Going to Alabama over Thanksgiving

[BluesKeys]

I am going to be in Alabama for about a week starting tomorrow er well Wednesday. I will be in transit tomorrow to Moulton, AL. Somewhere between Decatur and Birmingham as best as I can tell.

 

Anyone from the forum live out in the boonies around this area? I was thinking of making the hour drive up to Muscle Shoals one day. Any idea if I can find the recording studio or if they exist anymore?

 

I am always up for an adult beverage with forumites and I am sure I will need some after spending a few days with my girlfriends kids and kinfolk.

 

I was told we are going eat and eat and eat some more while I am there. They say they clean up the kitchen after every meal and start right in cooking for the next meal. In fact I will quote what cousin Genie said "we are going to eat, get swole up and lay like broccoli." I think that means we are going to eat so much we can't move. I may need an interpreter for this trip.

 

So PLEASE someone come out of the woodwork so I will have a place to sneak off to for a few cool ones. Some music would be nice too.

[ITGITC]

 

Boy, you too funny.

 

You takin' fatback and hootch? Ya bettah.

 

Not for them... for YOURSELF.

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8f/Fatback.jpg/180px-Fatback.jpg

[ITGITC]

http://digitaldaybreak.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/bruce-moonshine.jpg

 

My recommendation to YOU, BluesKeys.

 

(Just look at those eyes.)

 

 

[BluesKeys]

I only aspire to be as humorous as you Mr Petrol. Fat back an Hootch now that is funny. Nothing like a nip of "liquid stupid."

But I prefer cracklin' to fat back? :Grin:

 

I will be around Double Springs and Moulton AL. And my daddy would have called that area Plum Nelly. Plum outa the county and nelly out of the country.

[ITGITC]

My Daddy's from Johnston county.

 

He always called fatback "(A) Streak o' lean... (And a) Streak o' fat". (Say it fast... streakoleanstreakofat.)

 

Yeah.

 

'course, cracklin is from an entirely different part of the pig.

 

I'm sure I can get some at the Farmer's Market though. At that Pork Shop (pig store) they sell everything but the squeal. You know the one - right next to the fish market where you can get a fried seafood platter, sweet iced tea, banana pudding, and all the hushpuppies you can hold for five dollar. I like to load up on collard greens and head on over there right before the crowd comes for lunch on Friday afternoon. Makes my mouth water just to hear those li'l piggies sqealin' for their lives next door.

 

Mabel used to work there, but she finally got tired of hearin' 'em complain. She wore those big ol' RED ear muff thingies so she wouldn't be bothered while that Camel hung outta her mouth. Funny, she never got much less than 400 pounds before she passed. Had to build her a custom coffin just to bury her in. Poor thing. The John Deere near-'bout tipped over puttin' it in the ground.

 

'Course, anybody from 'round here already knows - Johnston county's where it's at. 'course I never saw a whole lotta Hootch growin' up unless we went to deer huntin' on Thanskgiving mornin'. Funny how guns and Hootch go together like that...

 

Ain't it Jimmy?

 

 

 

PS I didn't just say that. My alter ego, Bubba got loose on me.

 

[linwood]

I want grease in my gravy and fatback in my greens.

[Dave Ferris]

I'm going to St. Louis Friday....brrrr!!

[Mark Zeger]

Shhh...Tom is channeling the ghost of Junior Samples.

 

 

[ITGITC]

Shhh...Tom is channeling the ghost of Junior Samples.

 

 

No kidding.

 

http://www.chartrecords.net/images/1002A.jpg

[Mr. Nightime]

So THAT'S why Tom changed his phone number to BR549

[BluesKeys]

well, I see posts from NC,NV,CA,NY,FL but no one from Alabama. Do they have the internet down there or did AlGore lie to us? Well, that should be two seperate questions but that is for the POLITICAL forum.

 

Maybe if I call Junior Samples he will have some kin down yonder. BR549.... whats the area code?

[Argucide]

FAME's still running last I checked:

 

603 E. Avalon Ave.

P. O. Box 3629

Muscle Shoals, AL 35662

[BluesKeys]

Argucide, welcome to the forum. For one to join in one their first post with information and not a question about which widget should I buy is refreshing.

Thank you for this tidbit of info.

 

How far is Birmingham form say Double Springs, or there abouts? I am serious about finding a forumite and buying the first round.

[ITGITC]

well, I see posts from NC,NV,CA,NY,FL but no one from Alabama. Do they have the internet down there or did AlGore lie to us?

 

 

BOY? YOU IN TROUBLE NOW.

 

 

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

 

Shhhhhhhhh, izzat banjo muzic I hear?

 

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

KLONK HERE

 

http://butlersheetmetal.com/tinbasherblog/images/deliverance_dueling_banjos.jpg

[Argucide]

I'm too green behind the ears to even considering buying widgets, yet. Glad I could help!

 

On a good day, you could probably get to Birmingham in about an hour and a half. Be careful wherever you are in the state, though. The state troopers launched another week long campaign to catch speeders and rake in lots of money.

[Strategery]

 

Uhmmm...that young feller a'playin that banjer looked kinda nervous if'n ya' ask me....Uhmm-humm

http://www.realmofdarkness.net/pranks/slingblade-3.jpg

 

Yep....today on I-85 coming from Atlanta to Montgomery, they have the ZERO TOLERANCE thing going on.

They're not messing around and I'm from Alabama.

 

They'll put one unmarked car on an over pass bridge shooting radar, then have about 15 State Troopers lined up on the On Ramp and pulling everyone one over!

So....watch yer ASS!!

Set your cruise on 70 and Forgeddaboutit.

 

Hey Blueskeys, you'll be in the northern part of the state.

I wish I was more in your area.

I'd have a beer or three with ya'.

 

Randy

 

 

[Mark Schmieder]

Well, I grew up in Huntsville and didn't know about Muscle Shoals until I bought Paul Simon's solo albums in the 70's :-). I was long gone by then but the scene was huge well before then. Little did I know, as my parents banned all forms of pop music from the house.

 

Birmingham itself should be good for music as well (blues), and Huntsville is good for classical :-).

[Steve Nathan]

Moulton, Al!

For a week!

I've driven (quickly) through Moulton hundreds of times. You have my sympathies. (Just kidding)

 

By all means, make the drive to Muscle Shoals. Fame is still there, but Muscle Shoals Sound is sadly gone. I doubt they'll let you in to Fame. Linda Hall is a tough cookie. This last summer, Sting drove down with his road manager after playing at Bonoroo. He got as far as the lobby, asked if there was any way he could just look around a little. Linda looked him up and down, (didn't have a clue who he was, and didn't care who he was), and told him, "yeah, we sometimes give tours, but you're not gettin' one".

 

Now, assuming you're not a vegetarian, definitely eat at either Dale's or George's restaurant. Either one. They both have maybe the best steaks you'll ever have anywhere on the planet. In my meat eatin' days, I've spent many a meal in both with people from all over the world, NY, LA, Paris....

I've never heard anyone not say "this is the best steak I've ever had, anywhere" More than once, I've been in one and run into someone who had cut a record in Shoals. I'd ask them if they were back recording, and they would say somethin like "No, we just flew in to have a steak"!

If you have more time, go across the street from Georges and get some Coconut Cream Pie at The Southland.

 

[BluesKeys]

Argucide, You can NOW ask any question you want since you have your first post under your belt. I would say search the archives but even the veterans here can't seem to get the search feature to work including yours truly.

 

I doubt I will make the drive to Birmingham this trip. I'll be all swole up.

 

Uhmmm...that young feller a'playin that banjer looked kinda nervous if'n ya' ask me....Uhmm-humm

http://www.realmofdarkness.net/pranks/slingblade-3.jpg

 

Yep....today on I-85 coming from Atlanta to Montgomery, they have the ZERO TOLERANCE thing going on.

They're not messing around and I'm from Alabama.

 

They'll put one unmarked car on an over pass bridge shooting radar, then have about 15 State Troopers lined up on the On Ramp and pulling everyone one over!

So....watch yer ASS!!

Set your cruise on 70 and Forgeddaboutit.

 

Hey Blueskeys, you'll be in the northern part of the state.

I wish I was more in your area.

I'd have a beer or three with ya'.

 

Randy

 

 

Randy, you know I would love to throw back a few brewskies with ya. I think where I am going to be is so far back in the woods they have sunlight trucked in every morning.

 

Thanks for the heads up on speeding.... I take it they don't play by 8 your straight 9 your mine rules. That's the NC motto for speeders .. just don't go more than 8 mph over the limit.

 

Moulton, Al!

For a week!

I've driven (quickly) through Moulton hundreds of times. You have my sympathies. (Just kidding)

 

Steve, thanks for the heads up... I am not sure whether these country folk will let me skip one of their home cooked meals. But if I get the chance you can bet I will at least get a slice of coconut cream pie. Maybe my sweet smile and easy southern drawl will convince miss Linda to give me a quick tour of Fame studios. Or not.... never ask never receive.

[Argucide]

I doubt I will make the drive to Birmingham this trip. I'll be all swole up

 

At the risk of perpetuating the redneck stereotype, "swole up" is a good description. If you can get off the couch after Thanksgiving dinner, we haven't done our job. Oddly enough, though, I'm looking to move to Raleigh after I get my degree. I'll hold you to that beer when I get there!

 

Argucide, You can NOW ask any question you want since you have your first post under your belt. I would say search the archives but even the veterans here can't seem to get the search feature to work including yours truly.

 

I'm still playing on the old worn out keyboard my dad bought me in junior high. I joined to learn better theory and get some tips on composition. If I come up with a tune worth hearing, then I'll worry about the equipment it comes out of

 

I take it they don't play by 8 your straight 9 your mine rules. That's the NC motto for speeders .. just don't go more than 8 mph over the limit.

 

Ordinarily, you can pass through Alabama at just about any speed you want, but the governor wants to "take back our highways," and this holiday week is the second of his attempts to do so. They just want to milk as much money as possible from people who are in a hurry to get to their holiday feast and don't feel like coming back to challenge the fine. They're even pulling the desk jockeys to write tickets, so be careful out there.

 

Thank you very much for the warm welcome! I'm hoping I can learn a lot visiting here!

[Strategery]

OMG...that "swole up" remark just reminded me of something from back in the mid 80's!

 

I used to jam and play clubs with this country singer who had a beer gut.

He used to love Hank Williams Sr. & Jr. and on ocassion incorporate that YODEL here and there in his songs.

He was actually pretty good at it.

 

So one night, the singer and another guy on acoustic guitars and myself on banjo was sitting around sober and opened up a bottle of Jim Beam chasing it with beer...and recorded about 3 hours of drinkin' and jammin'.

 

My friend made up on the spot....a song he called..."The Swole Gut Blues".

OMG...is was about eatin' & drinkin', chasin' women and all the while...your beer gut is getting bigger!

Man, that song STILL cracks me up!

 

Damn it, I've got it on cassette but no longer have a cassette player.

 

Geez...you guys are cracking me up here with yer stories.

 

Randy

[ITGITC]

http://www.tlhenry.com/photos/B3_1.gif

 

BluesKeys, you gonna git there and haveta turn 'round... you'll be missing your Hammond sooooo much.

 

I just know it.

 

 

 

 

 

[Jode]

 

My friend made up on the spot....a song he called..."The Swole Gut Blues".

OMG...is was about eatin' & drinkin', chasin' women and all the while...your beer gut is getting bigger!

Man, that song STILL cracks me up!

 

Damn it, I've got it on cassette but no longer have a cassette player.

Randy

 

In the South, the chronic version of that condition is known variously as "Dunlap syndrome" - yer belly done lapped over yer belt - or "furniture disease," when yer chest drops into yer drawers.

 

Pity you aren't going to be closer to Tuscaloosa. You could have some of the world's finest ribs at Dreamland BBQ . Ain't nothin' like'em nowhere. Being a Carolina boy, I'd expect you to be quite the 'cue connoisseur.

 

If you get away for a grownup night out in Birmingham, there's usually some good music to be found in the Five Points area. If you're lucky, the Itchy Wigs will be playing somewhere, perhaps even with Oteil Burbridge sitting in on bass - he's a Birmingham transplant.

[Mark Schmieder]

Don't know if it's still there, but in the 60's there was this place called the Lions (Lyons?) Hotel in Decatur that we would go to for Thanksgiving dinner every year. I wasn't a vegetarian at age 6, so cannot vouch for how I would feel about their food today :-). Their specialty was catfish. It was well known as one of the best restaurants in Northern Alabama.

[BluesKeys]

Guys, I never made it out to a restaurant, heck I barely made it off the couch... to get another plate of food.

 

I found out how to get "swoled up and lay like broccoli". I am telling you those folks can EAT. We had Turkey and Ham and SMOKED turkey and Smoked ham. We had Deer steaks, deer sausage, and deer tenderloin biscuits with white gravy.Pork tenderloin biscuits and link sausage. There was collards fresh picked with fat back. Streak O Lean and fatback and pinto beans and sausage. Pinto beans and hamburger, butter beans and corn, okra, three different types of corn bread (one with jalapeno peppers and green chili's). And that was just one meal.... These folks clean up the kitchen just so they can start cooking the next meal. And this went on for 5 DAYS.

 

I am telling you I had to leave the house (only time I went outside for 5 days) just to stop eating. It was like the feed trough was open 24/7.

 

I did go down to Fame Studio but they were closed until Monday. So I got my picture took to prove it. Then we took the kids over to the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. That was interesting finding out all the 'bama musicians that we know and love. In fact you can record a song there ON WEEKDAYS, that are not holidays. So much for that. I never found any clues to where Muscle Shoals Sound Studio was located. Plus by the time we did all that it was time to EAT AGAIN. And believe me these folks don't miss a meal.

 

Did I mention the deserts that kept showing up. There seems to be an endless supply of pies. Now I love pies but OMG, every one was the best I ever ett. I made a pecan pie and it was ON then, I bet every woman there went home to bake a pecan pie better n mine... They can't, I have a secret. Then there was pumpkin pie, blueberry cheese pie. Cream cheese pie, coconut cream pie. Chocolate cheese pie, cheese cake, chocolate cheese cake, Red (Devil) cake with walnut cream icing. These pies and cakes kept showing up and when one was finished out came a fresh one like magic.

[ProfD]

BK, it sounds like you had a great Thanksgiving.

 

Did you watch everything as it was prepared?

 

Of course you didn't. I'd just hate for those southern women to have worked a root into your system.

 

Really, it sounds like you ett very well mayne.

[BluesKeys]

ProfD, that is ALL I did was ett and ett and ett. Now I am home and thinking about some BBQ chicken, sweet taters, sqaush and onions, and green beans with onions and garlic.

 

Mayne I gotta stop eating like this.