memphis strut...please help with some info!
spivy
866 Posts
i'll be in memphis for a couple days this month. where should i stay? (hotel/part of town) where should i eat for that real memphis schittt? and where should i look for records? (you don't have to give up secret spots just the places an out of towner should check...though secret spots are appreciated 
)thanks people!
)thanks people!
Comments
all of your questions can be answered, but a few need to be asked by me as well...when are you going to be here? will you have a car? what kind of food do you like? what kind of records do you like?
the best hotels are downtown, but also the priciest...
most of the things you might want to do are in midtown(about 3 miles East of downtown)...if you dont have a car and have to hoof it, there is an inexpensive hotel at the corner of Union and McLean(used to be a Holiday Inn, then a Ramada, I cant remember what the hell it is now)
things to do...
if you are here over a weekend, might I suggest "Wild Bills"... a REAL ass juke joint, not some tourist friendly "listen to the blues here" neon garbage farm down on Beale St.(AVOID Beale St.-sucks, Disneyland's version of the "Blues Experience")anyway Wild Bills is cool, but come thirsty they only sell beer by the 40oz!
Every Thursday shingaling and Myself hold down a weekly at bar called the Buccaneer...cool dive bar. Lots o fun.
STAX museum...an essential if you havent been there yet.
Food:
For the Best Fried Chicken anywhere on earth...hit up Gus's(downtown) or (my personal fave) Uncle Lou's( in the south part of the city, on Millbranch)
BBQ...for some top shelf Q, hit up the BBQ shop on Madison Ave. or Cozy Corner in South Memphis, those are the best two joints.
If you require vegetarian/vegan food...India Palace, Pho Hoa Binh, or Pho Saigon...our local health food/vegan restaurant moved and for some reaosn when they moved, the food turned to shit(probably because my girl doesnt cook there anymore, but that is a different story)...so Indian or Vietnamese is your best bet for veggie.
Records:
Shangri-La(where shingaling and myself work)...we have a lil bit fo everything, an extensive Stax/Hi(plus subsidiaries) collection of 45s, lots of cheap Hip Hop 12"s(3.99 and lower) lots of Jazz LPs, Rock LPs....
Audio Mania a disorganized mess of a shop, where you can barely walk around, but the cheap gem can be found here on the regular. Paul, the owner is a real nice guy and seems to know where things are even though a lot of the times there is no rhyme nor reason to why things are placed in certain places. But a good "gotta sit on the floor and pull shit out form under tables" place to dig.
Goner Records...good store with a decent(check condition carefully!) selection of soul/funk 45s...good Soul and Jazz LPs that are priced very fairly(scooped a Harvey Averne "Viva Soul" there Saturday for 8 bucks) and lotsa punk records.
River Records...shit ton of 45s, but priced via the Manship guide... make sure you dont have an english accent or the price doubles.
Last Chance Records...most truthfully named record store of all time...this is the last place ya go. Dirty shop with sometimes a surly clerk to be unhelpful, this is the place to go for current 12"s, dance stuff, techno/drumnbass stuff, new reissues...the used LPs are very underwhelming, but the odd gem can be found if you are there on the right day.
thrifts:
drive down Elvis Presely Blvd. past Elvis' house for a few good spots...picked up a James Mason in one of those spots not too long ago...also go down Summer Ave. for a bunch of antique mall/thirft stores.
Also shingaling and myself have some records for sale(everything from $5 crate fillers to $200 LPs), you are more than welcome to come over a dig at my house...you would have to ask shingaling if he extends that invitation. If you are a big baller, I can hit up the Memphix dudes if you are in the posistion to buy some $300 funk 45 raers.
Hope this helps...hit me on the PM if you need anything!
Eric, you forgot to mention Ellen's on South Parkway.
yes! how could I forget? best soul food in town, close to the Stax museum...good to hit up before or after the museum....but I would go after the museum, because you will need a nap after chowin' down there!