"Alex Chilton, the pop hitmaker, cult icon and Memphis rock iconoclast best known as a member of 1960s pop-soul act the Box Tops and the 1970s power-pop act Big Star, died Wednesday at a hospital in New Orleans. The singer, songwriter and guitarist was 59. 'I'm crushed. We're all just crushed,' said John Fry, owner of Memphis' Ardent Studios and a longtime friend of Chilton's. 'This sudden death experience is never something that you're prepared for. And yet it occurs.'" (source: Commercial Appeal)

As lead singer for the Box Tops, Chilton enjoyed at the age of 16 a number-one international hit, "The Letter." The Box Tops went on to have several other major chart hits, including "Cry Like a Baby" (1968) and "Soul Deep" (1969). The group's songs were written by Penn, Moman, Spooner Oldham and other top area songwriters, with Chilton occasionally contributing.

You probably know "In the Street" from Big Star's #1 Record as the theme song to The 70's Show, however, that version is actually a cover by Cheap Trick.

Learn everything you need to know about the importance and influence of Big Star's music from an audio story by NPR.

For further listening we highly suggest: Big Star - #1 Record Big Star - Radio City Big Star - Third/Sister Lovers Alex Chilton - Like Flies on Sherbet

Although Big Star's first era came to an end in 1974, the band acquired a cult following in the 1980s when new acts began to acknowledge the early material's significance. The 2006 tribute album Big Star, Small World includes Big Star covers by The Posies, Teenage Fanclub, Gin Blossoms, Wilco, Afghan Whigs, Whiskeytown and others. The 1987 tribute song "Alex Chilton", co-written by three members of The Replacements, was released as a single from the album Pleased to Meet Me and contains the lyric, "I never travel far without a little Big Star."

posted by: Harold Johns III

" />RIP: Alex Chilton | The Rathaus

Home » Art »culture »The Rathaus » Currently Reading:

RIP: Alex Chilton

March 18, 2010 Art, culture, The Rathaus

“Alex Chilton, the pop hitmaker, cult icon and Memphis rock iconoclast best known as a member of 1960s pop-soul act the Box Tops and the 1970s power-pop act Big Star, died Wednesday at a hospital in New Orleans. The singer, songwriter and guitarist was 59. ‘I’m crushed. We’re all just crushed,’ said John Fry, owner of Memphis’ Ardent Studios and a longtime friend of Chilton’s. ‘This sudden death experience is never something that you’re prepared for. And yet it occurs.’” (source: Commercial Appeal)

As lead singer for the Box Tops, Chilton enjoyed at the age of 16 a number-one international hit, “The Letter.” The Box Tops went on to have several other major chart hits, including “Cry Like a Baby” (1968) and “Soul Deep” (1969). The group’s songs were written by Penn, Moman, Spooner Oldham and other top area songwriters, with Chilton occasionally contributing.

You probably know “In the Street” from Big Star’s #1 Record as the theme song to The 70′s Show, however, that version is actually a cover by Cheap Trick.

Learn everything you need to know about the importance and influence of Big Star’s music from an audio story by NPR.

For further listening we highly suggest:
Big Star - #1 Record
Big Star – Radio City
Big Star - Third/Sister Lovers
Alex Chilton - Like Flies on Sherbet

Although Big Star’s first era came to an end in 1974, the band acquired a cult following in the 1980s when new acts began to acknowledge the early material’s significance. The 2006 tribute album Big Star, Small World includes Big Star covers by The Posies, Teenage Fanclub, Gin Blossoms, Wilco, Afghan Whigs, Whiskeytown and others. The 1987 tribute song “Alex Chilton”, co-written by three members of The Replacements, was released as a single from the album Pleased to Meet Me and contains the lyric, “I never travel far without a little Big Star.”

posted by: Harold Johns III

Share
Tags: , , , , ,
No Comments

Search This Site:

Upcoming Events

May 2012
«Apr Jun»
SMTWTFS
 
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
 

Comment on this Article:







Related Articles:

Music Archive: The Smiths – Live in Madrid (1985)

August 12, 2011

The video below is a bootleg copy of The Smiths May 18,1985 performance at Paseo De Camoens in Madrid, Spain. This concert was originally recorded and broadcast on the Spanish television program Edad de Oro. Supposedly 300,000 people attended the concert which was held during the celebration of Madrid’s patron saint San Isidro. Skip to the 1:45 mark to get to the music. ...Read More

Watch: Reggae – The Story of Jamaican Music (documentary)

August 5, 2011

Bunny Wailer, Bob Marley and Peter Tosh (pre-dreadlocks) All three episodes from the 2002 BBC documentary Reggae: The Story Of Jamaican Music have been kindly uploaded to Youtube, and you can watch them here now. The series, comprised of three hour long episodes, details the beginnings of the genre, from the invention of ska at the ...Read More

Watch: The Murder of Fred Hampton (documentary)

July 18, 2011

The Murder of Fred Hampton began as a film portrait of Hampton and his leadership of the Illinois Black Panther Party, but half way through filming, Hampton was killed by Chicago police. In an infamous moment in Chicago history and politics, over a dozen armed officers from Illinois State’s Attorney’s Office, in conjunction with the ...Read More

Music Archive: James Brown Live at the Boston Garden – April 5, 1968

July 8, 2011

This is the actual April 5, 1968 concert James Brown gave at the Boston Garden on the day following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. Jump ahead to to the 7:20 mark if you want to skip the introduction by MC Danny Ray. According to the History Channel:  On the morning after the assassination ...Read More

Watch: “Party Monster – The Shockumentary”

July 7, 2011

Party Monster: The Shockumentary is a 1998 documentary film detailing the rise of the club kid phenomenon of the late 80′s and early 90′s in New York City, the life of club kid and party promoter Michael Alig and Alig’s eventual murder (with Robert “Freeze” Riggs) of fellow club kid and drug dealer Angel Melendez. ...Read More

Art

Artist Shout Out: Walter Inglis Anderson

Artist Shout Out: Walter Inglis Anderson

By B. Carter

Walter Inglis Anderson was an American painter, writer, naturalist and bicycle enthusiast. Artist Bio: Walter Inglis Anderson was born in 1903 in New Orleans to George Walter Anderson, a grain merchant, and Annette McConnell Anderson, an artist. His mother’s love of art, music, and literature strongly influenced Walter (called “Bob” by his friends and family) ...Read More

Category:

Music

New Music Review: Widowspeak “Widowspeak”

New Music Review: Widowspeak “Widowspeak”

By Tricia Rock

With a Cat Power alto and Mazzy Star whisper, Widowspeak‘s self-titled debut LP embodies the essence of the 90′s. But with band members born just at the cusp of the decade,  singer/songwriter Molly Hamilton, drummer Michael Stasiak and guitarist Robert Earl Thomas offer not a retelling of the 90′s but a new generation’s interpretation of ...Read More

Category:

Fashion

Runway Style: Thomas Tait Fall 2011

Runway Style: Thomas Tait Fall 2011

By Tricia Rock

Canadian-born designer Thomas Tait began his career as the youngest graduate of London’s Central Saint Martins, completing the program at just 21. His graduate collection was then chosen as a feature in the CSM fashion week show for the Fall 2010 season, after which he went on to receive the Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize on ...Read More

Category:

Photography

Photo File: Saga

Photo File: Saga

By Tricia Rock

From the photographer: “I am Saga. I am from Iceland but currently live, study and work in London.” See more of Saga’s work on: Flickr The Neverending Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...Read More

Category: ,

Film

Style Watch: Harmony Korine for Proenza Schouler “Act Da Fool”

Style Watch: Harmony Korine for Proenza Schouler “Act Da Fool”

By Tricia Rock

To showcase their Fall 2010 line, Proenza Schouler teamed up with legendary cult filmmaker Harmony Korine to create Act Da Fool. With the influx of short fashion films in early 2010, designers now seem to be stepping it up a notch in the video department – and in my opinion Act Da Fool takes the ...Read More

Category: ,

TV

Style Trends: Beverly Hills 90210

Style Trends: Beverly Hills 90210

By Tricia Rock

With the DVD release of its first six seasons and an updated CW remake, Beverly Hills 90210 has yet again become a source of entertainment and fashion inspiration for girls (and grownup girls) everywhere. References to the show in the fashion world began popping up in late 2006, around the time of the 90210 Season ...Read More

Category: ,

Web

Photo Flash: The Camel Thorn Trees of Namibia, Africa

Photo Flash: The Camel Thorn Trees of Namibia, Africa

By B. Carter

photograph by Frans Lanting, National Geographic Tinted orange by the morning sun, a soaring dune is the backdrop for the hulks of camel thorn trees in Namib-Naukluft Park. In 1990 newly independent Namibia became one of the world’s first nations to write environmental protection into its constitution. Read more about Namibia’s unqiue efforts at land stewardship here. ...Read More

Category: ,

News

Infographic: Sitting is Killing You

Infographic: Sitting is Killing You

By B. Carter

See the entire infographic here Read an article about a Canadian sitting study here . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...Read More

Category: , ,

Funny

Funny Video: Charlotte Young’s Artist Statement

Funny Video: Charlotte Young’s Artist Statement

By Harold Johns III

Any artist will tell you, the worst thing about being an artist besides being poor is writing a bullshit artist statement. Don’t worry though, Charlotte Young is actually a comedian and not a depressed artist so don’t feel guilty for laughing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...Read More

Category: , ,