A few weeks ago my manager, Michael Weeman, asked me if I wanted to go to Memphis to participate in the Indie Impact Conference that was being put on by the Memphis Chapter of the Recording Academy. Free airfare and hotel, speak on a couple of panels, a little networking, some drinking - "No problem" I said. Of course in the week leading up to it I was slammed, putting in 14 hour days getting a new Field Mob mix done, a mix for Rich Boy (Interscope) and of course finishing Memoranda (my biggest priority). Thursday at the airport I was soooo tired I was about to vomit. "Why the hell am I doing this?" I thought. Well I'm glad I did, and here's why.
I wouldn't have eaten at Gus's Fried Chicken. That was the first place we went. Rode down on the Trolly car. Great fuckin food!
Here's Michael getting ready to go in to Gus's.
This is what I ate.
If I hadn't gone I wouldn't have been able to hang with the guys from Free Sol. They are an awesome band out of Memphis that I've been a fan of ever since my manager turned me on to them last year. They just signed with Justin Timberlake's label. I called up Free and asked him if he wanted to have a drink with me, Michael and Reid Hunter (my and thier laywer). Free said he had to leave early the next morning to go to a gig so he'd couldn't be out too late. Cool, I thought, I was tired anyway. Well let's just say "too late" means something different to Free than the rest of us cause after drinks at Automatic Slims (we sat at a table in the exact spot where they played one of thier first gigs. Elliot pointed to a power outlet next to the table and told me how the whole band had to pug into that one plug) we went to a party, then to a club called Senses where I found myself at 3am chasing a taxi down the road yelling at the top of my lungs to stop.
If I hadn't gone I'd have never met Jim Greene who took me, Michael and Reid out to eat ribs at Rendezvous. Jim has a company called TCB Concerts and apparently is THE man.
If I hadn't gone I wouldn't have met all the wonderful people that put on the conference. Normally when I go to these sort of events I get alot of people pushing thier own personal agendas or hyping me on some band. But I got the feeling that everyone there was pushing Memphis itself. It is a great town and there is something to the place. Lots of talent. It's amazing how many people have no idea of the musical lagacy that Memphis has. Thank you Catherine!
I wouldn't have met Al Capone. He is a local rap legend who had some of his songs featured in the movie "Hustle and Flow". He is a really cool dude. I was introduced to him by his manager, Michael Allenby from Red Light Management, who's company also manages Dave Matthews and The North Mississippi Allstars. We talked about working together.
I'd have never met Steve Mack. A mixer out of Seattle and a very funny guy who in the most impassioned voice yelled out at dinner one night "I hate 300 hertz!!!". Which to me is very funny, but I don't think anyone else got it.
I'd have never met Larry Crane. Larry founded and runs Tape Op magazine. THE best magazine for people that record music. Larry is the real deal and runs his own studio as well. His magazine has free subsciptions. Check it out at www.tapeop.com.
And of course if I hadn't gone I'd have never met the incredible Dallas Minner. Dallas picked us up at the airport and at first I thought he was just the driver for whatever company was hired to drive us music industry jackasses around town. My first clue that he was so much more was the he was wearing a police badge on a chain around his neck. I found out he was the travel agent for all this as well. He also knew every fact there is to know about Memphis (did you know that the Memphis airport is the busiest airport in the world between midnight and 6am? - major Fedex hub). He also drove everyone every where up to late late hours and still showed up early in the morning with a smile on his face to pick us up. He always had bottles of water in the van for us. At one point he jumped out of the van and started directing traffic as if he had done it all his life! Dallas is an enigma and I suspect that all of Memphis might just come to a screecchg halt if he left.
If I hadn't gone I'd have never experienced that Memphis vibe. This town may have been out of the spotlight for a minute but they never stopped doin what they do. I'm going back!