Further Memphian Tales

We also checked out the Memphis Rock N Soul Museum while we there. Isn't it great the way Americans are willing to spare no expense on their heritage, you could easily spend a day in this fantastic museum which covers every aspect of the marvellous music that this town gave the world. You're given a headset to guide yourself around the exhibits which not only gives information on everything but allows you to hear full songs from every era, from Hellhound On My Trail to Flying Saucer Rock N' Roll (they came down to help us do the bop indeed!) to Call Me to September Gurls. Worth the entrance price just to see Isaac Hayes' stage costumes. No photos allowed inside the building but here's one of my kicking the over sized football statue outside for intended, but failed, comedic effect.

A word of warning: you might be tempted to visit the Gibson guitar factory across the street and take the tour but do not. Rubbish, frankly


If you do ever get there, do not miss the Stax Museum, and you may as well do it right by taking the tours provided by this crowd, Backbeat Tours. We had the great Gary Hardy as a guide, which meant we got to hear inside stories and see Willie Mitchell's Studio, Aretha Franklin's birthplace and the motel where Martin Luther King was gunned down as well as Stax.

The Stax tour starts off, like them all, with a short film and you then go through excellent presentations on the history of soul, from the early days of field hollers, gospel and blues, up through the various successes of the record company. Again, no photos allowed, but I did get to stand in the reconstructed studio beside Steve Cropper's guitar and saw more of Isaac Hayes' gear. The man must not have had a mirror in his house. Exit is through the gift shop, as always, but it was worth it this time as I managed to pick up a Booker T. & The MG's box set for next to nothing.