Mighty Wind
Christopher Guest’s subtle societal parodies are always a guaranteed laugh. But something besides a music parody is in play when it comes to A Mighty Wind. Contextualizing the scope of the relatively short-lived “coffee house” folk movement of the 50s and 60s creates a great backdrop for ruminating on the minutiae of creativity. Guest’s ensemble cast in A Mighty Wind embodies the pitfalls of talented and eccentric people being left behind due to lack of relevance. Another bonus is the songs are solid.
Fictional musicians represented in film sometimes aren’t backed up by good tunes. The songs in A Mighty Wind are well-crafted and catchy. It’s believable the songs are part of their world. It’s a great comedy and a poignant story about what it means to create.
Make it a double feature: Inspiration for A Mighty Wind came in part from the documentary The Weavers: Wasn’t That a Time! (1982), a charming movie about the history of the infamous folk group The Weavers and their 1980 reunion at Carnegie Hall.
Get Crazy
Allan Arkush directed the classic rock/comedy hybrid Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979). Arkush’s lesser-known rock-themed movie, 1983's Get Crazy, delves deeper into rock’s best cliches. The basic plot covers a New Year’s Eve 1983 concert at the fictional Saturn Theater. Every New Year’s Eve, bands that launched their careers at The Saturn reconvene for a special concert. Musicians from various eras clash. These interludes and a few sub-plots propel the humor which works best at times as sketch comedy. You can likely find memorable lines from the dialogue based on your music taste. But the main plotline eventually makes good with an excellent ensemble cast including Daniel Stern, Lou Reed, Malcolm McDowell, Allen Garfield, Gail Edwards, Ed Begley Jr., Lee Ving, and many fun cameos. It’s a great slab of rock ‘n’ roll humor.
Make it a double feature: Rock ‘n’ Roll High School is a great companion for obvious reasons.
Louie Bluie
Louie Bluie (1985) is the story of musician Howard Armstrong, a charismatic string player who began his career as a teenager in the 1930s. Armstrong restarted his music career in the 70s following renewed interest in roots music. Filmmaker Terry Zwigoff followed Armstrong closely enough for him to hear about his life and meet his colleagues. Armstrong is a charming person, and the camaraderie he has with his circle is extraordinary. The film also serves as a fascinating trip through the history of regional music venues and players. There’s a great scene in the film where a 78 collector brings a cherished slab into a bar for an autograph and watches in horror as Armstrong and his friends pass it around and discuss it. It’s unintentional torture on their part. It’s a testimony to the tenuous grasp they have on their own role in music history. They lived it. It’s a great Sunday afternoon film and a great slice of Americana.
Make it a double feature: Just three years after his death, the documentary Jimi Hendrix (1973) was released. The film contains a lot of footage of the virtuoso guitarist. But the best part of the documentary is the array of interesting talking heads. Colleagues and old friends were interviewed, many still appear to be in deep contemplation of his death. Still the best movie made about the legendary guitarist.
The Decline of Western Civilization: Part 1
Filmmaker Penelope Spheeris’ low-budget 1981 documentary about the early days of punk in Los Angeles captured on tape a canon of bands rising from the LA punk and hardcore scene of the early 1980s. Decline is the story of infamous bands like The Germs, Black Flag, and X. Besides the amazing band footage, Spheeris chronicled what it means to be young and feel disenfranchised in America. There’s no doubt the musicians in this film are talents who flourished during a time when kids were fed up with the status quo. Their story couldn’t have been told at any better time, and Decline picks up the punk narrative right where it needed to be catalogued. Make it a double feature: Another State of Mind (1984) tells the story of the illfated Youth Brigade/Social Distortion tour where a group of Los Angeles punkers toured the U.S. and Canada in a reconditioned school bus.
Wattstax
Director Mel Stuart let the cameras roll pre-concert and got a lot of footage of people arriving for the legendary 1972 Wattstax concert. The opening segments are as entertaining as the band footage. The dancing. The Staple Singers eating ribs in a limousine. The hats. As the concert gets into gear, we are treated to interludes containing peoples’ reactions to the concert, and what the Watts Riots meant to the community. We see rare footage of Richard Pryor performing. To think two men from a regional record label flew from Memphis to Los Angeles, walked into Los Angeles Memorial Stadium, and casually asked to rent it is astounding. But Wattstax is mostly about the music. From some charmingly humble performances to Isaac Hayes’ swashbuckling reveal of a suit of gold chains, it’s a great document of an unprecedented concert.
Make it a double feature: Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s 2021 documentary Summer of Soul is a terrific compilation of restored footage of the four-day 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival.
Q2 IN Q2 IN REVIEW REVIEW
In a year when good news has been a scarce commodity, Central High School’s win at the prestigious Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition was a muchneeded W for the city. Led by Dr. Ollie Liddell, the band delivered a soulful, high-energy performance that harkened back to the glory years of Jimmie Lunceford and his storied bands at Manassas High. Congrats again to the mighty Warriors.
The drought is finally over. After a five year wait, the team at Unapologetic blessed us with the fifth edition of their Stuntarious series, a brash and chaotic collection of songs spotlighting local legends, rising stars, and of course the label’s ever-growing roster of talent. In short, StuntariousVol.V isn’t just an album it’s a bold cultural statement that underscores Unapologetic’s role as an artistic force within the city and beyond.
Although a group of Canadian white boys making a song honoring the history of Beale Street may sound ill-conceived on paper, BADBADNOTGOOD have the chops to pull it off, especially when given an assist from a Bluff City star on the level of VCR. The song, which VCR called “a letter of gratitude to my hometown, my people, and the communities that raised me,”is a masterclass in soulful resonance and stylistic finesse.
As expected, Kraftwerk’s live performance at the Overton Park Shell in March was nothing short of spektakulär. Fifty-five years into their revolutionary career, the pioneering Düsseldorf foursome landed on one of Memphis’ most sacred sites like, well, like robots from another time and place. The weather was mild, the bass was thumping, the lights shone brights, and the vibe was immaculate. Danke schön, fellas.
Eight years after his attention-grabbing mixtape Glock Season announced the arrival of a major new star on the scene, Key Glock finally released his major-label debut Glockavelli this May. An unfiltered, bass-thumping flex that punches you right in the chest and then drops a moment of real reflection that catches you off guard, the album exceeded already high expectations and proved to be both a critical and commercial success. 18 tracks with no skips? We’ll call that an early contender for the local rap album of the year.
Recent Future, the self-described “doom dance” duo of multi-instrumentalists Charlie Davis (Trash Goblin) and David Johnson (James & the Ultrasounds), have been dropping a steady stream of killer singles throughout the spring, If you find yourself waxing nostalgic about the brief yet glorious reign of “indie sleaze” and the sweaty, danceable synth-punk that it helped to popularize, then look no further.
Frank McLallen--the longtime secret ingredient to some of the city’s best garage‐rock, art‐punk, and cosmic country bands--is going solo with his upcoming solo debut Extra Eyes. In late March, he released the first single from the project entitled “Manic”-a sweet slice of slightly-psychedelic pop that is both breezy yet deeply personal. An excellent appetitewhetter before the main course arrives later this summer.
Sometimes the magic of live music comes from a band doing something totally unexpected flipping a song on its head, pulling out a surprise cover, or reworking a familiar groove into something strange and thrilling. But other times, there's comfort and power in getting exactly what you expect: tight musicianship, well-loved songs, and a vibe so dialed-in it feels like coming home. Such was the case with Khruangbin’s blissful set at this year’s RiverBeat, which kicked-off during sunset on an idyllic Sunday afternoon, the perfect setting for their hypnotic sound.
On their fourth album Family, Southern Avenue continues to pay homage to the city’s rich musical heritage with their signature blend of blues, gospel, funk, and modern soul. As always, what truly sets their music apart is the blood harmony between sisters Tierinii and Tikyra Jackson their voices intertwine with raw, instinctive emotion that can’t be faked. “Family” isn’t just a title it’s the ethos of a band turning their shared roots into something truly special.
Thank Thank You! You!
A heartfelt thanks to all of the contributors, artists, sponsors, and everyone else who helped to make this magazine possible. Please help to share the word, and we’ll see you in the fall!
