History of Memphis Garage Rock: The 90's bashes out a timeline of the city's recent rock & roll history. As recounted by the Shangri-La Projects label and local citizen Ross Johnson, the story of the '90s Memphis underground begins and ends with three guys, Jeff Evans, Jack Yarber, and Greg Cartwright (aka Jack Oblivion and Greg Oblivion). They figure heavily in the lineups of the bands appearing here, from the Gibson Bros.' happily raw cover of Rex Garvin's "Emulsified," to all The Oblivions-named stuff, to the Compulsive Gamblers' "Bad Taste," which, with its delightfully warbling vocals and whizzing organ runs is a pretty good primer of the funky white-man-sound of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. (Spencer once played with the Gibson Bros.). "Honey, I'm Too Old" is an old, surprisingly heartfelt Sympathy for the Record Industry side of Jack Oblivion's, while the Cool Jerks' "For a Little While" lurches and roars with boozy, glammy ardor. A cool Dick Dale-influenced instrumental from Impala offers a brief respite from all the swaggerin' and bloozy punk bluster, before Lorette Velvette's one-note electro boogie plunges you right back in it with the '60s update barn dance come-on of "Don't Crowd Your Mind." The Neckbones ("Eyeful") turn everything to 12 and pour beer on the mic, while the Satyrs' "Johnny Rebel" harbors a similar disrespect for eardrums. The ambitiously-named King Louie the 69th & the Harahan Crack Combo closes out the comp with the naughty trash overdrive of "Jailbait." This much is true: it isn't robbing liquor stores that knocked this King off his throne. In the end, History of Memphis Garage Rock is really more like a box of greasy Polaroids than a historical timeline. But age hasn't faded those shots, and it doesn't lessen the immediacy of these rave-ups. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
Dave Boyer (Guitar), Dave Boyer (Vocals), Dave Boyer (Group Member), Jim Cole (Photography), Dan K. Brown (Bass), Dan K. Brown (Group Member), Doug Easley (Bass), Mark Harrison (Bass), Mark Harrison (Guitar), Mark Harrison (Vocals), Mark Harrison (Group Member), Davis McCain (Vocals (Background)), Scott Rogers (Bass), Scott Rogers (Group Member), John Stivers (Guitar), John Stivers (Group Member), Rodney Thomas (Drums), Rodney Thomas (Group Member), David Thompson (Design), John West (Bass), John West (Piano), James Arthur (Guitar), James Arthur (Group Member), Alex Greene (Piano), Kurt Ruleman (Drums), Kurt Ruleman (Group Member), Lorette Velvette (Guitar), Lorette Velvette (Vocals), Don Howland (Guitar), Don Howland (Vocals), Don Howland (Group Member), Jim Higgins (Photography), Greg Oblivian (Guitar), Greg Oblivian (Toy Piano), Daniel Ball (Photography), Jeffrey Evans (Guitar), Jeffrey Evans (Vocals), Jeffrey Evans (Group Member), Scott Bomar (Bass), Scott Bomar (Farfisa Organ), Scott Bomar (Group Member), Jeff Goggans (Drums), Jackie-O (Guitar), Jackie-O (Vocals), Alicja Trout (Guitar), Alicja Trout (Group Member), Melissa Dunn (Guitar), Melissa Dunn (Vocals), Forrest Hewes (Drums), Forrest Hewes (Vocals), Forrest Hewes (Group Member), Tyler Keith (Guitar), Tyler Keith (Vocals), Tyler Keith (Group Member), Geoffrey Brent Shrewsbury (Cover Photo), Greg Cartwright (Guitar), Greg Cartwright (Drums), Greg Cartwright (Group Member), Ellen Hoover (Drums), Ellen Hoover (Group Member), Jack Yarber (Guitar), Jack Yarber (Saxophone), Jack Yarber (Vocals), Jack Yarber (Group Member), Jack "Happy Jack" Taylor (Organ), Jack "Happy Jack" Taylor (Guitar), Jack "Happy Jack" Taylor (Group Member), Darin Lin Wood (Guitar), Darin Lin Wood (Group Member), Jeff Green (Guitar), Jeff Green (Group Member), Trey Harrison (Guitar), Trey Harrison (Vocals), Trey Harrison (Photography), Trey Harrison (Group Member), Jason Paxton (Guitar), Jason Paxton (Vocals), Jason Paxton (Group Member), King Louie Bankston (Drums), King Louie Bankston (Group Member), Rebecca Carter (Drums), Rebecca Carter (Group Member), Sue Easley (Vocals (Background)), Jimmy Enck (Bass), Jimmy Enck (Saxophone), Jimmy Enck (Group Member), George Fletcher (Bass), George Fletcher (Group Member), Bob Fordyce (Drums), Bob Fordyce (Group Member), Eric Friedl (Guitar), Eric Friedl (Vocals), Eric Friedl (Group Member), Kristof Hahn (Guitar), Michael Hurtt (Guitar), Michael Hurtt (Vocals), Michael Hurtt (Group Member), Ross M. "Flamin R" Johnson (Liner Notes), Bob Kondrack (Photography), Rob Lexander (Bass), Rob Lexander (Vocals), Rob Lexander (Group Member), King Louie (Drums), King Louie (Vocals)
