Tiger46
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NTR-STAX Records
I saw a great documentary about STAX records on public television the night before last. I'm sure it's aired in Memphis before, it seems to be at least 5-10 years old.
For anyone in the know, did Union Planters (and Bill Matthews) really cause the downfall of STAX?
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| 08-03-2007 08:55 AM |
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tweetmartin
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RE: NTR-STAX Records
I saw it too (& taped it). I thought it was VERY cool. It looked like Al Bell had a hand in the demise also. I mean they kinda glossed over the suitcase of money in the airport part.
After seeing that I'm gonna go down there (McLemore) and get some tunes or some gear.
Very cool.
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| 08-03-2007 09:09 AM |
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nutbushtiger
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RE: NTR-STAX Records
Very sad end to STAX... glad to see them making a comeback and getting some recognition for the great music they put out, under the STAX label and many other different labels from Atlantic to Volt.... they had many great artists, but the heart and soul of STAX was Booker T and the MG's and the Barkays.... either band and sometimes both backed every artist on the label and were probably heard on every album ever made there.... they were the real deal as far as musicians go.
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| 08-03-2007 09:53 AM |
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oldtiger
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RE: NTR-STAX Records
Sorry I can't address your original question, but I also saw that documentary. I loved that music and was so dissapointed when the hammer fell.
When some of the shops on Beale first opened, one of them had bought a ton of Stax office stuff and had it for sale. I picked up a Steve Cropper pay check for 25 cents. Along with my 1,000,000th MSU fan certificate and the LB expansion coin, the Steve Cropper coin is one of my prized possessions.
I didn't realize that Estelle Axton's first action after leaving Stax was Disco Duck.
Man, I miss hearing those horns regularly.
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| 08-03-2007 09:57 AM |
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oldtiger
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RE: NTR-STAX Records
nutbushtiger Wrote:Very sad end to STAX... glad to see them making a comeback and getting some recognition for the great music they put out, under the STAX label and many other different labels from Atlantic to Volt.... they had many great artists, but the heart and soul of STAX was Booker T and the MG's and the Barkays.... either band and sometimes both backed every artist on the label and were probably heard on every album ever made there.... they were the real deal as far as musicians go.
Agree 100%. I had an old album "Stax/Volt Review" which was a European tour of all those guys. "Otis Redding Live in Europe" was another result of that tour. Otis, Carla, Sam & Dave, Eddie Floyd, BT and the MGs (Memphis Group) and the Barkeys - - - music doesn't get any better.
Sadly, the Stax/Volt album melted in the rear window of an old Nova.
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| 08-03-2007 10:02 AM |
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jetigerman
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RE: NTR-STAX Records
I taped it night before last. It was on again last night. Apparently, WKNO is playing it a lot now. There is more on pbs.org.
I was in school back then, and we used to have the best music at every party as all the Stax guys could be hired on the cheap.
What stood out to me was how harmonious the race relations were prior to MLK, and how everything changed after the shooting. It was described as after the shooting race became an issue--it wasn't even a thought prior to MLK.
Getting back to the downfall--it was stated that when the CBS guy who put the deal together was fired--there was no one at CBS with his vision of how to sell Stax to the white audience. CBS quit promoting the Stax artists--the revenues fell and the expenses stayed the same. It takes extraordinary management talent to stay afloat in that scenario. Stax apparently didn't have the best management and when the bank called the loans it was over.
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| 08-03-2007 10:18 AM |
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kabluey
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RE: NTR-STAX Records
SAw it here in Tucson. Made me miss home.
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| 08-03-2007 08:21 PM |
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nutbushtiger
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RE: NTR-STAX Records
Was browsing youtube and had to post these vids of the Bar-kays and Rufus Thomas the Wattstax concert at the Coliseum in LA. Think it was filmed in 71' and put out a couple of years later. The concert was in memory of the Watts riots a few years earlier in LA and was put on by Stax records with nothing but STAX artists from the Bar-kays to Rufus Thomas to Isaac Hayes... this is "Son of Shaft" by the Bar-kays. Pretty funky if you like the funk.... http://youtube.com/watch?v=pMw6GaA1-Ug and the best "Funky Chicken" Rufus Thomas.... this is the stuff.  http://youtube.com/watch?v=A9gO59ooAA8
I also saw someone mention you might be able to get the complete video of the concert on amazon, might have to check that out.
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| 08-07-2007 07:06 PM |
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NTR-STAX Records
