V/A - Stax Gold: Hits 1968 - 1974

V/A - Stax Gold: Hits 1968 - 1974Know to record collectors as the "Yellow" Stax period because of the colour of the record labels, the second main phase of Stax Volt recordings spanned the period from mid 1968 until the beginning of 1975. It was even more successful than the earlier "Blue" period, and resulted in chart entries on both sides of the Atlantic for a number of artists and in distinctive, constrasting styles. This compilation covers the best from that period, the time when

Know to record collectors as the "Yellow" Stax period because of the colour of the record labels, the second main phase of Stax / Volt recordings spanned the period from mid-1968 until the beginning of 1975. It was even more successful than the earlier "Blue" period, and resulted in chart entries on both sides of the Atlantic for a number of artists and in distinctive, constrasting styles. This compilation covers the best from that period, the time when Stax / Volt had terminated it's relationship with Atlantic Records, it's discs were being distributed through the Paramount film company and the famous finger-clicking logo adorned the Stax output of the Memphis-based label. Several of the tracks here topped the US R & B chart including Johnnie Taylor's million-seller 'Who's Making Love', Rufus Thomas's 'Do The Push And Pull', Jean Knight's 'Mr Big Stuff', The Staple Singers' 'If You're Ready (Come Go With Me)' (also a million-seller) and Shirley Brown's 'Woman To Woman'. Among numbers that have been very popular in the UK are the deeply soulful duet from Judy Clay & William Bell - 'Private Number' and a couple of tracks from Booker T & The MGs, 'Soul Limbo', familiar to all criket fans, and 'Time Is Tight' which featured in the movie "Uptight". Artists from the Stax stable featured on the sound-tracks of a number of the black movies of the late 60s/early 70s, and Isaac Hayes' half-spoken, half-sung title track from 'Shaft' was probably the most notable of all. Also featured in this collection are some of the top hits from Stax / Volt's major artists such as Eddie Floyd, William Bell, Carla Thomas and the Bar-Kays as well as tracks from acts which tasted success for the first time during the finger-clicking period - the Dramatics, Frederick Knight and the Soul Children. Ace Records. 1991.