SoLost: The Stones, The Keys & Noel's Midnight Muscle Shoals Music Lesson

Noel Webster is one elusive cat. The man operates Muscle Shoals Sound in Sheffield, Alabama—a recording studio with a past as rich as some of the greatest studios in rock-n-roll history. "Hyperbole," you ask? Perhaps. Perhaps, that is, if an act named the Rolling Stones doesn't ring a bell. And you've never heard of Paul Simon. Or Bob Seger. Or Aretha Franklin. Or Rod Stewart. Or Lynyrd Skynyrd. Or....get our drift? (Did we mention last year's Grammy-gobbling insta-classic "Brothers" from The Black Keys?)

Yep. All recorded classic titles there in a rickety old building emblazoned with the address: 3614 Jackson Highway.

But back to Noel. He owns the place. Brought it back to life, in fact, after it sat defunct for 20 years. He knows the history. He's a master of great analog recordings and the gear that can bring it to life: a kind of musical archeologist who's not only revived the place, but brought back all the equipment to help Muscle Shoals Sound reclaim its original, irreproducible sound.

But that doesn't mean he's easy to get on camera. Sure he'll give you a tour (likely at some bizarre hour of the night), but when the camera comes out, he's got a way of disappearing.

At about 1 a.m. Saturday morning, Noel the night owl finally, fitfully agreed to sit down with SoLost. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Watch and see why.

Produced, Shot & Directed by: Dave Anderson
Editing and Postproduction: Jonathan Childs
Motion Graphics: TJ McCoy
Executive Producer: Warwick Sabin

SoLost is an Oxford American production.

(c) 2011 The Oxford American Literary Project

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Oxford American
• SoLost
• Muscle Shoals
• Muscle Shoals Sound
• Rolling Stones
• Paul Simon
• Bob Seger
• Aretha Franklin
• Rod Stewart
• Lynyrd Skynyrd
• Black Keys
• Brothers
• Noel Webster
• Alabama
• Sheffield

[cookieman38111]

Do they give tours of the studio???

[skategeezer99]

I have sat in the leather chair in the video. The place is so cool.

[Sealilywhale]

nice of him- he did great- (and so did Dave Anderson-awesome subtle film of clarity much like the Oxford does literary) those analog sound geniuses of conservation and retro restoration are hard to catch in the sun. The night owl tape was great.

PS-thanks for making the video that rolling stone magazine and popular media of the like would gobble up-