Muscle Shoals

source: Muscle Shoals

The recording house Fame Recording Studios began in the small town of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, seemingly out of nowhere. The film fills in a lot of back story, commentary from well-known music figures, and a great deal of local colour. The early perspective was with Rick Hall, who led a group of local musicians who became his session crew for recordings with big names such as Percy Sledge, Wilson Pickett, and Aretha Franklin. The story of how Wilson Pickett and Duane Allman conspired to make a cover of the Beatles' Hey Jude was touching, magical, and hilarious, as was the short story given of the beginning of the Allman Brothers Band. At one point, Rick Hall got a contract with Capital Records. When he announces that, his early crew has an announcement of their own. They broke off and went with Jerry Wexler (Atlantic Records) to form Muscle Shoals Recording Studios in the same town. At first the new studio did not do well, but then the Stones recorded You've Got to Move, Wild Horses, and Brown Sugar, three of their best blues tunes, at MSRS. Rick Hall was in a feud with Jerry Wexler, and recruited a new session crew using the leverage of Capital Records. He formed a new rhythm section called the Fame Gang. This worked well for him. He cut records with Lou Rawls, Bobbie Gentry, Candi Staton, King Curtis, Little Richard, Mac Davis, Joe Tex, and plenty more. In 1971, Rick became Producer of the Year, which he did not achieve with his original session group. Jimmie Johnson's MSRS was also doing interesting things. They signed Lynard Skynard, and recorded a number of great cuts with them. However, the band ended up leaving Johnson when he could not sell a nine minute single to any record company. After a plane crash took the lives of three band members, two of the survivors came back to Johnson and asked that 11 of the 17 cuts they did at MSRS become the next album. The stories about Jimmy Cliff (early reggae) and Steve Winwood (Traffic) recording with MSRS and going on the road with them were just delicious. Bob Seger, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, Glenn Fry, and a host of others recorded at MSRS. -----Conclusions----- This one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. If you like modern music (last 50 years or so), catch this film: for the musical history, for the cultural references, for the magic and the misfires. From Sweet Home Alabama: '...now Muscle Shoals has the Swampers...'; this film gives a complete explanation. This film really does deserve the 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. One line summary: Beautiful portrait of two of the greatest recording studios. Five stars of five. -----Scores----- Cinematography: 9/10 Beautifully shot; only some of the archival footage was not great looking, but no surprise there. Sound: 10/10 Oh, so good. Acting: z/10 Not relevant here. Screenplay: 10/10 Nicely organised; one gets a feel for the practical magic of the two studios in Muscle Shoals.

Of the several recent documentaries made about singers, musicians and producers of rhythm and blues, this 2013 production and the Pennebaker-Hegedus film, "Only the Strong Survive", are probably the best. Musically "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" has no equal, for it was conceived as a concert film, a record of a historical reunion of Detroit's jazz musicians known as The Funk Brothers, with guest appearances from great contemporary vocalists, all recorded with care; while "Twenty Feet from Stardom" is surely the weakest, a lost opportunity to make an outstanding documentary, starring some of the best background vocalists of yesterday (and a few from the present), due to an average approach, like an extended television report. Not that "Muscle Shoals" and "Only the Strong Survive" are cinematic masterpieces, but both cover controversial facts surrounding some of their subjects, including producer Rick Hall in the first case, or Sam Moore in the second. Their personalities and stories lift these works from the common place, and help to make them very fine achievements. Hall is indeed a very complex man, from his childhood in poverty, living in the wilderness, to his success as owner of Fame recording studio in Muscle Shoals, the city where Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Etta James and many others recorded hits. He omits nothing, revealing dark details from his family and work, and even making reflections about himself that reveal how the shortcomings and rejections he faced led him to achieve success. Due to the format there is fantastic R&B and rock and roll music that unfortunately is not enjoyed in its fullness (from Aretha to Duane Allman, among the many artists that recorded in Muscle Shoals), and very little live, new material, as the outstanding performance by Alicia Keys, several of the original session musicians and a gospel choir. But these are little complaints compared to the joy of seeing at last, a work on the fantastic music produced in those small recording studios in Alabama, and the group known as The Swampers. Don't miss it.

If you thought Sun Recording Studios defined the birth of American popular music you've never given Muscle Shoals adequate due. You can also reduce Stax Records and Recording Studios to a very potent, but lesser, footnote. Muscle Shoals is ground zero for what propelled the great colorless American music revolution. It took way too long for this to come to forefront in the guise of a big-screen movie, but it's here and it can't be denied. Truth is I always wondered why my little Alabama town never ascended to the musical heights of Muscle Shoals. I only live an hour and change away. In my life I'd seen more than a few local musicians that seemed to have some kind of gift. I'd even passed Hank Williams Jr. more than once on our city sidewalks. The thing I didn't realize, until watching this nigh on perfect documentary, is that we didn't have a river and we were lacking a native son along the lines of Rick Hall. Rick Hall's life story is that as a survivor against the darkest of odds. Growing up beyond poor, being beset by the personal tragedies of of both the loss of his younger brother and abandonment of his mother, Hall;s drive was forged by life's cruel hard knocks. All he had at his lowest point was his music. It's that music that saved him and created a world-class music mecca known simply as "the Muscle Shoals Sound". Hall parlayed that into one the all-time great American success stories. But, no man is an island. Rick had his compatriots in the journey that beat a path to the world's radios. His musicians, humbly known as "The Swampers" created a sound that wouldn't be denied. For a time in the 60's through 70's Muscle Shoals was, perhaps, the best known studio with a signature sound in the entire world. And, the world came. Diverse artists arrived and recorded ground-breaking albums that become not only hits, but touchstone recordings in each artist's canon at Muscle Shoals. What Rick Hall started grew exponentially beyond the man himself. You can't make up stuff like this. In the movie it is said it was a "perfect storm", and so it was. If you are emotionally stirred by music you simply must watch this. It is, in a nutshell, what music really is. It transcends time, places, and the differences of race and religion. It unifies, it bonds people and cements life's experiences. I've watched many music documentaries, of which the BBC has a wonderful cadre, but, I've never felt a connection and pure sense of love like the documentary "Muscle Shoals" enlightens me to. This is simply the best music documentary I've ever witnessed. A must see for all music lovers as well as a damn fine human interest story to boot!

Thank God that this documentary was made. There are interviews you're not going to see anywhere else with the people that made history. At one point I wondered why they were veering off into an Existential analysis of Rick Hall and it made sense as the narrative went on, it kept the documentary grounded and all the Muscle Shoals folks in focus. I've read articles where Nashville session players will get tracks through the internet. Spend 8 hours crafting a solo, record it and email it back and never set foot in the studio. I wouldn't say that studio's days are numbered but for session players the format that made Muscle Shoals so important may be waning. My only gripe is why is Bono in this film at all? He's a 'rock star' not a musician or artist.

Very cool documentary! Percy Sledge was very cool! I work in residential care with a very Caring man named Ted; he sings to residents and was amazed at the story of Percy Sledge. I am really touched by Ricks life and all that he had to go through I thought the whole documentary was absolutely amazing, thanks to everyone that told their stories!From the very sad beginning to the amount of problems he faced I feel deeply sorry for him; but he tried and made it through all of life's trials and tribulations! I think Rick is a very strong and determined person. Thanks for sharing the River that always sings" hope to visit it one day!

This documentary celebrates the work of Rick Hall, who grew up in poverty but who eventually became the force behind the Muscle Shoals operation, that continues to this day in Alabama. From a personal point of view, Hall's life has been touched by tragedy; his mother left him, his father died in a tractor accident and a brother was scalded to death. But this has been offset by his energy and sheer entrepreneurial skill in creating Fame Studios. Greg 'Freddy' Camalier's film is full of insights - the fact that most of the backing tracks on some of the classic soul works recorded at Fame (by Wilson Pickett, Percy Sledge and Aretha Franklin were provided by a Caucasian group, who later left Hall to found their own recording studio close by to Hall's. We also learn how Muscle Shoals became a magnet for groups worldwide including the Rolling Stones and Traffic. The ambiance might appear unprepossessing, the facilities somewhat rudimentary; but the sound quality and technical support available there was second to none. This is chiefly down to Hall's influence; he comes across as someone driven by the need for success, much of which he has achieved over five decades. The only criticism of MUSCLE SHOALS is structural: director Camalier interweaves past and present narratives in such a way as to make it difficult to distinguish between them, especially if viewers are unfamiliar with the music being discussed. Perhaps there might have been a case for cutting down on the number of celebrity reminiscences (which tend to be superficial at best) and introducing a narrator to offer some sort of guidance to the uninitiated.

I liked "Muscle Shoals" for many reasons but the biggest one is that it taught me a lot about something I knew absolutely nothing about, as I'd never heard of the famed 'Muscle Shoals'. However, there's more to the film than that--it is quite interesting, has some surprisingly big name musicians who gave interviews (such as members of the Rolling Stones, Bono and some great R&B legends) and terrific music! So, unless you absolutely hate R&B, the blues and rock (and I know that there at least three of you out there), there is plenty that you'll enjoy about this one and it's worth seeing--as well as well made. By the way, I have no idea why but this film, the Oscar-winning "20 Feet From Stardom" and "Sound City" all came out at about the same time---and ALL are very similar. So, if you like one, you probably would like to see the rest!

MUSCLE SHOALS (2013) ***1/2 Excellent documentary about the Alabama based music production house, FAME Studios and its low-key yet tenacious founder Rick Hall is a remarkable historical account of American rock/soul & R&B music for generations of iconic records and its amazing Who's Who of entertainment with testimonials from the likes of Mick Jagger, Bono and Aretha Franklin among others, all who speak to the truths of pure genius while also reflecting the organic roots of the fabled Southern hit factory. Filmmaker Greg 'Freddy' Camalier has a straight-forward flair underscoring the personal with the legend making and serves as a companion piece to "Sound City" for what makes music truly great: passion.

Greg Camalier's Muscle Shoals is a documentary about Rick Hall, who founded Fame recording studios in the quiet Tennessee River town of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, which inspired an incredible host of classic singers and songs. The film is a fascinating collection of music clips, stars' testimonials and memories, against the background of the turbulent culture and politics of the times, the late 50s-'70s. The film's explicit homage is to the magic of that location. Something in the air, in the murmuring river, in the wailing clack of the railroad, inspired the musicians who made the place legendary. The footage tries to catch that magic. If we believe it we see it. The film represents the power that America used to have and could have. In this America blacks and whites slip into easy friendship and collaboration to make soulful harmonies together. Amid the vicious artifice of segregation whites and blacks connect and grow together. In this America the young and the imaginative get a chance to make something of themselves. This America breaks down barriers -- rockers Lynryd Skynryd even brings in a roadie who's a classical pianist -- instead of raising and exploiting them (Hello, Tea Party!). The idyllic Muscle Shoals is idyllic America, its frontier wilds and wisdom intact, a past we should look forward to. For more see www.yacowar.blogspot.com.