Who remembers
Rax? It was a restaurant chain that was around in the 80's, maybe on into the 90's a bit. They had a restaurant layout that looked a little bit like a Wendy's of the period with the sunroom at the front. That design didn't work well in Florida, it was always too hot to sit in that area. I think they had roast beef sandwiches like an Arby's, and fancy shakes. That's about all I remember about them, other than they disappeared at some point and I never thought about them again until I found this record. It seems to have been put out as a charity fundraiser thing in association with Rax by a rock and roll group that tried hard but never quite made the big time. It's a bit short, but it's pretty enjoyable and I'm sharing it with you today. This is
McGuffey Lane-
Christmas With McGuffey Lane-Presented By Rax (Rax Restaurants No Number, Stereo, 1986)
1. Bring Back My Baby (For Christmas)
2. Christmas Letter
3. The Voices of Rejoicing Love
4. What Child Is This (Greensleeves)
5. It's Not Christmas (Till You're In My Arms)
6. It's Hot This Christmas
MEGA
Rax must have not made it to the northeast, at least extensively...I've never heard of them.
ReplyDeletePlease tell me "It's Hot This Christmas" is in reference to their roast beef.
This album is VERY 1986!
DeleteNever heard of this band. Discogs lists them as "country rock" but they sure lost any shred of country by this point.
Yeah, it's dated, but I was around during those times so I'm used to it. :)
DeleteI remember Rax, but I don't think I ever ate there. I also think I've heard of McGuffey Lane, probably from seeing their LPs in the thrift shops.
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of them, and have no memory of buying this record, but there it was in the collection. :)
DeleteI've lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 1986 and have never heard of Rax Restaurants, but the lead singer of this EP definitely sounds very similar B.J. Thomas to me. Two thumbs up from me.
ReplyDeleteGlad you like it. A very different sound from what I usually share around these parts.
DeleteI grew up in Columbus, Ohio and have fond memories of going to Rax with my Dad. McGuffey Lane is a Columbus band. I've been working on a Columbus Christmas compilation for a while and this is one that I had on my wish list - thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteI don't think you're ever going to get to the bottom of that list! But I'm trying. :)
DeleteWe had two RAX'es in Tallahassee. They were definitely popular for a while
ReplyDeleteNot sure what they offered that Arby's didn't...
DeleteI've never heard of Rax, but McGuffey Lane is quite well regarded in some obsessive Christmas music collector circles. Or at least that was a release that was much talked about in the early days of Internet sharity.
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of it, but then there are probably an infinite number of things out there that I've never heard of. :)
DeleteHere's a video of Rax and why they disappeared: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG8EVSzAVOM
ReplyDeleteSeems they tried to cover the gamut of restaurant offerings and lost their focus.
Yeah, their time passed...
DeleteAn interesting trifecta, obscure restaurant chain, obscure rock band and an obscure charity, this one might make the Christmas play list, but I'll have to run it past the person it's going to be played on...
ReplyDeleteWould fit in well on any 80's Christmas collection.
DeleteIt passed the listening test, that said the rendititon of 'Greensleeves' (aka 'Lassie's Theme') was a distinct surprise. A much more respectful take than you'd expect from that era.
DeleteGood news! :)
DeleteIn June of 1989, I was on my way down to San Jose, California. The people I was travelling with, we stopped at a restaurant, in Spokane, Washington. It seems like it was a Rax. It was definitely a restaurant I had never been to before. It reminded me of a Wendy's or Arby's. It seems like it had a figure like now-a-days Sonic?
ReplyDeleteFar as I know, Rax never had a setup like a Sonic. Could have been a What-a-Burger, or maybe and A&W, I think they did the curb service like Sonic.
DeleteIt's Hot This Christmas has to be the most 80s Christmas tune I've ever heard.
ReplyDeleteI figure that's a good thing!
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