* Al Green is Love ?! *

The previous post ("Cowboys", 15/1) reminded me of my first USA-trip, in september 1993. Part of the plan was Memphis. As most tourists do, I went to Beale Street and Graceland ofcourse. I also had to see the Sun Studios on 706 Union Avenue, where I met a guy working in the gift shop, who introduced himself as Jim Cole. The same year Memphis-band The Oblivians released a song called 'Jim Cole' on the back of their first 45. When asked where to go for cool live-music, that guy mentioned Barristers, a bar downtown. If I remember correctly their customers during daytime were lawyers and businessmen, but at night they welcomed bands. So that's how I got to see The Grifters, also from Memphis, who had a record out on a local label, Shangri La. The label was connected to a record store of the same name, so again one stop led to another. Around that time Oblivian Eric Friedl must have been working at the Shangri La-store, but I can't recall meeting him. But I do remember the friendly and helpful staff, who encouraged me to attend the Sunday service at the Full Gospel Tabernacle on 787 Hale Road, which is in the Whitehaven neighborhood near Graceland. Why go there? Because of Reverend Al Green!

Yes, Al Green, one of the greatest soul singers, at the peak of his fame in the early 1970s, was and is a pastor at his own Pentecostal Baptist Church since 1976. A quick summary of his career before that, of the man born in Arkansas in 1946 as Albert Greene: do check out 'Back Up Train', still released as Al Greene (1967 Hot Line, with The Soul Mates), then fast forward to his peak-years with Hi Records in Memphis, under guidance of producer Willie Mitchell. His biggest hit was 'Let's Stay Together' (1971; #1 in the USA-top40), delicate soul at its best. A little too sophisticated for some ears, I know, but classy without a doubt. He certainly knew how to interpret a song. Listen to 'I Can't Get Next To You', originally a Motown-song written by Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield for The Temptations (1969), then hear the Al Green-cover (1970). He sang 'How Can You Mend A Broken Heart', making people forget it was written by Barry and Robin Gibb. He did Kris Kristofferson's 'For The Good Times' (1972). And my personal favorite: 'Take Me To The River' (1974), dedicated to his cousin Junior Parker and covered by the Talking Heads (1978) on their second album More Songs about Buildings and Food.

Unfortunately, tragedy struck for Al Green in October 1974. His former girlfriend Mary Woodson White broke into his home and poured boiling grits on the bathing singer, causing severe burns on his body. After that she killed herself with his .38 handgun. A dramatic incident that may well have made him buy the church, become a pastor and sing more religious music and less secular soul/R&B.

Before going to the Full Gospel Tabernacle I had read somewhere that Al Green didn't preach every Sunday, but you could tell he was in if his big car was parked out front. Pity I forgot what type of car. Anyway, that day Al Green was on duty! And the service was a very memorable Memphis-experience, for various reasons. Some middle-aged ladies made us tourists feel welcome ("So good to have you!"), then we watched kids of the predominantly black community say their sunday-school lessons. Next, an electric band started playing some groovy riffs and a youth choir entered from a door beside the altar, singing and swinging, in single file, like geese. During the service the music and dancing went wilder, and eventually quite a few members of the congregation seemed possessed; People were running around like mad, up and down the aisle, others were speaking in tongues. Scenes I had read about in 'Hellfire', the book by Nick Tosches about Jerry Lee Lewis who frequented a Pentecostal church too. Yet, seeing it in real life, in 1993, wow! On top of that, there was the Reverend, also totally unlike what we knew from churches at home. Performance-of-the-year, definitely. Except that he blew it halfway.

Do you know that James Brown stage-routine, where the singer pretends to be exhausted at the end of the show, so helpers have to lend a helping hand to guide him off-stage? He manages to escape from their grip and gets back to the mic, as if his batteries are re-charged by a higher power, to complete his mission to serve the audience. Reverend Al Green copied that routine for his Sunday service that day (and maybe every week)! After his preaching, pretty long and intense, helpers showed up with a cape or dressing gown, then carried him away. But just before he left he managed to liberate himself, shook off the robe and made his comeback. Hallelujah! Maybe I would have enjoyed it a little more if Al Green hadn't wasted his energy earlier with a long rant against homosexuals, which made me feel very sorry for all those born that way, who were so unfortunate to grow up in this intolerant community. Being there with my missus, the special one nowadays known as Mrs. Blockhead and mother of my two kids, we had no reason to take it personal. Yet we were horrified by his unforgiving hatred and intolerance. Ever since, when I come across the title of his LP 'Al Green is Love' I say to myself: Hell no, he's NOT!