R.I.P Alex Chilton

[The Underdog]

Legendary and legendarily underappreciated musician Alex Chilton passed away a few days ago aged 59. Best known for being the voice of the Box Tops and frontman of cult 70's rockers Big Star, the name will mean little to most here but he should have been a superstar.
Big Star were a massive influence on many bands and he'll be sorely missed.

He was honoured in the US House of Reps - http://www.c-spanarchives.org/progra...=1596&end=1715

http://www.avclub.com/articles/rip-alex-chilton,39312/

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/mar/17/memphis-musician-alex-chilton-dies/

http://pitchfork.com/news/38220-artists-and-friends-react-to-the-death-of-alex-chilton/

[The Adelaide Connection]

Re: R.I.P Alex Chilton

Legendary and legendarily underappreciated musician Alex Chilton passed away a few days ago aged 59. Best known for being the voice of the Box Tops and frontman of cult 70's rockers Big Star, the name will mean little to most here but he should have been a superstar.
Big Star were a massive influence on many bands and he'll be sorely missed.

He was honoured in the US House of Reps - http://www.c-spanarchives.org/progra...=1596&end=1715

http://www.avclub.com/articles/rip-alex-chilton,39312/

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/mar/17/memphis-musician-alex-chilton-dies/

http://pitchfork.com/news/38220-arti...-alex-chilton/

"Children by the millions sing for Alex Chilton...."

R.I.P.

[Twodogs]

Re: R.I.P Alex Chilton

Tragic. Truly tragic.

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

[The Adelaide Connection]

Re: R.I.P Alex Chilton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA-OCCXpE4I&feature=PlayList&p=BE82F4652BA0F808&index=13

Big Star were due to play at SXSW this week. I had kinda hoped that they might do a few dates over here. A band I was quite desperate to see.

[EasternWest]

Re: R.I.P Alex Chilton

Sorry to hear it. Music is so important to people that when favourite artists die, we feel so connected to them. There's a great line in a Jimmy Eat World song that says "I wanna always feel like part of this was mine" and I reckon that sums it up. As fans of music, we feel a kind of ownership, and so our grief is real when bad things happen. RIP ALex.

[The Underdog]

Re: R.I.P Alex Chilton

Sorry to hear it. Music is so important to people that when favourite artists die, we feel so connected to them. There's a great line in a Jimmy Eat World song that says "I wanna always feel like part of this was mine" and I reckon that sums it up. As fans of music, we feel a kind of ownership, and so our grief is real when bad things happen. RIP ALex.

I was surprised at how sad it made me. I love the Big Star albums but only know parts of Chilton's solo career, so it wasn't like I was constantly awaiting his next work. But when JVG played 3 songs yesterday on RRR in tribute and finished it off with Thirteen (a song that can get me going at the best of times) I was sitting in the carpark of the supermarket almost in tears.
Anyway you cut it, the man wrote some of the greatest pop/rock songs I've ever heard.

Can I also say that when Paul Westerberg dies I'm taking a week off and finding a bar that'll play all the Replacements and solo albums on a loop while I get blitzed? (I always thought this would happen at the Tote but I guess not)

[Twodogs]

Re: R.I.P Alex Chilton

Can I also say that when Paul Westerberg dies I'm taking a week off and finding a bar that'll play all the Replacements and solo albums on a loop while I get blitzed? (I always thought this would happen at the Tote but I guess not)

I'm with you on that one. Westerberg is a giant of the music scene, two of my favorite songs of all time are I'll Be You and (ironically enough) Alex Chilton.


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.