One last Best of the Beat thought before we put this year’s event to bed: Last spring at SXSW, the scheduled Big Star showcase became a tribute to Alex Chilton and Big Star, who passed away on the first night of the festival. The pleasure of the show was a little meta though. The versions [...]
Tag Archives: Big Star
YouTube du Jour: Alex Chilton (again)
April 15, 2010 – 10:49 am
Yesterday, we premiered a video of Alex Chilton playing Bob Strong’s benefit in December 2007. Here’s another song from that concert, a version of Big Star’s “In the Street” with James Singleton and Carlo Nuccio in the rhythm section.
Obituary: Alex Chilton (1950-2010)
April 1, 2010 – 1:00 am
Singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer Alex Chilton died of a heart-related problem in New Orleans on March 17, 2010. Chilton’s work with the Box Tops, Big Star and as a solo artist inspired a considerable and loyal following in the indie and alternative music fields. His compositions have been performed by Wilco, Garbage, Son Volt, [...]
Laura Chilton on Alex’s Passing
March 24, 2010 – 3:22 pm
Before the Big Star tribute during SXSW, publicist Heather West read a letter from Alex Chilton’s wife, Laura. Here’s the letter: “Even though Alex left this world way too soon, I feel so fortunate to have been his friend and wife. I would like to say a few things about his relationship with music and [...]
Pizza, Parades and Texting MCs: a SXSW Diary
March 23, 2010 – 1:21 pm
[OffBeat contributor Aaron LaFont was also at SXSW: here's the first two days of his diary] Day 1: A sense of utter disbelief soon followed by a somber ache came over me when I learned of Big Star’s Alex Chilton’s passing. Somehow this news eluded me yesterday, as I set out from the Big Easy [...]
Giants Falling
March 18, 2010 – 10:12 am
Learning of Alex Chilton’s death during the first night of South by Southwest made the whole enterprise seem a little empty – at least for the night. Almost every rock band here with pop leanings has Chilton or Big Star in its cellular structure whether it knows it or not. As a member of the [...]
Alex Chilton Dies in New Orleans…
March 18, 2010 – 7:40 am
Rocker Alex Chilton has died in New Orleans, apparently of a heart attack according to CNN reports. Known best for his recording with the Box Tops (“The Letter,” “Soul Deep” and “Cry Like a Baby”) and the legendary Big Star, Chilton was featured in an interview by then-editor Keith Spera In OffBeat’s April 1995 issue. [...]
Starstruck
November 17, 2009 – 11:51 am
In another blog post, I started thinking about Big Star, whose Keep an Eye on the Sky box set does nothing to address my thoughts on the band. As great as I think the Big Star albums are, I wonder if they are inextricably linked to the act of rock ‘n’ roll fandom for music lovers [...]
Teenage Fanclub, Bandwagonesque (DGC Records)
March 1, 1992 – 12:01 am
Already getting hyped as the alternative pop band of the 90s, racking up Best Album of the Year awards, riding at the top of the college charts, and appearing on Saturday Night Live, Scottish band Teenage Fanclub seems to be the hot band of the moment. Strange, when their music is decidedly retro. Not as [...]
