Memphis Jolly-Up, May 26-30, 2005.

Backslapping time. Well done us. We are fantastic.
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Velvis
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Postby Velvis » 17 Jun 2005, 16:16

Let me throw in a mention of the teddy boys.

I couldn't help noticing that, prevalent among the Memphis tourists were a lot of middle-aged (58-60 year old) Englishmen with big 50s-style hairdos and mutton-chop sideburns. These, Yomp informed me, were die-hard teddy boys, making the pilgrimage to the haunts of their idol, Elvis Presley.
a gibbon running freely

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RAT
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Location: Riverside Hotel, Clarksdale

Postby RAT » 17 Jun 2005, 21:25

Baron O' Boogie wrote:"The boardinghouses were places where some old woman boarded half a dozen or so day hands who were bachelors. They came and went, and that's where the blues was played. I mean, you could tell what was goign on by where the wagons were or the horses were, or where the automobiles were later on. There were killings, but really very few, and it was nothing premeditated. People would be drinking, and there'd be a spontanous argument between men in the group. Women played a big part in that."


Well I know they can't been talkin' 'bout this place then cause it ain't never been no boarding house. That's what I was said to your tour guide and them all too. This the Riverside Hotel and Cafe. Nah, ain't never been no trouble up in here - you got to be able to handle your drinkin up in here if you wanna stay, that it's or it's that door - up to you.

What'nt no fightin' in the Subway Club neither when I ran it. No, it was the smoothest place in town then and everybody what came respect it and act right in that club. Some them others clubs could of been some like that but not the Subway Club. But I can't tell you about them places. You got to ask the peoples what run them how they was. I can only tell you about my place. Same like nobody can tell you about this place but me.
My family been owning this place since 1944, it ain't never been no boarding house.

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RAT
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Postby RAT » 17 Jun 2005, 21:28

take5_d_shorterer wrote:
Baron O' Boogie wrote:Hey everybody! I was just reading ...

"The boardinghouses were places where...


``You read that in a book!'' --Frank Ratliff


And that's why books ain't no good. I ain't mad with you now, I just want the story to be right.
My family been owning this place since 1944, it ain't never been no boarding house.

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Livet
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Postby Livet » 18 Jun 2005, 01:42

As we were leaving the Riverside Hotel, Rat handed me a poem he had written with a guy called Nath. He told me to pass it around and I completely forgot about it. I just uncovered it and felt that it was my duty to share it. He obviously saw me for the hippy chick that I am...

"24 Things to Always Remember and One Thing Never to Forget...

Your presence is a present to the world
You are unique and one of a kind
Your life can be what you want it to be
Take the days just one at a time

Count your blessings, not your troubles
You'll make it through whatever comes along
Within you are so many answers
Understand, have courage, be strong

Don't put limits on yourself
So many dreams are waiting to be realized
Decisions are too important to leave to chance
Reach for your peak, your goal and your prize

Nothing wastes more energy than worrying
The longer one carries a problem, the heavier it gets
Don't take things too seriously
Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets

Remember that a little love goes a long way
Remember that a lot...goes forever
Remember that friendship is a wise investment
Life's treasures are people...together

Realize that it's never too late
Do ordinary things in extraordinary ways
Have health and hope and happiness
Take the time to wish upon a star

And don't ever forget
For even a day
How very special you are!"

By Rat and Nath

Just to show another side of Rat...
The crazy music drives you insane

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Shagger Dave
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Postby Shagger Dave » 19 Jun 2005, 06:00

eelpie62 wrote:Our tour guide from Sun Studios (the one with the big mutton-chop side burns) was just interviewed on A&E's "City Confidential". It's an older one, so it's a repeat. They're talking about some murder in Memphis and the first part of the show is a history of Memphis, including the Sun years and the civil rights struggle. It's interesting enough just to see places I was just at a couple of weeks ago, but to all of a sudden see our own tourguide was a kick.
Was he still wearing the Lee Press On sideburns?
He tries.

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eelpie62
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Postby eelpie62 » 19 Jun 2005, 16:02

Shagger Dave wrote:
eelpie62 wrote:Our tour guide from Sun Studios (the one with the big mutton-chop side burns) was just interviewed on A&E's "City Confidential". It's an older one, so it's a repeat. They're talking about some murder in Memphis and the first part of the show is a history of Memphis, including the Sun years and the civil rights struggle. It's interesting enough just to see places I was just at a couple of weeks ago, but to all of a sudden see our own tourguide was a kick.
Was he still wearing the Lee Press On sideburns?


Just as we saw him, including the Sun t-shirt and Buddy Holly glasses.
"Nuts"
~ Anthony McAuliffe, December 22, 1944

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Shagger Dave
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Postby Shagger Dave » 19 Jun 2005, 16:21

eelpie62 wrote:
Shagger Dave wrote:
eelpie62 wrote:Our tour guide from Sun Studios (the one with the big mutton-chop side burns) was just interviewed on A&E's "City Confidential". It's an older one, so it's a repeat. They're talking about some murder in Memphis and the first part of the show is a history of Memphis, including the Sun years and the civil rights struggle. It's interesting enough just to see places I was just at a couple of weeks ago, but to all of a sudden see our own tourguide was a kick.
Was he still wearing the Lee Press On sideburns?


Just as we saw him, including the Sun t-shirt and Buddy Holly glasses.
God bless 'em. I have a feeling he sleeps under the piano.
He tries.

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take5_d_shorterer
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Postby take5_d_shorterer » 20 Jun 2005, 04:58

Just thinking about Graceland while listening to ``The Green, Green Grass of Home'' from Velvis's comp, in specific the last verse:

...they'll all be there to meet me
In the shadow of that old oak tree
As they lay me beneath the green, green grass of home

which, of course, one thinks of when remembering the graves behind the house.

Why am I thinking of this now? Mostly because it just occured to me that the thing I thought I would have thought on visiting Graceland--namely the Spinal Tap moment: ``Since my baby left me...no...what are you doing? You're singing a fifth above. You're supposed to sing a third.''--never came to mind when I was actually there.

The parody just never crossed my mind. It's not that I like Elvis all that much. I don't, or I distrust any admiration I have of him--liking Elvis, Lester once said, is sort of like liking the Pentagon--but the sadness of the actual scene, which wouldn't have translated well to screen (somehow it only translates reasonably well onto the page), blocked that out.

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eelpie62
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Postby eelpie62 » 20 Jun 2005, 12:43

take5_d_shorterer wrote:Why am I thinking of this now? Mostly because it just occured to me that the thing I thought I would have thought on visiting Graceland--namely the Spinal Tap moment: ``Since my baby left me...no...what are you doing? You're singing a fifth above. You're supposed to sing a third.''--never came to mind when I was actually there.

The parody just never crossed my mind.


Dave, Carl, Livet & I handled that for the BCB crew.

By the way, I've been meaning to ask: did anyone else who took the Civil Rights Museum tour notice the instructions on the Rosa Parks bus that said "take a seat to activate driver"? It was not an easy sign to notice, but was an interesting part of the tour. As soon as you sit down (assuming it's in a seat in the front half of the bus) the driver-statue starts yelling at you to move to the back of the bus. He gives you three warnings and tells you "if there are other busses where they allow your kind up front then get off of my bus and go there". After the three warnings he says "I'm going to have to call the police now".
I didn't notice anyone else who went through the bus before or after I did doing that, they really need to make the sign a lot more obvious. It's a tattered, faded sign on the steps of the bus as you get on. It looked more like one of the little billboards that are all over busses than instructions for those on the tour.
"Nuts"
~ Anthony McAuliffe, December 22, 1944

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Sambient
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Postby Sambient » 20 Jun 2005, 16:10

Regarding Sun Studio tour guides, as I am the only idiot who went through twice, both on Bill Murray day and Saturday, they each had a different spin on it. Both details and a few facts were different. I liked the Thursday one a bit better. He invited people to lick the microphone as opposed to telling people not to do so.

No, I didn't.

They also both said different things regarding the instruments in the studio.
Thursday dude: these aren't the actual instruments anymore but replicas made to look exactly like them.
Saturday dude: these aren't the actual instruments used but others of the same vintage.

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BARON CORNY DOG
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Postby BARON CORNY DOG » 29 Jun 2005, 03:51

Jamie ... I know you got some pretty pictures ... what up?
take5_d_shorterer wrote:If John Bonham simply didn't listen to enough Tommy Johnson or Blind Willie Mctell, that's his doing.

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Kenji
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Postby Kenji » 11 Apr 2006, 16:49

It's a great thread!

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BARON CORNY DOG
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Re:

Postby BARON CORNY DOG » 02 Apr 2013, 04:45

RIP RAT. :x :cry:

RAT wrote:
Baron wrote:

Clarksdale was more than I expected. Perhaps that's largely due to T-Berry's suggested trip to the Riverside Hotel. I will leave the telling of that story to others and to pictures that are sure to be forthcoming. It is already one of the most-referenced events of the weekend.Here is a good rundown of what's really going on over there. To be short, T-Berry was telling us what it was all about after we pulled up. He couldn't have known it, but, no matter what he may have read, the term "Boarding House" used in reference to the Riverside Hotel is not welcome by the proprieter. After extensive corrections (despite the obvious fact that if ever there were a "boarding house," this would be it) we went inside. I'll leave the rest to the rest of y'all who were there, but "Rat" is very generous with his time and we were lucky to get out of there by sundown. To be honest, I think I pretty much knew what we were in for from the time he took us inside. It was a trip. There was a priceless clipping from JFK Jr.'s visit down there. The headline? "I Had Fun."


Now see this here, this is what I mean. They already still saying this is a boarding house when I showed 'em the sign say Riverside Hotel and Cafe. And he right, he can't tell you about my place because you got to come to me to find out about my place. Listen - I been owning this place since 1944. It was my mothers palce and when she die I took over. I kept everything just like it was. The outside, o.k., I don't touch. I make the inside nice but the outside look just like it did. This what happen when some tour guide come up and start talkin about its a boarding house - now I'm not angry he called it a boarding house. He read it in a book and that's why books aint no good. You got to come to me to find out about my place. John did stay here too, he stayed in room eleven right down here - it used to be the woman's ward, part of it was the bathroom. I didn't even know who he was - he was staying with my mother right in the other room and she said "child you better get in there and get you some sleep" I didn't even know who he was. I got the sheets put up in the other room in a bag. But this wasn't never a boarding house. I mean I'm not mad about it I just want the story to be straight. I got people who come in here from all over the world. This is home, o.k., when people come here they comin home. I got people been livin' here from 2 months to 20 years been livin here, this is home. But it ain't never been a boarding house. That sign say Riverside Hotel and Cafe.

Image


yomptepi wrote:So, here we are, and where to go next. Jamie suggests we drive around the block to the Riverside Hotel. He tells us the story of Bessie Smiths road accident, and how she died right here. We park outside , Jamie tells of how impoertant this place is the history of the Delta Blues, and the developement of popular music. Other people have posted pics of this place, so I wont bother.

However, as we are told about how this boarding house is so crucial to everything, and diminuative Blck man crashes out of the building, and immediately asks if he heard it called Boarding house. Of course, this story is well told now, but i have photographic evidence of The Admonishment Of T.Berry Shuffle
Image

Then follows a very strange tour around a total timewarp. Rat is just effervesant with his stories, and is delighted to give us the most animated guided tour. Names are dropped with wild abandon. Martin Luthor King, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, John Kennedy. Magic. This is just the most magical couple of hours. I cant tell you. :D


Bessi Smiths Bed

Image
take5_d_shorterer wrote:If John Bonham simply didn't listen to enough Tommy Johnson or Blind Willie Mctell, that's his doing.

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bhoywonder
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Re: Re:

Postby bhoywonder » 02 Apr 2013, 11:54

The Baron wrote:RIP RAT. :x :cry:


Aw, that's sad news. He was a great guy, very welcoming and always at hand to tell the stories long into the night, sat on the porch. RIP Rat.

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BARON CORNY DOG
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Re: Memphis Jolly-Up, May 26-30, 2005.

Postby BARON CORNY DOG » 27 May 2014, 15:31

Nine Years. One of our best efforts.
take5_d_shorterer wrote:If John Bonham simply didn't listen to enough Tommy Johnson or Blind Willie Mctell, that's his doing.

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Six String
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Re: Memphis Jolly-Up, May 26-30, 2005.

Postby Six String » 06 Jun 2014, 18:07

That was a hell of a good time, no doubt. It's hard to pick just one to be the best but the first one is always special.
The fact that we even pulled it off still,kind of amazes me. I'm glad it happened when it did though. With my narcotic influenced inertia it would be hard to pull it off now. My neck issues were still two years away unbeknownst to me.
Everything is broken
B. Dylan


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