Thank You Friends

Big Beat (this one, not this one) has issued a double-disc set celebrating the mid 60s – early 70s era of the legendary Memphis label Ardent. The compilation features a host of Big Star-related bands and more than a dozen BS rarities, ranging from near identical outtakes to previously unreleased songs. This is what drew me in, but hearing the lesser known Ardent bands is a big treat as well, and shows that Big Star weren't the only Memphis artists operating at the nexus point of rock, pop, glam and more traditional sounds.

Disc One:
01 The Ole Miss Downbeats – Geraldine
02 Lawson & Four More – If You Want Me You Can Find Me
03 The Avengers – Batarang
04 The Wallabies – White Door
05 Lawson & Four More – Halfway Down The Stairs
06 The Bitter Ind – Hands Are Only To See
07 The 1st Century – The Surveyor
08 Terry Manning – Rocks
09 The Wallabies – Up And Down Children
10 Terry Manning – Not At All
11 The 1st Century – Looking Down
12 The Honey Jug – In 1852 We
13 The Goatdancers – Patches Of Dust
14 Chris Bell – Psychedelic Stuff
15 Alex Chilton – Free Again
16 Icewater – All I See Is You
17 The Badgers – Every Shoemaker
18 Sid Selvidge – Miss Eleana
19 Rock City – Lovely Lady
20 Alex Chilton – Every Day As We Grow Closer
21 Terry Manning – Guess Things Happen That Way
22 Icewater – Feeling High
23 Alex Chilton – The Emi Song (Smile For Me)
24 Rock City – Think It's Time To Say Goodbye

Disc Two:
01 Big Star – In The Street
02 Cargoe – Feel Alright
03 Big Star – When My Baby’s Beside Me
04 Big Star – My Life Is Right
05 Big Star – Back Of A Car
06 Cargoe – I Love You Anyway
07 Big Star – I Got Kinda Lost
08 The Hot Dogs – Let Me Look At The Sun
09 Big Star – Mod Lang
10 Big Star – She’s A Mover
11 The Hot Dogs – I Walk The Line
12 Big Star – September Gurls
13 Big Star – Big Black Car
14 Alex Chilton – Lovely Day (aka Stroke It Noel)
15 Big Star – For You
16 Alex Chilton – Downs
17 Big Star – Kizza Me
18 Big Star – Holocaust
19 Chris Bell – You And Your Sister
20 Tommy Hoehn – Love You (All Day Long)
21 Big Star – Thank You Friends
22 Tommy Hoehn – Blow Yourself Up
23 The Scruffs – My Mind
24 Alex Chilton – Don’t Worry Baby