Memphis rent party : the blues, rock, et soul in music's hometown

"Blues, being the wellspring of all American music for over a century, is always worth studying. Robert does it right." --Keith Richards "An emotional map of musical Memphis. If you don't know these characters, let Robert Gordon introduce you." --Elvis Costello "Robert Gordon's book is proof that Southern heritage is American heritage, and all sorts of people--black and white, familiar and strange, dead and alive--are what it is." --Greil Marcus Profiles and stories of Southern music from the acclaimed author of Respect Yourself: Stax Records and the Soul Explosion. The fabled city of Memphis has been essential to American music--home of the blues, the birthplace of rock and roll, a soul music capital. We know the greatest hits, but celebrated author Robert Gordon takes us to the people and places history has yet to record. A Memphis native, he whiles away time in a crumbling duplex with blues legend Furry Lewis, stays up late with barrelhouse piano player Mose Vinson, and sips homemade whiskey at Junior Kimbrough's churning house parties. A passionate listener, he hears modern times deep in the grooves of old records by Lead Belly and Robert Johnson. The interconnected profiles and stories in Memphis Rent Party convey more than a region. Like mint seeping into bourbon, Gordon gets into the wider world. He beholds the beauty of mistakes with producer Jim Dickinson (Replacements, Rolling Stones), charts the stars with Alex Chilton (Box Tops, Big Star), and mulls the tragedy of Jeff Buckley's fatal swim. Gordon's Memphis inspires Cat Power, attracts Townes Van Zandt, and finds James Carr always singing at the dark end of the street. A rent party is when friends come together to hear music, dance, and help a pal through hard times; it's a celebration in the face of looming tragedy, an optimism when the wolf is at the door. Robert Gordon finds mystery in the mundane, inspiration in the bleakness, and revels in the individualism that connects these diverse encounters. The Fabled City Of Memphis Has Been Essential To American Music--home Of The Blues, The Birthplace Of Rock And Roll, A Soul Music Capital. We Know The Greatest Hits, But Celebrated Author Robert Gordon Takes Us To The People And Places History Has Yet To Record. A Memphis Native, He Whiles Away Time In A Crumbling Duplex With Blues Legend Furry Lewis, Stays Up Late With Barrelhouse Piano Player Mose Vinson, And Sips Homemade Whiskey At Junior Kimbrough's Churning House Parties. A Passionate Listener, He Hears Modern Times Deep In The Grooves Of Old Records By Lead Belly And Robert Johnson. The Interconnected Profiles And Stories In Memphis Rent Party Convey More Than A Region. Like Mint Seeping Into Bourbon, Gordon Gets Into The Wider World. He Beholds The Beauty Of Mistakes With Producer Jim Dickinson (replacements, Rolling Stones), Charts The Stars With Alex Chilton (box Tops, Big Star), And Mulls The Tragedy Of Jeff Buckley's Fatal Swim. Gordon's Memphis Inspires Cat Power, Attracts Townes Van Zandt, And Finds James Carr Always Singing At The Dark End Of The Street. A Rent Party Is When Friends Come Together To Hear Music, Dance, And Help A Pal Through Hard Times; It's A Celebration In The Face Of Looming Tragedy, An Optimism When The Wolf Is At The Door. Robert Gordon Finds Mystery In The Mundane, Inspiration In The Bleakness, And Revels In The Individualism That Connects These Diverse Encounters. Preface: Give Me Something Different -- Sam Phillips: Sam On Dave -- Jim Dickinson: On The Edge -- Ernest Willis: Mississippi Reverie -- Mose Vinson: No Pain Pill -- The Fieldstones: Got To Move On Down The Line -- Lead Belly: Nobody In This World -- Robert Johnson: Hellhound On The Money Trail -- Junior Kimbrough: Mississippi Juke Joint -- Charlie Feathers: The Onliest -- James Carr: Way Out On A Voyage -- Otha Turner's Fife And Drum Picnic: Let Us Eat Goat -- Mama Rose Newborn: Useless Are The Flowers -- Townes Van Zandt: All The Federales Say -- Jeff Buckley: Northern Light -- Bobby Blue Bland: Love Throat -- Tav Falco: Panther Burns Forever Lasting -- Jerry Lee Lewis: Last Killer Standing -- Cat Power: Kool Kween -- Jerry Mcgill: Very Extremely Dangerous -- Alex Chilton: No Chitterlings Today -- Afterword: Stuck Inside The Memphis Blues Again. Robert Gordon. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Profiles and stories of Southern music from the acclaimed author of Respect Yourself: Stax Records and the Soul Explosion . The fabled city of Memphis has been essential to American musichome of the blues, birthplace of rock and roll, and a soul music capital. When Robert Gordon started covering Memphis music, the golden ages of his hometown had passed. But the links were there if you looked for them. Starting as a teenager, Gordon sought out old legends Furry Lewis and Mose Vinson, spent time at Jr. Kimbroughs house parties, went into the grooves of records by Leadbelly and Robert Johnson, and picked up the threads in the new sounds that were developing around him, becoming the official chronicler of the Memphis scene. Memphis Rent Party compiles the best of these short pieces from the first three decades of Gordons career, many previously unpublished. The focus is on Memphis, but, like mint seeping into bourbon, Gordon gets into the wider world. In addition to homegrown renegades Alex Chilton (Box Tops, Big Star) and producer Jim Dickinson (Replacements, Rolling Stones), he spends time with those whom Memphis has inspired, like Cat Power, Jeff Buckley and Townes Van Zandt. A rent party is when friends come together to hear music, dance, and help a pal through hard times. With this stellar collection, Gordona deep listener, passionate cultural commentator, and unparelleled scribe of Southern soundthrows a rent party that will keep readers reading, music lovers listening, and culture hounds howling for more. Preface: Give me something different Sam Phillips: Sam on Dave Jim Dickinson: On the edge Ernest Willis: Mississippi reverie Mose Vinson: No pain pill The Fieldstones: Got to move on down the line Lead Belly: Nobody in this world Junior Kimbrough: Mississippi juke joint Charlie Feathers: the onliest James Carr: Way out on a voyage Otha Turner's fife and drum picnic: Let us eat goat Mama Rose Newborn: Useless are the flowers Townes Van Zandt: All the federales say Jeff Buckley: Northern light Bobby "Blue" Bland: Love throat Tay Falco: Panther burns forever lasting Jerry Lee Lewis: Last comic standing Cat power: Kool Kween Jerry McGill: Very extremely dangerous Alex Chilton: No chitterlings today Afterword: Stuck inside the Memphis blues again.