Alex Chilton RIP

cgarges · Post by **cgarges** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 7:23 pm

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/20 ... lton-dies/

This really hit me. I've been rehearsing for a couple of weeks for this annual benefit show that happens here in Charlotte that pays tribute to a diferent artist each year. This year, they're doing two consecutive shows-- The Replacements and Big Star. I've been burying myself deep in the Big Star catalog as of late. It seems like a lot has been leading me that way recently, as well. I bought the box set on my trip to Memphis last fall with Mitch Easter, where we were given an uber friendly tour of Ardent. Ardent's always been one of my favorite Amercian studios and it was a pleasure to see. Buying the Big Star box set right up the street from where most of that stuff was recorded is a memory I'll always cherish.

It's been great re-examining that stuff in the last few years with someone who was an early champion of the band. Mitch Easter holds those records in the highest regards and has been listening to them longer than almost all of us on here have, for sure.

It's a sad day here.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

standup · Post by **standup** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 7:34 pm

I saw Chilton a bunch in the 80s/90s, and a Big Star show a couple of years ago. I remember a club show in Athens GA a long time ago where he told the sound guy (Pat the Whiz) to 'turn off that stupid echo' and launched into "The Letter". Everybody pretty much knew what it was from the first moment, and he asked "Who wrote this one?"... To me, that was an interesting play. Everybody knows the song, lots of people know Chilton's voice, nobody knows who wrote it (Google/Wikipedia: Wayne Carson Thompson).

Jon Nolan · Post by **Jon Nolan** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 7:35 pm

so sad. just saw it on a friend's FB page too. *sigh*

drumsound · Post by **drumsound** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 8:20 pm

A huge loss.

;ivlunsdystf · Post by **;ivlunsdystf** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 8:32 pm

noooooooooooooooooooooooo

Aj · Post by Aj » Wed Mar 17, 2010 9:19 pm

Ugh, heartsick. I remember back in the '80s feeling like my friend Jeff and I were the only ones in the world who knew Big Star (of course, not true), and feeling special.

Right around that time I found out about the Chris Bell solo disc, etc. and it was the beginning of a lifelong membership in the cult of the obscure.

I saw Chilton play solo with a band in a little bar in Central Michigan right around that time in the '80s, and it was terrific when he played Back of A Car. With That '70s Show, etc., everyone knows that song now. But back in the day, you had to dig for this stuff in the crates. I used to cover Motel Blues, his cover of the Loudon Wainwright tune, and of course Ballad of El Goodo and Thirteen... if anyone actually knew those tunes in the crowd, they usually became a friend.

He has a great solo record worth tracking down called 1970 (an overlooked record from an overlooked artist). And that Replacements song just seems so much more poignant right now...

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

Heroes, stop dying please.

Jitters · Post by **Jitters** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 9:30 pm

Big Star will always be the sweet spot for me, where the sound, the songs, the band, and the delivery all came together as close to perfect as anything ever will be. Alex just comes through the speakers and sits down next to you...

Thank You Friends

;ivlunsdystf · Post by **;ivlunsdystf** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 9:51 pm

It is nice to see his name/obit lighting up the top page at various news aggregator sites. I think his music reached a lot of people. It's such intimate stuff that we all think we're alone with him in the room when it's playing, but there are a lot of us mourning him tonight.

sad iron · Post by **sad iron** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 10:01 pm

When I heard the news, I went straight to the studio and recorded a version of Thirteen. For some reason I also videoed myself tracking vocals and put the whole thing up on youtube. The recording and such took a little more than an hour. Watch it now before I become too embarrassed and take it down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TAR_b6qT5s

Jitters · Post by **Jitters** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 10:20 pm

Nice one Jason!

alex matson · Post by **alex matson** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 10:31 pm

Oddly enough I bought the box set last night. Just listened to your version of 13, Jason.
Nicely done. Hope you leave it up. I like your voice a lot.
Oddly enough, I've been spinning Chris Bell tonight since hearing.

saultime · Post by **saultime** » Thu Mar 18, 2010 12:31 am

Fuck.

The world was a better place with him in it. 59. What a loss.

mrclean · Post by **mrclean** » Thu Mar 18, 2010 7:01 am

sad iron wrote:When I heard the news, I went straight to the studio and recorded a version of Thirteen. For some reason I also videoed myself tracking vocals and put the whole thing up on youtube. The recording and such took a little more than an hour. Watch it now before I become too embarrassed and take it down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TAR_b6qT5s

Nice job on the song. One of my favorites.

Sad loss...

MoreSpaceEcho · Post by **MoreSpaceEcho** » Thu Mar 18, 2010 9:54 am

sad iron wrote:When I heard the news, I went straight to the studio and recorded a version of Thirteen.

beautiful. close to tears here.

RIP Mr. Chilton.

sad iron · Post by **sad iron** » Thu Mar 18, 2010 11:55 am

Thanks everyone for the kind words. It really felt good to do that tune, which I've always loved. It's a beautiful song. I've had some folks ask for a downloadable version of it, so I put it up on Sad Iron Music's bandcamp site as a free download. Enjoy. Godspeed, Alex.

http://sadironmusic.bandcamp.com/track/thirteen

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Alex Chilton RIP

Alex Chilton RIP

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