RIP Alex Chilton

[Stone]

Alex Chilton's Legacy Lives On In R.E.M., The Replacements


The music world lost one of its true greats on Wednesday (March 17) as Alex Chilton, the mastermind of Big Star and an inspiration for most of the alternative rock revolution, died of a heart attack. He was 59 years old. Formed in Memphis in 1971, Big Star began as a group that channeled British Invasion sounds and filtered them through American recording traditions, creating a spectacular brew that borrowed elements from dozens of different genres but kept the hooks at the center of everything.

Chilton essentially invented power pop, and though Big Star didn't get the credit they deserved at the time, their records (especially 1974's Radio City) informed hundreds of bands that followed. They say that only a few hundred people bought the first album from the Velvet Underground, but every single one of them started a band. The same could be said for Big Star's debut #1 Record, often cited as a favorite among alternative rock types like R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe and the Replacements' mad genius Paul Westerberg (who immortalized Chilton with the song "Alex Chilton," possibly the finest tune in the Replacements' catalog).

Alex Chilton's musical legacy goes way beyond Big Star and a name check in a Replacements song, though. He scored his first hit when he was 16 years old as the lead singer of the Box Tops, a blue-eyed soul group who struck it big with "The Letter." Following the break up of Big Star in 1974, Chilton moved to New York and got interested in punk rock, playing shows with a number of different combos at CBGB and producing music for a few different bands. He later got into jazz and and toyed with a number of different solo projects before reforming Big Star in the early 1990s (augmented by members of Seattle power pop combo the Posies).

Of course, perhaps Chilton's most notable legacy is as the writer of "In the Street," a Big Star tune that served as the theme song for "That '70s Show." But you can hear Chilton's influence everywhere, in the big hooks of Fountains of Wayne, in the twitchy genre-bending of Weezer and even in the crossover hooks of Taylor Swift. R.E.M. probably owe Chilton the biggest debt of gratitude, as Chilton's influence is in the DNA of many of their early hits, including "Radio Free Europe."

[Mr MidFi]

NP: "September Gurls"

RIP

[Stone]

Maybe I didn't say it loud enough.

HEY GUYS AND GAL (except MidFi),

ALEX CHILTON DIED.

[jonnyhambone]

This sounds a bit like goodbye
In a way it is I guess
As I leave your side
I've taken the air
Take care, please, take care
Take care, please, take care

yep, RIP...

[MindGoneHaywire]

Never travel far? I never travel anywhere without a little Big Star.

[Swish]

...yesterday. There certainly weren't many who were more influential, especially on this side of the Atlantic. I know he was set to play at the SXSW this week, so there will be some terribly disappointed fans.

If he was from Venus, would he feed us with a spoon?
If he was from Mars, wouldn't that be cool?
Standing right on campus, would he stamp us in a file?
Hangin' down in Memphis all the while.

Children by the million sing for Alex Chilton when he comes 'round
They sing "I'm in love. What's that song?
I'm in love with that song."

Cerebral rape and pillage in a village of his choice.
Invisible man who can sing in a visible voice.
Feeling like a hundred bucks, exchanging good lucks face to face.
Checkin' his stash by the trash at St. Mark's place.

I never travel far, without a little Big Star

Runnin' 'round the house, Mickey Mouse and the Tarot cards.
Falling asleep with a flop pop video on.
If he was from Venus, would he meet us on the moon?
If he died in Memphis, then that'd be cool, babe.

[ForeverAutumn]

Maybe I didn't say it loud enough.

HEY GUYS AND GAL (except MidFi),

ALEX CHILTON DIED.

I know that many of you may find this shocking (and others will expect it of me) but I don't know who Big Star is. Their first albums came out before I was eight years old. Although a little research has shown that they were very influential to some of the bands that I love today. So perhaps a little jaunt back in time is necessary for me.

Regardless, RIP Alex.

[Stone]

I know that many of you may find this shocking (and others will expect it of me) but I don't know who Big Star is. Their first albums came out before I was eight years old. Although a little research has shown that they were very influential to some of the bands that I love today. So perhaps a little jaunt back in time is necessary for me.

Regardless, RIP Alex.

Don't feel bad (I mean, you couldn't help you grew up under a rock, right??).

No, seriously, Big Star has never been in the mainstream and it's not a huge surprise if you or someone else hasn't heard them. I think their three albums are all great, and Big Star did influence myriad power pop and jangle pop/rock bands. And you've probably heard covers of "September Gurls" (Bangles) or "In the Street" (Cheap Trick, theme song to That 70s Show).

And if you're interested in hearing them, PM me and I'll hook you up.

[ForeverAutumn]

See? I didn't even know that the theme song to That 70's Show was a real song! :(

[wd515]

cheap trick was such a good cover band
alex chilton was and always will be a pioneer in rock and roll
the first song i learned on guitar was by big star and that was 14 years ago. Ever since, my father has always played alex/big star in the background while I grew up.

The sad thing is, even with the publicity surrounding his death, my generation (im 25) and foward still probably won't recognize the impact he had on music, but that's just my opinion.

Alex may have died but rock and roll has not, in part thanks to him.

r.i.p.

[Rae]

A giant of anguish and melody.

I was sure that he would die in Memphis, though, after Paul prophecied it.

~Rae

[dexxas]

Why do you get sentimental over these people so much The Box Tops made four good single entries into the UK charts
in 1967-8

The Letter ............ Great..... classic one half minutes of sheer toe tapping ..

Neon Rainbow .........iffy....

Cry Like a baby.... wonderful record, great horns great backing vocals, he gave it his best shot

soul deep... memorable

I own a best of CD with these tracks These are the only tracks you program in you skip the others honest

Is he iconic just for these four songs ?

[Rae]

Why do you get sentimental over these people so much The Box Tops made four good single entries into the UK charts... Those Four records are Basicly What hes left on this planet for us to enjoy after his departure.

Not a Big Star fan, then?

~Rae

[Smokey]

R.E.M. probably owe Chilton the biggest debt of gratitude, as Chilton's influence is in the DNA of many of their early hits, including "Radio Free Europe."

I have never heard of any songs from Big Star, but historically R.E.M. probabaly owed the biggest gratitude to The Byrds which also had a big influenced on Big Star. One can clearly hear the Byrds guitar work signature, especilly on R.E.M's first album Murmur.

[Swish]

I have never heard of any songs from Big Star, but historically R.E.M. probabaly owed the biggest gratitude to The Byrds which also had a big influenced on Big Star. One can clearly hear the Byrds guitar work signature, especilly on R.E.M's first album Murmur.

...that R.E.M. credits Chilton and Big Star as a 'major influence'. He was only 16 when he led the Boxtops and they had three major hits. After Big Star, he moved to NYC and played with Chris Stamey (the dbs), and Richard Lloyd, among others, produced for The Cramps, moving from his power pop phase into punk.

He's done so much more that I have time to type, but you can check Wikipedia yourself and see what I mean. This guy was huge in the music industry. Not for selling records, but for being a creative genius who will not be forgotten anytime soon.

[ForeverAutumn]

Stone was kind enough to introduce me to Big Star because I had also never heard of them. I like it a lot. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it's a lot more pop sounding than I had thought it would be. Well crafted, catchy songs that have stood the test of time.

Thanks Stone! :)

[Smokey]

Why don't you Google this and find out for yourself that R.E.M. credits Chilton and Big Star as a 'major influence'.

Well, I was there when REM first album made a big slash on alternative radio in 1983 and it was said that The Bryds had a big influence on that band. BTW, if you also google Big Star, they list The Byrds as one of the band that influence them musically.

[Stone]

Well, I was there when REM first album made a big slash on alternative radio in 1983 and it was said that The Bryds had a big influence on that band. BTW, if you also google Big Star, they list The Byrds as one of the band that influence them musically.

Okay.....

I don't know what you're getting at. Are you arguing that Big Star was not an influence on REM, or that The Byrds were a bigger influence? Either way, I'm not sure what the point of it is. I do hear the Byrds a bit in early REM, and REM has even said that Big Star was an influence. Here's Mike Mills at the Alex Chilton memorial:

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[Smokey]

I don't know what you're getting at. Are you arguing that Big Star was not an influence on REM, or that The Byrds were a bigger influence?

I am sure Big Star had influence on REM, but since The Byrds came before Big Star, I was trying to give proper credit for influence where credit was due.

May have to check out Big Star since this is first time I heard of them to see what all the commoation is about. Thanks :)