Press: Jim James and the Sunsphere

[LaurieBlue]

http://tinylink.com/?LslMzI80Np

SUNSPHERE REMAINS POPCULTURE ICON
By M. Trevor Higgins Staff Writer

After playing six songs on the stage of the Tennessee Theatre last November, My Morning Jacket lead singer Jim James addressed the crowd. His short speech covered one topic and brought passionate screams from the audience.

"I want to pay tribute to what I like to pay tribute to every time I'm in Knoxville," he said. "That's the beautiful Sunsphere."

Standing 266 feet tall, the Sunsphere remains after 25 years the most distinguishing feature of the city's skyline and the most visible reminder of the 1982 World's Fair. Through the years, the Sunsphere endeared itself with a quirky appeal to locals and visitors.

For out-of town musicians, chatting up the Sunsphere is an easy key to the hearts of locals. Like Mr. James, a few kind words about the "golden microphone" or "giant disco ball" always draw cheers of approval In 2003, a group of musicians performing as Todd Steed and the Suns of Phere released an album of 16 songs about the city. "Knoxville Tells" included songs such as "The World's Unfair (Since 1982)" and "Feel Like the Sunsphere." From the latter: "Like so many folks, I moved away to a distant land/But every train track I was on circled right back here again."

The Sunsphere — and Knoxville — was the punch line of a joke in an episode of "The Simpsons" in 1996. Bart gets a driver's license and heads to Knoxville with his friends when they find an out-of-date brochure for the fair. Upon arrival, they find the city run down. The Sunsphere, they are told, is full of wigs. At the end of the episode, Nelson knocks over the Sunsphere, which cracks and spills wigs onto the ground.

Although once open to visitors, the Sunsphere is today closed to the public and unoccupied by businesses, although there have been talks of the ball housing everything from a visitors center to nightclub.

The park around the Sunsphere was remodeled to remove the pond and install a field, fountain and new circle of international flags. During construction, the Sunsphere was infested by starlings. To keep the birds and their droppings away from the monument, a sound system was installed that detects when the starlings are near. It then blasts, at volumes loud enough to be heard blocks away, the sound of pigs squealing, tigers roaring and glass breaking.

The gold panels are still radiant, just as they were 25 years ago, and the Sunsphere's legacy endures.

"Let's all take a moment of silence for the Sunsphere," Mr. James said. "I want to tell you guys how much you should value your Sunsphere and how much you should fight for it. ... There's only one Sunsphere in the world, and you guys have it, and you should fight for it to the bitter end."

E-mail M. Trevor Higgins at thiggins@timesfreepress.com

[sweatboard]

Long Live The Globosphere!!!!!!!!!!

[BH]

Long Live The Globosphere!!!!!!!!!!

Holy Shit HIJK, did you even sleep at all last night?

[primushead]

Brian never sleeps.  His fear of vampires hinders him from catching even a wink.  Man...you should've seen the black circles under his eyes at the knoxville show :)

[sweatboard]

Long Live The Globosphere!!!!!!!!!!

Holy Shit HIJK, did you even sleep at all last night?

I don't remember.

[sweatboard]

One minute I was thinking about Boomer and then suddenly I was responding to something about the sunsphere.

[ManNamedTruth]

One minute I was thinking about Boomer and then suddenly I was responding to something about the sunsphere.

You keep changing your name, its all very confusing

[sweatboard]

My Name Is True

[ManNamedTruth]

huh? I always change my avatar but as long as you keep the same name its not confusing.

[BH]

What's so confusing?! ;)