Big Star

Ultimately, I'm most partial to Third/Sister Lovers, but the first two certainly have a prominent place in my collection.

O My Soul

September Gurls

Down The Street

Mod Lang

I'm In Love With A Girl.

Yep. Legend secure...

The Rasperries - NO! Sugary proto-poodle soft-metal.

I also like 'I Am The Cosmos',the posthumous Chris Bell alb.

I heard Big Star before I heard either the Posies or Replacements or even the Fannies (a brother who had exceedingly bad taste most of the time finally got something right when he got "#1 Record" / "Radio city" in '91), and I've converted my fellow bandmate (a Fannies / Replacements / Smithereens fan) into a BS fan, his trying to convert me on the 'Mats and Smithereens has never worked in my direction for some reason. But we're totally agreed on the Posies and the Fannies though. Odd. I just can't get my head around the 'Mats at all, I've tried loads of times with different LPs of theirs, but still nothing. Mind, Paul Westerburg's last solo LP was rather good!

Bandwagonesque was all fine & good, but a bit slow (even when going fast) and surprisingly bland as a whole. Pleasant in certain situations, though. This is the only album I can confidently speak on, so feel free to ignore my pronouncements.

'Britpop' = term with huge ever growing scope creep

The Stax org was in such disarray in the early '70s that it's a wonder the records even got out there as much as they did. I've read that each of the first two albums only got into the marketplace in ridiculously small quantities...4000/5000 is a number I've seen.

I don't know if they "define" any era. A post above maintains that to define era, their records would've have to been bought by somebody. So I guess they were one of the first true indie/critic's bands...the reviews were mostly glowing. In retrospect they do seem to define the period much better than any number of more popular acts, though. I see nothing wrong with revisionist nostalgia myself.

For a long time I loved them without reservation, then went thru a period during which I'd just heard them too much. For a lot of us they were like the Beatles, the absolute gold standard of pop records. Now I just accept them as a great pop band, period, and wish people would quit gushing about them so much, or maintaining that they weren't really all that good. As a live band they seem to have sucked; but I can't think of any better-conceived record than "Radio City." Such style. And they seem to define not an era but a state of mind, one epitomized by the Eggleston "red ceiling" photo that graced the original "RC" LP...bad dreams and vibes in an oversexed room, distilled into melancholy, perhaps? With a few good times vaguely recalled? Maybe that's the '70s, I don't know.

Interesting to see what the new Big Star album will be like...

of course, Chilton & company could scrape a chalkboard with rusty chisels and this guy would say it's the best thing ever.

(I think I listen to Third the most, too)

I wonder how committed Chilton is to the whole idea of Big Star these days. Probably not very. I didn't think much of "Hot Thing."

> He was drinking, doing drugs and grieving when he was 13.

Damn. Never thought of Chilton as a proto-Mark Kozelek.

Alex didn’t like it (wtf).

FWIW, he was dismissive of pretty much all of the classic Big Star stuff.

Hey 13, that's Alex Chilton

otm

always interpreted that paint it black lyric to mean the same thing as

Your sister says that I'm no good
I'd reassure her if I could

from Bell's "You and Your Sister" which seems like a continuation or almost a sequel to 13, just learned Chilton sang backup on that

FWIW, he was dismissive of pretty much all of the classic Big Star stuff.

It literally drove Chris Bell crazy that the press gave Chilton ALL the credit (per the Big Star doc) and to have Chilton dismiss that work altogether is like the biggest f*** you to his memory.

ouch, did not know that

To be fair, he did the songs, and he reformed the band. I know he could've used the income, but deep down I doubt he was really dismissive and just being his usual cantankerous, difficult self.

that scans, yeah

Alex? Cantankerous?

we went to see a reformed box tops at the hoboken arts fest. afterward my wife wanted to get alex to sign the set list she'd taken from the stage floor. i cautioned her that he might not take kindly to that, but he seemed to have been in a good mood for the whole show so she approached him and he smiled and signed it and was very gracious. a nice final memory of alex chilton.

Must have had a very good soundman at that show.

but deep down I doubt he was really dismissive and just being his usual cantankerous, difficult self.

I’m sure there was more than a little “fuck you, where were you when we couldn’t get arrested?” frustration on Alex’s part whenever Big Star was gushed over in the ‘80s and ‘90s. And “Where were you when Chris Bell was alive?” was probably part of that frustration.

This is probably somewhat true, but didn’t the rock press like Big Star, wasn’t there some press party in Memphis that encouraged them to keep going?

No doubt held at TGIF.

The Rock Writers Convention. May 25 and 26, 1973.

Guess there was some myth that they had broken up after Chris and only got back together for this convention. But it did give them a shot in the arm and motivate them.

Feel like I say this every few years or so, but I just think of Alex and Lou Reed as two peas in a pod filled with shpilkes, compelled to bait the press and audience incessantly in order to scratch some itch or relive and temporarily relieve some trauma.

Highly recommend Bruce Eaton’s 33&1/3 book on Big Star’s Radio City.

Okay maybe they hadn’t formally broken up before that but were kind of drifting a bit.

Chilton and Reed shared that bitterness of, “Oh, you like us now, and it’s hip to know our music? Because we went through hell for years trying to find an audience and thinking everyone hated us.” For Reed that bitterness extended to the point where the planned 1993 Velvets US tour wouldn’t hit NYC. It was one of the few things he and Cale agreed on during the reunion: “NYC didn’t support us then, so why should they be able to see us now?” (though it was a moot point since they split up.)

Now I’m hearing “Style It Takes” in my head.

What you say is of course true but I think there are some elements. I recall something Doug Yule saying something about Lou’s “imperfect instrument.” Both of these guys were huge talents but they lacked some facility which seems to have frustrated them. In the book I keep referring to, Alex totally dismisses his own songwriting, in particular his lyrics, on Radio City. Neither was a particularly natural musician in the traditional way, which I assume bugged them, although Alex managed to turn himself into his own kind of troubadour, slowly but surely building up his guitar chops from what he learned in those first lessons from Dennis Wilson on a Box Tops/Beach Boys tour.

Something something something

I wish I had right now a member the press in my presence upon which head to heap vitriol for my annoyance at my own neverending string of typos.

Member of

To be fair, he did the songs

?

I love thinking of 13 and You and Your Sister as a pair

You And Your Sister (Songs)

To be fair, he did the songs
?

He performed (many of them) live, he didn't shun the entire repertoire.

ah

At this point it’s kind of pointless to try to get inside his head and figure out what he was thinking. At any point really

I was just reading in my new/old favorite book about how he hated all his songs on Radio City, at least the lyrics, then that he hated the ones Chris wrote too, saying they were “written by committee” and then that he didn’t feel like he figured out how to write a good song at least lyric-wise, until 1977!

I’m trying to think of an Alex equivalent to I am the Cosmos

Maybe Holocaust

"Big Black Car"?

I think he disliked a lot of the Big Star songs for the turmoil they reflect and describe; his later songs are "snappier" and reflect more classical virtues of wit and emotional control.

Speaking once againe of xxxxpost Mr. Eggleston

J Spaceman & John Coxon Announce
Music For William Eggleston’s Stranded In Canton,
Out October 18th Via Fat Possum

Special Performances in London, NYC, LA, & Memphis

Today, Spiritualized’s J Spaceman and John Coxon announce Music for William Eggleston’s Stranded in Canton, an instrumental score of Eggleston’s 1970s art film, out October 18th via Fat Possum.

In 2015, Spaceman, Coxon, and friends performed a new original score live at a special film screening at the Barbican Gallery in London. The recording sat on a shelf for 10 years, and will finally be unveiled through this release. In addition, Spaceman and Coxon will perform the work in London, New York, Los Angeles, and Eggleston’s hometown of Memphis, on the invitation of the photographer’s son Winston Eggleston.

Stranded in Canton is a black-and-white film portrait of Memphis in 1974, shot in bars and on street corners, showing Eggleston’s friends carousing, playing music and firing pistols into the night sky. It is raw, greasy, Quaalude-y and hot. Jagged and intimate, the film is a handheld window into a different world; “Hogarth on Beale Street” as writer Richard Williams describes it in the album’s liner notes.

"With Memphis, I grew up with and I fell in love with that whole part of the world and the music that came from there,” explains Spaceman. “Memphis is infused with this magic, then this dreadful poverty as well. There’s a strangeness to it. It’s a place where I never felt comfortable. When I was making Ladies and Gentlemen, I went out and did some work with Jim Dickinson because, much as I wanted to have him help me with my record, I just wanted to go and meet the man. He was always a bit like Dr. John, a walking encyclopedia with knowledge of all the music of that area, all the blues musicians and all the stuff that doesn't get written about. So, the Eggleston film is a spying hole into that world. Jim Dickinson even plays in the movie, Furry Lewis plays in the movie too, but there’s also an unhinged craziness. It feels dangerous.”

Restored and re-edited by Eggleston in collaboration with the author Robert Gordon, the 77-minute film was screened in 2015 as part of Doug Aitken’s Station to Station, a 30-day arts festival in London and Aitken recruited J Spaceman to provide a live score.

For the screening, Spaceman brought along guitarists Coxon and Tony “Doggen” Foster, and drummer Rupert Clervaux, who has played both with Spiritualized and with Coxon’s project Spring Heel Jack. Using a pedal, Spaceman could control the volume of the film while cueing the band to play against certain sequences, usually those in which an indistinct ranting seemed to be going on. He and Coxon also prepared a set of instrumental pieces that could have been off-cuts from Exile on Main Street: a variety of after-hours drone-boogies using distorted arpeggios, scrubbed chords, and moaning slide figures.

This project wasn’t your typical live score to film. Spaceman elaborates, “There was a fashion at the time where people were putting on gigs with movies without the sound, for bands to jam over and I hate the idea of jamming. We wanted to do something that was more structured, songs that sat alongside the film but loose enough to allow for improvisation. It kind of worked straight away. And the spoken word parts of the film almost became like vocals to the music.”

The tones Spaceman and Coxon came up with mirror the ragged nature of the film perfectly. Riffs written under flickering light bulbs, hypnotic tremolo, boozy romances, some barroom boogie, the blues, and hoping the bottle won’t let you down tonight. The characters of Stranded in Canton dance around the music, living their best Memphis lives by any means necessary.

Pre-order Stranded in Canton

Stranded in Canton Tracklist
1. I was stranded in Canton
2. Last week I took a trip
3. It’s not gospel
4. What train blues
5. I don’t know what I can possibly do
6. Mother’s milk
7. Back Up William
8. Everybody in their life at one time or another
9. Love for the asking
10. Credits roll

J Spaceman & John Coxon Tour Dates
Wed. Nov. 20 - London, UK @ EartH
Wed. Dec. 4 - New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
Sat. Dec. 7 - Memphis, TN @ Crosstown Theater (WYXR)
Mon. Dec. 9 - Los Angeles, CA @ Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever

[For more information, contact:
Yuri Kwon | Pitch Perfect PR - yuri at pitchperfectpr.com
Matt Grimm | Pitch Perfect PR - matt at pitchperfectpr.com

Whats the best Eggleston photo besides the one of thr drink on an airplane tray and the back cover of radio city

The tricycle.

all of them, really

The beehived woman at a diner

I've been put off by most of Jason's solo stuff, but this sounds pretty good.

He had a few solo releases with embossed birds or something on the cover, with improv drone things that were pretty tedious.

I like alll eggleston's photos with pretty grrrls
My favourite is the drugged chick in the flowery dress lying on the lawn with a camera
I also like the one of the black girl in church
idk about the "best" but those are up there

The Radio City tribute at the Lodge Room in Los Angeles has added a second night on Oct 8, if anyone's interested.

https://www.lodgeroomhlp.com/shows/big-stars-radio-city-50th-anniversary-2/

Best Eggleston photo is the untitled one of the lady in a yellow dress with an updo sitting like she’s waiting for a bus.

Linked upthread of course

Big Star

So if you'd like this on vinyl or a possibly better-sounding CD than the Ryko:

Big Star
Live On WLIR
Release date: January 25, 2019

Pre-Order CD $16.98

Pre-Order 2-LP $29.98

Description
Remastered and restored performance originally recorded and broadcast in 1974
Big Star recorded their second album, Radio City, as a trio, after the departure of founding member Chris Bell. When it came time to tour, original bassist Andy Hummel decided to return to school to pursue his engineering education. With this departure, Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens recruited fellow Memphis native John Lightman to take over on bass duties, and the band readied their live set.

That set is on display as Big Star recorded a radio session at Ultrasonic Studios in New York for broadcast on the city’s preeminent WLIR. Nearly two decades later, those recordings were issued as Live in 1992. Omnivore Recordings is proud to reintroduce those recordings, restored and remastered from the original tapes, as Live On WLIR, on CD—and, its first official release on LP.

The 15 track set features material from the band’s two releases, as well as a cover of “Motel Blues” by Loudon Wainwright III (which originally appeared on his classic 1971 sophomore release, Album II).

With new, updated liner notes from Memphis writer/filmmaker, Robert Gordon (who won a Grammy® for his essay in 2010’s Big Star boxed set Keep An Eye On The Sky) and an interview with John Lightman by Chris Bell biographer Rich Tupica (There Was A Light: The Cosmic History Of Big Star Founder Chris Bell), Live On WLIR enters the Big Star canon in the form it deserves. Because, you know, you get what you deserve.

CD / 2-LP TRACK LIST:
SEPTEMBER GURLS
WAY OUT WEST
MOD LANG
DON’T LIE TO ME
O MY SOUL
INTERVIEW
THE BALLAD OF EL GOODO
THIRTEEN
I’M IN LOVE WITH A GIRL
MOTEL BLUES
IN THE STREET
YOU GET WHAT YOU DESERVE
DAISY GLAZE
BACK OF A CAR
SHE’S A MOVER
LP does not include a download card.

― dow, Thursday, November 8, 2018 6:37 PM (six years ago) bookmarkflaglink

got this on CD for $7 today. great set!

Recently on The Beatles (thread): a link to Ardent studio wizard Terry Manning's report of a mysterious delivery:
https://repforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php?topic=5997.0

After that, these posts on Rolling Obituary 2025:

Remembering Terry Manning (1947–2025)

We are heartbroken to say goodbye to our dear friend Terry Manning, who passed away on March 25, 2025. A brilliant and innovative engineer, producer, musician, and a vital part of Ardent Studios’ history, Terry’s influence on music is immeasurable.

Terry wasn’t just a studio genius—he was family. In Ardent’s early days, he helped shape the sound of some of the most iconic records ever made, working with artists like Al Green, Big Star, and Isaac Hayes. During his time at Stax Records, Terry worked alongside Otis Redding, and The Staple Singers, helping to craft the timeless sound of Memphis soul.

In 1970, Terry played a pivotal role in mixing and mastering Led Zeppelin’s third studio album, Led Zeppelin III. The band entrusted Terry with the crucial task of finalizing the album. Terry Manning, serving as the engineer, collaborated closely with guitarist and producer Jimmy Page to refine the album’s sound. Their combined efforts during these sessions contributed to the album’s distinctive blend of hard rock and acoustic elements.

Terry’s collaboration with ZZ Top spanned several albums, but his work on their 1983 release, Eliminator, stands out as a testament to his innovative approach to music production. Recognizing the evolving musical landscape, Terry and the band incorporated synthesizers and drum machines, blending ZZ Top’s traditional blues-rock roots with contemporary sounds. This fusion resulted in chart-topping hits like “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” and “Legs,” propelling the album to sell over 11 million copies in the U.S. alone with a Diamond Certification.

Beyond his work behind the console, Terry was a passionate artist in his own right. He released his own music, explored photography with the same dedication he brought to engineering, and constantly pushed creative boundaries. But most of all, he was a kind, funny, and endlessly inspiring presence—a true innovator who made everyone around him better.

Rest in peace, Terry. Your legacy will continue to inspire generations to come

— Ardent Studios

― Lithium Just Madison (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, March 26, 2025 6:20 PM (six days ago) bookmarkflaglink

Wow... thirty+ years ago I showed up at Ardent barefoot and kinda drunk and asked for a tour. The receptionist said I couldn't do a tour because REM were in the studio, but she did let me touch Big Star's white Fender amp which were in the hallway

― Andy the Grasshopper

Also on there, posted by James Blecch:

John Fry: I remember the day the first Beatles single came in on Veejay. We put that on and said, “What in the world? Who are these guys and what are they doing on Veejay? Veejay doesn’t have stuff like this—how did this happen?” It was the last sort of sound you would expect to come in on a Veejay record [the label’s bread and butter was r&b artists like Jimmy Reed, John Lee Hooker, and The Impressions]. That attracted as much attention as anything else. When we got curious—we being John King and me and to a lesser extent, by the radio days, Fred Smith because he was in the process of going off to Yale—we would go to any length to track it down. We were going to find out what this music is and where it came from and what’s going on.

One more---I prob posted this way upthread---Manning and the Hi Rhythm Gang were working on a track for Ann Peebles, when he got an emergency call: Memphis High School prom band didn't show! So they headed down there, and tried out the new track:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5lyZHzReSk