I would assume that most every Bedazzled! reader is at least FAMILIAR with Big Star. If you aren't, I strongly suggest that you do not pass GO and immediately purchase the box set Keep An Eye On The Sky as well as the double disc reissue of Chris Bell's posthumous masterpiece I Am The Cosmos. These are some of the greatest sounding CD's out there (it takes A LOT for an analog diehard such as myself to admit that), but there's a real charm to these 45's, and it is my pleasure to share them here.
"When My Baby's Beside Me b/w In The Street" was the debut release, coinciding with the long player #1 Record. "When My Baby..." is a nifty, AM radio ready mono mix of the Alex Chilton sung mover; this was one of the few Big Star songs that Alex Chilton played regularly in his solo gigs. 'In The Street" however, is a completely different mix with a different vocal take altogether from Chris Bell, who reaches some absolutely nut-crunching high notes here.
In The Street_45 mix
When My Baby's Beside Me
These records mean the world to me, and the combination of a grizzled yet still-very-young music biz veteran Alex Chilton matched up with the tragic melodic genius of Chris Bell created some of the greatest music of the early '70's.
With the type of songwriting, vocal and instrumental prowess contained in this group, one would think that they would have indeed realized their name and climbed the ladder to success. Lambasted as being passe during the time of endless boogie, Big Star records sold poorly but were cherished by those who owned them, and along the way the cult grew and grew, eventually manifesting itself into what became the heart of guitar based power pop/ college rock/ indie pop/ whatever the hell you wanna call it music from the late 70's onwards.
Ardent (which was distributed by Stax) tried again with a second single from the first LP, pairing the aggressive "Don't Lie To Me" with the gorgeous, pastoral "Watch The Sunrise". Once again, the single sunk without a trace. Interestingly, my copy was mis-pressed and contains "Thirteen" (quite possibly the most enduring track of the album, and Alex Chilton's greatest ever performance) in place of "Lie". I don't hear any mix differences, but this track is just too good not to share here. "Watch The Sunrise" is certainly different, as it edits a chunk of guitar picking from the intro. The vocal also sounds a tad different to my ears as well.Rather ominously, the tra
il off wax on the "Lie To Me' side reads "SKULL TREE".
Thirteen
Watch The Sunrise
After the lack of success of the first LP, Chris Bell left the group, embarking on epic travel adventures in Europe and England which included time spent recording tracks that eventually made up the
I Am The Cosmos LP, which was first released in 1992, some 14 years after his tragic death. Chris Bell suffered a lot in his personal life, exasperated by drug abuse, mental illness and the pain of closeted homosexuality. However, from his despair came some of the greatest, most transcendent music of the 1970's. Shortly before his death, the 45 of 'I Am The Cosmos b/w You And Your Sister' was released by Chris Stamey's Car label. "Cosmos" is a MASSIVE recording, and the druggy haze was recorded in Memphis, and overdubbed/ mixed by geoff Emerick at AIR Studios in London, fulfilling Chris' wish of recording with the Beatles engineer. The incredibly touching b-side finds a reuinion of the Big Star principles back at their home base in Memphis at Ardent studios. Alex Chilton's harmonies here are the stuff of goosebump inducing legend, and it never fails how many times I've heard this song that it moves me to tears. Once again, while the recent double disc CD reissue sounds amazing, listening to the original 45 is a truly incredible experience. Hopefully that translates to you thru these
high quality transfers and scans! -Derek See
I Am The Cosmos
You And Your Sister
What an epic post! Thank you for sharing this timeless music from the Memphis Beatles!
Can't get enough Big Star!
cheers!
Posted by: D | March 11, 2013 at 08:10 PM