We all had an amazing time over in America and are looking forward to going back next year for our Route 66 tour, where we’ll also be featuring at the International Rockabilly Hall of Fame in Jackson, and the Hank Williams Birthday Celebration in Montgomery.
Bars, Pubs & Restaurants
Bars/Pubs/Restaurants
Huey’s Downtown (Memphis)
Huey’s is a great classic American bar/restaurant. The food is absolutely amazing. They say that Huey’s burgers are the best in town, and I think they’re probably right. If you go to Memphis, you’ve simply got to visit a Huey’s. There’s four of them so you’re bound to be near one. They also have live music regularly and other fun events. They’re always busy and lively so you’re guaranteed a good time.
Kudzu’s (Memphis)
A tiny dive in Midtown, this place has bundles of character and really friendly locals/bar staff. You’ll get a good welcome here. The food is good and the beer is reasonably priced. They also have live music at weekends from 10pm.
Poncho’s Mexican Restaurant (West Memphis, Arkansas)
Jason our drummer told us that if we were going to West Memphis then we had to go Poncho’s. We took his advice and called in for a bite to eat. The staff were very friendly and we got free refills on our coke, as well as free nachos and chilli cheese dip. There was a good choice for vegetarians, a lot better than most places in America, and it was a reasonably priced meal.
P&H Café (Memphis)
A large, dark and dingy bar in Midtown. The place gets totally packed out at weekends and is open late. They have bands on at weekends and karaoke most other nights. The beers are reasonably priced.
Silky O’Sullivans (Memphis)
A seriously overpriced Irish bar on Beale Street, this place was expensive even when compared to the other pubs/bars on Beale. The main thing you’re paying for of course, is the idyllic outside courtyard in the shade, complete with bandstand for live blues music. If you’re prepared to pay for it, then you can have quite a good time here. Surprisingly, we only stayed for one drink, but we made it last to make the most of our surroundings (and our money).
Huey’s Midtown (Memphis)
Much the same as Huey’s Downtown, it’s actually hard to tell the two places apart. Played a cool gig here.
Miss Ollie’s (Jackson)
A surprisingly large swanky piano bar in downtown Jackson Tennessee – great decor. This place has three different rooms all leading on from one another and all of them incredibly huge. It’s hard to imagine how they fill the place, but we were only there on a Tuesday night it still got pretty busy. We weren’t paying for our drinks so can’t comment on beer prices!
Jason’s Deli (Jackson)
This is a chain of restaurants and I think they run throughout America although I can’t be certain. It had quite a good choice for vegetarians and was very tasty. I’d describe it as a healthy fast food restaurant – with salads and healthy sandwiches served in a fast food style. Sort of a bit like Subway really, although I think a bit healthier than them even.
Mexican (Jackson)
We went here for our wedding day meal with my parents after spending about half an hour going round all different restaurants in the area trying to find one with a half decent vegetarian choice. This place had three vegetarian options so that was a big hitter. We were the only people in there but that meant we got really well looked after by a very friendly staff member. We were treated great and the food was really nice. Would recommend.
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge (Nashville)
Extremely overpriced drinks and you’re still expected to tip with every drink. You’ve got to go there because it’s a famous bar but I probably wouldn’t go more than once. Considering it’s history, the music wasn’t all that great either. We had an interesting experience…
Red Rooster (Nashville)
This was near where we were staying and was our local honky tonk. It was a massive place with a big stage at one end and the night we went was really busy. The beers were a little pricy but still OK when compared to Tootsie’s prices. We had an enjoyable evening there.
The Stage (Nashville)
Stayed for one beer here which was a quarter cheaper than Tootsie’s. The music was average. A lot of people rave about the place but we found it a little overrated, at least on the day we were there. They came round with the tip jar too many times and we felt pressured to put money in so we left. Nice big place though and I believe it gets very busy at night time.
Robert’s Western World (Nashville)
I liked the theme and style of the bar and there were lots of interesting things up on the walls. The beer was OK priced (I think a quarter cheaper than Tootsie’s). The band were supposed to be the best in town but we didn’t rate them all that much. Watched one full set then left.
Montgomery Brew Pub
This was a really great bar and was quite typical of a classic American bar. It was lively and the people in there were friendly. We had a meal here which was really nice and reasonably priced. They also served our favourite cider and we didn’t care how much that cost! They had a band – a bunch of young kids. They were obviously quite talented but it wasn’t really our type of thing so we left not long after they started.
The Alley Bar (Montgomery)
This is a really big bar in downtown Montgomery, split into two large rooms. The staff were friendly and we were well looked after. Can’t comment on the price of food and drink because we were on freebies. The menu they had some interesting and unique items on the menu and very tasty.
Woody’s (Tupelo)
A small but very welcoming bar in Tupelo. The staff were brilliant and the manageress went out of our way to make us vegetarian food. The people at our show had a real blast and we had great fun with them. Limitless supplies of free beer.
Vanelli’s (Tupelo)
Can’t say enough good stuff about this place – an amazing Greek Italian restaurant. The food here is just superb and a brilliant choice for vegetarians. It was the best meal we had the whole time we were in the States. And the staff, wow, we were looked after like royalty or family (or both!). The management and staff were just so friendly and nice you felt like you’d made friends for life. Any future visits to the Mississippi area will definitely involve a trip to Vanelli’s!
Smoking Caterpillar (Memphis)
On our return trip to Memphis before coming home we played a gig here at the Smoking Caterpillar in Midtown. It’s a strange little place – a shisha bar with brightly painted walls and murels. They have live music regularly here and it got quite busy as the night went on. They don’t have a great selection of beers though, and only serve chicken wings as food!
Touristy Things
Touristy Things
Rock & Soul Musuem
The museum explores the history of Sun Studios and Stax – two of the most famous record labels to come out of Memphis. Being a rock n roll person, I was more interested in the Sun section of the museum and spent ages going round all the different exhibits. You get a set of headphones and a radio, and it gives you a guided tour. Most people probably just spend a couple of hours in there, but the three of us were there for about 4 hours! Definitely worth a visit if you’re into the music.
Beale Street
Of course almost everyone has heard about the legendary Beale Street. We walked down there a couple of times during the day and took some pictures. Didn’t actually drink much down there because it was too expensive. We met my parents for a drink in the afternoon on the day they arrived and it cost $7 for one glass of wine. It’s a pretty interesting place and always lively and busy. I believe at night it’s absolutely heaving but we never made it down there at night – we were too busy! Couldn’t really comment on the quality of the bands because we only saw one guy playing some blues on an acoustic guitar.
Graceland
Wow, Graceland was amazing! I’ve heard some people say it’s overrated and too expensive and so on, but for Wes and I it was like a religious experience. We both cried when we got to Elvis’s graveside and had to take a few minutes to sit in silent contemplation of the King. I loved going round the house and seeing all the rooms, they were all amazing. And then the extra bits of the tour afterwards like the cars, the plane, the costumes – they were all incredible. Even though I’ve now seen it all, I’d still go again and spend more time there. We were there for about 5 hours, but it’d be nice to have had a couple more, we did feel a little rushed near the end.
Carl Perkins Home & Grave
The day after our gig at Miss Ollie’s, two of our fans took us on our very own tour of Jackson to all the key music sites/locations, starting with Carl Perkins’s house on Plantation Drive. We all piled out and had our photos taken, then we went on to the cemetery where he was buried and had a few minutes at his graveside.
Rockabilly Hall of Fame
On the same trip with the tour guides mentioned above, we also visited the Rockabilly Hall Of Fame in Jackson. This was a really fun experience. We met the president Henry, who had been promoting our gig at Miss Ollie’s by putting a poster in the window. He got us all to sign the poster and sign the CD we made at Sun, and they’re both going to be placed on the wall with a little display about the band. Saw some great pictures and old rockabilly artifacts.
Ryman Auditorium
The world famous Ryman Auditorium, home to the Grand Ole Opry for many years. Lots of people talk about its unique atmosphere and it did have a sort of energy to the place even though it was empty. It’s just so seeped in history you can feel it in the wall and in the hard wooden seats of the pews. We sat down and were shown a short film to get us going, then we walked round and looked at the exhibition at the back before going on our backstage tour. We weren’t allowed to take piccys but I remember it all anyway – winding corridors all decorated with pictures of the famous people who’d played on there, and dressing rooms dedicated to different people like the Johnny & June room, the Hank Williams room and so on. It was amazing! When we got round the front again we were allowed to have our pictures taken on a section of the stage near the front. They had a couple of guitars there that people were posing with but Wes just grabbed it and started playing and singing Folsom Prison Blues! Everyone crowded round and were taking pictures of him, then we all got up and had our picture taken. He ended up doing the whole song – brilliant!
Broadway
This is the main street where all the bars and honky tonks are. It’s a pretty touristy place these days and all the “honky tonks” are overpriced and charge ridiculous amounts for a beer then demand a tip but hey, you gotta go there even if it’s just once. It was fun to walk up and down and listen to all the amalgam of music coming out of all the bars, that way we didn’t have to pay for anything! We also had a good time looking in the many Western and Cowboy shops, some overpriced others very reasonable. The bars and clubs that are just off Broadway are slightly cheaper and often better quality so check them out as well.
The General Jackson
This was a showboat owned by Opryland which we saw advertised on a flier and just decided to go, it wasn’t in our overall plan or anything, but we saw that they did a country show which included a buffet. It was quite reasonably priced and we got to ride all along the river just as the sun was setting. We took loads of pictures of the skyline. The show was brilliant – really professional and it took you through the whole history of country music right from the early days to now. We weren’t so much interested in the modern country songs but we enjoyed the whole show anyway. It was definitely worth the price.
Country Music Hall of Fame
There was so much to see here we ran out of time and had to come back the next day, but they very kindly stamped our tickets. Our ticket price included a backstage tour at RCA Studio B which is famous for Elvis and the Nashville Sound. This was brilliant and really interesting! At the museum itself they had a special Hank Williams exhibition which we took a long time looking round, and all of the top floor was dedicated to country music right from its origins to the mid 1970s. The floor below was for the modern stuff, we skipped right through most of that, but we still spent about 10 hours in total!
Grand Ole Opry
You can’t go to Nashville without seeing a Grand Ole Opry show, but because of the recent floods the Opry was currently being held at various locations throughout Nashville and not at the Opry House, which was still flooded out. The show we went to was held at the Municipal Auditorium, and because of its size, was probably the largest Grand Ole Opry show ever held! The highlight of the show was seeing Little Jimmy Dickens. We didn’t really know any of the other acts because they were modern acts but they were OK and we were there for the experience more than anything. It was a good atmosphere and the speaking and advertisements in between acts reminded me of the old Opry. It was a really brilliant experience and if I lived in Nashville I’d probably go all the time (when I could afford it).
Dixie Stampede
Pigeon Forge is such a tiny place but it’s like a mini Blackpool or Las Vegas. We weren’t there for long so the only thing we got chance to do was the Dixie Stampede. We were glad we chose it. You go into a big arena where you’re split between the North and the South, then you’re served a large meal (which you eat with your hands) whilst they act out the Civil War and the history of America live right in front of you, with horses, cows, pigs, chickens, fighting and all sorts. It was a brilliant show, although I was a bit sad we had to be in the North. I wanted to be in the South – Dixie til I die, yeahhh!
Hank Williams Museum
This museum in Montgomery turned out to be right next to our hotel, which was very handy. If you’re looking for something that will tell you the full history of Hank Williams’s life from beginning to end then you’ll be disappointed because this museum isn’t like that. It assumes that you already know something about Hank, and it’s mainly made up of interesting and rare artefacts – letters, outfits, pictures, personal effects – which you won’t get to see anywhere else. The people in there were very friendly and they know loads about ol’ Hanky Panky if you have any questions.
Elvis Presley Birthplace
This little house in Tupelo is modest to say the least – two tiny rooms consisting of a bedroom and kitchen. It’s hard to believe anyone could live there at all. For what it is, the tickets are a little overpriced ($10 to see 2 rooms), but it’s just one of those things – you gotta do it! There are various ticket options available. For a little extra you can see inside the chapel and an extra museum about Elvis’s childhood. We didn’t see any of these – to be honest, we didn’t really have the time because we were really busy in Tupelo filming!
More Gig Reviews
The Alley Bar, Montgomery AL – Saturday 12th June 2010
The World Cup match was on between England and USA, and we started playing right after so we caught the crowd that were in to watch the footy, which was quite substantial. The manager was really friendly – he gave us loads of free drinks and made us feel welcome. We also got a free meal at the end of the show which we all enjoyed – Paul ordered Spam, a strange choice but that’s Smiley for you! After the show we spoke to our audience members and got some really good feedback, everyone said they’d really enjoyed themselves. We’d be up for playing there again when we return to Montgomery.
Woody’s, Tupelo MS – Monday 14th June 2010
A small but atmospheric bar in Tupelo. There were around 30 people in the audience, which was enough because it was only a small place. Everyone had a really good time and some of them even danced. We were being filmed so we made sure we put on a great performance for the cameras. We only did one set of an hour and it went well. Afterwards we were looked after by Feather the manageress who cooked us loads of vegetarian food, and plenty of free beers too.
Vanelli’s, Tupelo MS – Tuesday 15th June 2010
This was without doubt the best gig we did on the tour. We had a fantastic PA system set up properly, and two fantastic monitors. We could hear ourselves clearly without straining. We were playing to a packed out crowd who had all come to see us and were really attentive. They joined in with the banter and we had quite a few dancers near the end. It was a really brilliant show and afterwards we posed for photographs and signed autographs. Vaz the manager, had arranged for us to have our own tourbus outside to chill out and relax on in between sets, which was totally insane. We even had Bob Dylan’s driver looking after us on it.
Kudzu’s, Memphis TN – Wednesday 16th June 2010
Had a really nice burger and chips before the show – on the house, as were our Woodchuck ciders. Kudzu’s kind of feels like a home from home now, we’ve been there so often. Unfortuntalely, our chum Chris (the sound engineer from Independent Studios who also works at Kudzus), couldn’t make it for the show, but we had the usual Kudzu’s regulars. We only played a one hour spot but afterwards stayed really late chatting to the audience.
The Smoking Caterpillar, Memphis TN – Thursday 17th June 2010
This was an interesting show to say the least! The Smoking Caterpillar is a shisha bar so all our audience were smoking those weird pipe thingymabobs. There were two other acts on and we played a 45 minute set. The audience were quite receptive and I had a few comments at the bar afterwards from people who really enjoyed the show.
Gigs So Far
P&H Café, Memphis TN – Friday 28th May 2010
Our first gig in Memphis and indeed our first gig in the USA. We’d arranged to play with a local rockabilly group called The Stunning Cunning Band. They opened the evening for us and unfortunately played most of the songs we were planning to play but I guess that’s one of the things you have to be prepared for when you have two similar style groups on. We adjusted our set accordingly and went on for the second set, which went really well. It was great to finally play in the States and a big buzz.
Huey’s Midtown, Memphis TN – Sunday 30th May 2010
A great little venue. We managed to get the sound really spot on and even though we were working with some quite small speakers they were of good quality and it sounded great. The audience were receptive and we were able to work with them well. It was also good to be able to play our full set – in fact we played much longer than a normal set – we did about 2 and a half hours of music in total. Another thing we liked about Huey’s was the delicious food, mmmm!
Miss Ollie’s, Jackson TN – Tuesday 1st June 2010
What a brilliant way to end our wedding day, with a fantastic gig at Miss Ollie’s in Downtown Jackson – the biggest music venue in Jackson in fact. It really was huge – with three large rooms. We had a brilliant audience who all came specifically to see us so they stayed all night and were very attentive. The sound system was set up perfectly and we played a really good set. As a band we were quite tight and I think our drummer Jason has started to relax a bit more – this was his 3rd gig with the band.
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, Nashville TN – Thursday 3rd June 2010
Playing on the famous Tootsie’s was a dream come true for all of us, especially being the big country fans that we are! We all managed to squeeze onto the tiny stage in the front room and played a short set of 7 songs which brought the house down. We played a variety of different styles of music – rock n roll, country and blues, but all of it seemed to go down really well with everyone. It was quite an experience and definitley a buzz to play there, especially when we launched into the Hank Williams track.
The Wedding
Wedding – Tulip Tree Chapel in Jackson TN (1st June 2010)
The night before the wedding we had a joint stag and hen night in Jackson – a “sten” night or a “hag” night! It wasn’t very wild because there’s hardly anywhere open in Jackson after 10pm. We drove around for ages trying to find somewhere where we could have a drink and maybe something to eat too, but literally nowhere was open! In the end we went back to the hotel (the Doubletree) where we went and had a few drinks in the hotel bar, then I went up to sleep in my mother’s room, so I wouldn’t see Wes until the altar!
On the morning of the wedding I ate breakfast with my parents, then went to get my hair done at a local salon. My mum was already getting pretty stressed out because the taxi due to take us to the salon was about 20 minutes late, and then when we got there, the woman who was supposed to my hair was late too! When she finally arrived I had my hair washed and then it was dried, brushed and put up at the back with a few curls. I also had two curls put in the front on either side.
It took about an hour and then about quarter past 10 our taxi arrived. Our cab driver was an Elvis impersonator in a Lincoln, which was totally amazing, I mean, what a way to be taken to your wedding! We got the taxi to wait at the hotel whilst we nipped up and get our stuff, then we went on to the chapel. We were the first to arrive. Me & my mum were shown into the women’s dressing room to get ready. The people at the chapel were all so friendly and really nice – they were all a family as well, which was great. We had a good laugh with them.
By this time I was getting a little bit stressed and I was worried that Wes and Paul wouldn’t remember everything – like the rings, the wedding licence, the CD with the music on. They cut it pretty fine – arriving at 5 to 11, but I wasn’t ready yet anyway so that didn’t matter too much, and they remembered to bring everything with them thank God! Meanwhile, my mum was trying to get my hairpiece sorted and kept doing it again and again even though every time she did it, it didn’t look any different. This was the only time I really got stressed and I said “for God’s sake Mum, just go and tell them we’re ready!”
When we were finally ready I had to go and wait outside with my Dad so actually missed most of the ceremony, such as the part where my mum lit a candle to Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colours, and Wes and Paul arrived to the sound of Can’t Help Falling In Love. Next it was my turn, and I walked down the aisle to the traditional wedding march, and on my Dad’s arm of course. We walked really slowly right to the altar where Wes was standing. I was trying not to look at him because I knew I’d laugh or cry or something. But for some reason the whole time I couldn’t stop grinning like I was insane, and I was constantly on the brink of laughter, but managed to hold it back.
During the ceremony we had to turn and hold each others hands whilst the minister said some official stuff that I wasn’t really listening to. I noticed immediately that Wes was crying, then I spent the rest of the time trying not to cry myself but also trying not to laugh as well. It was a strange thing really. After the official religious section we lit the unity candle whilst they played I Will Always Love You, which I realized half way through was actually a breakup song, so not all that good a choice! Wes choked up quite a lot during the vows, and I missed one line and we had to go back, but I guess a lot of people must do things like that. The best part was when the minister said, “I now pronounce you man and wife” and we kissed, then walked down the aisle to our own recording of Jackson (another breakup song I guess but essential for a wedding in Jackson!).
After the ceremony we walked outside to the front where everyone blew bubbles on us and took piccys, then we had a long photo shoot in all different places of the chapel – at the altar, against the stain glass, at the front of the chapel, on the porch, by the fountain, on the swings, by the lake, on a bench, on the bridge and finally we came back in to have our photos taken whilst we cut the cake and danced our first dance together – to Walk Through This World With Me by George Jones. It was really amazing. Damn I love that song!
Once we’d finished at the chapel we had a bottle of champagne with my parents back at the hotel, then we all went out for a meal together, which ended up being Mexican after a long search through 6 or 7 restaurants all of which had really poor vegetarian options. We had a really nice meal together, and in the evening played a brilliant gig at the biggest venue in Jackson – Miss Ollie’s, a swanky piano bar Downtown. We had a really good audience who appreciated what we were doing and played a great set. A nice was to top off a great day.
Recording at Sun Studio
(26th/27th May)
The whole day I’d been nervous and feeling sick about going to record at the famous Sun Studio. We spend the afternoon walking round the Rock & Soul Museum just off Beale Street and every two minutes I was looking at my watch and thinking – only three hours to go, only two and a half hours to go….
On our way back from Beale Street we got a bit lost and ended up walking in the wrong direction. We had to turn back on ourselves and lost about 20 minutes as a result and we suddenly realised we were cutting it a bit fine to get back to the apartment, get changed, have something to eat and be ready in time to go to the studio. And this meant that I didn’t have any more time to think about being nervous or reflect upon the fact that we were going to Sun.
I didn’t even have time to think about it when we got there because I was busy taking all the guitars out the car, making sure we had everything and so on. The only moment it hit me was when I finally stopped and looked up at the building itself just as we were about to go in, and I thought, wow, this is it.
We met the two guys we were going to be working with – James and Matt, went in through the back door, as the front doors are closed at night, and we were shown through the control room and into the main studio area. The control room isn’t part of the ordinary Sun tour so we got to see an area of the studio which most people don’t get to see, so that’s kind of cool as well.
The actually walking through I wasn’t thinking about it at all either because I was just concentrating on getting the guitars into the studio area. My next big moment was when I put my guitar down, took my heavy bag off and actually stood back and took in the studio for the first time. It was strange because I’d seen it on tons of photographs and now here we were, just sort of, stood there. I got the camera out and started taking a few shots. Wes asked where the X was where Elvis stood to sing That’s All Right and it was pointed out to us. I took a couple of shots of Wes stood on the spot, then we were asked what we wanted to get out of our session. We talked about what we wanted and Matt and James got busy setting everything up around us. Wes ended up being actually stood on the X to record anyway which was very cool and I know a dream come true for him.
I busied myself with getting out the guitars and tuning them up, trying to remain cool and professional and not go too geeky and touristy in front of the two guys that worked here. I mean, I’m sure they’re probably used to it but all the same, I was trying to be cool. Getting the stuff ready for the session also made me, not forget where we were exactly, but forget the significance of it for a moment and just concentrate on the work in hand.
We got everything ready and the first song was going to be That’s All Right of course and without much ado we got cracking and just launched into doing takes. Throughout the session we generally started each song with a quick run through of the beginning and ending, then we went for a full take. James was acting as the Sam Philips type, guiding us through each take. He knew what we wanted and helped us achieve it by pushing us and getting the best out of us. An example of this would be on Good Rockin’ Tonight when he got us to slow it right down. It was a really good suggestion and made it a lot more like the original. He was very professional and meticulous but also had a good sense of humour and was fun to work with. He also played acoustic guitar on several of the tracks and Jerry Lee Lewis’s piano on Slow Down.
Once we relaxed into the session I felt less and less nervous. I basically became used to being in Sun Studios and just forgot about how I felt before. The first song we recorded was That’s All Right, just like Elvis. Throughout the session we drank plenty of beers to help relax and lubricate our throats. We had loads of fun and laughs but also worked hard and got plenty done. We never did more than three takes on any song – some we only did one such as Blue Suede Shoes. On others we did what they called punching in, where you “punch in” at a certain time during the song and we all start playing and singing along to the first recording. Then they take the original recording away and we all carry on, recording over the part that was wrong.
There were a couple of moments during the session where I had the sudden realization of being at Sun and how amazing and incredible it all was. The first moment was during That’s All Right Mama when Wes re-recorded his vocals along to the acoustic guitar…it was his voice, wow, he gave the most amazing performance and from where I was sat it sounded just like the King! I got it all on video too so hopefully it’ll sound like I remember it.
Whenever I went to the toilet I had to walk through the café/souvenir shop next door, and when I was actually sat there on the toilet with a few minutes to myself I just thought “bloody ell!” – that was another moment. And then, just before the take on Jackson and Shakin All Over I said to myself – “this is it, you’re recording at Sun now, make this the best you’ve ever sang it.” It didn’t actually work because it made me nervous and I messed it up, but it did give me a big thrill and a rush right through my heart and stomach. In the end I had to actually try and forget the fact that I was at Sun, just so I could get through the song without messing it up.
Anyway, we all had the time of our lives and got the work done – 12 songs in 4 hours. We achieved what we set out to achieve. The next night we all went back in and spent another 4 hours doing the mixing on the tracks. I would have liked to have spent more time on all the tracks, as there’s still a few things that could have been ironed out, but it’s all a learning curve, we’ll know now for next time to leave more time for the mixing, and of course we only had a limited budget! When I got back after the first night’s recording I was stood in the kitchen getting bedtime drinks for myself and Wes when I actually started crying, just because I was so happy that we’d done it, and I couldn’t believe it’d actually happened! Totally incredible.
Well…we’re here!
Yes, we’re here in Memphis. We’ve been here for two days now and we’ve been having a really great time. Everyone we’ve met so far has been really friendly, polite and helpful. Everyone here always calls you “sir” or “ma’am” and they have manners like nothing else you’ve ever seen!
The first thing we did when we arrived yesterday was obviously get our bags, go through the rather complicated customs routine which we managed to do without getting arrested for anything, and then get our car from the hire place – we got upgraded to an SUV whihc is absolutley spot on – just what we needed actually! It was about 9 miles into town from the airport and the first time Wes had driven on the right hand side, wow that was an experience. Even as a passenger it felt a little weird. It’s gonna take some getting used to!
Luckily, we managed to arrive safely and checked in. Our apartment is massive and really nice. We unpacked, chilled out, and then hit the town, looking for a place to eat and have a beer. Quite a few places were closed (I suppose it was a Monday night), but we managed to find a Huey’s after about 10 minutes. We dived in, had two pitchers of Bud between the three of us, and the most amazing veggie burger you could ever taste.
We got to bed that night about half 12. Today (Tuesday), we had a really busy day and it was stricly business. Wes & I both woke up at 6, I think we were still too excited or jet lagged or maybe both. Once the shops were open we went to our local store and stocked up on some food and essentials, then Wes cooked us an egg butty.
At 11am we were picked up by our drummer here Jason and his friend in their truck. We drove to the studio Memphis Independent, which was a couple of miles through town. It was a cool place and the sound engineer Chris was friendly and helpful. He set up all the mics for us whilst we got our stuff together, then we cracked on, running through all our songs with Jason so he could get to grips with our set. We managed to get through all of the songs for the sessions at Sun and loads more. The session got a lot more productive and relaxed after we’d all had a couple of beers too! The whole thing got recorded (even the outtakes and talking) for prosperity – and the Anthology! Chris played us a couple of tracks afterwards – they were sounding really good. We played till about 5pm then packed away.
When we got back to the house Wes made us all a salad and pasta. We didn’t go out tonight, we were too tired. Just watched the TV and chilled out. Got another busy day tomorrow.
I’ll try and keep this up to date and will try and post some pictures at some point too.
Thanks!
Schedule
Our current schedule for the Manchester to Memphis Tour is as follows:
Monday 24th May
Fly from Manchester to Memphis
Tuesday 25th May
Rehearsal at Memphis Independent Studios
Wednesday 26th & Thursday 27th May
Recording at Sun Studios
Sunday 30th May
Huey’s, Midtown, Memphis. 4pm-7pm
Monday 31st May
Travel from Memphis to Jackson
Tuesday 1st June
Wedding at Tulip Tree Chapel, Jackson, TN. 11am
Miss Ollie’s, Jackson. 8pm-10pm
Wednesday 2nd June
Travel from Jackson to Nashville
Thursday 3rd June
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, Nashville. 2pm
Friday 4th June
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, Nashville. 1pm-4pm
Wednesday 9th June
Travel from Nashville to Pigeon Forge
Friday 11th June
Travel from Pigeon Forge to Georgiana, Alabama
Travel from Georgiana to Montgomery, Alabama
Saturday 12th June
The Alley Bar, Montgomery. 3:30pm-6pm
Sunday 13th June
Travel from Montgomery to Tupelo, Mississippi
Monday 14th June
Woody’s, Tupelo. 10pm-11pm
Tuesday 15th June
Vanelli’s (Papa’s Place). 8pm-9:30pm
Wednesday 16th June
Travel from Tupelo to Memphis
Kudzu’s. 10pm-12am
Friday 18th June
Fly back from Memphis to Manchester
