Steve Cropper left Stax in the fall of 1970 to start up, with Jerry Williams (Swampdog) and former Mar-Key Ronnie Stoots, the Trans-Maximus (TMI) recording studio and record company. Cropper produced and played on sessions recorded at TMI or Ardent for Poco, Jeff Beck, Jose Feliciano, Yvonne Elliman, John Prine, Dreams and Tower Of Power. Although Steve Cropper had unofficially left STAX he still produced and recorded STAX artist at this studio. Isaac Hayes bought the studio in 1974 to record film scores.

THE JEFF BECK GROUP (1972)
According to the "BECKOLOGY" booklet, Going Down was written by Don Nix and Recorded by Jeff Beck in 1972 for the Jeff Beck Group album. It was recorded at TMI and Produced by Steve Cropper. Clive Chapman played Bass with Cozy Powell on drums. It seems that after a car crash and some time off, Jeff decided that he wanted to pursue that Motown/Stax sound. They wanted to play like Booker T and The MGs, but had a wrong impression of their music because it was always played loud. Steve explained to Cozy that you play soft and it comes out load, Steve was used to playing with Al Jackson, who was so understated. Steve told them that Booker T & the MGs recorded it soft.

SOUTHERN ROOTS SESSION (1973)
At the session that produced Jerry Lee Lewis's 'Southern roots' album were a number of outtakes. Some excellent alternate takes of 'Hold on I'm coming' & 'Meat man' exist as well as rehearsels for 'When a man loves a woman' & 'Big blue diamonds'. There are also songs that weren't issued on the original 'Southern roots' album like the excellent blues 'Raining in my heart',the country-influenced songs 'Take your time' & 'Sure miss those good old times',the Charlie Daniels blues-rocker 'All over hell & half of Georgia',as well as bluesy versions of 'Silver threads among the gold'& 'Margie' & an excellent interpretation of Johnny Ray's 'Cry'. The Joe Turner blues 'Honey hush' is a song JLL has frequently cut. A great version appears here. The full version of 'Haunted house' is also featured. These were issued on the 'Killer Vol.3' box set.

FUNKY SOUNDS NURTURED IN THE FERTILE SOUL
Eric Mercury's epic "It's Time For Me To Love You",Clocking in at nine minutes plus and recorded, lyrics and all, impromptu on the floor of TMI studio, It is nearly guaranteed to drive the price of Mercury's two Stax albums, released on the company's Enterprise subsidiary, up a few notches.

Amongst the lesser-known gems are Jean Knight's recordings of "Carry On" and "Do Me", Mable John's final Stax single "Running Out", and Melvin Van Peebles "greasy Hoppin".



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©2002 Joe Terry

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