Memphis Film, Music and Pop Culture

Rock 'n' Soul 'n' Funding

by Greg Akers on June 18, 2009 at 5:46PM

What does the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum have in common with the Old State House in Boston, Independence National Historic Park in Philadelphia, Louis Armstrong Memorial Park in New Orleans, and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming? Among other things, I suppose, they're all this year's recipients of grants from the Globus American Icon Special Grant Program.

Susan Marshall: Memphis in Austin

by Chris Herrington on June 18, 2009 at 2:25PM

Before a gig at Austin's venerable Continental Club last week, Memphis singer Susan Marshall dropped by the studios of the local Fox affiliate for an interview and a performance of "Oh My Soul" from her new album Little Red, giving the land of outlaw country a little taste of Memphis R&B. The video:

Til TV Do Us Part

by Greg Akers on June 18, 2009 at 12:39PM

Broadcasting & Cable is reporting that Memphis is one of seven markets that will air episodes of the syndicated show Wedlock or Deadlock for a six-week test run. The show will appear on Fox — the report doesn't indicate day of the week or time slot.

"Boogie Chillen" Forever

by Greg Akers on June 15, 2009 at 1:25PM

The Library of Congress has announced this year's crop of 25 audio recordings that must be preserved...forever! The LOC saves recordings "that have been identified as cultural, artistic, and historical treasures to be preserved for future generations."

Every Rose Has Its Thorns

by Greg Akers on June 14, 2009 at 5:50PM

The Internet's got a story this week about Derrick Rose flashing some gang signs in a photograph that has surfaced recently. The photo is said to have been taken during his time at the University of Memphis, where he helped the Tigers reach the NCAA Championship Game.

Peabody Duck

by Greg Akers on June 14, 2009 at 10:16AM

Kelly Preston, Roger Friedman, Isaac Hayes funeral, The Peabody hotel, Rupert Murdock and Roger Ailes, and a pirated Wolverine. Tom Cruise, FoxNews, Scientology inflammation, and Wichita.

Film News: Li'l Film Fest Saturday, New Web Series Launches

by Chris Herrington on June 12, 2009 at 10:28AM

After making an extremely successful return from a rather length hiatus in March, Live From Memphis' Li'l Film Fest is back this Saturday at the Brooks Museum for its 10th installment. Each Li'l Film Fest charges local filmmakers with making short films on a theme, with this weekend's installment on the subject of family.

Recap: Bonnie 'Prince' Billy at Minglewood Hall

by Andria Lisle on June 11, 2009 at 6:33PM

I was uniquely primed for Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, aka Will Oldham, who performed at Minglewood Hall on Tuesday night. Back in the early 1990s, when he was performing under the Palace Bros. moniker, I booked Oldham's first and second Memphis appearances at Barristers.

More Baloney: Memphis Burger King Franchisee/Global Warming Denier Praised by Lou Dobbs

by Chris Davis on June 11, 2009 at 1:02PM

On his June 10th radio program, CNN personality Lou Dobbs lavished praise on Mirabile Investment Corporation (MIC) , a Memphis-based Burger King franchisee, for having the guts to ignore and disparage its licensing agreement with the Burger King Corporation (BKC) and the business acumen to post the words “GLOBAL WARMING IS BALONEY” on exterior signs across West Tennessee and parts of Mississippi and Arkansas. Dobbs also admired the wit of MIC's marketing president, J.J. McNelis, who has publicly compared executives at his parent company to cockroaches who run from the light.

Big Star's Radio City, in Book Form

by Chris Herrington on June 10, 2009 at 3:06PM

Radio City, the second album from Memphis legends and "power pop" godfathers Big Star is among the latest subjects in Continuum's 33 1/3 book series — a popular collection of pamphlet-style treatments on individual albums. The Radio City volume is written by Bruce Eaton, a Buffalo, New York-based jazz concert producer who is an acquaintance of Big Star singer Alex Chilton.

Oh, Those Crazy MGMT Kids

by Andria Lisle on June 4, 2009 at 8:52PM

Next Thursday, MGMT are slated to rock Minglewood Hall. This week, the band shake up the nursery school set with this tres bizarre six-plus-minute music video, which channels Where the Wild Things Are and employs Joanna Newsom as a hapless mom:

In Memoriam: Koko Taylor and Laddie Hutcherson

by Andria Lisle on June 4, 2009 at 5:34PM

While the bizarre circumstances surrounding David Carradine's death trump all other celebrity deaths this week, us Memphians have our own mourning to do: Yesterday, 80-year old blues great Koko Taylor died in Chicago, less than a month after she appeared at the Blues Music Awards here in Memphis to collect her 29th BMA and perform her signature, million-selling hit single, "Wang Dang Doodle." Born the daughter of a Shelby County sharecropper, Cora "Koko" Walton departed Memphis for Chicago in 1952 with her future husband, Robert "Pops" Taylor, in tow, and never looked back.

Hunger Screens at Brooks Tonight

by Chris Herrington on June 4, 2009 at 10:27AM

Local filmgoers get their one chance tonight to see one the best films of the past year on the big(gish) screen. Hunger, the debut feature from British visual artist Steve McQueen, which won the award for best first film at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, screens at 7:30 tonight at the Brooks Museum of Art, in partnership with Indie Memphis.

Free Movie Tomorrow

by Greg Akers on June 3, 2009 at 5:25PM

The Memphis Flyer wants to send you to a free screening of the new film Tennessee this Thursday, June 4th. No purchase necessary.

DVD Review: Lake of Fire

by Chris Herrington on June 3, 2009 at 4:11PM

In a world of media and news overload, some stories grab you and plenty of others that should get your attention slip away instead. The pained re-ignition of the seemingly insolvable abortion debate following the heinous murder of Kansas late-term abortion provider Dr. George Tiller grabbed me, though I've been disappointed by the tenor of so much I've read and heard.

Memphis Flyer

Sing All Kinds