[from Fayetteville AR] The studio
tours were maybe my favorite part of Gonerfest. I knew like the Sun Studios
history of Memphis but there’s so much more it turns out. Stax for one, but
that’s hardly the end. At the two studio tours I ‘won’ admittance to, I was surrounded
by super music nerds, emphasis on the nerd part. My Saturday night tour
(between afternoon & evening sets of music) was at Ardent Studios. Despite
loopy exhaustion, I still arrived Right On Time. It was deserted. I was
confused. I suspected I’d been set up. And then, while
circling the building trying to find the entrance, I ran across an old skinny guy. I asked him if
he was there for the tour. He nodded gruffly and we fell into pace. We found
fellow tour-goers … who, upon seeing my ‘buddy’, immediately began genuflecting.
Turns out my buddy was Jody Stephens from Big Star … oops.
I am aware of their
elevated status in rock n roll history but had to look up the song I like by
them … because they’re boring. I said it. The studio had a nice ambiance –
red-brick mellow in the style of how I thought all universities looked as a
kid. Jody was not inspiring or warm, intent on maintaining his
old-rock-and-roll cool-guy reserve.
And, even
though I love music trivia more than most people, I wearied quickly of the questions
that were just poorly masked Jody-ass-kissing or musical-knowledge-dick-waving.
Academic conferences: different context, same annoyances. They were giving us free drinks so by the end
I was mellowed enough to chat with the two older ladies behind me. I was mostly
looking to talk to the one who had made defiant comments regarding drumming
throughout the whole tour. She was surly, an aged Breakfast-Club-Ally-Sheedy,
but I was enjoying the challenge. Her friend was all sorts of friendly – they
were there sans men – this one’s man (I doubt the other one had a man) is a
drummer or roadie for Rob Zombie? I was suitably impressed. I pressed my luck
and teased aged-Breakfast-Club-Ally-Sheedy about her surly
attitude and she swiftly told her friend it was time to explore the grounds. So
… back to my own devices again, I turned to my left and met a pack of Dutch men,
on vacation from Dutchland. We all lyfted to the evening venue together, along
with one of the more odd music nerds (from Canada). I claimed this band as my
new favorite band but I take it back now. They’re good but I was too tired for
proper evaluation. They’re founded in metal and hard rock, messy but perfectly synced
and grooved, with some psych moments. I was transfixed by their inexplicably
hot female drummer. In them I heard JC Satan (from France, the loud & quiet
exchange, I’m mildly obsessed with this band after seeing them at SXSW a few years ago), Endless Bummer (from LA), Ty
Segall (same label, I actually don’t like him at all, too much chaos too little
order). I also kept thinking of Jesus Lizard and Tubeway Army but probably
because of t-shirts I saw walking around, with my mind vulnerable and all.
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