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    What is happening in 2009? Most busy around the Shangri-la Projects World HQ indeed! Let’s get to it:

    Check this out–in tough times 5$ ain’t much to pay to see some great Memphis bands. In fact, this is even cheaper–free! Looks pretty kewl & features a whole bunch of great musicians & Friends of Shangri-la Projects–including our very own Tim Regan! Word is that it is debuting at South x Southwest this year, of which we will be attending & pimping our new releases by the Memphis Goons among other nice new listening surprises.

    In the ya can’t keep a good man down dept., check out Stax’s Al Bell’s new website. Be sure to click on the Rufus Thomas video!!! Holy Smokes, Rufus is still the freakin’ best ever. I miss him more than any other Memphis musician who has died in the last fifteen years with the possible exception of Junior Kimbrough. Anyway, Rufus’ live show at Wattstax was the shiznitz–one of the two best ever (besides Sam & Dave live on ‘the ‘67 European tour!) Be sure to buy the dvd from the Stax Museum. Watch Rufus work that crowd!

    Mad love to Bill Black, DJ Fontana, & especially Spooner Oldham for their inductions to the Rock & Roll Hall of Hame! Spooner not only is one of the greatest songwriters ever, but he showed up with Dan Penn at his in-store at Shangri-la Records a couple of years back and was the nicest guy in the world! I also enjoyed him touring with Neil Young back in 2000. Great show & good on ya, Spooner, for a lifetime of great tunes!

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    Wierd year, huh? Bush, Palin, Hillary, New Economic Depression…let’s get it over with, how ’bout it?

    Here was some great stuff:

    1) End of Bush wars/torture/destruction of the U.S.

    2) Magnolia Electric Co. live for 10 year Hi Tone celebration in Rocktober. I confess a serious obsession with this great band of tunesmiths this year. Their Hi Tone show was nothing short of stunning and, quite frankly, mind-blowingly amazing. Due to its Sunday night timetable during the worst economy ever seen in these parts, only about 30 folks caught this. Where were all the tapers who are usually at the Hi Tone???? This was the one I’d love to hear again (& again).

    3) Charles Hodges throwing down on keys at the O.V. Wright tribute.Charles Hodges \”Precious, Precious\” Lawd, have mercy, this man went down the alley, through the church, faced the devil, & showed him who is boss of the ivories on the spectacular 20 minute version of “Precious, Precious.” This was my penultimate Memphis music moment of the year in a year where there just weren’t enough. Nothing else came close except #9…

    4) Song of the year: “Which Way to Go” Eddy Current Suppression Ring Way to go, Goners!

    5) Return of Burn Notice for another season of great ’80s action/detective/intrigue cheese.

    6) All Tomorrow’s Parties in the Catskills–more on this amazin’ line-up later. Quite simply, too much great entertainment on a beautiful fall weekend in a much-lampooned & maligned part of the country.

    7) Return of Ellen’s Soul Food. Don’t get no better than this!

    8) MouseRocket Pretty Loud lp Mainly these days, I buy records at shows by bands whose live show I like. I didn’t buy too many great records this year. This was one that stood out. Also good was Thomas Function Celebration

    9) Terry Manning blasting the walls at the Hi Tone at the Memphis Pops Fest with his interstellar version of “I Am the Cosmos.” I felt like the guy in the Maxell tape commercial.

    10) Robert Pollard returning to Memphis & high-kicking again! The man is a scientific wonder. He didn’t kick as often as usual, but, goddamn, this guy is rocknroll. Another blessed moment in the Hi Tone’s awesome 10 year celebration in Rocktober.

    That’s all. Someone call in the adults to clean-up this mess Bush & Cheney made. Then we can get back to rocking the Casbah. Whatever.
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    Famous words one of my heros, R.L. Burnside, used to bark out at will. Here’s where to find all the new scoop about Shangri-la Projects pop & rock. We’ve been working on some exciting new projects this fall, gearing up for a bigger & badder 2009. In addition to having mail order available for any corner of the world, we’ve spent 2008 getting our online catalog easily available for downloading bliss at all the biggies…Itunes, Emusic, Amazon, Real/Rhapsody, etc. If you can’t find Shangri-la Projects’ releases online to download, you can always buy them directly from us right here. As always, thanks for supporting our various releases! You rock!

    So what’s new? Antenna Shoes has been our hottest release of the year with the deliciously tasty Generous Gambler. Tim Regan, resident songwriting genius, has been touring all year either with Antenna Shoes or his other band, Oh, No Oh, My, who just returned from tearing up Spain, France, & the U.K.

    Joe Presti and For Her And The Snow have been doing a residence atGoodbye Blue Monday in Brooklyn. Friend up with Joe here.

    The Grifters have split into 2 bands. Dave & Scott are rocking the New Mary Jane with a myspace coming soon. Dragoon includes the Grifters’ rhythm section of Tripp and Stan, and they are currently working on a new record.

    Philly’s Strapping Fieldhands are playing together again for the 1st time in many moons. We look to hear great things from them soon!

    Finally, the Memphis Goons are working on new reissues–more on this later.

    Well, this should get you up to snuff for now. More news as it comes down the pipe. Promise to not be a stranger!