Fantastic Voyage continues to bring the Sugar series to vinyl, with 32 standout tracks selected by Stuart Colman from the 75-track 3CD set Raunchy Sugar.

Raunchy Sugar is the successor to the thoroughly-recommended Fantastic Voyage compilations, Heavy Sugar (FVDV051), Savvy Sugar (FVDV059), Sassy Sugar (FVDV098) and Classy Sugar (FVDV108). Whereas those releases were devoted to New Orleans, the West Coast, Nashville and New York respectively, Raunchy Sugar focuses on that crucible of rock ’n’ roll Memphis.

The argument will forever rage, but Memphis, Tennessee, is as much the fountainhead of rock ’n’ roll as is Cleveland, Ohio. Whilst the north had Alan Freed as its turntable champion, the south was blessed with the madcap deejay, Dewey Phillips. Chances are, ole Dewey would have played most of the 32 titles that go to make up Raunchy Sugar on his Red Hot and Blue show that aired over WHBQ in Memphis.

During the 1950s the city was alive with labels, record hops, musicians and the general chaos that goes hand in hand with the big beat. The geographical lie of the land helped a great deal, because the city was central to so many rural areas that harboured musical talent and style. Carl Perkins and Carl Mann gravitated to the area from Jackson, Tennessee, Billy Riley did the same from Arkansas, and Elvis Presley hit the trail from Mississippi in order to soak up some of that unique Shelby County action. Outside of Sam Phillips’ legendary Sun Records, the labels included such names as Hi, Cover, Fernwood, Meteor, Vaden and Satellite. The latter outlet, which would go on to become Stax, is represented here by Don Willis’ much-admired ‘Warrior Sam’. With a bunch of less well known, but retrospectively revered, artists rubbing shoulders with Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich and Sonny Burgess, you have some mighty fine Memphis rock ’n’ roll.

Tracklist:

Side2:

01: Quick Sand Love (Macy Skip Skipper and His Orchestra)
02: I’m So Lonely (Jay B. Loyd with Bill Black’s Combo)
03: You Can Do No Wrong (Carl Perkins)
04: Stairway To Nowhere (Ernie Barton)
05: Warrior Sam (Don Willis)
06: You Drive Me Crazy (Ray Scott and The Demens)
07: I Want To Hold You (Teddy Redell)
08: Gonna Be Waitin’ (Charlie Rich with Gene Lowery Singers)

Side 3:

01: Sittin’ In The Drive-In (The Morgan Twins)
02: No Name Girl (Billy Riley)
03: Moon Rocket (Lynn Vernon)
04: Tryin’ To Get To You (Elvis Presley)
05: Ubangi Stomp (Jerry Lee Lewis)
06: That’s The Way I Feel (Jimmy Pritchett)
07: Sweet And Easy To Love (Vernon Taylor)
08: Rocking Rufus (Ramon Maupin)

Side 4:

01: Talk To Me Baby (The Table Toppers featuring Little Enis)
02: I’m Comin’ Home (Carl Mann)
03: Mountain Of Love (Harold Dorman)
04: The Prisoner’s Song (Sonny Burgess)
05: Cry, Baby, Cry (Narvel Felts and The Rockets)
06: Tradin’ Kisses (Matt Lucas)
07: Linda Lou (Mark Taylor)
08: You Gotta Be Loose (Wailin’ Bill Dell and The Bachelors)