Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story
Quote:
Memphis' Ardent Studios is one of the most respected recording facilities in the world. Everyone from Led Zeppelin to ZZ Top, from REM to Cat Power have made music within its hallowed halls. But despite the studio's reputation, it is Ardent Records, the label, that inspires legendary awe amongst pop aficionados, as the imprint that begat pop cult heroes Big Star.
Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story celebrates the label with a deluxe 2CD anthology that ranges from the its earliest mid-60s garage studio recordings to the halcyon days of the early 1970s, when a distribution deal with Stax established Ardent as a purveyor of the finest pop-rock. Studio owner John Fry had an eclectic yet completely professional approach, encouraging experiment, but always focused on sonic quality.
The compilation is neatly divided between the two eras of the studio/label. Disc One (the 1960s) features a mind-boggling range of rare garage singles and unissued psychedelic singles, as well as the early studio experiments of Big Star's Alex Chilton and Chris Bell. Disc Two (the 1970s) examines the Stax era and beyond, with selections from Ardent acts Cargoe and the Hot Dogs, and no less than 14 rare or unissued Big Star-related cuts, most of which have not been on CD before.
Thank You Friends benefits from full access to the Ardent tape vault and the sound quality is second to none. The lengthy sleeve notes by Alec Palao draw upon in-depth interviews with both Fry and Ardent associates Jim Dickinson and Terry Manning. It is a unique insight into a chapter of both Memphis and pop music history.
Tracklist is:
Disc: 1
1. Geraldine - THE OLE MISS DOWNBEATS
2. If You Want Me You Can Find Me - LAWSON & FOUR MORE
3. Batarang - THE AVENGERS
4. White Doors - THE WALLABIES
5. Halfway Down The Stairs - LAWSON & FOUR MORE
6. Hands Are Only To See - THE BITTER IND
7. The Surveyor - THE 1ST CENTURY
8. Rocks - TERRY MANNING
9. Up & Down Children - THE WALLABIES
10. Not At All - TERRY MANNING
11. Looking Down - THE 1ST CENTURY
12. In 1852 We - THE HONEY JUG
13. Patches Of Dust - THE GOATDANCERS
14. Psychedelic Stuff (demo) - CHRIS BELL
15. Free Again (original mix) - ALEX CHILTON
16. All I See Is You - CHRISTMAS FUTURE
17. Every Shoemaker - THE BADGERS
18. Miss Eleana - SID SELVIDGE
19. Lovely Lady - ROCK CITY
20. Every Day As We Grow Closer (original mix) - ALEX CHILTON
21. Guess Things Happen That Way - TERRY MANNING
22. Feeling High - CHRISTMAS FUTURE
23. The EMI Song (Smile For Me) (original mix) - ALEX CHILTON
24. Think It's Time To Say Goodbye - ROCK CITY
Disc: 2
1. In The Street - BIG STAR
2. Feel Alright - CARGOE
3. When My Baby's Beside Me - BIG STAR
4. My Life Is Right (alternate mix)- BIG STAR
5. Back Of A Car (demo) - BIG STAR
6. I Love You Anyway - CARGOE
7. I Got Kinda Lost (demo) - BIG STAR
8. Let Me Look At The Sun - THE HOT DOGS
9. Mod Lang (alternate mix) - BIG STAR
10. She's A Mover (alternate recording) - BIG STAR
11. I Walk The Line - THE HOT DOGS
12. September Gurls - BIG STAR
13. Big Black Car (demo) - BIG STAR
14. Lovely Day aka Stroke It Noel (demo) - ALEX CHILTON
15. For You (original mix) - BIG STAR
16. Downs (demo) - ALEX CHILTON
17. Kizza Me (original mix) - BIG STAR
18. Holocaust (original mix) - BIG STAR
19. You And Your Sister - CHRIS BELL
20. Love You (All Day Long) (alternate mix) - TOMMY HOEHN
21. Thank You Friends (original mix) - BIG STAR
22. Blow Yourself Up - TOMMY HOEHN
23. My Mind - THE SCRUFFS
24. Don't Worry Baby (fragment) - ALEX CHILTON
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=7752
