Alex Chilton

This deserves its own thread.  Listened to "Watch the Sunrise" this morning on the walk to work, always thought it was on the super-cheesy end of Big Star songs, but it made a lot of sense today.
I'm listening to Disc1 of the boxset at the moment and as usually their stuff just does my head in… 

Big Star were a influence in many the bands that have provided the soundtrack to my life.

R.E.M., Replacements, Teenage Fanclub, Primal Scream, Posies, El Goodo, Elliot Smith, etc.

A musician friend of mine once said "If you want to learn how to write a perfect pop song listen to Big Star"
James wrote:
You aren't even worthy to suck Alex Chilton's arsehole



And the point of this is to prove what exactly?  Other than that you should return to the children's table, while the rest of us adults discuss music…
I know you guys love my stories, so here's my Alex Chilton story.

I was living back home with my parents briefly after grad school in the early 90's in hicktown upstate New York. It was July 4, and there was one of those oldies reunion tours  playing in some field for free complete with fireworks. I figured, what the hell, go listen to some oldies with the rednecks.

One of the acts on the bill was billed as Alex Chilton and the Boxtops. Sadly, my knowledge of Alex Chilton didn't go beyond "The Letter" and the Replacements' song at that point. But hey, those two things in an of themselves are great.

Anyway, I'm standing near the back of the crowd, taking in one of the preliminary acts, and this slight looking guy, a youthful 40ish, comes up and starts talking to me…about the show, the sound…just small stuff. Seemed like a nice guy. He didn't tell me what his name was.

So later that evening, Alex Chilton and the Boxtops come on, and lo and behold, the guy who I had been talking to WAS Alex Chilton. I would have never guessed. He seemed too young to be fronting an oldies band, and too cool to be playing for a bunch of drunk rednecks in a hayfield.

"The Letter" was awesome live, and will always be one of the greatest songs in rock history, imo. RIP, Alex Chilton.
James wrote:
I was living back home with my parents briefly


likely story  ::)
kosmo wrote:
James wrote:
You aren't even worthy to suck Alex Chilton's arsehole



And the point of this is to prove what exactly?  Other than that you should return to the children's table, while the rest of us adults discuss music…


Sorry, I lifted that from the comments section of the youtube video.

Here it is in its complete context (I'm with Paul):

Wayzataboy
ZZzzzzzz,self-important,indy-p ussy-rock.

ratbasket
yeah dude Megadeath, no wait, Pantera!

paulsmartialarts
You aren't even worthy to suck Alex Chilton's arsehole
So so so freaking blown about this… Arg! just Arg! :'(
James wrote:
kosmo wrote:
James wrote:
You aren't even worthy to suck Alex Chilton's arsehole






And the point of this is to prove what exactly?  Other than that you should return to the children's table, while the rest of us adults discuss music…


Sorry, I lifted that from the comments section of the youtube video.

Here it is in its complete context (I'm with Paul):

Wayzataboy
ZZzzzzzz,self-important,indy-p ussy-rock.

ratbasket
yeah dude Megadeath, no wait, Pantera!

paulsmartialarts
You aren't even worthy to suck Alex Chilton's arsehole


Apology accepted, I thought that was directed at hoya…
kosmo wrote:
James wrote:
paulsmartialarts
You aren't even worthy to suck Alex Chilton's arsehole

Apology accepted, I thought that was directed at hoya…


i think he should apologize to "paulsmartialarts"
So here's a classic story involving the Butthole Surfers and Alex Chilton

The key except…

Moments later a man entered the dressing room and asked if he could borrow a guitar. ?BORROW A GUITAR??!!! WELL, WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU???!!! Haynes screamed, eyes flashing in delerious anticpation of forthcoming violence. But the man was totally unfazed.

?I?m Alex Chilton,? the man answered calmly.

Haynes was flabbergasted. After a long pause, he methodically opened the remaining guitar cases one by one and guestured at them as if to say, ?Take anything you want.?


The rest of the story involves acid, nick cave and a dutch rock festival.  I'm only stating the obvious but the language is STRONG.

http://www.tynansanger.com/2009/05/brain-detox-friday-butthole-surfers
thank you kosmo . . . that might be the greatest rock n roll story i have ever read.
saw him open for robyn hitchcock and the egyptians in 1992, or so (for xneverwherex, at the edge in palo alto). . .one of only a very few times where the opener came back for an encore.  seemed awfully embarrassed by the attention.
walkonby wrote:
thank you kosmo . . . that might be the greatest rock n roll story i have ever read.


While this is the key part of the story with regards to Chilton, it's made even more dramatic by the fact that Gibby was raging naked prior to this encounter taking place.
what an awesome place to see him at :) I forgot they had shows there. I wonder why I wasnt there –  I used to love robyn hitchcock.

Venerable wrote:
saw him open for robyn hitchcock and the egyptians in 1992, or so (for xneverwherex, at the edge in palo alto). . .one of only a very few times where the opener came back for an encore.  seemed awfully embarrassed by the attention.
kosmo wrote:
walkonby wrote:
thank you kosmo . . . that might be the greatest rock n roll story i have ever read.


While this is the key part of the story with regards to Chilton, it's made even more dramatic by the fact that Gibby was raging naked prior to this encounter taking place.
and the dutch loved it
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) gave a really worthy recognition today on the House Floor honoring Alex. He went so far as to even mention the Replacements' song, and he described Alex's contribution to the Memphis music scene. His adjectives included "hard" and "independent". By far the most rock'n'roll thing I've ever seen in the House of Reps. So cool.
Lots of video from the last Big Star Concert  :-[

http://vimeo.com/album/197531
bearman wrote:
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) gave a really worthy recognition today on the House Floor honoring Alex. He went so far as to even mention the Replacements' song, and he described Alex's contribution to the Memphis music scene. His adjectives included "hard" and "independent". By far the most rock'n'roll thing I've ever seen in the House of Reps. So cool.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9LGwzGnx5w