Music magnate Ward Archer now laying tracks in Cooper
Transcription
Music magnate Ward Archer now laying tracks in Cooper
FREE VOLU M E XIX, N U M B E R IV w w w.cooper young.org C o o p e r -Yo u n g — M a n y Vo i c e s , O n e C o m m u n i t y UNREEL MOVE Music magnate Ward Archer now laying tracks in Cooper-Young K E R R Y H AY E S “Ward has done this before,” says Jon Hornyak, Senior Executive Director of the Memphis chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. “I think it will all work out well.” Hornyak is commenting on the recent acquisition of Sounds Unreel, the highly-regarded Cooper-Young recording facility, by local music magnate Ward Archer, owner of Archer Records. Archer is currently in process of renovating the studio’s interior and transitioning the business operations of Archer Records there. “It’s a great asset for the community to have some good recording studios,” adds Hornyak. “With some digital set-ups, you can record in your bedroom or a garage—but there are still times when you need a real studio. It’s good that Memphis will have some of those.” Sounds Unreel has long been an unassuming staple of the Midtown studio scene, alongside Ardent Studios, House of Blues, Young Avenue Sound, and, more recently, 5 and Dime Recording. The limestone storefront at 1904 Nelson Avenue was constructed shortly after the turn of the last century, and housed a series of businesses, including a drugstore, a beauty parlor, and a photography shop until 1981, when Smith and Hornyak, both musicians, transformed it into a boutique studio. Over the course of the next quarter century, Sounds Unreel and its imprint label, SUR, would grant key early development opportunities to Memphis artists such the Good Question, the Crime, Jimmy Davis, and Rob Junkglas. Continued on page 8 December 2007 LampLighter 1 Ward Archer, a veteran of the local advertising and marketing industry, recently purchased the Sounds Unreel studio at the corner of Nelson and Barksdale. He has been working diligently since then to renovate the space to prepare it to house his company, Archer Records, which he founded in 2001. Learn more about his plans for the studio on page 8. Cooper-Young Organizations CYCA Maggie Cardwell 901-272-2922 [email protected] CYBA and CY Festival Tamara Walker 901-276-7222 [email protected] CYDC Sutton Mora Hayes 901-272-1459 [email protected] Cooper-Young Community Association CYCA Board Officers President inside Halleluiah! Halleluiah! Halleluiah! I mean this in several aspects. Yeah! It is the Christmas season and everything is a buzz getting ready for this meaningful and fun holiday. Let’s be sure to remember to be extra careful. The stress can make us a bit crazy so we don’t pay attention to the basics. Watch out for your neighbors. Call the Police if you will be gone for the holidays. They can do a drive by during each shift. The bad guys like Christmas too! One fun way to get involved in CYCA is the . Christmas bags that we put together for the Police on the days The gift of words Jason Word & Christmas Day. Block Club Robert Grisham Communications Emily Bishop Safety and Education Edmund Mackey Festival 4-miler Richard Coletta, Michael Ham Alan Ray Membership Debbie Sowell Volunteer Council Carmen Weaver CYCA At-Large Board Members See’Trail Mackey Meetings when most of us are cozy warm inside with families, Christmas Eve 19 Andy Ashby Treasurer Code Enforcement Andy Ashby The holiday season has arrived, which means old favorites, new favorites and just plain enjoyable shows are playing at Playhouse on the Square. In addition, Playhouse also announced its previously top-secret summer musical show—it’s “The Producers.” This CY house Secretary Beautification & LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT 10 Books are a gift that children love and that inspires them intellectually. Books encourage children to expand their reading and literacy skills, and help to better prepare them to succeed in life. This holiday season give a gift that is both fun and tweaks the imagination—think reading. Debbie Sowell CYCA Committee Heads The play’ the thing 14 Vice-President CYCA General Meeting Another bit of praise goes out to the board members. I appreciate all that you have done this year. You have spent your own time to help make this neighborhood a much better place. Though it is fun, it can be hard work. You have stepped up to the challenge. There will not be a January Lamplighter so be sure to visit our website at www.cooperyoung. org to get detail about what it going on in Cooper Young and information about the January December 11 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Community Office on 2298 Young Avenue. We’ll be celebrating the holidays with a Cookie Party! Bring your yummiest holiday treats to share with neighbors and friends. General meeting. We will sing halleluiah to the volunteers in January at the Volunteer Thank You Our neighborhood is full of aging beauties—small shotguns, beautiful bungalows, and darling duplexes. These beauties, many of which are nearly 100 years old, occasionally need fixing. Go inside one family’s recent renovation. Party. Details TBA via email and the website. Have a wonderful holiday and God Bless! CYCA Board Meeting December 18 at 7 p.m. at the community Debbie Sowell offices at 2298 Young Ave. City Council Meetings December 3 at 3:30 p.m. December 17 at 3:30 p.m. Meetings are held in Council Chambers, [email protected] The LampLighter has changed its email contact Street. information. We have adopted new email addresses Staff and Volunteers Contributors Founder Janet Stewart Editor Courtney Miller Santo Layout Bradley Payne Business Manager Chris McHaney at our domain. To contact editorial or content, please Kristy Dallas Alley, Katie Bruneau, Deborah Camp, email [email protected]. To contact Jon Devin, Sandy Furrh, Karen Golightly, Kerry billing: [email protected]. To contact adverHayes, Kongsously Jones, Maggie Louie, Amy tising: [email protected] and for questions about Lueck, Edmund Mackey, Ryan S. Nall, Courtney distribution contact [email protected]. Distribution Rich Bullington Photographers Ashle Bailey Miriam Dolin Ad Managers Chris McHaney Debbie Sowell Content 901-827-4797 Ad Sales 901-359-1696 [email protected] Distribution beginning: February 1 Distribution 901-726-4635 Please send all articles and submissions to: Oliver, J.S. Smith, Debbie Sowell Cover: Courtney Santo Deadlines for February LampLighter Articles, submissions: January 15 [email protected] [email protected] The LampLighter is published by the CYCA. The opinions and information presented here are those of the staff and volunteers of the LampLighter and do not necessarily reflect the entire Cooper-Young community. The LampLighter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. However, we commit ourselves to providing current and accurate information. 2 LampLighter First Floor, City Hall at 125 North Main December 2007 Advertising copy: January 20 [email protected]. For advertising rate sheet, or to submit ads electronically, please email: [email protected] 19 CY properties will be auctioned on December 4. See page 5. CYCA N ews Canned goodness The Cooper-Young Community Association Doris Porter Mike Parnell held a Thanksgiving Food Drive on Saturday, Steve Pulliam November 10. LampLighter distributors along Bobby Roseberry with a several other volunteers delivered DonnaSue Shannon grocery bags to all houses in Cooper-Young Betty Slack the week preceding the event. Neighbors were John Sohm asked to fill these bags with food and place Debbie Sowell them in their drive. Volunteers, all Cooper- Suzzane Striker Young residents, scoured the neighborhood Carmen and Joey Weaver Saturday morning picking up filled bags. Many Get pretty The CYCA Beautification Committee is looking for volunteers who are interested in helping with the following: • maintaining gazebo area • developing neighborhood signage • creating public art bike racks • cleaning up graffiti Call Andy Ashby at 691-2396 or email [email protected] if you would like to help or to share your ideas. Christmas Eve goodies households participated and close to 3000 items were collected. The food Each year, the CYCA prepares Christmas Eve was then taken to Peabody Elementary gift boxes for the Midtown police and fire School where the school’s Beta Club, departments. Help us show the men and along with neighborhood volunteers, women of the Memphis Police and Fire sorted and counted the items. The food Departments that CY cares for those that help was delivered to the Loaves and Fishes protect our community. The CYCA packs boxes Closet in First Congo. All food collected of portable treats and drinks easily consumed will be distributed locally. while the officers patrol our sleeping commu- C-Y residents, See’Trail Mackey and nity on Christmas Eve. On this night, few Carmen Weaver, organized the drive Carmen Weaver and See’Trail Mackey headed up the Thanksgiving food drive. Close to 3000 items were collected and the food was then taken to Peabody Elementary School where the school’s Beta Club, along with neighborhood volunteers, sorted and counted the items. restaurants will be open and the rest of the and hope it will become an annual event in Pick-up Volunteers: precinct will have a full holiday dinner earlier Cooper-Young. On behalf of the CYCA, they Maggie and Steve Cardwell in the evening. We help fill the gap for those would like to thank all neighbors who gave Nancy Clayton on duty overnight. Bring your donations (to so generously to the project. Sarah Frierson help fill at least forty boxes) to the community Edward and Beverly Greene offices by 8 p.m. on Dec. 24. We also need Terry Guthrie helpers to pack the boxes, which will be Kristin Kramer and Family delivered by the 10 p.m. roll call at the Lauren Luke West Precinct and to the firehouses on Lamar Edmund Mackey and Union. Megan Malone Mike Parnell Kathryn and Ted Schurch Suzzane Striker Membership Drive ‘08 Come to the January Cooper Young General Meeting and become a member of CYCA during our membership drive for 2008! All memberships are now on a yearly basis. All members that join at the meeting will be put in a drawing for prizes! Your memberships go to support all the CYCA does. Your membership also comes with some added benefits. Look to your mailboxes and www.cooperyoung.org for details in January. A special thanks to the following volunteers: Joey Weaver Mission Our purpose is to form an association of residents and interested The Peabody Elementary School Beta Club Jason and Jennifer Word parties to work together to make our diverse and historic community a and parents, Peabody Principal Kongsouly If you would like to become a member of more desirable and safer place to live, worship, work, and play. Jones, Beta Club Sponsors Mavis Stitt and Cooper-Young’s Community Association or Sonya Butler, and teacher Jennifer Word, and would like more information about getting Emily Bishop and Rich Bullington, who helped involved in the neighborhood, please visit Help plant the seeds of community and join the organize bag distribution. www.cooperyoung.org, email info@coopery- CYC A today! Join Us oung.org, or call the CYCA office at 272-2922. Bag Distribution Volunteers: Enclosed is a check for my membership in the Cooper Young Community Association Andy Ashby New Antone and Betty Baltz Senior 55 and older – $5 Renewing Individual – $15 Household – $20 Trestle Tender – $50 Amanda Blodgett Rich Bullington Sandra Stragins and Allen Byassee Nancy Clayton Steve Crossnoe Laura Defries Name_ _______________________________________________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________ Zip___________________________ Phone________________________________________________ Email___________________________ I want to hear about volunteer opportunities Jason Elder Jason and Misty Goike Amy and Terry Gower Beverly and Edward Greene Enclosed is my gift of $_ _________________________________________________________________ in honor or/in memory of_ ______________________________________________________________ Robert Grisham Enclosed is my gift of $___________________ for the General Operating Fund Sharron Johnson Mail this form with your payments to: Alan Krayer CYCA Membership, 2298 Young Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104 Shannon Maris Deanna Ming Jenni Pappas You can also join online at www.cooperyoung.org. The CYCA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. December 2007 LampLighter 3 M I DTOW N MA MA Focus on the good part of holiday keeps cheer in season KR I STY DALLAS ALLEY This time of year inevitably makes me feel a little old. As the holiday season rushes in with seemingly impossible speed, I can’t help but remember the agony of waiting for Christmas as a child. I would listen with bewilderment to the adults as they marveled that it could be Christmas again already, or complained about how the stores seemed to usher in the season earlier each year. In my mind, it had been about ten years since the last December, and what could be bad about spreading the holiday cheer a little early? Now, as a parent, it’s sometimes difficult to suppress a moan as I face another round of holiday shopping hell. I loathe shopping in even the best of circumstances, but buying a bunch of toys that I don’t have room for, for the four kids I’ve had to escape from in order to buy them, just about tops the list of “Things I Never Want to Do Again.” If I had any sense, I’d shop on-line, but that involves planning and some idea of what I want to get, neither of which I’m good at. I’m a last-minute shopper and I usually decide what to buy when I see it. I try to get the kids to tell me one main thing they want, but everything else involves me seeing something and thinking “Oh, Somerset would love that.” And then, look at what I just said. My kids are not even really asking for anything. I have to draw it out of them, and show them “wish books” to find out what they might want. I’m the one who thinks they need a lot of presents. I still remember waking up on Christmas morning to see a big pile of gifts under the tree. It was exciting and surprising and, well, like Christmas. My memories of the wonder and joy of the holidays are all tied up with the idea of getting shiny new stuff. And even though now, as an adult, I don’t care about receiving gifts at all, and I still really do enjoy the togetherness with friends and family that the holidays inevitably bring, it’s hard for me to balance my mature understanding with my desire to give my kids the kind of Christmas I had as a child. And of course, the die is already cast. My oldest child, Calvin, will turn ten years old just a few days after Christmas. He is a last holdout in believing in Santa, and I know that can’t last for another year. I get all teary-eyed just realizing that my baby will soon pass that milestone on the way from innocence to experience. How can Santa let him down on his last Christmas of belief? But then I think, how can I make sure that the holidays continue to be special for him even after the illusion has been realized? I know that Calvin already enjoys all the extra time to be with each other and see our extended family during the holidays. He loves to help me bake cookies and wrap presents for everyone else. And of course, he’ll still get presents even once he knows they really came from his parents. I guess the best thing I can do is try to set a good example. Instead of grumbling about the shopping and the hassle and the mess, I need to let him see me doing the parts that I enjoy. I really do love putting up the tree and decorations, and making special foods, and wrapping presents to stack under the tree. I love the days spent cozied up with the kids during our shared Christmas break from school. This year we’ll be spending the week after Christmas in Florida with my husband’s parents and siblings, and we’re all excited about the prospect of seeing Aunt Katherine’s new baby and catching up with loved ones we haven’t seen all year. It’s so nice just to get away from the daily routine and take a breath, all of us, together. I know that the holidays are different for everyone, and that we each have our challenges to face and small pleasures to savor. Whatever holidays you celebrate, and however you and the ones you love spend your days as the year comes to a close, I hope that you’ll find a way to focus on the good parts as I will be trying to do. Sure, the holidays will be around again in the blink of an eye, and sure, they seem to start a little earlier each year. But this year, these holidays, will never come again. Next year we’ll all be a little older, the babies less babyish, the children less child-like. Don’t be bullied or harassed into wishing away this time. It goes so fast. Happy holidays to you and yours! 4 LampLighter December 2007 AUCTION ACTION Bevy of rental properties to be sold December 4 COU RTN EY M I LLE R SANTO Change is coming for the residents of the 1000 block of Bruce Street in Cooper-Young. On December 4 nearly one-third of the properties on the street will change owners. The properties will be sold by Roebuck Auctions, a Memphis based real estate company. The six properties on Bruce are owned by Bret James, who is selling his entire inventory of forty-one Midtown properties through the Roebuck Auction. More than one-third of the properties will be sold as “absolute,” which means there is no reserve price. Theoretically a buyer could purchase one of the fifteen absolute properties for as little as $1. The only CY property being auctioned without reserve is 1052 Bruce, which James purchased in 2006 for $30,000, according to the Shelby County Assessor. In October 2007, he advertised the property for rent as a two bedroom duplex—renovated inside and out—for $650 a month. In total, nineteen CY properties will be sold. The commercial properties include a former gas ! Sold station that now houses a daycare, a commercial building on Cooper that is currently home to Lux, and an apartment complex on the edge of the neighborhood. This is the largest single sell-off of Cooper-Young properties. In February 2006, Roebuck $349,900 $309,900 $237,500 auctioned thirteen CY properties as part of a larger Midtown auction. As in this auction, many of those properties were unimproved rentals. Steve Lockwood attended the auction and reported on it for the LampLighter: Nearly one-third of the properties being sold at auction on December 4 are located in Cooper-Young. The southeast corner of the neighborhood will be most affected by the sale, being held by Roebuck Auctions. “The bidding started off with the three properties on Cooper—811/813—first. It took me about 20 seconds to realize I was only going to be an observer. They started out bidding at about what I might have paid. Within a minute the old building that was the reserve police substation had gone for $112,200 (including the 10 percent tip tacked on for Roebuck). 821 Cooper went next for $93,500; 817 went for $81,400.” Today, the Assessor lists Bernard Cowles as owner of these properties. Cowles, who owns the Cowles Company and built Cooper-Young Place, lists the properties as rentals on his website. Currently, 821 Cooper is described as a 1600 square foot, three bedroom, two bathroom unit with new appliances. It rents for $1395 a month. If this auction follows the others, then many of these properties will remain rentals. New owners will have a choice—within zoning guidelines—of what to do with their properties. As Steve Lockwood laments in his earlier article, the auction process does not easily accommodate first-time buyers who are looking for a home and not a rental investment. What this means for current residents of the 1000 block of Bruce is that although ownership will change, nothing else will. According to Roebuck, the total value of the real estate is estimated at more than $5 million with a total income potential of $600,000 annually. Interested bidders should check the Roebuck Auctions website at www.roebuckauctions.com or call 901-ROEBUCK to learn more about what is required December 2007 LampLighter 5 A D U LT L A N G U A G E Safety campaign’s choice of words raises eyebrows JON DEVIN Lorena Bobbitt didn’t realize it at the time, but with one swift flick of her wrist, she changed the world of journalism forever. How? We remember her for emasculating her husband and tossing his penis out of her car window, to be found later by cops wearing doubled-up latex gloves. And what a moment that must have been. Hey, Charlie! I found it! Got a baggie? John Bobbitt later found work starring in adult videos. But Lorena forced the media to come to terms with the word penis, previously held as taboo. Thanks to her I don’t have to write euphemisms like “private parts” or “nether regions” or “unmentionables.” Nor do I have to stick to strictly technical and frankly colorless scientific terminology like “genitals” or, Heaven forbid, “phallus.” No, I can write penis, penis, penis until my fingers get tired of typing. Perhaps in the same spirit, Edmund Mackey is helping Cooper-Young go just a sly step further by introducing us all to the double entendre-laden word “Dick.” By now you’ve seen the controversial “Don’t Be a Dick” signs around the neighborhood, reminding us, quite accurately, that our own apathy plays a role in the overall safety of the neighborhood. Dick doesn’t report suspicious activity and thus his home gets burglarized. Dick leaves things in plain view inside his car, which gets broken into. Dick just doesn’t get it. The Dick campaign is a preemptive strategy towards crime prevention. CY always has done a lot to report crime after it occurs, but there has long been a need for stepped-up crime prevention awareness. Mackey’s hope was to get people talking about ways to keep themselves from becoming victims. Not surprisingly, though, others saw Dick as tacky and offensive. You have to admit that his penis-shaped body is way over the top. I can’t believe somebody at the CYCA didn’t look at the renderings and say, “You know Jon Devin’s going to have a field day with this.” What’s more, is it insulting to call someone who has just been victimized a dick? Blaming people for getting robbed isn’t exactly positive. On the other hand, Mackey makes one really good point. CYCA has been preaching safety for decades and still I walk down the street and see purses, backpacks, briefcases, sunglasses, cell phones, and even laptop computers in the back seats of unattended cars just begging to be stolen. Whatever our message is, clearly it is going to have to gets people’s attention in a large way. (Mission accomplished, Edmund!) I also see billboards up around town with a cartoonish, walking brain on it saying things like “Volcanoes are perfect for picnics. Dumb, but not as dumb as racing a train.” Try “Dumb, but not as dumb as this ad campaign.” When I saw the live version of the brain man strolling through the crowd at the CY Festival, my first guess was that he was a giant scrotum with googly eyes. (See, I can write that word too!) Seems like the brain man would appeal mostly to children, who do not drive, much less race trains. And having once had a picnic on top of a volcano myself, I found the comparison feeble. Dick may be edgy, but at least he’s not lame. CYCA meister and real estate dynamo Debbie Sowell told me that the campaign will be reworked to deemphasize Dick and focus on what happens to Jane and Spot when they too fail to follow good safety precautions. And that, I think, is the ticket. Dick is not necessarily a bad thing. Dick certainly got our attention, and made us think more about who we are as a community. I for one am willing to give Dick a second chance. I’d rather have Dick than nothing at all. Editor’s Note: Following the safety survey, the CYCA has decided to focus the campaign on Dick’s other family members, including his wife, Jane. Harvest (see page 14) is working on creating an advertising campaign utilizing the slogan, “Don’t be a Jane.” It turns out Dick’s family is a clueless as himself about how to make it harder for criminals. For more information about other initiatives the CYCA’s Safety Committee is undertaking, please see page 7. 6 LampLighter December 2007 SAFETY IN NUMBERS To Our Readers The LampLighter is working with the CYCA to bring you meaningful crime information. In addition to the crime map, which detail crimes within a one-mile radius of the Cooper-Young intersection, we also include a list of crimes that happened within our neighborhood. This list includes the case number, which you can use to contact the police. This month’s information is from October 28 to Forum creates consensus, sparks new ideas to combat crime EDMUND MACKEY In November, a dozen Cooper-Young residents along with Lieutenant Kirkwood of the November 27. Cooper-Young Memphis Police Co-Act unit gathered to discuss safety and crime issues in Street and Block CENTRAL (2000) CENTRAL (2100) CENTRAL (2200) CENTRAL (2200) CENTRAL AND PHILADELPHIA CENTRAL (2100) COOPER (800) COOPER (800) COOPER (900) COOPER (900) COOPER AND NELSON Date Reported 11/23/07 11/06/07 11/06/07 11/14/07 11/18/07 10/31/07 11/01/07 11/07/07 11/07/07 11/17/07 11/24/07 COOPER AND YOUNG 10/29/07 COOPER AND YOUNG 10/29/07 EVELYN (2100) EVELYN (2200) EVELYN (2100) FELIX (2100) FELIX (2000) METCALF PL (800) NELSON (1900) NEW YORK (1000) NEW YORK (900) 11/19/07 11/22/07 10/28/07 11/01/07 11/14/07 11/14/07 11/21/07 11/02/07 11/02/07 OLIVER (2300) 11/04/07 PHILADELPHIA (1000) PHILADELPHIA (1000) PHILADELPHIA (900) REMBERT (1100) REMBERT (1100) SOUTHERN (1900) YOUNG (1800) YOUNG (2100) YOUNG (2100) YOUNG (2200) 10/29/07 11/03/07 11/03/07 11/25/07 11/26/07 11/08/07 11/15/07 11/14/07 11/19/07 11/05/07 Crime Case Number Shoplifting/Misdemeanor Other Theft/Non-Specific Other Theft/Non-Specific Other Theft/Scrap Metal Drugs/Narcotics Violation/ Felony Shoplifting/Misdemeanor Robbery/Business Burglary/DV (Domestic Violence) Burglary/DV Theft from Motor Vehicle Theft from Motor Vehicle Drugs/Narcotics Violation/ Felony Drugs/Narcotics Violation Felony Theft from Motor Vehicle Simple Assault/DV Theft of Vehicle Parts/Acc. Theft from Motor Vehicle Theft from Motor Vehicle Burglary/Residential Burglary/Residential Theft from Motor Vehicle Theft from Motor Vehicle Theft of Vehicle Parts/ Accessories Theft from Motor Vehicle MVT/Passenger Vehicle MVT/Passenger Vehicle Simple Assault/DV Aggravated Assault Burglary/Business Theft of Vehicle Parts/Acc. Other Theft/Non-Specific Theft from Building Other Theft/Scrap Metal 0711011755ME our neighborhood. The Cooper-Young Community Association’s safety committee hosted the forum and the group plans to coordinate quarterly meetings, which will include concerned neighbors, block club leaders and the Memphis Police Department. The goal of the forum is to develop a platform for Y and dialogue and encourage community residents to share ideas and take action against crime. Y Y Y Young and Memphis. The most committed crime in our neighborhood is theft from a motor This group is about action. The meeting began by sharing some facts about crime in Coopervehicle, followed by other property crimes. The group felt strongly about the current things we are doing to create awareness in the neighborhood about these crimes. The consensus was that Y Y Y the community association does a great job of creating awareness, but an opportunity exists to do more. Ideas shared at the meeting included: developing a porch light campaign, promoting 545-COPS and strengthening block club recruitment and involvement. The safety forum is off to a great start with real community stakeholders that want to make a difference. Times like these leave me proud to be a “Cooper-Youngan.” The safety forum is open to all neighbors who want to be involved and increase the quality of life for Cooper-Young 0711011151ME residents. Safety forum participants commit to attending quarterly meetings and to starting or joining a block club on their street. The next meeting will be in February, we will list the agenda and send out a reminder in the upcoming months. Crime notes There were several high-profile crimes in Cooper-Young during November and late October that received media coverage. On October 26, Casa Blanca, the Mediterranean restaurant on Young 0711013316ME Avenue, was vandalized. Several windows were smashed. A few local blogs (Rachel in the City and Paul Ryburn) reported the event and there were some rumors the attack was racially motivated. The Memphis Police Department believes the vandalism was committed by a disgruntled employee and was not a hate crime. They are not ruling out a hate crime, but it did not fit the parameters of such crimes. December 2007 LampLighter 7 Hornyak left Sounds Unreel amicably after several years to direct Crossroads, a regional music showcase and industry conference, of town—that’s where I live, at Front and now—and every city she goes in, it’s a whole Monroe—but just could not make it work. new marketing effort. So this thing came up, and I thought, great, Really the writers at most of the daily before becoming the leader of Memphis’ it’s already a working, it’s been a studio for papers are still one of the main forces of the local NARAS branch. Sound Unreel con- over twenty-five years. I came over, and I industry in terms of turning people onto tinued to record and develop numerous immediately liked it. I knew the people who music, and to a somewhat lesser degree, I local and regional artists, including Jerry Lee were working here pretty well from days gone think the “blogosphere” is too. There are just Lewis, Mojo Nixon, Joe Walsh, Flat Duo Jets, by. So I purchased it. people out there that have their own radio and James Cotton. Archer purchased the property earlier this year and has been working diligently for weeks to renovate the studio and prepare the Were there any specific elements you stations, you know, they just go out and listen were looking for that your other studio to music and write about it on their websites wasn’t providing for you? and their own blogs. The other one is tiny. My style of recording We’d like to do more recording. I’ve been building to house his company. Archer, a is that I really like live stuff, where you’re frustrated with the cycle time it takes to get a veteran of the local advertising and marketing cutting live and all the band members are record out. Back in the early Stax days they industry, founded Archer Records in 2001. Its playing at the same time. [It’s nice] to be able would cut a record, mix it, and master it, and roster includes Middle-Eastern guitarist Lily to have a space where you can really spread take the acetate to WLOK or WDIA and get Ashfar, local favorites the Gamble Brothers out and do that properly, and have the proper immediate feedback on it. Certainly the Band, instrumental soul combo The Grip, Memphis icon and host of the Beale Street Caravan, Steve Selvidge, and roots-rock sensation Amy LaVere. “It’s different from downtown. I like it,” says Archer, comparing his company’s new home to their previous location in a Union Avenue office tower. “We see people walking their dogs all the time, and they’ll stop in just to talk. It’s good. I like the trees. You spend too much time downtown, and you forget what trees are.” The LampLighter recently spoke with Archer at his new studio. Tell me a little about the history of Archer Records. I was in the record business after college. I isolation, not have to worry about the air conditioning and so on. I was really ready to get into a bigger place. When do you plan to be open for business here? That’s the big question! We’re mainly a record label, so in terms of the office, we’re pretty much up and running. The studio part, the [new recording] console is coming in two weeks. They tell me in takes eight to ten days to connect this thing, so a couple of weeks technology is at hand for that [to happen now]. That’s exciting. We have a deal with Sony to distribute our records at retail, but we sell a fair number on the road and on our own website. I think that 25% of Amy’s record is downloaded, which is great. Some of the music bloggers are pretty powerful tastemakers. Yeah, some of them are! There’s so many of them. We get messages every day from them, and we try to take note of them. It’s hard to after that. We don’t really have any sessions gauge how influential they are—but every one booked or anything. Some people have of these people has a following. expressed an interest in it, but nothing’s really firmed up. What’s next for Archer Records? Do you have any apprehension that the market for recording studios in Memphis may be getting saturated? We’ll probably do some recording on the Well, we’re mainly a record label. We’re not interested in recording. I used to write a lot of Grip and Amy LaVere. It probably won’t get trying to be in the recording-for-hire business. my own material. I had a studio in a garage released, but we’ll be working on some stuff. That’s not to say we won’t make the studio apartment over on Rozelle and Central. The We’re still in the middle of Amy’s record available for people that want to do a project, house was sold and the new owner didn’t [Anchors & Anvils, released May 2007]. We but that’s not our main thing. As far as the want me there, so I had to move locations. take the view that a record has a life, in terms number of studios in town, I think the more, I had a studio on Madison called Cotton of marketing, of a couple of years, a year and the merrier. played guitar and bass, and I was really Row Recording. Niko Lyras and I had it a half, something like that. People are still together. Concurrently with that, I was in the reviewing, still asking for promotional copies. advertising business as a writer, and that She’s touring—she’s in California right career kind of exploded. I became really, really disenchanted with the day-to-day “recording-for-hire.” Someone would call up and want to make a recording and you’d have to do it whether you liked it or not. This time around is a little different. I started [Archer Records] in 2001, and we only deal with things we’re interested in. How did you find out about this building? We still have a studio downtown which we’re going to be vacating at the end of this month. I had been looking around downtown for a place for a couple years. I thought surely I could find the back of one of those big, long buildings, where nobody seems to be able to do anything with the back of it, and every one I looked at was going to cost a fortune to get Ward Archer, photo by Kerry Hayes it ready. Everybody’s waiting for them to become condos or something. It’s a great area 8 LampLighter December 2007 Control room at 1904, which previously housed Unreel Studios and will be the new home to Archer Records. Photo by Kerry Hayes. LETTE R TO E DITOR Peabody a school in good standing K O N G S O U LY J O N E S As you know, Peabody Elementary School and Memphis City Schools are dedicated to ensuring that our students succeed. While we have always held high expectations for our students, the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) has set new standards for students to meet. This summer, our state released a report on the progress Memphis City Schools is making toward achieving proficiency for 100 percent of our students under NCLB. The report identifies whether schools have made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)–a simple yes or no grade based on a complex set of measurements. To make AYP, each district school must achieve targets: areas of test participation and performance measured across subgroups of students (grouped by such categories as race, language proficiency, and disability). In addition, schools must meet graduation rates and attendance targets. If just one subgroup misses just one target, an entire school does not make AYP. We are pleased to inform you that Peabody Elementary School met the target in Spring, 2007, and is listed as “IN GOOD STANDING.” Please know that many good schools have not made AYP. That doesn’t mean they’re not successful. AYP is an all-or-nothing proposition, but student achievement is not. Academic success is measured in many ways, including classroom tests, teacher observations, report cards, homework, and standardized tests. But AYP focuses only on state tests. Entire schools can miss the target if too many students were absent on a test day or if students who aren’t yet fluent in English miss the reading and writing goals. I am firmly committed to achieving our goal of success for every child, and I recognize that we must continually improve. We have several programs in place which will help students achieve at higher levels. I am proud of our outstanding staff; they continually update their skills and participate in training to help them meet the needs of all students. I encourage you to join me in addressing our challenges and applauding the great work our students and staff are doing at Peabody Elementary School. As always, I welcome your comments, suggestions, and involvement in our schools and in the challenges our students face. Kongsouly Jones is the Principal at Peabody Elementary. www.midtownmortgage.com December 2007 LampLighter 9 P L AY D AY S Playhouse on the Square features entertaining holiday line up COU RTN EY OLIVE R right! “The Producers”, the critically acclaimed musical planning for the bottom three floors and offer your suggestions new favorites and just plain enjoyable shows are playing at comedy adapted by from Mel Brooks’ 1968 film of the same for the top two. It will be fun, informative, and will include Playhouse on the Square. In addition, Playhouse also an- name, finally comes marching onto the Playhouse stage. holiday refreshments. The holiday season has arrived, which means old favorites, It’s New York in 1959 and two theatrical producers scheme nounced its previously top-secret summer musical show–it’s For more information, please contact Jackie Nichols at to get rich by overselling interests in a Broadway flop—a 725-0776 or email [email protected]. This year’s holiday shows include: musical titled “Springtime For Hitler: A Gay Romp with Adolf Upcoming auditions “A Year With Frog and Toad” runs through December 23 at and Eva at Berchtesgaden.” But complications arise when the the Circuit Playhouse. Based on the beloved series of books by show unexpectedly turns out to be a roaring success. Drawing upcoming shows “Scapin” and “Trailer Park.” Callbacks will be Arnold Lobel of an aquatic odd couple: overly confident Frog on ridiculous accents, over-the-top caricatures, and show on Tuesday December 4 at 6 p.m. Adults auditioning for “Trailer and his best friend. Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. business in-jokes, the musical was a hit in New York, winning a Park” will be asked to sing sixteen bars of a musical theatre record-breaking twelve Tony Awards. song, preferably of the country/rock genre. Adults auditioning “The Producers.” “Plaid Tidings” runs through December 23 at the Circuit “The Producers” runs at Playhouse on the Square June 20 to Playhouse. This endearing and charming plaid-clad quartet from “Forever Plaid” are transported back for a nostalgic holiday July 20, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at extravaganza. On December 3 Playhouse will hold auditions for its for “Scapin” will be asked to read from the script. For “Trailer Park” Playhouse is hiring one to three adult 2 p.m. The Preview performance is Thursday, June 19 at 8 female singer/actors, Ages mid-twenties to mid-forties, and “Seussical” runs through January 6 at Playhouse on the p.m. The Pay What You Can performance is Thursday, June 26 adult male singer/actors, ages mid-twenties to mid-forties. For Square. Capture the imagination and revolutionary whimsy of at 8 p.m. First Sunday Event is Sunday, June 22, following the “Scapin,” the theatre is hiring one to two adult male actors, mid Dr. Seuss in this fantastical musical celebration. 2 p.m. performance. Audiences will enjoy the chance to meet twenties to mid-forties and three adult female actors, ages the cast and crew and tour the backstage areas of Playhouse on mid-twenties to mid-forties. “A Tuna Christmas” runs through January 6 at Playhouse on the Square. Tacky tree trimmings, gaudy garlands and redneck the Square. Food and beverages will be provided. ribbons festoon the town of Tuna, Texas as this much-loved Holiday open house Playhouse on the Square is having a holiday open house at audience favorite returns. Big Broadway show comes to Playhouse its current five-story office building that will become part of the Theatre and Arts Center Complex at 2158 Union—or as folks “Step 1: We find the worst play ever written. Step 2: We hire the worst director in town. Step 3: We raise two million dollars... Step 4: We hire the worst actors in New York and open on have been referring to it: “the new Playhouse on the Square.” On Tuesday December 11 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., we are Broadway and before you can say Step 5, we close on inviting members, boards, staff, and friends of Heart of the Arts Broadway, take our two million and go to Rio.” That’s and Midtown Development Corporation. Come see what we are 3#(7!24: %,%#42)##/).# 3#OX3TREET -EMPHIS4. !LAN3CHWARTZ 10 LampLighter December 2007 For more information, please contact Courtney Oliver at [email protected], or call 725-0776 WINE AND DINE Nestled within the walls of the Brooks Museum sits a secret pearl, one of only two four star restaurants in Memphis, the Brushmark. Chef Wally Joe created an outstanding and original menu of delicious French specials for a memorable night at the Brushmark. Photo courtesy of Kevin Barre Beaujolais at the Brushmark: Inside the wine tasting dinner at Brooks MAG G I E LO U I E Le Beaujolais nouveau est arrive’! Literally translates to “The New Beaujolais has arrived!” Nestled within the walls of the Brooks Museum sits a secret pearl, one of only two four star restaurants in Memphis, the Brushmark. Being an avid “foodie & boozie,” I was overjoyed at the invitation to attend the Beaujolais festivity there. This annual celebration takes place the third Thursday of November, and celebrates Beaujolais Day and Memphis’ first tapped barrel of 2007. Chef Wally Joe created an outstanding and original menu of delicious French specials for a memorable night at the Brushmark Accompanied by my partner in crime and fellow Singleton, Jane Schneider, I set out for a night of fun, food, and libations. First course notes: (Amuse Bouche of Salmon Confit on Pickled Mixed Radishes which was paired with Georges Duboeuf Macon-Villages 2005) The salmon confit was very light and tasty. The radishes balanced the fatty salmon nicely, and it was a pleasant pairing with the Macon. I was about to be disappointed with the appetizer-size portion of wine, when a server came by and refilled my glass. Because of our total Diva Media status, we had the honor of sitting at the table with the wine distributor, for Beaujolais, who was speaking at the event. He gave us a crash course in wine tasting techniques, which I unwittingly drank about four glasses of wine perfecting. Here are some cool tips. Your glass should have a rim that bends inward to help funnel aromas to the nose and allow for swirling without spillage. Start with whites and light wines progressing into the heavier dark reds and dessert wines. This will help keep your taste buds sensitive. Sip water between each wine to help preserve your palate as well. Hold the glass up to the light and look at the color. White wines tend to gain color as they age where as red wines lose it. A young red wine will appear more red or burgundy whereas an older red will show hints of tawny brow around the rim. Holding the glass by the stem, swirl the wine. This will aerate the wine allowing vapors to be released. Put your nose right over the rim and smell. You may sense hints of vanilla, berries, peaches, and even grassy or smoky aromas. Now take about a half a mouths worth of a sip and let it slide across your tongue—front to back and side to side, and then swallow (unless at a vineyard, then it is acceptable to spit it out). Try to see how many characters you can notice about it. How sweet is it? How acidic? If it’s a red, do you notice the tannins? Is it a light, medium or full-bodied? How strong? Does it feel balanced? Second course notes: (Bacon Poached Maine Skate Wing with Tiny Haricot Vert, Warm Fingerling Potato Salad and Applewood Smoked Bacon Vinaigrette, which was paired with: the Georges Duboeuf MaconVillages 2005 wine.) We were halfway through the second course, when Jane turned to me, chef’s menu in hand, reading glassed resting on the flare of her nose, and asked: “Is the skate wing a fish?” I examine the soft yummy white fillet with my fork, and then with my mouth. Not wanting to seem too self-sure, I paused thoughtfully and replied, “Yep, I think it’s the fish.” We both laughed and a few “very-important-and-serious” people glared at us from their table. Third course notes: (Pomegranate Glazed Carolina Quail Stuffed with Brioche, Foie Gras, and Mushrooms on Butternut Squash Coulis and Foie Gras Sauce, which was paired with the Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages 2007 wine.) This was insanely good. I had something similar at the Brooks Avant Garde Party only this was much more elaborate. The Foie Gras completely transformed the sometimes gamey taste of quail into something exotic and mysterious. I love surprises, and taking a sip of the wonderfully cheesy Beaujolais, after the quail, was wonderfully unexpected. The juxtaposition of the light quail tasting richer than it should, and the red wine tasting lighter than expected, was really interesting. I loved it. At this point, Jane is into her full-on sixty minutes Q&A, Barbra Walters-interview with any and everyone. I’m trying to look composed and professional, but am lit up like a Roman candle. We have learned enough about wine and have guessed just the right amount of taste and smells to somehow have decided we are practically wine experts. So now, we are holding court with the wine reps like drunken magpies, bombarding them with a mix of random obscure smells and tastes, trying to best one another’s palate. I even launch into some pontification about hearing that magnesium causes water to taste wetter and shouldn’t that be true for wine. Jane chimed in about thinking she tasted granite or something like that. I’m sure we were Le Beaujolais nouveau est arrive’! Literally translates hysterically annoying. to “The New Beaujolais has arrived!” And the Brooks Fourth course notes: celebrated with an annual celebration of Beaujolais Day and Memphis’ first tapped barrel of 2007. Photo by (Fromage Blanc Tart with Maggie Louie. Tarragon Syrup and Cherry Compote, which was paired with the Georges Duboeuf Domaine de Combillaty Brouilly 2006 wine.) Why was Brouilly the dessert wine other than its fruity taste? I don’t know! Sure I’ll be cast out of every highbrow event round town, but honestly, I couldn’t tell you how it was paired with the cheese cake cuz my tongue was numb! At some point my wine turned into Novocain. Is that bad? I think no! Aside from a great meal and more wine than we needed, we also received a healthy helping of “edu-tainmet.” I think there should be more alcohol-friendly education activates around town, like maybe U of M could offer some sort of night class plus mixer! I loved the Brushmark and the cuisine of Chef Wally Joe was truly a tasty innovation. One last wine tasting tip: If you are a light drinker and planning on swallowing all the wine you taste, I might advise affixing a disclaimer to some prominent point on your blouse. December 2007 LampLighter 11 12 LampLighter December 2007 December 2007 LampLighter 13 B O O K LO O K Holiday gifts that keep on giving D. JAC K S O N MA XW E LL Throughout the winter months, many religions celebrate holidays that entail gift giving. We live Librarians and bookstore employees can provide more extensive lists of award winning and in a very disposable world where most gifts, especially those for children, have an incredibly short recommended books that will prove to be holiday gifts that keep on giving. Book have a long life interest life. Kids quickly move on to the next eye-catching diversion or perceived big thing. In with the most beloved stories being read over and over, eventually passing on to siblings and short, toys come and go. However, unlike other gifts books have proven their long lasting interest. friends. Remember, a book a day helps keep illiteracy at bay! Series such as the “Lord of the Rings,” “Berenstain Bears,” “Clifford the Big Red Dog,” “Arthur,” Dr. D. Jackson Maxwell is a National Board Certified Teacher and an Educational Consultant. If “Junie B. Jones,” “Harry Potter” as well as many others encourage children to love reading and to you have any questions or comments, please contact Dr. Maxwell via email at: maxwellj01@ use their imagination. Books that have recently been turned into movies are always popular, must k12tn.net reads. Alternative literature such as comic books and graphic novels like the “Watchmen” or “Dark Knight Returns” series readily attract children’s interest. Although children have many entertainment choices, books are as popular today as they were generations ago. So whether you are celebrating Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Diwali or Festivus, a gift that children love and that also inspires them intellectually are books. Books encourage children to MARKET REAPING Harvest adds advertising flair to CY expand their reading and literacy skills, and help to better prepare them to succeed in life. This holiday season give a gift that is both fun and tweaks the imagination—think reading! To help in choosing some intriguing books for the children on your gift list, the following is a very brief selection of books by grade level that have proven kid appeal. Elementary “The Chronicles of Narnia” by C. S. Lewis K AT I E B R U N E A U If you’ve driven around Cooper-Young lately, you’ve probably noticed the yard signs with the slogan “Don’t be a Dick.” Under the slogan is a picture of Dick, and, unfortunately, Dick is always the victim of a crime. At the bottom of the sign, there are tips on safety awareness for CooperYoung residents, or how not to be like Dick. This eye-catching campaign is a collaboration between the CYCA and the marketing firm “Amazing Grace” “Hoot” by Carl Hiaasen by Mary Hoffman “Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key” Harvest, located in Cooper-Young. Edmund Mackey, Safety Chair of the CYCA, approached Harvest “Heckedy Peg” by Jack Gantos with the idea of launching a safety awareness campaign. Harvest agreed, and the new campaign by Audrey Wood “The Giver” by Lois Lowry is the result. In addition to yard signs and posters, the campaign also includes a website, www. “The Snowy Day” “The People Could Fly: American by Ezra Jack Keats Black Folktales” by Virginia Hamilton “Piggie Pie” “The Westing Game” by Ellen Raskin by Margie Palantini High School “Owl Babies” “The Foundation Trilogy” by Martin Waddell by Isaac Asimov safedick.com, and Dick also has a myspace page at www.myspace.com/safedick. After looking around Memphis and deciding that Cooper-Young was the best fit for them, Harvest moved to the neighborhood in 2006. Opening its doors in 2003, Harvest is the brainchild of Daniel Brown and Andrew Holliday. Harvest is a full-service advertising and design agency offering design, advertising, and public relations for a complete creative marketing solution. Harvest’s clients range from one-man start-ups to very large companies, and their client list includes NCDS (a subsidiary of SunTrust Banks Inc.), Downtown Condo Connection, DAC, Make-A- “Stellaluna” “The Incredible Journey” by Janelle Cannon by Sheila Burnford “Uptown” “A Series of Unfortunate they worked well together. Andrew says, “We saw a space that we could fill in the market and by Bryan Collier Events”by Lemony Snicket thought that we had complimentary talents.” The idea behind Harvest is harvesting for the clients “The Giving Tree” “The Lord of the Rings” and also providing fresh ideas. by Shel Silverstein by J. R. R. Tolkien “Uncle Jed’s Barbershop” “The Earthsea Cycle” by Margaret King Mitchell by Ursula K. LeGuin “Tuesday” by David Wiesner Middle School “The Golden Compass” by Philip Pullman “Runaway Ralph” by Beverly Cleary “The Dark Is Rising Sequence” “Jacob Have I Loved” by Katherine Paterson by Susan Cooper “The House of Dies Drear” “The House of the Scorpion” by Virginia Hamilton by Nancy Farmer “Freaky Friday” by Mary Rodgers 14 LampLighter December 2007 Wish, the University of Tennessee, among others. Daniel and Andrew met while they were both working for other companies and decided that For their first year of business, Daniel and Andrew worked long hours to build Harvest’s business. Their primary focus is quality, but they also recognize the importance of quick turnaround for clients. “We not only produce quality products, but we also produce them quickly,” comments Daniel. In the past year, Harvest has grown from two full-time employees to five. This growth has allowed them to have more employees who specialize in a specific area, such as web design or public relations. For more information on Harvest, please visit www.harvestmemphis.com. PEABODY N EWS A Peaceful Future” and it was open, as always, to all first through twelfth grade students from Excelling at literacy, field trips, art, charity at an elementary level across the district. AMY LU EC K received honorable mention in that division. National Literacy Month … why not Literacy Year?! Ms. Magbee’s first grade classroom wrapped up National Literacy Month in style with an The Cooper-Young Business Association, with Cadence Bank, gave out savings bonds to each of the student winners. Peabody brought in not one but two of those awards: second grader Karianna Hines won Second Place in the grades one to four division, and fourth grader Mardo Lopez Not a week later, the cafeteria was soon filled again as families and teachers gathered for the PTA’s Family Math and Science Night on November 13. Teachers created fascinating demonstra- enthusiastic 100 percent participation in Peabody’s Book Character Costume Day. Students were tions to spur student interest in these crucial subjects, and gave handouts to parents describing allowed to dress up as their favorite book character and bring the book in to share with the class ways they could incorporate the study of Math and Science into games and activities at home. on October 31. Ms. Magbee, who dressed as Ms. Frizzle from the Magic School Bus, had everyone Students left with a new excitement, and parents left with a whole new arsenal of methods to keep from Thomas the Train to native Kenyans in her class that day, showing their excitement about that excitement and learning going. literature and reading. Giving back But the focus on literacy continues beyond October at Peabody. Mr. Malone, librarian, has Cooper-Young’s businesses and companies have been more than generous in reaching out to hosted a wonderful book fair at the school, where students were able to purchase exciting new offer amazing support for their neighborhood school, from field trips to school visits to sponsor- books and literacy games. ships and more. Ms. Cox and Ms. Egwuekwe of Peabody’s Pre-K program decided to thank one special sponsor by giving back. The teachers gathered students and staff from across the school to meet at Central BBQ on November 6 in thanks and support of that restaurant and all that owner Craig Blondis has done for Peabody. Families and staff took a night off of cooking and showed their appreciation by ordering some delicious barbeque instead—which didn’t take too much convincing! Upcoming events December 3: Peabody Choir performs at the Pink Palace December 11: Winter Program, featuring Mr. Sanders’s renowned Dance Ensemble at 6:30 p.m. in Peabody’s cafeteria. Friends and neighbors all welcome. December 14: Select fourth and fifth graders enjoy a special performance of The Messiah at the Cannon Center And along with new programs and curriculum that will get students reading and achieving every day, Peabody is also boasting the first year of the Peabody Press, a student-created newspaper. Fourth and fifth grade staff members meet almost weekly to research and compose articles and to go through student submissions from across the school. The staff of students selects the pieces to be included and decides on the layout of the issue. The first issue of the Peabody Press was printed in November and distributed to students, parents, staff, district employees and the neighborhood. The December issue is out now, so look for it around the neighborhood or go to Peabody to request a copy of Cooper-Young’s hottest new publication! Fall field trips abound The wonderful fall weather that November brought in lent itself to fieldtrips galore across all grade levels. The fourth grade explored Tennessee history standards while cruising in a riverboat down the Mississippi River. Greg Tuten, proud parent of Peabody fourth grader Alexia, taught students about Memphis’s waterfront area while giving a fascinating and fun history of the city and its people. The students were also fortunate enough to see the Nina replica that stopped in Memphis on its national waterway tour, and they learned some history behind the original Nina of Columbus’s fleet. The next week, Peabody’s first through fourth graders were invited by Ms. Smith of the New Ballet Theater to attend a private performance of Peter and the Wolf. Being just down the street, students were able to get a little fall sunshine and walk to the theater, where they watched popular hip-hop and juking combined with classic ballet moves and style, each type of movement matching and expressing the characters as well as Prokofiev’s instruments did. The fourth graders, who focus on the study of Russia as part of the International Studies curriculum at Peabody, were given a special performance that included some history of ballet in Russia and a more in-depth look at the dances and dancers they had seen, engaging with the art of ballet and Russian culture and arts on a whole new level. Hardly a week after Peter and the Wolf, the first grade was off to the theater again, this time headed to the Cannon Center to see Junie B. Jones, the famous first grader, on stage. If you haven’t heard of Junie then you surely don’t have a first grader at home; and if these kids had not read the books before then, they certainly will be now! If these walls could talk, they’d say WOW Back at the school building, much has been happening as well. Families came from across the city on November 6 to view and celebrate the winners of the Young Artist Contest, the submissions for which were displayed in Peabody’s cafeteria. The theme of the contest this year was “Memphis: December 2007 LampLighter 15 C H AT T E R B OX Rumored and reported COU RTN EY M I LLE R SANTO We’re not the only ones who think there are people and places in Cooper-Young worth talking about. This is our monthly round-up of CY neighbors, businesses and community folk that have got other media talking or the community talking. If you’ve got something you think we should know about, go ahead and email us at lampligher@cooperyoung. org, or call us at 827-4797 Go fish, support CYDC On Wednesday, December 5, the Cooper-Young Development Corporation Board of Directors will kick off its 2007-2008 Fundraising Season with a special evening at the Blue Fish for our staff and friends of the organization. Tickets for the dinner are $75 per person, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the CYDC. A custom menu has been created for the event, with price of ticket including appetizers, choice of soup or salad, choice of four entrees, dessert and two glasses of wine. A cash bar cocktail hour will begin at 6:30 p.m. with dinner beginning at 7:30 p.m. For tickets or information about the event, please call the CYDC at 272-1459. In with the old The Cooper-Young Business Association has hired Tamara Walker to head the organization. Many in the CY community will remember Tamara from when she previously headed the CYBA. Look for more about Tamara in the February LampLighter, when we also bring you the CooperYoung Business Directory. New night out The 2008 National Night Out will be held on Tuesday August 5. However, starting in 2009, the organization is moving the date back to avoid the oppressive heat. So in 2009 NNO will be held Tuesday September 15. For Cooper-Young residents it will mean an opportunity to combine NNO celebrations with CY Festival fetes. Embrace calm at influential salon Calming Influence Massage and Bodywork Salon announces its holiday open house, which will also serve as its grand opening, on Friday, December 14 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Come and enjoy wine, appetizers and check out Midtown’s newest hub for relaxation at 74 North Cooper between Madison and Poplar. Holiday gift certificates will be on sale with chances to win exciting door prizes. Owner Gene Elliott has almost fifteen years of experience as a massage therapist. He is a former manager of The Massage Professionals. “For years I’ve been searching for a location for a bodywork salon,” he said. “Being a loyal Midtowner, I’ve watched the wonderful changes that have occurred around Overton Square and Cooper-Young. I’m delighted to have found the perfect spot right in the heart of the best part of the best city in the country.” Calming Influence offers a full range of services: Swedish, therapeutic, deep tissue, sports massage plus salt glows, steam, detox face masks, foot baths and more. A large staff of highly qualified massage therapists will customize your session to fit your particular needs. For more information, visit www.calminfluence.com or contact Gene Elliott at 276-9423. Go organic Every first and third Saturday of each month, West Wind Farms, the only certified organic farm in Tennessee, will sell its wares as part of the Cooper-Young Farmers Market. The new market is held at Galloway Church from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, visit www.grassorganic. com. A place to skate Efforts are underway to get a skate park on Mud Island. Its supporters are looking to spread the word. While it might seem a dream fit for California city, the skate culture is nearly universal. A tight knit community quickly forms for those that catch the skate bug. This includes families meeting other families who regularly take their youth skating as well as the local kids meeting other local kids. What most people don’t know is that skaters and families of little skaters will travel great distances to skate a well-made skatepark. A 30-minute drive is nothing of a commute for a skater. In fact, the Oxford Skatepark down in Mississippi, a park about one and half hours away, is largely utilized by Memphis skaters. This means that with the creation of a skatepark in Memphis, many local low-income kids, who can’t drive great distances, will be exposed to kids coming in from other areas to skate their park. This is a phenomena that occurs on a regular basis at the downtown skatepark in Denver, Colorado. The Denver park has an amazingly integrated mix of kids coming from wide range of socio-economic backgrounds. Essentially, the Denver 16 LampLighter December 2007 C H AT T E R B OX Kroc update bunch, Smith brought on David King and mozzarella, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, red Thanks to the Commercial Appeal’s intrepid former LampLighter columnist Marissa Baggett onions, Kalamata olives and pesto. “Here’s business reporter, we are staying on top of the (who also was the head sushi chef at Do). The offers an effective tool for bringing kids what happens when a layer of pesto rich with Kroc Center. In the November 10 issue, he Flyer reports, “Lunch at Tsunami isn’t just a together. Given the choice between the olive oil is spread on raw dough: It soaks reports that, “Salvation Army officials hope to mini version of the dinner menu. It’s a community found in a gang and or a commu- through and gives the dough both a hint of complete fund-raising in 2008—perhaps as different menu with a few favorites and nity formed from a shared passion of a sport- flavor and an even crisper snap to the finished early as the summer—and break ground soon several new dishes, such as seafood saimin, a the choice is clear. If you’re interested in crust. Wow.” skatepark achieved a mixing of a diverse Moon Pie, which features fresh garlic, group of kids coming together due to their common love of skating. Therefore skating learning more, visit www.skatelifememphis.org. thereafter on a 100,000-square foot, open-to- Hawaiian-style noodle bowl with fresh seafood Midtown goes corporate the-public community center occupying about in a miso-dashi broth, and a traditional Thai The Memphis Daily News published an in 15 acres on East Parkway, adjacent to Fairview beef salad with flank steak, tomatoes, depth look at the Midtown Development school.” The article continues to note that if cucumbers, and spicy lemongrass dressing.” location for toys, benefiting Metropolitan Corp., which is loosely modeling itself on the the Salvation Army starts construction that Mix it up Inter-Faith Association, or MIFA. Donations of Center City Commission–the entity that has early the Mid-South Fair may relocate sooner New Ballet Ensemble will perform its new, unwrapped toys can be made through guided the redevelopment of downtown. than planned. December 17 at both the Midtown Memphis Reporter Rebekah Hearn does an excellent job and Collierville locations. Additionally, for of contrasting the two and delving into the every frame purchase made through De- issues. In part, she writes, “A group of people Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays Nut Re-Mix takes a detour from tradition, cember 17, The Eclectic Eye will donate $5 has come together with the goal of mapping a from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at 2151 Central through abandoning the old setting and inviting the toward the purchase of a new toy. growth strategy and revitalizing Midtown December 24 Made in Memphis Arts Collective audience to Beale Street. The music of Tchaik- Eye spy toys The Eclectic Eye is serving as a drop-off celebrated take on the Nutcracker on Made in Memphis December 7, 8 and 9. Get into the Christmas Through December 24 Monday through spirit early with this fun mix of style and story. Lou’s is hot Memphis. The Midtown Development Corp. Flyer lands for lunch at Tsunami ovsky sets the undertone for a soundtrack that Jennifer Biggs, one of the (MDC), originally called the Midtown Redevel- The Memphis Flyer in its November 22 hails true to Memphis style with inserts of Commercial Appeal’s opment Corp., is a gathering of Midtown issue discusses Ben artists such as Otis Redding and Ray Charles, a restaurant reviewers at some stakeholders such as business owners, Smith’s recent decision fresh interpretation of the story and innovative pie and talked about it in the neighborhood associations, architects and resi- to open Tsunami for choreography that ranges from classical to hip November 23 issue. She dents who want to address issues ranging lunch. The celebrated hop. Call 726-9225 for more information or talked with Lou Savin, who from safety to beautification.” For a better restaurant quietly visit www.newballet.org to purchase tickets. opened Lou’s in July. Lou understanding about this important group, opened its doors for the previously owned Pie in the read the article published on November 8. suit and tie crowd in Sky (located where Square Foods currently October and have resides). Here’s what she had to say about the received a positive response. For the lunch University Towers S g tud n i t r Best Deal in Memphis!! ios S a t S 0 at $ tarti s 7 n 4 o i g 7 4 0 d $ sparkling indoor pool Stu at fitness center laundry facility Located right off the interstate within minutes to U of M and Downtown CALL 901-276-3100 CAL December 2007 LampLighter 17 18 LampLighter December 2007 THIS CY HOUSE Long-awaited bathroom renovation unearths surprises KAREN GOLIGHTLY I bought my house on New York Street in 1991. There were a few problems with the house from the get-go. There was an ancient garage in the back yard that leaned precariously to one side. FHA wouldn’t approve our loan until it was torn down. There was a pile of concrete in the middle of the yard, and piles of garbage, old signs, and so many asphalt shingles it wasn’t even funny. Mostly the first few years, we just carted junk to the curb. Inside the house, the owners had painstakingly decorated the house in 1970s hippie style, complete with numerous terrariums (which they left behind), a wood burning stove, and grass cloth on several walls. The downstairs bathroom had orange Mexican tile covering the walls (the exact same tile on the bar at Café Olé), brown and orange printed tile on the floor, and hideous matching brown and orange paisley wallpaper. But they kept original claw foot tubs in both the upstairs and the downstairs bathrooms, which were lovely. Over the years, we added on a room for our two children, built a loggia in the back yard, added in central heat and air, re-painted the exterior, re-roofed, re-did the upstairs bathroom and bedroom, replaced the rotting front porch, and painted every room in the house (some of them several times). When the ice storm of 1996 hit us, we had to make repairs both to the inside and outside of our house, which resulted in replacing electrical wires, plaster walls and ceilings, and some plumbing. Then, the pecan tree in the yard split in half and fell all the way across the yard barely missing the house. The impact of it rattled the dishes and shook the windows. I thought we were having an earthquake. Finally, Hurricane Elvis hit and required more roofing repairs, which led to more electrical repairs, and more front and back porch repairs. Then I moved out of town to get my PhD. I didn’t want to sell the place, so over the next four years, I rented the house to a myriad of people, a single mom, her children, and her sister, a group of graduate students from the University of Memphis, a family, and finally a couple. Some were better than others with keeping up the house and yard, but they as a whole they treated it just the way I expected them to: as a rental house. By the end, it was pretty worn out, so my husband and I decided we should renovate at least two rooms: the downstairs bathroom and the kitchen. We needed a shower, my husband Benji noted, really bad. He wasn’t sure how we could get along with three children and only bath tubs. “But they’re great bath tubs,” I pointed out to him. “Still,” he said. “I really need a shower.” We had a grand scheme to call up our friend Karen Capps, who is not only an amazing artist, but also does fine tile work. I figured that if she didn’t know how to do some part of the job, she’d know someone who did. We started the project two weeks before we moved back into the house, hoping that within Before the renovation, the downstairs bathroom featured rustic orange Mexican tile and a clawfoot tub. After the renovation, which included some unexpected work on rotted floor joists, the bathroom boasts a spa-like shower. four weeks we’d have the luxury bathroom that we had sketched onto a napkin and given Karen. The demolition went so quickly, it was surprising. In only a week, she had taken out the fixtures, the floor, the tile on both the walls and the ceilings, and knocked down one of the walls to make room for the shower. And we hadn’t even moved back in yet! But the more she dug, the worse things got. The floors were rotted, not just down to the joists, but through them. We had to bring in some carpenters to replace those and build the new shower stall. They also had to re-do the ceiling (also rotted) and patch a door that led to the outside of our house. There was a flea infestation under the house, which took two exterminations to get rid of. Then there was the lead pipe that we’d been using for sixteen years without knowing it. We hired the grouchiest plumber in America, who did amazing work, but complained so much that we eventually replaced him with the nicest plumber in the world (from Lithuania). We ended up having to buy all new fixtures, but at that point, we were just thrilled to have a toilet downstairs. Our Lithuanian plumber not only cheerfully put the downstairs bathroom back together, but replaced both the sink and the toilet in the upstairs bathroom mid-renovation. Here’s a helpful hint for your next bathroom renovation. Do one bathroom at a time. No matter how much the sink or the toilet in your one useable bathroom is running, dripping, discolored, or just bugging you, do not replace it when it’s your only bathroom. At one point, we were brushing our teeth at the kitchen sink. Finally, after Karen had torn down all of the walls, floors and ceiling (and we had literally a giant hole for a bathroom), the electrician came and replaced the old knob and tube wiring. I had budgeted for this work, but my husband kept directing him to the other fifteen outlets and switches in our house that needed grounding, replacing, improving. I also hadn’t expected that the electrician would be going through a divorce, would be devastated every time he showed up, and would have to bring his son with him most of the time. But he was nice, so I just served him up some iced chai tea (which freaked him out completely) and thanked him profusely when we finally had lights in our bathroom. After all of these people traipsed through my house for weeks, we were finally ready to tile. I knew what I wanted exactly, so I thought. Then I entered Whitt Tile. There were endless choices, and it took about three hours of trying out different options before we figured out a combination that would look fabulous and still meet my budget. We had to wait another week while they ordered most of the tile. Karen set to work, and we had most of a bathroom before we knew it. The first time I took a shower in that bathroom, I almost cried. The shower is gigantic and the shower head comes down from the ceiling, so it’s like you’re getting rained on every time you bathe. The water is warm, the tile is beautiful, and, yes, I manage to get clean towels in there most of the time. There were a few odds and ends left to finish even after that first shower, mudding and painting the ceiling and walls, trimming the doorway (where nothing was square), hanging towel racks, the medicine cabinet, and some shelves, drywalling, mudding, and painting, the wall we moved when we expanded the room, We’re still not done. Almost, I keep promising myself. I’ll finish caulking this weekend. I’ll paint that trim on Saturday afternoon. And finally, finally, bring this four-month project to a close. And then, well, then there’s the kitchen. December 2007 LampLighter 19 MIXED MEDIA the three grade division. The winner’s were chosen on how well they presented this year’s theme. Stand alone artists invitational proves successful Karianna Hines and Maro Sopez of Peabody Elementary both received awards for their amazing Grades one to four: 1. Emma Brick-Hezeau. Grahamwood Elementary R YA N S N A L L 2. Karianna Hines. Peabody Elementary Traditionally held in conjunction with the Cooper-Young Festival, the annual Cooper-Young Business Association Artists Invitational was held in November this year. The curated show featured sculptures, paintings, photography, craft art, and several installment pieces all created by artists who live and/or work in the Cooper-Young area. “The really great thing about this show is its all for the artists” said Robin Salant, one of the artists who displayed work at the event. “There is no exhibition fee and all the proceeds of a sale go to the artist. Its a really cool and rare opportunity to participate in a show which thinks of the artist first!” Cadence Bank and the Cooper-Young Business Association sponsored the event and twenty artists displayed works of all sorts including art quilts, digital imagery, plaster moldings, marble and metal sculpture, craft art, and, of course, acrylic on canvas. This year’s show was the biggest yet: the artists were in greater number and we had an amazing turn-out. A longstanding member of the Memphis art-community, Niles Wallace, curated the event and the evening featured music Cooper-Young Artist/Musician, Daniel Heacock, a member of the local band Energy D. This annual event is necessary for the neighborhood because it showcases the wealth of artistic talent that lives or works right here in Cooper-Young. The CYBA looks forward to having another show next year and if you are or know of an artist in the area that would be interested in participating, have him or her email the association at [email protected]. Memphis - a peaceful future The winners of the Cooper-Young Business Association’s annual Young Artists Invitational were feted on November 8 at Peabody Elementary. The invitational, which is open to students Memphis City Schools, celebrated the theme “Memphis – a peaceful future.” The contest was sponsored by Cadence Bank and the CYBA and aims to recognized talented young artists. This year more than $2000 in savings bonds was awarded to the winners of 20 LampLighter work. We can’t wait to see the entries for next year! The winners were: December 2007 3. Charlotte Corr. Snowden School Honorable Mention: Maro Sopez. Peabody Elementary. Grades five to eight: 1. Jake Epperson. Grace St. Lukes 2. Quintalion Jones. Shannon School 3. Darion Beasley. Colonial Middles School Honorable Mention: Courtney Bratcher. Oakhaven Middle Grades nine to twelve: 1. Cole Wheeler. White Station High School 2. David Brown. Overton High School 3. Lena Kirk. White Station High School Honorable Mention: Emily Greenberg. White Station High School ART C U R E S Find balance at Artists on Central J. S. SMITH Many artists create out of a need to express themselves and often to make a statement through their artwork. Artist, Kathy Abernathy takes it one step further and creates art as an actual cure for a physical ailment. Plagued for years with near-constant migraine headache pain and after multiple medications and neurological appointments, Kathy began to find that the more she worked at her abstract paintings, the less migraine pain she suffered. Making the change from full-time work in computer programming to becoming a full-time artist was never something she would have considered doing before this discovery. Her degree in mathematics and computer science never prepared her for the experimentation and wonderment created through her paintings. But as she felt the positive changes that art was having on her life coupled with the personal fulfillment that it brought things began to fall in place almost out of nowhere. As she worked full time on her paintings, doors began to open that led to honors and awards through the Memphis Germantown Art League shows, opportunities came to be juried into national shows, and sales were being made through galleries in Nashville, Memphis, and Palm Springs, Florida. Kathy began to, as she says, “follow her bliss” into the art world. “It’s the hardest, most demanding, and most amazing career I know of,” continues Kathy. Today, she is thankful for all those years of pain and disability for without them she says she would not have found the overwhelming affinity for living a creative life. Spring Showers by Kathy Abernathy Kathy will have a show during the month of December at Artists on Central Art Gallery and she hopes those who see her work will enjoy the same sense of wonderment and bliss that she felt as she created each piece. “Perhaps you would even feel a release from the pains of everyday life,” says Kathy. “Art can truly steal your heart . . . and renew your soul” Kathy’s show, Finding Balance, will be at the Artists on Central Gallery 2256 Central Avenue from December 7 through December 31. There will be an opening reception for the artist on the evening of December 7 from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. The show will continue throughout the month of December during regular gallery hours of 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. In January, Kathy and each artist who has been selected for a one man show at Artists on Central during 2007 will be together, as a group show, each artist displaying some of their newest pieces with statements as to the direction his or her art will be taking in the future. It’s a sneak preview of the styles, talents, and directions that each artist will be taking for 2008 and beyond. Featured artists in this show will be M. J. Reeves, Mary Winger-Bowman, G. Allen B., Nigel Merrick, John Sosh, Kenny Hayes, John Sadowski, Jane Croy, Jeff Corbett, and Kathy Abernathy. For more information about the gallery and the shows or if you are an artist who would like to display your work at Artists on Central come by the gallery at 2256 Central Avenue to pick up a show application or call 276-1251. You can also visit the gallery online at www.thepalladiogroup. com. Just scroll down to Artists on Central as one of the shops of The Palladio Group, which also includes Market Central, Palladio, Waterworks and a new area of artist’s studios all located in the 2200 block of Central Avenue December 2007 LampLighter 21 FEAR THIS Learning to surf versus drowning SAN DY FU R R H Do you remember bedtime when you were a kid and the lights would get turned out and all the shadows turned into scary monsters? Fear is like that. It thrives in the dark. It grows and morphs into something real and powerful when allowed to remain in the shadows but when you turn on the light, the monsters disappear and fear loses its power. Everyone lives with some fear. Some have more than others. Worry, anxiety, stress, all basically derive from fear. The worry list is endless. Time, money, children, partner, crime, work, weather, cars, house, yard, health, parents, theft, bills, terrorism, global warming, children’s safety, cancer, AIDS, relationships, friends, school, grades, careers, college-the cumulative effect can be paralyzing. Some people are so paralyzed with fear that they literally try to hide from it. They refuse to leave their house or drive or go into public spaces. Others have fears that are much more subtle but can be in the long run just as disabling. Shel Silverstein described it in this verse: The hens they all cackle, the roosters all beg, But I will not hatch, I will not hatch. For I hear all the talk of pollution and war As the people all shout and the airplanes roar, So I’m staying in here where it’s safe and it’s warm, And I WILL NOT HATCH! Not all of life can be lived where it is safe and warm, whether in an eggshell or under the covers. But just like when we turned on the light in our childhood dark room and discovered the monster was a shadow, we must shine light on our grown up fears and face our grown up monsters in order to live our lives fully. I love the ocean metaphor for life: the waves surge and subside sometimes bringing to shore wonderful living things, sometimes taking away and destroying life on shore. But the waves never stop. They will continue to bring pain, suffering, sadness, and catastrophe along with so much that is beautiful and magnificent and joyful. If we try to stay safe in our shell, (Pretend you are a sea turtle if you don’t like my mixed metaphor.) we miss what comes to shore. So, if we accept that the wave is coming why not learn to surf? We will probably swallow a lot of sea water, maybe get a sun burn, but have a great ride. Sandy Furrh, LCSW, is a therapist affiliated with The Pilgrim Counseling Center at First Congregational Church. If you have any questions for Sandy, you may contact her at 844-4357, Option 4. 22 LampLighter December 2007 PET G I FTS More products and services available for furried family members DEBORAH CAMP Christmastime is a season for giving—and One of my all time favorite pet catalogs and we sure don’t want to leave out the little guys. websites is Drs. Foster and Smith at www. Fortunately retailers are coming to the rescue drsfostersmith.com. They never fail to please to make sure that doesn’t happen. There are with their amazing collection of pet items. This more products and services available today for year’s Christmas store features a 3-in-1 pet our pets than anyone ever has ever imagined. stroller, car seat, and soft carrier. Although Whether they chirp, mew, bark or hiss, pets listed as a cat item, any pet up to fifteen are a part of the family and Americans are pounds could comfortably travel in this spending an estimated $41 billion dollars on lightweight stroller with an ergonomic handle, them each year. This range of products and push-button fold down, six inch wheels, safety services include pet daycare and boarding, brakes, drink holders and storage basket grooming, food, toys, and veterinary services. underneath. It retails for around a hundred The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association’s most recent survey revealed that dollars. There’s a lot of pet stairs out there for approximately 71.1 million American have handicapped and arthritic pets but I believe pets in their household and almost half have that the good doctors Foster and Smith more than one pet. probably carry some of the best around. One Not surprising, this means major holidays can purchase a three, four, or six step unit in like Christmas spike sales of a wide array of several attractive shades that can blend with pet related items. Additionally, it means the your home décor. They are light to carry cash register rings up sales of items for their around from room to room and lift up for human companions too. Both categories are dusting. And unlike a lot of pet stairs, they are expanding exponentially as interest in covered with heavyweight fabric that is pets—just like the Energizer Bunny—just keeps machine washable. The steps can support up going and going. to 200 pounds. They range in price from So, what’s new and exciting in the world of pet gifts? How about sending your favorite pet $59.00 to $129.00. For the dog who has everything, why not pals a Holiday Crunch Card? These are the consider a Grunting Hedgehog? For only $10 only patented line of edible greeting cards for at www.entirelypets.com you can buy this pets on the market. The flat rawhide cards plush toy that is sure to entertain your dog feature holiday greetings on non-toxic throughout the holidays. For holiday clean up, water-based ink, and can be ordered on you may as well pick up the FURminator at www.healthpets.com. Entirely Pets while you are at it. This deshed- For only $14.99 you can buy Music My ding tool is designed for cats and dogs and Pet—Classic Cuts CD, with musical selections claims to “remove loose hair like no other.” If with a calming effect for dogs, cats and other it does what it claims the $29.95 price tag is a household pets. It’s a perfect gift for those bargain indeed. with hyperactive critters or those suffering The choices of pet holiday gifts is seem- from anxiety separation. Listening to a cut ingly endless this year with prices ranging online I became pretty relaxed myself. Flash, from just a few bucks up into the stratosphere. our plump calico cat who keeps me company Your pet will appreciate anything you give by the computer, leaned into the speaker, and them with purrs and face licks, and won’t then curled up blissfully for a nap. To listen complain that you didn’t spend enough or ask for yourself, or to order, visit you to return it for a different color. But www.musicmypet.com. remember the most valuable gift you can give Did you know there are Murphy Beds for pets? For around a hundred dollars you can your pet anytime of year is attention, kind- #EJ@PDABN=IAO PD=P@ABEJAUKQ ness, play, and lots of love. purchase a stylish hideaway bed for Rover or Contact Deborah Camp at 525-0552, or Fluffy. When closed and placed against a wall, it [email protected] for comments looks like a wooden cabinet but when the front or suggestions. panel is folded down it provides sleeping space. It comes equipped with a thick foam mattress & 9 " . 4 ] & : & 8 & " 3 ]$ 0 / 5" $ 5 4 and pillow. Now this sounds very clever and it Midtown Memphis 901.276.EYES (3937) looks nice, but in our household Michael and I Houston Levee Galleria 901.853.3213 would be doing nothing but opening and closing the bed all day long as someone is always napping. But for giggles you might www. eclectic-eye.com ©2007 The Eclectic Eye. All rights reserved. want to check it out at www.gifts.com. EYE-149.LAMP.indd 3 7/23/07 1:35:31 PM December 2007 LampLighter 23 D WA R F M U S I C They might be, but they’re not MAG G I E LO U I E Don’t, don’t, don’t get me started—I certainly left “frustrated and sad,” but it wasn’t beautiful. In my misguided youth—filled with sleepless nights, heisted liquor, and obscure physics—They Might Be Giants were the band I called home. To this geek, they weren’t giants, they were prodigious. I even used to call the stupid hotline every week to hear the latest jingle on their answering machine. They weren’t the best band, but they were my band. That was ‘til last month’s concert at Newby’s. My first expletive-rich seizure was brought on by the fact that they didn’t play their big hit “Don’t Let’s Start,” which, in my book, for a two-and-a half hit wonder band, is grounds for a divorce. How are you gonna roll up in here and don’t play “Don’t Let’s Start?” Sure it may be old hat, but what do you think the fans are coming for … the new record? That’s like Rush deciding they’re sick of playing “Tom Sawyer,” or Zappa not playing “Stick It Out.” No, it’s not even that cool—it’s more like the Go-Go’s refusing to play “We Got the Beat.” If they didn’t want to be touring on the old hits, they should have thought to bring some new ones, but to burden the audience with cynicism was just bad form. If you’re gonna ask ‘em to sand the stage you better frickin’ soft-shoe. As if the “Mid-Life, Whiny Vaginy Man Show” wasn’t enough of a shank in the ear, the new guitar player was completely out-of-sync with their sound, peppering the show with blues rock, and flamenco solos. It could have been pulled off, but the lack of humor just made it a dry awkward fit. And I’m sure, as he looked out onto the mob of nerdy geek-a-philes (self included), trying to pick out a piece of backstage tail for later, he was kicking himself for not taking the David Sanborn gig. the tour manager (an English guy with a bone earring) about an interview. Me: “Can I get an interview?” Bone-ear: “No.” Me: “Well, can I just get an interview then?” Bone ear: “NO!” Me: “Hey what about an in-ter-View?” Bone ear: “What? I already told you no, and you better stop asking!” Me: “Why? If “no” is “no,” then what have I got to lose by bugging you?” Bone ear: “Well, you’re making me mad!” Me: “So? – hey I know…What about an interview?” Bone-ear: “Absolutely not at this hour of the night” “This hour of the night?!” Last time I checked, rock & roll didn’t get out of bed until 10 p.m. But I guess if you’re used to doing PR spots at Barnes & Nobles in support of your kiddy records … then 10 p.m. becomes bedtime. My heart bounded like a call to war, blood froze, and in the bubbling daiquiri slush of my veins, I could hear Robert Plant screaming the intro to Zep’s “Immigrant song.” I cut my scotch-shot eyes in contempt, shook my head, and slouched away. Bone-ear smiled smugly—victoriously. He hadn’t defeated me though; I just didn’t even want an interview from a band that would be too tired at 10:30 p.m. to give one. I walked across Highland Avenue, kicking at the street with my old 1980s black Converses. The six states of They Might Be Giants: Bored, bored, bored, greedy, big yawn and confused. Photos by Maggie Louie. I don’t blame the lead singer John Linnell for the uninspired show— clearly no one even told him he was playing a gig. Decked out in a GYM “T” and jeans, he obviously thought it was movie night on the bus. He even had the stones to grimace a few times at the crowd, as if his lack of a vital career was a problem he held us personally responsible for. They did play “Little Bird House in Your Soul,” which I missed on account they hit the stage nearly an hour earlier than scheduled, as if to say “I can’t wait to get out of this town.” They were, in fact, back on their tour bus by 10:30 p.m. I stood at the half-extended bus door, arguing with They used to mean hardcore, or punk, or something I’m too old to even name. They were “cool.” Thinking about how much I had wanted them to play “Don’t Lets Start” made me feel pathetic as hell. I took off the All-Stars and heaved them into the road, flipped off the tour bus and ran to my car. The only redeeming part of the night was that they did play “Istanbul” and “Particle Man,” but alas, it will take more than science and geography to mend this broken heart. Happy Holidays from Steve, Elizabeth, andLaura at the Steve Womack Agency
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