big star
Disclaimer: this page is not written by from the point of view of a Big Star fanatic and is not generally intended for narrow-perspective Big Star fanatics. [1]
The quintessential American power pop band, Big Star remains one of the most mythic and influential cult acts in all of rock & roll. [2]
Decades after their breakup in 1975, Memphis’ Big Star still remain one of the most influential cult bands in the United States. [3]
–> See Big Star Lyrics [2]
Spotlighting the band’s roots, the boxed set opens with several songs recorded before Big Star formed, including “Try Again,” one of the first songs Bell and Chilton wrote together. [4]
Before it broke up, Big Star created a “seminal body of work that never stopped inspiring succeeding generations” in the words of Rolling Stone, earning recognition decades later, according to Allmusic, as the “quintessential American power pop band” and “one of the most mythic and influential cult acts in all of rock & roll”. [5]
Bell quit the band soon after the flop of their first album in 1972; Chilton dissolved the band soon afterwards, then reunited them (still without Bell) in 1974. [1]
KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY spans 1968 to 1975 and shows the progression of Big Star through selections from such studio precursors as Rock City and Icewater; music from Big Star’s acclaimed recordings (1 Record, Radio City, and Third/Sister Lovers); and relevant solo work by group principals Alex Chilton and Chris Bell, who formed Big Star in 1971 with bassist Andy Hummel and drummer Jody Stephens. [4]
Big Star is an American rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1971 by Alex Chilton, Chris Bell, Jody Stephens and Andy Hummel. [5]
Big Star’s second album, 1974’s Radio City, remains their masterpiece — ragged and raw guitar-pop infused with remarkable intensity and spontaneity. [2]
Frustration took its toll on band relations and by the time a second album was completed in January 1974, both Bell and Hummel had left. [...] To the resulting power pop, Big Star added dark, nihilistic themes, and produced a style that foreshadowed the alternative rock of the 1980s and 1990s. [5]
Their enthusiasm turned this obscure Memphis pop band?one that got little airplay, sold few records, and only played a handful of times–into a remarkable rock and roll resurrection story. [4]
Much like the Beatles, Big Star’s upbeat pop/rock songs are filled with soaring harmonies, addictive hooks and guitar riffs that still baffle the virtuosos. [3]
Chilton had recently returned to Memphis after attempting to mount a solo career in New York City; he first played with Bell years earlier in a high school cover band, and with his arrival Icewater rechristened itself Big Star, borrowing the name from a local supermarket chain. [2]
Sources:
[1] Big Star
[2] Big Star: Information from Answers.com
[3] Big Star - Rhapsody Music
[4] Big Star on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures …
[5] Big Star - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia