R.I.P. Alex Chilton
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Creative Thing at 03.17.10 - 9:23 pm
NEW ORLEANS – Singer and guitarist Alex Chilton, known for his influential work with bands the Box Tops and Big Star, died Wednesday. He was 59.
Chilton died at a hospital in New Orleans after experiencing what appeared to be heart problems, said his long time friend John Fry.
Fry, the owner of Memphis-based Ardent Studios, said the death was unexpected and that Chilton's wife, Laura, was very distressed.
"Alex was an amazingly talented person, not just as a musician and vocalist and a songwriter, but he was intelligent and well read and interested in a wide number of music genres," Fry said.
As the teenage singer for the pop-soul outfit the Box Tops, Chilton topped the charts with the band's song "The Letter" in 1967. Their other hits were "Soul Deep" and "Cry Like a Baby."
His work with Big Star had less mainstream success but made him a cult hero to other musicians, as evidenced by the title of the 1987 Replacements song, "Alex Chilton." Big Star's three 1970s LPs all earned spots on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
Chilton said in a 1987 interview with The Associated Press that didn't mind flying under the radar.
"What would be ideal would be to make a ton of money and have nobody know about you," he said. "Fame has a lot of baggage to carry around. I wouldn't want to be like Bruce Springsteen. I don't need that much money and wouldn't want to have 20 bodyguards following me."
"If I did become really popular, the critics probably wouldn't like me all that much," he said. "They like to root for the underdog."
Chilton had been scheduled to perform with Big Star on Saturday at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas.
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Won't you tell your dad, "Get off my back"?
Tell him what we said about "Paint it, Black".
Rock 'n Roll is here to stay
Come inside where it's okay
And I'll shake you.
Thanks, Mr. Chilton. You done good.
sinaphile03.18.10 - 3:04 pm
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It all started in high school. I skipped a Doors concert at the Long Beach Arena because it was on a school night. "I'll catch them next time" says I.
A year later, Jimbo kicks the bucket and I never saw them live.
The shows by bands that are important to me that I have missed are too numerous to list.
Yes, I knew Big Star was making their west coast debut at the West Hollywood House of Blues some years back, but all I did about it was add that show to my missed list.
I never saw Syd Barrett play either.
Creative Thing responding to a
comment by PC
03.18.10 - 8:36 pm
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I was at that House of Blues show. It was cool. My friend and I had tickets for the first show...sadly, the second show didn't sell very well so they let people from the first show stay. We stayed.
As I said, it was cool. But really, it was like a lot of these reunion shows in that you are sorta seeing Big Star, you know? And at the same time you're sorta seeing Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens and those two dudes from the Posies. But I'm glad we went.
PC responding to a
comment by Creative Thing
03.18.10 - 11:10 pm
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