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Alex Chilton's death is the only "celebrity" death to really have an impact on me.


PancakeBunny

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I wasn't born when John Lennon was killed. I wasn't into music when George Harrison died. :/

 

Big Star was my biggest influence outside of the Beatles as a musician and as a music lover. It's funny how someone who wasn't even a blip on most peoples radar is bumming me out so much. It makes me sad how so many people aren't familiar with his music. People who'd probably love it.

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I'm glad to hear someone else say this. I've been depressed about it all day.

 

You know, by a lot of accounts he was kind of an asshole, and some of his failures were absolutely his own fault. But he sure had some {censored}ty luck there in the 70s. He was making the best music of his life and Ardent {censored}ed him over every step of the way. You can hear incredible frustration and sadness in every note of Sister Lovers.

 

I would've killed for a tenth of his talent, but I would never have traded places with him. I hope he found some happiness in his later years.

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Well said. You might want to purchase the box set Rhino records released called Keep an Eye on the Sky while it's still in print. It has over 90 tracks and some of the material off of the Sister Lovers/Third sessions is absolutely haunting. A lot of that album was recorded 1 live track of Alex and a 12 string acoustic guitar. The box set has all of those raw cuts. The song Take Care when it's just him and his 12 string is really breathtaking.

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I've been walking around with a knot in my stomach all day. The first Big Star album just shifted something inside me when I heard it. It rocks, it's beautiful, it's sad, it's silly, it's profound- it's everything great that I love about a 4-man pop/rock group (pop in it's best 60's/70's sense.)

 

They strike a sympathetic chord inside me that only the Beatles had done before.

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I had honestly not heard of him other than via the replacements, but I listened to some of his music today because of that thread. He was a very talented dude.

 

I had an uneasy feeling both when Johnny Cash and Joey Ramone died so I understand how you feel.

 

RIP

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Guy buy #1 Record and Radio City. If you have even a vague liking for beatle esque rock you'll love it.

 

I'm thinking I might go out later tonight or tomorrow night and do a few Big Star songs. The first songs I learned to play were Big Star songs! Here's one off of Third/Sister Lovers. It was my first recording, made in 2006, I'd been playing guitar for about a year at this point. They made a huge impact on me.

 

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6106533

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I had honestly not heard of him other than via the replacements, but I listened to some of his music today because of that thread. He was a very talented dude.


I had an uneasy feeling both when Johnny Cash and Joey Ramone died so I understand how you feel.


RIP

 

 

I've heard that a lot today. I never knew the Replacements were still so popular.

 

Well, on the bright side, maybe this will revive Paul Westerberg's career.

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I've heard that a lot today. I never knew the Replacements were still so popular.


Well, on the bright side, maybe this will revive Paul Westerberg's career.

 

 

I don't know that they're still popular, but I'm OLD and they're just one of those bands I like.

 

Back to Mr. Chilton, Godspeed.

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You guys must be young. Alex started out as lead singer for The Box Tops.. Remember "The Letter" and "Cry Like a baby" Anyone?? They got started in Memphis. Most of the band members taught music at Amro's Music Store in Whitehaven, then a suburb just south of Memphis. My band used to share rehearsal space with them at the local YMCA. Super nice guys and very talented. They even played at our H.S. prom. 1968 ???

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You guys must be young. Alex started out as lead singer for The Box Tops.. Remember "The Letter" and "Cry Like a baby" Anyone?? They got started in Memphis. Most of the band members taught music at Amro's Music Store in Whitehaven, then a suburb just south of Memphis. My band used to share rehearsal space with them at the local YMCA. Super nice guys and very talented. They even played at our H.S. prom. 1968 ???

 

Those were wonderful songs, but Chilton didn't write any of the Box Tops material and made very little money from it. Pretty amazing singing though - he sounded older at 17 than he did at 50!

 

edit: I do, however, welcome you to continue thinking I'm young.:)

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You guys must be young. Alex started out as lead singer for The Box Tops.. Remember "The Letter" and "Cry Like a baby" Anyone?? They got started in Memphis. Most of the band members taught music at Amro's Music Store in Whitehaven, then a suburb just south of Memphis. My band used to share rehearsal space with them at the local YMCA. Super nice guys and very talented. They even played at our H.S. prom. 1968 ???

 

 

I'll admit that I am young ( My mom was 2 in 1968) and that I am not familiar with him and his work, but R.I.P.

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You guys must be young. Alex started out as lead singer for The Box Tops.. Remember "The Letter" and "Cry Like a baby" Anyone?? They got started in Memphis. Most of the band members taught music at Amro's Music Store in Whitehaven, then a suburb just south of Memphis. My band used to share rehearsal space with them at the local YMCA. Super nice guys and very talented. They even played at our H.S. prom. 1968 ???

 

Yeah, I'll always think of The Box Tops when I think of Alex Chilton. Timeless tracks. I tried Big Star, didn't happen for me. Most bands compared to The Beatles don't. RIP Alex

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