# Memphis



## rutabowa (Sep 2, 2009)

i get to go to memphis for about 4 days at the end of september! i think i will probably just go to some bars and stuff I guess the best thing is just to wander around? i want to go to the most dangerous neighbourhood, where is that?


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## El Jefe (Sep 2, 2009)

jealous


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## rutabowa (Sep 2, 2009)

i'm going to this! http://www.goner-records.com/gonerfest/


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## El Jefe (Sep 2, 2009)

looks ace


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## rutabowa (Sep 2, 2009)

yeah i really want to see the reatards! and all the rest. i think it will pretty much take up all the time i'm there tho but I've got 1 evening and a little bit of sunday free


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## mhendo (Sep 3, 2009)

Memphis is a bit of a shithole. The downtown area is completely dead after 5.00pm, and even the tourist strip where all the great music allegedly happens, Beale Street, is nowhere near as good as its reputation suggests. And it's fucking complete wilderness for a vegetarian, although i admit that i didn't expect any different. I have never been there during Gonerfest, though, so things will probably be much more lively for you.

It might seem cheesy, but Graceland is definitely worth a visit. I was skeptical, but had a great time there checking out all the kitschy crap that Elvis accumulated. It's also amazingly compact for such a famous mansion. You could lose it in one corner of some of the English country houses i've visited.

Another place i really like is the National Civil Rights Museum, which was put together in the building of the old Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King was killed. It's a fascinating historical site with some great exhibitions.


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## Fuchs66 (Sep 3, 2009)

mhendo said:


> Memphis is a bit of a shithole............... The downtown area It might seem cheesy, but Graceland is definitely worth a visit. I was skeptical, but had a great time there checking out all the kitschy crap that Elvis accumulated. It's also amazingly compact for such a famous mansion. You could lose it in one corner of some of the English country houses i've visited.


I'm just down the road from Memphis at the moment (again) and I was sort of with you until you said that Graceland was good. Its a kitschy shitehole. Beale Street is soso if you catch a good day it can be great and for the carnivores amongst us the ribs are good


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## twistedAM (Sep 3, 2009)

Fuchs66 said:


> I'm just down the road from Memphis at the moment (again) and I was sort of with you until you said that Graceland was good. Its a kitschy shitehole. Beale Street is soso if you catch a good day it can be great and for the carnivores amongst us the ribs are good



I think Graceland is both a kitschy shithole and somewhere worth visiting especially for people watching. Time I went i was in a shuttle bus full of retired southern Baptists from Pigsknuckle, Alabama. It was hilarious to see how they interpreted Elvis as some god-fearing all-American.

Not a fan of Memphis. Last time I was there i spent most of my time playing blackjack on the Mississippi in some small town on the outskirts and then buggered off to Nashville.


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## Sunspots (Sep 3, 2009)

rutabowa said:


> i'm going to this! http://www.goner-records.com/gonerfest/



Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, etc.

Have a great trip.


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## 1927 (Sep 3, 2009)

mhendo said:


> Memphis is a bit of a shithole. The downtown area is completely dead after 5.00pm, and even the tourist strip where all the great music allegedly happens, Beale Street, is nowhere near as good as its reputation suggests. And it's fucking complete wilderness for a vegetarian, although i admit that i didn't expect any different. I have never been there during Gonerfest, though, so things will probably be much more lively for you.
> 
> It might seem cheesy, but Graceland is definitely worth a visit. I was skeptical, but had a great time there checking out all the kitschy crap that Elvis accumulated. It's also amazingly compact for such a famous mansion. You could lose it in one corner of some of the English country houses i've visited.
> 
> Another place i really like is the National Civil Rights Museum, which was put together in the building of the old Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King was killed. It's a fascinating historical site with some great exhibitions.



I had to change flights in Memphis a couple of years ago so hopped off for the weekend, absolutely loved the place. I'm no Elvis fan, and in fact quite contrary to my expectations there is very little mention of him anywhere. Did Graceland as it seemed silly not to and it was well worth the money, did the VIP tour only about $30 and it was totally not what I expected. Did the Civil Rights museum too which is worth spending a half day on, and saw the filming of some film about the assassintaion of a president round the corner. 

Cant agree with it being dead after 5pm tho, we were there in November and the place was buzzing. Beale street is great cos they have this system where you can buy a drink in one bar and walk around with it, go into other bars etc. Plenty of good Blues bars and street entertainment a plenty. Can't wait to go back for longer next time.

If yuou got a car its really useful as you can enter 3 states in 10 minutes! Cross over the bridge into Arkansas and then pop into Mississipi.


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## QueenOfGoths (Sep 3, 2009)

We went a few years ago - in a freezing January.!

Would recommend Gracelands - it is really interesting regardless of whether you are a huge Elvis fan or not and comes across as a bit flashy but more than that it has a real sense of it being a family home.

Also Sun Studios is worth a visit. Not sure whether the tour guide we had - El Dorado, and yes that was his real name - is still there but if he is perhaps you would like to tell him I am still rather in love with him even after 7 years 

http://www.sunstudio.com/plan-your-tour/

Beale Street was pretty busy when we were there, despite it being January and pretty quiet elsewhere. Also the novelty/excitement of walking into a certain bar and someone saying "Welcome to the Issac Hayes Bar and Grill" took quite a while to wear off


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## rutabowa (Sep 7, 2009)

i might go on the sun studios tour. probably wont bother with gracelands as have very limited time...i'm not too worried abotu downtown being dead in evenings as most of those are already taken up. this is where we are staying, i like the review that begins  "This filthy hotel room looked like a crime-scene before the cleanup"
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUser...-Artisan_Hotel_Memphis-Memphis_Tennessee.html


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## 5t3IIa (Sep 7, 2009)

I watched this the other night Hustle and Flow http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0410097/ Is set in Memphis with no mention of Elvis.


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## rutabowa (Sep 7, 2009)

i'm not that bothered about seeing elvis stuff, i will probably just "hang out"


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## Sunspots (Sep 7, 2009)

If I went, I'd want to visit the sites of the studios. Sun, American Sound Studio (-now demolished, I think), Phillips Recording (-Cramps!), and Ardent.  I doubt they're all open for visitors though, so I'd probably just hang around outside 'til they called the police... 

I'd be really keen to see a bit of the Jim Dickinson/Alex Chilton/ Tav Falco (-although I think he's in Europe these days) side of Memphis' musical history.  Which, again, would probably mean, as you say, hanging out in bars and clubs and just soaking it all up. 

I'm sure you'll find everything you're after though...


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## Sunspots (Sep 7, 2009)

Aren't/weren't  from Memphis too?

I'm also trying to think which of the more recent garage bands might be from Memphis.  (-Useless Eaters?)  I suppose you'll get to see them all at the Goner Festival...


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## rutabowa (Sep 7, 2009)

Sunspots said:


> If I went, I'd want to visit the sites of the studios. Sun, American Sound Studio (-now demolished, I think), Phillips Recording (-Cramps!), and Ardent.  I doubt they're all open for visitors though, so I'd probably just hang around outside 'til they called the police...
> 
> I'd be really keen to see a bit of the Jim Dickinson/Alex Chilton/ Tav Falco (-although I think he's in Europe these days) side of Memphis' musical history.  Which, again, would probably mean, as you say, hanging out in bars and clubs and just soaking it all up.
> 
> I'm sure you'll find everything you're after though...


apprently the philips studio is still sort of a working studio but they are not even that keen on taking bookings it has just been left to go derelict, or something


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## Sunspots (Sep 7, 2009)

rutabowa said:


> apprently the philips studio is still sort of a working studio but they are not even that keen on taking bookings it has just been left to go derelict, or something



That just makes me want to go there even more...


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## rutabowa (Sep 7, 2009)

Sunspots said:


> Aren't/weren't  from Memphis too?
> 
> I'm also trying to think which of the more recent garage bands might be from Memphis.  (-Useless Eaters?)  I suppose you'll get to see them all at the Goner Festival...



yeh i think they were!
there is a whole load of european bands playing too


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## Sunspots (Sep 7, 2009)

rutabowa said:


> yeh i think they were!
> there is a whole load of european bands playing too



It'll be a real cool time.


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## ouchmonkey (Sep 7, 2009)

Sunspots said:


> Aren't/weren't  from Memphis too?



yes. I think they splintered into a thousand other things.

Do Graceland it's ace - Beale St. is OK but it's _well_ overrated.




eta - that looks great - i'd like to know how the King Louie One Man Band is if you see him/it


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## rutabowa (Sep 21, 2009)

yep he is playing at 5.30 at the record shop on the 1st day i will be there! the full programme is up on thei rsite now it looks awesome. i am going to get a tattoo there too, in memphis.


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## not-bono-ever (Sep 21, 2009)

will go along with all the comments here - its a dump with redeeming features

graceland is a must see ( was for me anyway )


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## rutabowa (Sep 21, 2009)

oh yeh how much do people tip in bars there?


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## not-bono-ever (Sep 21, 2009)

usuallu a $ or so each round but a decent barman will give you freebies throughout the night


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## rutabowa (Sep 22, 2009)

cool, 1$ for a round of like 2 or 3 drinks? it was always a 1$ for every drink in nyc and that's the only place i've been, cool


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## Sunspots (Sep 29, 2009)

rutabowa said:


> i'm going to this! http://www.goner-records.com/gonerfest/



So... er... did you go?  How was it/Memphis?


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## rutabowa (Oct 1, 2009)

yes thank you it was excellent. i didn't go to the downtown bit at all i was just in midtown at the festival venues and other bars around there, the hotel we stayed in was excellent it looked a bit like the hotel in the Shining except it was full of rock and roll bands having a 24 hour pool and coridoor party. my favourite 2 bars were the Lamplighter which is a beer bar on Madison that does amazing burgers and has an old 50s jukebox with country and soul and rock and roll on (and Lou Reeds Vicious) on scratched old 7"s, and also this rough bar Neils on Union which i went in on my own while friends were getting tattoos and they bought me whisky and told me how dangerous memphis was and i was like " ha yeah whatever". and i ate barbecue and catfish, annd watched about 30 bands, the best bit was the show outdoors in the yard behind this bar on the hot saturday aftrenoon. unfortunately we went back to the hotel on saturday at about 8pm for a rest and then woke up at 3am when the whole of the main night had finished but that was ok as i had had enough and by sunday i though if i didn't get out of that city i woudl just go crazy forever. the plane on the way back we were told we would not be served any alcohol during the flight as they had heard us talking and having fun or something, anyway it was ok i just fell asleep. this was one of my favourite bands of the weekend:


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## rutabowa (Oct 1, 2009)

this is Jay Reatard pissing on stage during his gig, wow he was a total wanker all weekend and the band sounded shit.


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## rutabowa (Oct 1, 2009)

these guys were AWSOME Davila 666 a puertorican garage band. the guy with the tambourine was lovely he rescued me from a slough of despondency later in the night.


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## rutabowa (Oct 1, 2009)

also we went to hang out at this guy Johnny Lowebow's shop, he makes cigarbox guitars and puts on shows to demonstrate them in his shop if you ask him to, the shop is also full of old records, signed Bukowski editions and Orange amplifiers. i ended up talking to him throughout the rest of the weekend he gave me a lot of good advice. http://www.geocities.com/lowebow/


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## rutabowa (Oct 1, 2009)

ohhh and this is King Louie kicking off the whole weekend, i remember alll this:


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## Sunspots (Oct 1, 2009)

rutabowa said:


> this was one of my favourite bands of the weekend:




Sounds like a lot of these bands; drenched in lovely reverb.  The fella with the face mask is doing his own thing though. 



rutabowa said:


> this is Jay Reatard pissing on stage during his gig, wow he was a total wanker all weekend and the band sounded shit.




Rather living up to his name there. 



rutabowa said:


> these guys were AWSOME Davila 666 a puertorican garage band.




I've heard of them somewhere before, ages ago, but I can't remember where.  



rutabowa said:


> Johnny Lowebow's shop... http://www.geocities.com/lowebow/



He's either got some mysterious swamp tunings, or it's just really out of tune; I can't quite decide.  I suppose, to be fair though, he's drumming at the same time.  Anyway, homemade guitars.  



rutabowa said:


> ohhh and this is King Louie kicking off the whole weekend, i remember alll this:




Tbh, on the strength of that clip, I think I'd rather _forget_ that one. 

All in all, it sounds like a good time; wish I could've been there.  Thanks for the front line reporting!


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## rutabowa (Oct 1, 2009)

Sunspots said:


> Tbh, on the strength of that clip, I think I'd rather _forget_ that one.


ha yeah that beginning was pretty bad. he got it together more later. his band the Loose Diamonds were very good tho, like southern boogie. one thing i noticed, virtually every band that played had only one member who could tune a guitar and all the other people would have to hand their instruments to them (or actually mostly not bother doing that).


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## JWH (Oct 18, 2009)

Sounds like you had a really  time.


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