Alex Chilton 1950-2010

Alex Chilton, rest in peace. I don't think most folks would know just how important this guy was to pop/rock music in general. His death is a significant loss and if there is any justice in the world he will receive, post-mortem, the attention/adulation he always deserved in life.

Chilton's greatest success was as the leader of the Box Tops, whose song "The Letter" is a certified classic which you can still hear in frequent rotation on the oldies radio stations. If you don't know, he was the man behind Big Star, one of the most well respected bands in the "underground" (I'll call it that, though what I mean is "bands who deserved a lot more attention than they got when they were together"). If you've ever watched "That 70's Show" you've heard one of their songs. "In the Street" is the theme song for that show. R.E.M. have cited them as a primary influence. It's very noticeable on their first few albums (their best, IMO). "3rd/Sister Lovers", their last studio album, consistantly appears on critics "Best Album of All Time" lists. It's certainly one of my favorites. Chilton himself went on to write, record and perform several other records, though he never quite equalled the "success" of "3rd". Still, he became a cult figure of sorts and...get this...even had a song named after him, by no less a band than the Replacements, another band whose Big Star influence is substantial. If you like the Beatles, there's a very good chance you will like Big Star, though I wouldn't start out with "3rd". Probably best to discover their albums in the order of their release, their consistantly excellent work (beginning with "#1 Record", progressing to "Radio City" and culminating with "Sister Lovers").

The above video is the opening track from that last album and one of my favorites.

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