INDEX -- NEWS -- INFOS -- STAX TODAY -- FOCUS -- ADS -- LISTS -- LINKS -- PHOTOS -- CONTACT

STAX INFOS
page 1

>>>

THE COMPLETE STAX/VOLT SINGLES
1959-1968
STAX - 7822182

Now distributed by Ace Records

Jim Stewart's career in music began in 1953 as a fiddle player in a country band, not exactly what one might expect of a man who was destined to run the label that, alongside Motown, was to define 'soul' music through the 1960s. He started the Satellite record label in 1958 and, after a false start with several weedy country sides, cut his first R&B record in 1959 with The Veltones. Jim's older sister Estelle Axton persuaded husband Everett to mortgage their house to buy better equipment for her younger brother and ultimately they located the studio in a disused cinema on McLemore in Memphis. In the wake of their first big record, the Mar-Keys' Last Night, on the Satellite label a west coast company laid claim to the name and, using the first two letters of their surnames, Jim & Estelle renamed the fledgling label STAX. One year later the VOLT imprint was added to the roster.

Atlantic Records had picked up an early Satellite single by Rufus Thomas and daughter Carla, and when Hy Weiss alerted Atlantic A&R man Jerry Wexler to Carla's solo smash Gee Whiz the Stax/Atlantic relationship took off. Atlantic's distribution muscle ensured national distribution for the local Memphis outfit, leading to an 8 year run of hits as STAX lead the way in crossing black music into the lucrative white market place.

The STAX sound, however, was created by a mixture of black and white musicians in the heart of the southern states of America - a sound that was to reverberate around the world, introducing soul music to millions, unaware that what was going down in Memphis was a quiet revolution in an essentially segregated society.

In the wake of the first two smashes the flow of hits continued with William Bell's You Don't Miss Your Water, Booker T & The MG's Green Onions and Rufus Thomas' Walking The Dog all charting Pop through to 1963.

An almost accidental signing in 1962 established Stax/Volt as the premier soul label. Otis Redding had already cut several derivative sides for small labels when he turned up at STAX for a session by guitar player Johnny Jenkins as part of his Pinetoppers. These Arms Of Mine, cut at the tail end of a not very successful session for Jenkins, launched the career of the greatest soul singer ever. For five years, until the most untimely of deaths in the almost inevitable plane crash, Otis Redding defined soul music, leaving an indelible stamp on the genre.

In 1967 in England Mod Heaven was reached, when the Stax/Volt tour hit town for a series of shows featuring Booker T & the MG's, Eddie Floyd, Carla Thomas, (incongruously) Atlantic artist Arthur Conley, Sam & Dave and the great Otis Redding.

In 1968 STAX parted company with Atlantic and rode the social changes that were to have a powerful impact on the music.

In 1991 Steve Greenberg at Atlantic convinced the powers that be of the viability of a nine CD box set that included all of the A-sides cut for Stax, Volt and even the early Enterprise label. The R&B A-sides on the Satellite label and the Carla Thomas A-sides issued on Atlantic, though actually STAX recordings, are also included in this mammoth 244 cut set, and there are 11 bonus B-sides. It charts the first nine years from a naive local independent record label to a powerful force in the music business, all with the support of Jerry Wexler and the Atlantic label.

Though all the hits and big names are represented, it is frequently the more arcane artists, who lacked the big chart successes, that display the real influence and enduring quality of STAX. Rob Bowman's impeccably researched note ensures the recognition of these unsung soulsters.

Fantasy Records, owners of the entire Stax catalogue, have subsequently anthologized the post Atlantic distribution period in two further epic boxes. A huge number of single and double CD sets, including a slew of compilations of previously un-issued material generated by Ace Records, have ensured that the legend of Stax records has been more thoroughly represented on CD than any other major label. THE COMPLETE STAX/VOLT SINGLES 1959-1968 is as good a place as any to start for anyone interested in the complete Stax soul experience.

Content :

The Admirals : Got You On My Mind. The Astors : What Can It Be ; Candy ; In The Twilight Zone ; Daddy Didn't Tell Me. Barbara & Browns : Big Party ; In My Heart ; My Lover. The Bar-Kays : Soul Finger ; Knucklehead ; Give Everybody Some ; A Hard Day's Night.The Barracudas : Yank Me (Doodle). William Bell : You Don't Miss Your Water ; Formula Of Love ; Any Other Way ; I Told You So ; Just As I Thought ; Somebody Mentioned Your Name ; I'll Show You ; Who Will It Be Tomorrow ; Crying All By Myself ; Share What You've Got ; Marching Off To War ; Never Like This Before ; Everybody Loves A Winner ; Eloise (Hang On In There) ; Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday ; Tribute To A King ; Every Man Ought To Have A Woman. Billy & King Bees : Bango. C.L. Blast : I'm Glad To Do It ; Double Up. Booker T. & MG's : Green Onions ; Behave Yourself ; Jelly Bread ; Home Grown ; Chinese Checkers ; Mo' Onions ; Soul Dressing ; Can't Be Still l; Boot-Leg ; Outrage ; Be My Lady ; My Sweet Potato ; Booker-Loo ; Jingle Bells ; Hip Hug-Her ; Groovin' ; Slim Jenkin's Place ; Winter Snow. The Canes : Why Should I Suffer With The Blues. Nick Charles : Sunday Jealous ; Three Dogwoods. The Charmels : Please Uncle Sam ; I'll Gladly Take You Back ; As Long As I've Got You. The Chips : You Make Me Feel So Good. Judy Clay : You Can't Run Away From Your Heart. The Cobras : Restless. Prince Conley : I'm Going Home. Johnny Daye : What'll I Do For Satisfaction. The Del-Rays : Don't Let Her Be Your Baby. The Del-Rios : Just Across The Street ; There's A Love. The Drapels : Wondering ; Young Man. The Fleets : Please Return To Me. Eddie Floyd : Things Get Better ; Knock On Wood ; Raise Your Hand ; Don't Rock The Boat ; Love Is A Doggone Good Thing ; On A Saturday Night ; Big Bird. The Four Shells : Hot Dog. Gorgeous George : Biggest Fool In Town. Ivory Joe Hunter : Can't Explain How It Happened. Jeanne & Darlings : How Can You Mistreat The One You Love ; Soul Girl; What Will Later On Be Like ; Hang Me Now. Eddie Jefferson : I Don't Want You Anymore. Johnny Jenkins : Spunky. Mabel John : Your Good Thing Is About To End ; You're Taking Up Another Man's Place ; Same Time Same Place ; Wait You Dog ; I'm A Big Girl Now ; Don't Hit Me No More ; Able Mabel. Cheryl & Pam Johnson : That's My Guy. Ruby Johnson : I'll Run Your Hurt Away ; Come To Me My Darling ; When My Love Comes Down ; If I Ever Needed Love. Albert King : Laundromat Blues ; Oh Pretty Woman ; Crosscut Saw ; Born Under A Bad Sign ; Cold Fee t; (I Love) Lucy. Eddie Kirk : The Hawg, Part 1 ; Them Bones. Linda Lyndell : Bring Your Love Back To Me. Oscar Mack : Don't be Afraid Of Love ; Dream Girl. The Mad Lads : Sidewalk Surf ; Don't Have To Shop Around ; I Want Someone ; Sugar Sugar ; I Want A Girl ; Patch My Heart ; I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love ; My Inspiration ; Whatever Hurts You. Bobby Marchan : What Can I Do ; You Won't Do Right. The Mar-Keys : Last Night ; Morning After ; About Noon ; Foxy ; Popeye Stroll ; Whot's Happenin' ; Sack-O-Woe ; Bo-Time ; Bush Bash ; Banana Juice ; Grab This Thing, Part 1 ; Philly Dog. Derek Martin : Soul Power. The Memphis Nomads : Don't Pass Your Judgment. Floyd Newman : Frog Stomp. Ollie & Nightingales : I Got A Sure Thing. Otis Redding & Carla Thomas : Tramp ; Lovey Dovey ; Knock On Wood. Deanie Parker & The Valadors : My Imaginary Guy ; Each Step I Take. David Porter : Can't See You When I Want To. The Premiers : Make It Me. Eddie Purrell : The Spoiler. Otis Redding : These Arms Of Mine ; That's What My Heart Needs ; Pain In My Heart ; Come To Me ; Don't Leave Me This Way ; Security ; Chained And Bound ; That's How Strong My Love Is ; Mr. Pitiful ; I've Been Loving You Too Long ; I'm Depending On You ; Respect ; I Can't Turn You Loose ; Just One More Day ; Satisfaction ; My Lover's Prayer ; Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song) ; Try A Little Tenderness ; I Love You More Than Words Can Say ; Shake (live) ; Glory Of Love ; (Sitting On) The Dock Of The Bay ; The Happy Song (Dum Dum). Wendy Rene : After Laughter Comes Tears ; Bar B-Q ; Give You What I Got. Sir Mack Rice : Mini-Skirt Minnie ; Love Sickness. Rufus & Carla : Cause I Love You ; That's Really Some Good ; Night Time Is The Right Time ; When You Move You Lose ; Birds & Bees. Sam & Dave : A Place Nobody Can Find ; Good Night Baby ; I Take What I Want ; You Don't Know Like I Know ; Hold On I'm Comin' ; Said I Wasn't Gonna Tell Nobody ; You Got Me Hummin' ; When Something Is Wrong With My Baby ; Soothe Me (live) ; I Can't Stand Up (For Falling Down) ; Soul Man ; I Thank You ; Wrap It Up. Sir Isaac & Do-Dads : Blue Groove. Macy Skipper : Goofin' Off. Barbara Stephens : The Life I Live ; Wait A Minute ; That's The Way It Is With Me. Johnnie Taylor : I Had A Dream ; I Got To Love Somebody's Baby ; Little Bluebird ; Toe Hold ; Ain't That Loving You (For More Reasons Than One) ; You Can't Get Away From It ; Next Time ; Somebody's Sleeping In My Bed ; I Ain't Particular. Carla Thomas : Gee Whiz ; A Love Of My Own ; Wish Me Good Luck ; I Kind Of Think He Does ; I'll Bring It Home To You ; What A Fool I've Been ; Gee Whiz It's Christmas ; I've Got No Time To Lose ; A Woman's Love ; How Do You Quit (The One You Love) ; Stop! Look What You've Done ; Comfort Me ; Let Me Be Good To You ; B-A-B-Y ; All I Want For Christmas Is You ; Something Good ; When Tomorrow Comes ; I'll Always Have Faith In You ; Pick Up The Pieces ; A Dime A Dozen. Rufus Thomas : I Didn't Believe [Rufus & Friend] ; Can't Ever Let You Go ; The Dog ; Walking The Dog ; Can Your Monkey Do The Dog ; Somebody Stole My Dog ; Jump Back ; Little Sally Walker ; Willy Nilly ; The World Is Round ; Sister's Got A Boyfriend ; Sophisticated Sissy ; Down Ta My House ; The Memphis Train ; I Think I Made A Boo-Boo. The Tonettes : No Tears ; Teardrop Sea. The Triumphs : Burnt Biscuits. The Van-Dells : The Honeydripper. The Vel Tones : A Fool In Love. Dorothy Williams : Closer To My Baby. Bobby Wilson : Let Me Down Slow.

The Astors Meet the Newcomers
Sweet Soul from Memphis
(Stax) SCD-8597-2

Order at www.fantasyjazz.com

Sweet soul music of the gritty Southern variety that Arthur Conley once celebrated is what characterized Stax Records of Memphis. The sweetly harmonized sounds of the two Memphis vocal groups in this collection are of a different sort: the grooves are decidedly Southern, but the singing owes more to the Detroit/Philadelphia neo-doo-wop tradition. The Astors' tracks span the years 1961 to 1967 and include the group's biggest hit, "Candy," with its unforgettable "On the Trail" quote. The Newcomers' selections are from slightly later--1969-75--and find the youthful group evolving from the Jackson 5-inspired "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" to the more mature, O'Jays-like sounds of "Keep an Eye on Your Close Friends" and "(Too Little in Common to Be Lovers) Too Much Going to Say Goodbye."

Personnel:

The Astors
#1-11
Curtis Johnson, Richard Harris, Harold Johnson, Richard Griffin, Elihue Stanback, Sam Jones

The Newcomers
#12-15
Bertram Brown, Randy Brown, Carroll Lloyd, Homer Garrett
#16-20
Bertram Brown, Terry Bartlett, William Sumlin

Tracks: Candy, As You Can See, You Make Me Feel So Good, Just Enough to Hurt Me, What Can It Be, I Found Out, In the Twilight Zone, Mystery Woman, Daddy Didn't Tell Me, More Power to You, Candy (Live from 5/4 Ballroom), Girl, This Boy Loves You, Open Up Your Heart (Let Me In), Mannish Boy, You Put the Sunshine Back into My World, Pin the Tail on the Donkey, Humpty Dumpty, Keep an Eye on Your Close Friends, (Too Little in Common to Be Lovers) Too Much Going to Say Goodbye, The Whole World's a Picture Show.

Note : You Make Me Feel So Good and As You Can See were in fact recorded under the name The Chips on Satellite single S-105.

BOOKS

Sam and Dave : An Oral History (For the Record)
by Sam Moore, Dave Marsh

Paperback, 132 pages
Published by Avon Books (Pap Trd)
Publication date: February 1998

Order at www.amazon.com

Edited by one of America's preeminent pop music journalists, "Sam and Dave" offers an inside look at Sam and Dave, the soul stars who brought the sound of the black church into popular music with such hits as "Soul Man" and "Hold on, I'm A-Comin'". Photos Print & radio interview campaign. Radio giveaway promos. Web site promo

A remarkable story. an incredible book, an amazing man
Sam Moore is one of the greatest voices of soul music (even if he says he doesn't think so). In this book, he tells his own story in his own words, and that story is by turns triumphant and tragic, funny and harrowingly sad. The highs of "Soul Man" and "Hold On, I'm Coming" are here, and so are the lows of Sam's drug addiction and the loss of a partner to the same habit. Sam cuts no corners, and pulls no punches. He bluntly tells of his early years, when he would do almost anything to get what he wanted, and the price he ultimately paid for that. But this is no unrelenting sob story. The spirit and great good humor of the man behind the music comes through. This is nowhere more evident than in Sam's recounting of his marching band days, when he fooled almost everyone (including his band teacher, Cannonball Adderley, no less), at least for a while, into thinking that he could play the saxophone. Sam also gives a thorough personal glimpse into the making of the great Stax sound, taking the reader into the studio (a converted Memphis movie house) as those wonderful hits were created. Maybe the best thing about the book is that, by the end, you know that Sam's story is not over, and there's more great music to come. The heart and the soul and the voice are as strong as ever, and you want to hear more. For soul fans, this book is a must, but this honest self-appraisal will reach out and grab anyone.

Rob Bowman
Soulsville, U.S.A. : The Story of Stax Records

Hardcover, 450 pages
Published by MacMillan General Reference
Publication date: November 1, 1997

Order at www.amazon.com

Grammy Award-winning historian Rob Bowman discloses the behind-the-scenes deals and business transactions that contributed to the rise and fall of Stax Records--the greatest R&B label ever. Readers will walk the halls of the famous studio that produced hits for the likes of Otis Redding, Booker T. and the MG's, and many others. 40 photos.

Peter Guralnick
Sweet Soul Music

438 pages
First published in 1986 by Harper and Row

Order at www.amazon.com

This is the best history of sixties Soul Music... as important for what it says about America, class and race issues, and the sixties as for its outstanding musical insights. A great part of the book is dedicated to Stax and Atlantic records with numerous and rare photos.

>>>

INDEX -- NEWS -- INFOS -- STAX TODAY -- FOCUS -- ADS -- LISTS -- LINKS -- PHOTOS -- CONTACT