Alex Chilton R.I.P.
Mar. 18th, 2010 10:42 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
michaeldthomasMusician Alex Chilton passed away yesterday. He was known as the lead singer of The Box Tops and their hit "The Letter" in the 1960s when he was only in his teens. For aging hipsters like myself, he's best known for being the main creative force (after Chris Bell left) of the extremely influential band Big Star in the early 70s. They were unknown at the time, but influenced bands like R.E.M., The Replacements (they did a tribute song called "Alex Chilton"), and Matthew Sweet. Most people know their song "In the Street" after it became the theme song to That 70's Show.
The music of Big Star is a big part of the soundtrack of my life. My friend C in high school and college always knew what the cool music was. In the summer of '93, he dragged me to a Posies record release concert/signing for their album Frosting on the Beater at Tower Records in Chicago. Earlier that year, The Posies had been a part of a special Big Star "reunion" at the University of Missouri with Alex Chilton and drummer Jody Stephens. C chatted with them about it. I nodded along. During their set, they played Big Star's "Feel." I fell in love. I bought a CD of #1 Record/Radio City as soon as I could find it.
Big Star's power pop is everything I love about music. It's a gorgeous mix of Mid-60's British rock and Memphis Stax soul. It mixes a manic joy with deep regrets. #1 Record should have been one of the biggest albums of the 1970s. It wasn't.
The tragic story of Big Star is one of the enduring myths of the Indie/Alternative scene. They had all of the genius, but none of the luck. Though he had grown as an artist, Alex Chilton never could recapture his Box Tops' success. They had great reviews, but Big Star's label didn't know how to promote or distribute their music (it's a complicated story), and co-founder Chris Bell quit the band after the first album (he died a few years later in a car accident). After their second album Radio City failed, Alex Chilton entered a self-destructive spiral that produced Third/Sister Lovers, arguably one of the most depressing albums ever recorded.
Alex Chilton kept making music as a solo artist. He even reformed Big Star a few times with The Posies.
I'm very sorry that I never got to see him live.
Alex, you will be missed. Thank you for all of the amazing music.
The music of Big Star is a big part of the soundtrack of my life. My friend C in high school and college always knew what the cool music was. In the summer of '93, he dragged me to a Posies record release concert/signing for their album Frosting on the Beater at Tower Records in Chicago. Earlier that year, The Posies had been a part of a special Big Star "reunion" at the University of Missouri with Alex Chilton and drummer Jody Stephens. C chatted with them about it. I nodded along. During their set, they played Big Star's "Feel." I fell in love. I bought a CD of #1 Record/Radio City as soon as I could find it.
Big Star's power pop is everything I love about music. It's a gorgeous mix of Mid-60's British rock and Memphis Stax soul. It mixes a manic joy with deep regrets. #1 Record should have been one of the biggest albums of the 1970s. It wasn't.
The tragic story of Big Star is one of the enduring myths of the Indie/Alternative scene. They had all of the genius, but none of the luck. Though he had grown as an artist, Alex Chilton never could recapture his Box Tops' success. They had great reviews, but Big Star's label didn't know how to promote or distribute their music (it's a complicated story), and co-founder Chris Bell quit the band after the first album (he died a few years later in a car accident). After their second album Radio City failed, Alex Chilton entered a self-destructive spiral that produced Third/Sister Lovers, arguably one of the most depressing albums ever recorded.
Alex Chilton kept making music as a solo artist. He even reformed Big Star a few times with The Posies.
I'm very sorry that I never got to see him live.
Alex, you will be missed. Thank you for all of the amazing music.
