I was arguing against someone who wants to hold up Kid Rock as the posterby for southern rock

I would think that KR's strong roots in hip hop would put him out of the running for that title. Not that he doesn't have serious southern rock influences. But, to me, he's much more AC/DC meets Run DMC meets Skynyrd.

Hec! I went to a book reading with George Pelecanos tonight, and I name-dropped you, and told him I'd sent you a book of his, because I knew you'd dig the way he used music. And I am currently listening to the soundtrack CD for his latest book -- how cool is that?

Super fuckin' cool! What's on his soundtrack CD?

Isn't My Morning Jacket supposed to be southern?

I was trying to remember their name earlier! Yeah, I would say so. Kind of a cross between Skynyrd and the Flaming Lips.

I was gonna mention My Morning Jacket! *pouts*

Not so new, but Slobberbone has that bastard-son-of-Skynyrd thing going on.

Also, there was a female folkie-ish busker at Canal Street tonight doing a terrible cover of Nirvana's "Come As You Are." I shuddered.

Can somebody give me a quick couple of southern rock bands, newish if that's ok?

Southern Culture On the Skids? I dunno . . . .

Well, there's always the Rainmakers, but I think everyone here is tired of hearing me talk about them by now.

Will you still love the atmosphere when the staff is halved?

Especially if your best friends at work are the ones to go?

What's on his soundtrack CD?

Funny you should ask...

Song Title - Artist - Record Label
1. Don't Fight It - Wilson Pickett - Atlantic
2. Tonight's the Night - Solomon Burke - Atlantic
3. Born Under a Bad Sign - Albert King - Atlantic
4. A Fool For You - The Impressions - Warner Bros.
5. It Tears Me Up - Percy Sledge - Atlantic
6. You Don't Miss Your Water - William Bell - Atlantic
7. I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down - Sam and Dave - Atlantic
8. I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now) - Otis Redding - Elektra

Apropos of Jesse's list Estelle Axton died recently. She was the co-founder of Stax Records with her brother, Jim Stewart (Stewart + Axton = Stax). Stax had a distribution deal with Atlantic, which eventually bought the company. William Bell, Sam & Dave and Otis (whose records were released on the Atlantic subsidiary Atco) were Stax natives. Wilson Pickett's commercial breakthrough came when Atlantic VP Jerry Wexler dragged him to Memphis to record with the Stax house band, Booker T. & the MGs, whose guitartist, Steve Cropper, co-wrote said breakthrough, "In the Midnight Hour". Albert King's biggest success, "Born Under a Bad Sign", came out on Stax. One other point of trivia, "I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)" was co-written with Jerry Butler, co-founder of the Impressions.

What a great life she had!

Axton enjoyed a second hurrah in the late Seventies, when her Fretone label issued Rick Dees' chart-topping "Disco Duck."

Ahh well. No one's perfect.

I jusst sold off a bunch of invoices from Phillips's Sun to Stax. I had to do a bunch of research on the label. Pretty cool. Sad to see her obit.

What a great life she had! "...her Fretone label issued Rick Dees' chart-topping "Disco Duck." Ahh well. No one's perfect.

Indeed. But my favorite "second act" story is Sylvia Robinson. She and Mickey "Guitar" Baker (cf. Little Willie John's "Need Your Love So Bad") had a big hit with "Love Is Strange" in the mid-50s. A decade later she & husband Joe Robinson started a record label & studio. Five years later Sylvia had another big hit of her own, "Pillow Talk". A couple years later she wrote & produced Shirley & Company's "Shame Shame Shame" (which was also Shirley Goodman's second act, the first being "Let the Good Times Roll" in the 50s). But Robinson's enduring claim to fame is probably founding Sugarhill Records. She's had a cool life.