The man from Mercury is nervous, very nervous. You can see it easily enough as he paces around Steve Cropper's TMI Studios in Memphis. Up and down the hall, a few laps around the studio itself, up the stairs and into the control room. With judicious use of the elbows, he's even able to pace among the 30 or so people packed in here. Where's the Killer? Sessions were supposed to start 45 minutes ago; where is he?

It's a big album after all, the Killer's latest assault on the new rock audience. It's going to be called Southern Roots, and will be all Southern songs played by all Southern musicians. Carl Perkins will be here, and Charlie Rich... and Tommy Cogbill and Chips Moman and some of the old MGs. Huey Meaux, the Crazy Cajun, is producing. He was responsible for all kinds of hits in the primal days of rock "n" roll, as well as the early careers of Johnny Winter and Doug Sahm and carloads of great music you've probably never heard unless you've spent time in the TexasLouisiana border area. Meaux is prorftising Doug Sahm, who in turn is promising Dr. John, for these sessions, and who knows who else might show? There's a lot riding on this album. So where's the Killer?