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ALEX CHILTON, 1950-2010

Mar 18th, 2010 by Conor McCabe

I first heard of Alex Chilton from Seán Baite, who is more qualified to write something on Chilton than myself. By way of tribute though…

[Sonofstan left a comment on Chilton here.]

Posted in obituary | 7 Comments

7 Responses to “ALEX CHILTON, 1950-2010”

on 18 Mar 2010 at 6:11 pm1Dave G Kelly

Sad news. Big Star were due to play SXSW next week.
on 18 Mar 2010 at 10:45 pm2sonofstan

Apparently there was to be a pane at SXSW on their legacy with Stephens, Hummel and Chilton all in attendance. According to something i read today, the now two surviving members are thinking about doing a few songs with -I think- Mike Mills and Robin Zander of Cheap Trick in the slot that was supposed to be Big Star: and the panel will go ahead. I’m not sure if I could take it…..
on 19 Mar 2010 at 9:41 am3Sean Baite

Shit - learned the news from you here Conor - while coming round after Paddies Day. Seems like an increasing number are checking out of Heartbreak Hotel recently.
Probably heard him first through This Mortal Coil’s ‘Kangaroo’ without realising it was his song. Have to thank SoS and the Stars for the real introduction - their cover of ‘Hey Little Child!’ which I fell in love with on hearing it on that Live at (in ?/under ?) the Underground gizmo.
I think they later also did the Seeds ‘Can’t Seem to Make You Mine’ as a cover of his cover (if yez get me).

Anyhow - there’s a good playlist (through Spotify) of his stuff/related stuff here : http://www.blogotheque.net/Alex-Chilton-Forever (the spotify playlist link is down the end - use your bleddy French to find it). Glaring omissions - the couple of Stars renditions

Too late as I’m sure youse have all seen them already - but a trio of vids in tribute :
Paul Westerberg - Alex Chilton - Minneapolis 2002 :

Selfshot Super 8 footage from recording of ‘Radio City’ in 1971 (I think) to ‘Thank You Friends’ :

Finally in a Noo Orleans cemetery for 120 Minutes during the 80s :
on 19 Mar 2010 at 9:44 am4Sean Baite

Footnote - given he died on Paddies Day - has the autopsy linked it to green beer dye ?
Enough to make anyone curl up and die, I reckon :-<
on 19 Mar 2010 at 4:04 pm5sonofstan

Have to thank SoS and the Stars for the real introduction - their cover of ‘Hey Little Child!’ which I fell in love with on hearing it on that Live at (in ?/under ?) the Underground gizmo.

….And we did ‘Jesus Christ’ on our very first demo - recorded in the Eomonn Andrews Studio on glorious one inch 4- track, before it, and the Television Club beneath disappeared forever - and Free Again live on more than one occasion……bleedin’ tribute band we were, and long before the Fannies took control of the legacy…..
on 19 Mar 2010 at 4:58 pm6Donagh

Thanks for the vids Seán. We can’t access Spotify in Ireland at the moment, but I was able to get some stuff off the web anyway. Here are some of my favourites:

Big Star:September Gurls

Big Star:http://www.box.net/shared/static/fjkelntxzf.mp3” rel=”nofollow”>Thirteen

This Mortal Coil (cover): Kangaroo

Kristin Hersh (cover): Jesus Christ

Alex Chilton: http://go2.wordpress.com/?id=725X1342&site=pathfinderpat.wordpress.com&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathfinderpat.files.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2Fwere-gonna-make-it-little-milton-cover-alex-chilton.mp3” rel=”nofollow”>We’re Going to Make it Little Milton

Big Star (cover): Blue Moon

Thanks to Town Full of Losers & others
on 19 Mar 2010 at 5:48 pm7Sean Baite

Ooops - didn’t know Spotify wasn’t covered by NAMA yet :-[
Ye’ve put up a good selection in its absence Donagh.

SoS - bleedin’ tribute band we were

I suppose that explains the ‘Star’ in the name of the band.. and the same career plan