Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story [Import]

Big Star (Artist), Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 1, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Big Beat UK
• ASIN: B0013NBBHO
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #183,098 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

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

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. In The Street (single version) - BIG STAR

2. Feel Alright - CARGOE

3. When My Baby's Beside Me - BIG STAR

4. My Life Is Right - BIG STAR

5. Back Of A Car - BIG STAR

6. I Love You Anyway (single edit) - CARGOE

7. I Got Kinda Lost - BIG STAR

8. Let Me Look At The Sun - THE HOT DOGS

9. Mod Lang - BIG STAR

10. She's A Mover - BIG STAR

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

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.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great chronicle of the earlier history of the great Memphis Record Label/Studio!, May 1, 2008

By 

W. Rabeneck "billyrayhombre09" (Arkansas United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story (Audio CD)

If you think that music in Memphis, Tennessee has been limited to the Blues; the 1950s Rock-a-billy by Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash; the great soul music that came out of the Stax and American Studios in the 1960s; or some of the current Southern Rap/Hip Hop artists, this CD is here to let you in on an underground secret. In the 1960s and early 1970s, there were quite a few young, suburban, white boys in Memphis who were quite heavily under the influence of British Invasion Rock like: the Beatles, the Who, and the Kinks. And lots of these British Rock loving, Southern boys formed bands that gravited to, and recorded at Ardent Studios.

The big song here that most people will probably be familiar with, though by a cover version, is "In The Street" by the band Big Star. It was later covered by Cheap Trick and used as the theme of the Fox Network's "That 70s Show".

This two disc collection also contains Big Star's classic "September Gurls", Tommy Hoehn's classic "Blow Yourself Up", and Chris Bell's classic "You and Your Sister". And for those interested in hearing radically changed cover versions there's the Hot Dog's garage rock cover of Johnny Cash's "Walk The Line". 44-songs were chosen for this collection, and I can honestly say that I really like at least 35 of them.
This collection shows a side of Memphis music that is usually hidden from all listeners except for Power-Pop collectors.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars memphis rock, February 21, 2009

By 

Frank Mendoza (Blue Island, IL United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story (Audio CD)

Great rock n roll never heard of any of these bands back in the day but i'm glad i did now. If your thinking about buying it , do you won't be sorry. Frank

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Check Our Cargoe Live In Memphis, October 16, 2008

By 

Peter Walker (Hollywood, CA. USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story (Audio CD)

Two songs on this issue are by power pop pioneers Cargoe. Check out "Cargoe Live In Memphis".. Knows as the Best Live Band in Memphis at the time, this is a very early Terry Manning venture which sounds even better after being remastered for CD. A unique band for the time with songs that take a bit of listening to fully appreciate. But after hearing the CD a few times, they get stuck in your head and you find yourself wanting to listen to it again. The lyrics are positive, multi-meaning, and mystical at the same time. The "Live In Memphis" CD recently released on the "Lucky 7" label is probably the only other recording of the band from that time, and worth a listen if just to appreciate the Live "edgy" feel the band was famous for..