It really is! I love it. I have all that box set on CD-R copies but I haven't played them in years. It was too expensive for me at the time.
Very tough. That's kind of like asking me my favorite Motown song. Almost impossible because there are so many. But if push comes to shove, "Knock On Wood" by Eddie Floyd.
Impossible isn't it? I went for an obscure and unusual one just so some Stax fans here who might not have heard it before hear it. I do like it as much as the classics though.
The original LP is fantastic. 11 great ballads with Otis at his best then Mr. Pitiful to finish it. Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads isn't the most inspiring title, but it's sublime.
Just for contrast sake: Ladies and gentlemen, the worst Stax record and one of the worst records ever made by anybody. (The box set booklet says the artist was a DJ they owed a favor to).
Years ago I got this Stax LP which must be early as they don't seem to have enough hits to fill the album so they include Sun records. It also features the not mighty Nick Charles. I can't remember it but I think it's pretty dreadful. I think this LP is earlier than the 1964 Discogs says. Various - The Treasure Chest Of Goldies
As a young teen back in the early 60's,one of the first 45's i ever bought and still one of my favorites.But so many others to. a classic Green Onions
You don't have too! That's absolutely great though and I'm not familiar with it. As a well known choice, I think Green Onions is one of the best singles ever.
One more and i couldn't not mention this one,not a big hit or well known song,but it's so good! Eddie Floyd "Big Bird"
I was working in a record store when the first box came out so I got it at a substantial discount, I've herad but don't own the other two, have supplemental B-side collections for the early stuff - I own most Atlantic period Stax, nowhere close on later stuff which is less distinctive to me although there certainly are later period gems.
This was just a random version i got off youtube,so i doubt this is the definite version.Still have my original 45,so need to dig it out and see how it sounds.
I meant the original, it's not that YouTube version - that record is right at the edge of distorting all to heck
Mar Keys, Banana Juice, to me this is the essence of Stax, very casual records made by a mix of white & black, young & old, insanely grooving instrumentals with ludicrously rude titles. There are records on Stax and Volt where no one is quite sure who played on them. MGs records with Isac Hayes on keyboards 'cause Booker was in school, might be Duck or might be Lewis Steinburg on bass, horns could be any number of guys, etc. New Orleans recording sessions were often similarly casual, American Studios were most often the same bunch of guys, but they might spend 50 hours on a single song, with no arrangement and little discussion - just playing it til it felt right.
