Unclaimed Recordings Studio

Damaged In Memphis Flood

The late-February storms that swept across the Southeast significantly damaged the building housing Unclaimed Recordings, though much of the equipment escaped harm. The damage comes at a time when owner J. D. Reager has been hoping to turn more attention to his record label, Makeshift Music.

“We’ve been having other problems,” said Reager of the studio. “This was just the last straw. It was more than a little bit of a relief!”

The equipment has been moved to the garage of Makeshift band Two Way Radio. There the studio will complete the projects that were being worked on when the storm hit. After these projects are finished Reager plans to keep the studio in a private capacity and use it for personal projects as well as for those artists on Makeshift Records. The label has a busy year ahead, and Reager is looking forward to concentrating more on its artists and development.

“I’m ready to focus on Makeshift,” he says. “We have lots of records coming out this year, and we need to figure out how to pay for these releases. And we’re going to relaunch the website in the next week or two. We’ll have fully developed artist pages; not just a list of releases.”

Future releases this year include a split 7-inch with Amy Levere and Holly Cole. The label is also in the process of putting together the next Rock of Love concert, which benefits Church Health Center, a local non-profit organization that provides all sorts of health care services to the uninsured in Memphis.

www.makeshiftmusic.com

Goner Records:

Store and Label Work Side by Side

A record label since 1993 and a store since 2004, Goner Records is a vital part of the Memphis music scene. Having put out records by The Carobonas, Harlan T Bobo, Jay Reatard and King Khan & BBQ Show, it’s easy to see why the label has been such a mainstay in the Southeast.

Starting with Japanese act Guitar Wolf, owner Eric Friedl (The Oblivions) has been putting out a multitude of 7-inches as well as the obligatory records and CDs. Four years ago Friedl hooked up with Zac Ives (The Final Solutions) to buy the location that would become Goner’s record store.

The label has also been putting on the annual Gonerfest at the store and Hi Tone for four years now, with the 2007 event showcasing some of the label’s favorites such as Boston Chinks and The Carbonas as well as national acts like Hank IV, Quintron & Miss Pussycat.

Contact: Eric Friedl

Phone: (901) 722-0095

E-mail: gonerrecords@gmail.com

Address: 2152 Young Ave, Memphis, TN 38104

Website: www.goner-records.com

IN THE NEWS

Ardent Records band Skillet has been touring all over the U.S. The band’s Winterjam tour in February and March transitioned smoothly into the band’s Comatose tour, named after their latest album release in 2006. The Comatose tour will last through the end of May, and the band will continue touring Canada and the U.S. through September.

www.skillet.com

Indie label and record store Goner Records recently celebrated their fourth anniversary as a record store. Goner is currently supporting The Carbonas, an Atlanta band recording on the Memphis label, as they embark on their tour around Europe to promote their latest self-titled album.

www.goner-records.com

Archer Records of Memphis opened the Music and Arts Recording Studio in March of this year. Archer hopes that the new set-up will be more appealing to the burgeoning film industry in Memphis.

www.archer-records.com

The Barkays finished their new album in February and planned on releasing it in the spring on their label Jea Right Now Records. They plan on touring throughout the summer and fall around the Southeast. Justin Timberlake recently dropped in on their session at Memphis Records for a quick rehearsal.

www.myspace.com/jea

archielove

Memphis Recording will see a few new releases this year. Chess Club has finished a full-length record, and Harlan T. Bobo has finished his second solo release following Too Much Love. 8Ball, MJG and Yo Gotti are also working on new material. All of these were recorded at the label’s Memphis studio, Young Avenue Sound.

www.memphisrecords

online.com

Yellow Dog Records signed Mississippi native and former International Blues Challenge winner Eden Brent at the beginning of this year. Her new album, Mississippi Number One, was released last month. Copies are available through the Yellow Dog Records website.

www.yellowdogrecords.com

Taking a leaf out of Radiohead’s book, Noah Glenn’s new three-song EP, entitled The Cloudspotter EP is now available for download off his website entirely free of charge. Donations can be made of course, via PayPal.

www.noahnoah.net

Streetside Symphony recently released a new studio album. Entitled The Curse, it was released on Ten Star Records in late February of this year. The band is currently playing shows throughout the Southeast, including gigs in Atlanta, Nashville and Columbia.

www.myspace.com/street

sidesymphony