I was devastated to hear that Alex Chilton passed away on Wednesday. It really came as a shock. I always assumed I would see Big Star perform live someday. The concert always went something like this in my head….Me standing front and center, singing along to every word, somehow I end up on stage singing ‘Way Out West,’ and Alex digs it so much that he invites me to join the band, then I invite all the dudes I’ve ever played in bands with to join and we all float away together into rock and roll bliss. Well thats obviously not going to happen anymore, but I am comforted by the fact that Alex left me so much beautiful music to enjoy.
The first Big Star song I heard was ‘Back of a Car.’ It was an amazing moment for me. I was in a band at the time, and I remember saying to the guitarist ‘Hey I heard this band called Big Star – I think that it’s exactly what we’ve been trying to do!’ It seems a lot of musicians have had similar ‘Big Star’ moments. For me, it became a bit of an obsession. I purchased the #1 Record/Radio City album and listened to it nonstop for over a year. I still listen to those albums frequently, and am always eager to share it with people who have never heard it – welcoming them into ‘the club.’ I expect that the club will continue to grow, and Chilton’s legacy will live on as long as there are kids with electric guitars and loud amps. Thank You Alex. LC
