Otis redding their biggest star and four members of the barkays were killed in a plane crash in december 1967. Stax records and the soul explosion, the author writes, it was a huge and glorious effort, interweaving the grand themes of salesmanship, civic responsibility, and the recording arts. A joyous and heartbreaking story that says a lot about america. Robert gordon has been writing about memphis music and history for thirty years and is the author of it came from memphis, cant be satisfied, the king on the road, and the elvis treasures. Stax records is an american record label, originally based in memphis, tennessee. Stax museum introduces new online archive website stax. Stax records and the soul explosion is a fascinating story. Robert gordon had some great interview sessions with the stax management and session. Robert gordon has been writing about memphis music and history for more than three decades. A generation later, stax is rebuilt brick by brick and is once again transforming disenfranchised youth into stellar young musicians. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read respect yourself. Perhaps the crown jewel of the stax reissue program is the twodisc soul explosion album which has been newly remastered and released on vinyl for the first time since 1969. All of my life, stax has been part of my own soul i had singles by booker t. Its about music and musiciansisaac hayes, otis redding, the staple singers, and booker t.
Rare items from the stax archives opens the archival vault with an incredible collection of concert posters, trade advertisements, album cover artwork, the catalog from 1969s soul explosion, a full and rare collection of stax fax newsletters, and childrens books about isaac hayes and the staple singers. The company has also curated a soul explosion playlist for the streaming platforms. Then, after losses both business and personal, the siblings part, and the brother allies with a visionary africanamerican partner. Their success is startling, and stax soon defines an international sound. Their distribution agreement with atlantic records was dissolved, resulting in the loss of several. Stax museum a nominee in the new usa today 10best contest for best music museum. Stax records catalogue their iconic history on double lp soul. Staxs soul explosion 50 years later rock and roll globe. Back on vinyl for the first time since 1969, soul explosion offers a sampling of the stax records biggest hits and stars of the day, with eddie floyd, the mad lads, the staple singers, albert king and more. From a tiny studio fronted by a record store to the fifth largest blackowned business in america, stax produced a grittier, more real alternative to the poporiented african american music coming from motown in the sixties and early seventies a veritable soul explosion, as gordon puts it. Stax records and the soul explosion respect yourself as performed by the staple singers, that is is much more than a nostalgia trip or a. Running through gospel heritage month in september, the campaign includes the digital release of 25 albums, plus special playlists. Stax records and soul music provide a window into the story of americas central tensions and triumphs, that of racial segregation and the civil. Its fitting, then, that memphis is a main character in robert gordons book respect yourself.
Stax records and the soul explosion, a book about stax records, the conflict in memphis, and the resolution in sweet southern soul music. One of the very best books i have ever read about the music business. Of particular interest is the gettin it all together catalog, which features the 27 lps released during stax records soul explosion, the massive sales. Stax records and the soul explosion and over 8 million other books are available for amazon kindle. A white brother and sister build a record company that becomes a monument to racial harmony in 1960s segregated south memphis. The late 50s and early 60s was an era of institutionalized. A white brother and sister build a monument to racial harmony in blighted south memphis during the civil rights movement. Set in the world of 1960s and 70s soul music, respect yourself is a story of epic heroes in a shady industry. Founded in 1957 as satellite records, the label changed its name to stax records in 1961 and shared its operations with volt records, a sister label created to avoid the impression of favoritism among radio stations playing their records stax was influential in the creation of southern soul and memphis soul music.
Their biggest hits may have been behind them, but they were determined to. Stax records and the soul explosion is a meticulously researched and downright entertaining book. Robert gordon the story of stax records unfolds like a greek tragedy. Stax records and the soul explosion by robert gordon and booker t. If you feel so inspired after reading this book, that you can buy from amazon, then check these wonderful stax box sets the complete stax volt soul singles. Listen to the ghost of stax past, the tapes robert pulled out of the debris when the stax. The story of stax records unfolds like a greek tragedy. Soul explosion is an essential reissue of masterful music from a rich time in history. I worked for several years for atlantic records the original distributors of stax and now holders of the original hit material. Robert gordons new book tells the history of stax records, the famous memphis label responsible for some of southern souls definitive recordings. Stax online archive goes live with deep cuts project. Robert gordons respect yourself the new york times. Set in the world of 1960s and 70s soul music, respect yourself is a characterdriven story of racial integration, and then of black power and economic independence. Gordon, a memphis resident who has written books about his citys.
The future of stax was riding on the success of the event. Soul explosion is an essential collection of masterful music. This future looked bright as sales in the wake of the soul explosion were the best that stax had previously enjoyed. He won a grammy in 2011 for his liner notes to the big star box set keep an eye on the sky. The demise of stax is sad, unfortunate, but perhaps unavoidable. Soul explosion summit atendees with covers it was known as the soul explosion, and craft recordings has just rereleased a twolp set by that name that served as the capstone of this herculean. Bell went on to declare that the industry began to forget that we didnt have a catalog. A newlook stax that of the instantly identifiable snapping fingers announced itself with soul explosion, the nearsimultaneous release of some 28 albums in 1969, with isaac hayes stepping forward from the relative shadows of his successful songwriting career alongside david porter to become the very public voice and face of his hot. An incredible and iconic snapshot of the worlds greatest soul and blues artists. To me, the music of stax records, the seminal soul music label from memphis, has always been sacred, from the time i was a child. Its about music and musiciansisaac hayes, otis redding, sam and dave, wilson pickett, the staple singers, and booker t. Knock on wood, soul man, hold on, im coming, in the midnight. Staxs demise was made the more poignant by the labels.
Books such as this one could be used in history classes about the advent of popular music and soul music from the latter part of the 50s, through the tumultuous 60s, and into the mid 1970s. Stax records and the soul explosion by robert gordon 2014, hardcover at the. His film work includes producing and directing the documentary respect yourself. Craft recordings is celebrating the 50th anniversary of stax s soul explosion with a deluxe vinyl reissue of the soul explosion album on may 31st, 2019. Stax records catalogue their iconic history on double lp. The second disc of the set includes a selection of rare tracks, many of which are exclusive to this collection. A white brother and sister build a record company that becomes a monument to racial. A white brother and sister build a record company that becomes a monument to racial harmony in 1960s. In the late 1950s, jim stewart, and his sister, estelle axton, moved their little fledgling recording studio into the defunct capitol theater in memphis, tenn. Stax records and the soul explosion by robert gordon 2015, paperback at the best online prices at. Honoring the memphis musical force with vinyl releases and digital reissues. Books best sellers new releases childrens books textbooks australian authors kindle books audiobooks respect yourself. Soul explosion is the sound of an era, an important turning point in the development of stax records.
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