Customer Reviews

The Complete Stax/Volt Soul Singles: 1972-1975

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Who killed Stax Records? Well, this is a question that Rob Bowman, Stax scholar, try to answer in the text he wrote for this box set. Bowman talks about money, power, ambition, inflated egos, betrayals and the fight between an independent music label and a giant media corporation to indicate why Stax Records ended in 1975. Maybe the music industry killed Stax Records using payola as a poison. Maybe Disco Music killed Stax Records and Soul Music in general when it arises from the underground clubs to the top ten lists in the early seventies. Whoever or whatever killed Stax Records in the mid 70's didn't kill it's music. Forget the critics who said that this box set isn't good as the first (the black box) and the second (the blue box) Stax boxes. THE COMPLETE STAX/VOLT SOUL SINGLES - VOLUME 3, the red box, is a compilation of epic proportions, the definitive document of the end of an era in Soul Music and in Black culture. The final chapter in Stax' history is full of great music and beautiful voices. I think that it's an impossible task to mention in a few lines all the best musical moments of a 10 CD compilation that has more than 10 hours of music, but i can say that some of these great musical moments are provided by the voices of almost forgotten artists like Annette Thomas, Hot Sauce, Veda Brown, The Mad Lads, The Temprees, Mel and Tim and The Newcomers. These artists' records and the records of Stax' veterans like Rufus Thomas, William Bell, Eddie Floyd, Johnnie Taylor, Isaac Hayes and The Bar-Kays are among the best 70's soul output. The red box proves that Stax produced great music until the end. Stax died, but it's music will live forever. Right on.

If you enjoyed the first set ( 1959- 1968) and the second set ( 1968-1971), then you need to buy the 3rd set ( 1972-1975).

Stax was in an expanding phase due to the recent success of Shaft, as well as other high quality artists like Albert King, Johnnie Taylor,and the Staple Singers. The third set describes the change in the distribution deal that ultimately lead to the downfall of Stax.

The 3rd set is a necessary purchase for those people that purchased both first and second sets due to the continued quality that Stax released throughout their existence and, in my opinion, literally contined until the McLemore studio in Memphis was padlocked.

The first 8 discs contain great hits as well as great artists. The last 2 discs are bare due to many artists that bailed in 1974 in order to continue their respective careers. However, many unknowns prove to be very good!

The hard luck that befell on Stax will make the Stax lover very sad. Although the company went through several phases in its structure and development, the quality of product remained high.

The Memphis Sound Lives!

Although its true that the STAX singles that WERE the Memphis Soul sound "we all grew up with" (even if we were born 20 years to late) came circa the '60s (Otis Redding, Booker T, Mar-keys era) etc., fact is this:
STAX was releasing some REALLY bad*ss funky soul in the early '70s, the catch maybe is that the label didn't have AS distinct a sound as it did a few years earlier (then again, minus the romanticism, maybe it could be argued that one of the reasons Stax's sound was so unique was that so many of the hits sounded the same... yet were fronted by performers who had the star power to represent the sound... a pattern typical of most the great labels of the era) - - by the '70s, the STAX sound you hear is one that is evolving... and one in which the groups, rather than relying on one house band are also beginning to have their own sound... hence a label that was a true treasure chest of talent. While the world was catching up with them, STAX was simply "searching" for new directions... and hear you can hear it... gospel, funk, blues, rhythm & blues... even the orchestral soul of Issac Hayes and then some.

Though this box set might sound a bit pricey, actually its dirt cheap when you consider than if you buy all volumes of the story you're getting a full and complete soul education... and only 10 years earlier hunting down all this stuff would not have only been virtually impossible but cost a couple thousand dollars (this volume alone.) Now, hear it all is for relatively very little money, all in GOOD condition (nothing beat up or scratched) and at the push of a button... and minus the funky basement smell (actually I kinda miss that...)

If you like this series, definitely go watch the WATTSTAX (Living Word) DVD as well as Rob Bowman's SOULSVILLE U.S.A. book on the behind the scenes story of the label... they fit perfectly together.

By 1972, Stax had proved that it could carry on and be just as strong as it was during its first golden era when Otis Redding was its principal star. The label from '68-'71, as chronicled in the second box, enjoyed a greater multitude of success, new acts, and experimented with new sounds to keep up with the changing times, both socially and musically, but it still stuck to its gritty and raw roots that made Stax what it was; it was that Southern flavor with the exposure of blues and gospel coming through strong. It was the antithesis of Motown's polish and refinement. Here, the Stax sound was laced with bass guitar, simple yet funky drum licks, oozing organ, and a tight horn section. At this point, where this third set documents, it was all that but with many different ensembles(whether they were in Detroit, Muscle Shoals, or at their own McLemore studios there in Memphis) giving their own take on that trademark Southern sound.

At 10 CDs and 213 tracks, this set covers the latter-most era as Stax moves from just before its biggest triumph at its own sponsered music festival, Wattstax, to its unfortunate downfall in bankruptcy. As Stax was reaping the rewards of success in the summer of '72, Stax was placed in the distributional hands of CBS, a major player in popular music, to which hopefully Stax could acheive the once-and-for-all monumental household-name status of that of Motown. With Stax over-spending, certain people not being careful enough with money, and with CBS supposedly over-ordering, warehousing and holding back funds on Stax product, the deal went sour and Stax became racked with debts that would ultimately force them into a shutdown in late fall 1975.

Despite that kind of story that went behind the scenes of these fantastic recordings, none of that seems to cloud the atmosphere of the music. The silky smooth and raw funky '70s sounds of R&B are brought forth quite well. It is, as always with Stax, the stuff to get your groove on with!

Longtime Stax veterans Eddie Floyd, William Bell, Rufus Thomas, and Johnnie Taylor still enjoy some success, particularly the latter-most mentioned with his hits like "I Believe In You" (disc 4), "Cheaper To Keep Her" (disc 5), and "I've Been Born Again" (disc 7), and "Doin' My Own Thing" (disc 1) which is a return to his roots in blues. Rufus continues his string of dance singles like "Itch and Scratch" (disc 3), "Funky Robot" (disc 4) and "Boogie Ain't Nothin' But Gettin' Down" (disc 8), William Bell providing soul-soaked ballads like "Lovin' On Borrowed Time" (disc 4), and "Getting What You Want" (disc 7), and Eddie Floyd, who in my opinion, had the most fun-sounding repertoire such as "Yum Yum Yum (I Want Some)" (disc 1, the opener), "Soul Street" (disc 8), "Baby Lay Your Head Down" (reggae-sounding, disc 5), and "I Got A Reason To Smile" (disc 9). There are too many great songs to mention, as is the case with all the artists, and it's even a shame when looking at the list of singles that failed to hit the charts, because some have loads of potential. Take the Bessie Banks cut on disc 9, "Try To Leave Me If You Can"; that is such a sumptuous performance.

Other artists that slowly watched their careers at Stax dwindle down during this time is Carla Thomas (everything from her is great), the Bar-Kays (same), and Isaac Hayes (same again, check out his only vocal duet with David Porter on disc 2). Yet amidst some of the older acts seeing less and less activity in the output, many of the other artists continued to thrive along with new acts trying to get their names across. The Staple Singers are among Stax's most successful vocal groups as well as the Dramatics, the Emotions and the Soul Children along side Stax newbies Frederick Knight, Mel & Tim, Sandra Wright, Veda Brown, and Shirley Brown. Blues men Albert King and Little Milton continue to contrubute to the bluesy side of Stax while soul men and women you don't normally associate with Stax cut a few sides like Brook Benton, Inez Foxx, the Sweet Inspirations, and even fromer Motown star Kim Weston.

If none of the other sets really consumed you musically and emotionally through its feeling and lyrics, this one will. The lyrics reveal the honesty and sometimes intensity of what every human being experiences. Read near the beginning of the booklet where it says "Guts"; that about sums it all up.

Though this was Stax's closing years, it was more diversified than ever with its roster and with its genres of music that it branched out on. Not every single that Stax issued is here, hence the name "Stax/Volt Soul" singles. The rock group the Gentrys ("Keep On Dancing"), cut some sides with Stax, but they are not here. If that were the case, goodness knows how many more discs this one could have spawned if it covered rock, country, jazz and gospel; Rance Allen does not appear either. Not very many B-sides are included, but these are perhaps minor quibbles. This third box, like its predecessors, suits very well in telling the story of what Stax was all about. Rob Bowman's notes are very fun to read and very enlightening. Yet, every time it's still confusing as to what the root cause of what made Stax's mightiness cave in. The simple answer is that Stax became the victim of a hostile takeover, but that did not diminish the quality of the music and its soul. Enjoy the closing chapter of the story of a landmark record company that taught America that soul was in everyone.

More than 30 years after Stax-Volt last published, at last I have my hands on all three volumes of 'The Complete...'. The individual volumes have some great music, not all of which found its way around the world. Hearing great music for the first time long after the label's demise is a mixture of elation tinged with regret. Yet the breadth of the three volumes is astonishing and encompasses a range of talent, unique yet all related through the label (of course) and mostly through the session/backing musicians. If you can, buy all three volumes of this amazing collection and then turn the music up. And see how quickly your smile turns to a broad and happy grin. Enjoy.

Thankfully Stax didn't adapt their style to emerging disco and dance-funk styles of the mid-seventies. They stayed with blues-based pop. Each disc has 20 or more tracks so you will have over a days worth of classic soul for pennies a song.

Just get it.

[DW]

It started in 1959 and ended in Beauty in 1975. Hundreds f marvelous Songs. This is a beautifull Collectors Item.

According to Rob Bowman, it's pretty clear that greedy Jonnie Baylor, a stupid lowlife thug to whom Al Bell acceeded way too much power, did more than anyone to kill Stax. This pathetic crook earns a special place in African-American hell alongside Johnnie Cochran and OJ Simpson. Read Bowman's "Soulsville, USA" and learn how a piece of trash helped destroy one of the greatest musical legacies in American history.

This is the last of the three boxes. Is it as good as the previous two ? Depends on YOUR taste. But the thing is , there is enough here to keep your musical appetite satisfied for days to come. You'll wonder why there weren't more hits from this period. And you'll curse the fact that there isn't a single commercial radio station that will play ANY of these fine slices of soul. So , buy it , sit back and immerse yourself in sweet soul sensations.

This elaborate, expensive, boxed set which claims to be the Complete Stax/Volt "Soul" Singles has no B-sides.

Yes, the tracks that are included are amazing, but as we all know, 45 RPM singles have TWO sides, so how can this set claim to be COMPLETE without BOTH sides? Idiots.

I'm amazed that nobody has mentioned this previously in the reviews.

Also, only records considered "soul" are represented, so the label's foray into gospel, rock, comedy & jazz are excluded.

Compared to the impressive Complete Motown Singles Series, this set is an expensive letdown and wasted opportunity.