THANK
YOU FRIENDS… BIG
STAR TRIBUTES BY THE STARS!
On my
travels, I took the opportunity to ask bands what they love
about Big Star and Alex Chilton. Here's what some of them
had to say…
ANTHONY
BAUTOVICH (ORANGE HUMBLE BAND/THE FORRESTERS
"....(this)
might sound a little predictable, but 'September Gurls' is
at the top of my list. There are a number of songs that get
referred to as the greatest pop or power pop song of all time,
and that's a tough one to call, but truth is I can't think
of a one that is a better pop song. Chiming guitar intro,
wonderful rolling drum track & backing vocals to die for
on top of that perfect three minute something arrangement".
"'When My Baby's Beside Me' is a track I've always loved
too, a pop song in a rock'n'roll wrapping. Love the doubled
up drums over the killer pop chorus, wah wah and harmonizing
guitar solo. 'When My Baby's Beside Me' was the only Big Star
song Alex Chilton played live when he toured Sydney a few
years back. During the set his fans were pleading for their
favorite Big Star songs. It looked like he enjoyed not doing
any others. Still, a great show".
"When we finished the recording of the second Orange
Humble at Ardent, Jody Stephens kindly gave me a signed copy
of the single 'Don't Lie to Me'. Not only a great player but
a super nice guy as well. When I hear that song now it reminds
me of that whole Memphis experience".
"One
thing that's good about Big Star is they kind of combined
like, Beatlesy and like, British Invasion kind sounds but
with some classic American sounds. Alex Chilton was a kinda
soul singer before that, so that's what I like about them,
they kinda combine American rock stuff and Invasion stuff.
The bottom line is they were great songwriters".
RIC MENCK
(VELVET CRUSH)
One of Ric's best friends Matthew
Sweet was originally asked to join the new Big Star line up
before the Posies swung it, Rick takes up the story and add
his own Big Star tribute.
"That
was the first person they asked to do it but I think he was
going out on tour himself so he couldn't really do it. I think
he was also weirded out because to join Big Star, that was
one of his favourite bands and mine when we were about Seventeen,
so it was pretty weird. But I'd tell you Jody Stephens, the
drummer, He's one the nicest guys in the world, really cool
guy".
I tell Rick how stunningly fresh
Big Star songs are upon hearing them for the first time.
"Don't they sound great? Like
Radio City sounds so great. Especially when you talk to Chilton
these days 'cos he's really a million miles away from there.
I went and saw him not too long ago and it was so weird. Just
not the same, but that's cool, that's totally cool. He's older.
Like as I get older I think I just want to play country. I
don't want to play 'Dry Me Down' any more 'cos I just don't
feel that way any more, so I can totally relate to maybe wanting
to do something different".
ANDY
BELL (RIDE/HURRICANE #1/OASIS)
"My
favourite tracks are Back Of A Car, My Life Is Right, Motel
Blues, Thirteen and then September Gurls. I think they were
a great band, I've not listened to them for a little while
though. That was like really great production. It's kind of
like something that happens when an American band tries to
make a British sounding album. It's a really amazing sound
they get".
***
MY FAVOURITE
BIG STAR SONG BY DUGLAS (BMX BANDITS)…
After
much thought and coming up with the obvious, September Gurls
and Ballad of El Goodo, Douglas decided to go for something
a little less likely but equally as moving. Douglas describes
what he likes so much about 'Take Care' from the 'Sister Lovers'
album.
"We
used to be flying and things like that and I had a fear of
flying and I used to always put on Take Care on tapes that
I was making up for when I was going to fly and it used to
make me really, really calm! It would almost gave me an image
of someone watching over you, I think this songs got this
kind of spirit. It's a really soothing song. It's funny because
Alex is the sort of person that likes bugging people and winding
them up and putting a spanner in the works whenever he can
and takes great pleasure in this. He's definitely a rascal
but there's this other side to him which is responsible for
all these songs like 'Take Care' which are much kind of gentler.
It's almost like a lullaby, I could imagine singing it to
my baby when it's born, it's that sort of song. It made me
feel better, that song's got that sort of effect, it makes
you feel everything's okay and somebody's looking after you.
That's a nice feeling to get from a record".
ANTHONY
BAUTOVICH (ORANGE HUMBLE BAND/THE FORRESTERS 
"....(this)
might sound a little predictable, but 'September Gurls' is
at the top of my list. There are a number of songs that get
referred to as the greatest pop or power pop song of all time,
and that's a tough one to call, but truth is I can't think
of a one that is a better pop song. Chiming guitar intro,
wonderful rolling drum track & backing vocals to die for
on top of that perfect three minute something arrangement".
STEVE
HURLEY (GIGOLO AUNTS)
"One
thing that's good about Big Star is they kind of combined
like, Beatlesy and like, British Invasion kind sounds but
with some classic American sounds. Alex Chilton was a kinda
soul singer before that, so that's what I like about them,
they kinda combine American rock stuff and Invasion stuff.
The bottom line is they were great songwriters".
"That
was the first person they asked to do it but I think he was
going out on tour himself so he couldn't really do it. I think
he was also weirded out because to join Big Star, that was
one of his favourite bands and mine when we were about Seventeen,
so it was pretty weird. But I'd tell you Jody Stephens, the
drummer, He's one the nicest guys in the world, really cool
guy".
"My
favourite tracks are Back Of A Car, My Life Is Right, Motel
Blues, Thirteen and then September Gurls. I think they were
a great band, I've not listened to them for a little while
though. That was like really great production. It's kind of
like something that happens when an American band tries to
make a British sounding album. It's a really amazing sound
they get". 
"We
used to be flying and things like that and I had a fear of
flying and I used to always put on Take Care on tapes that
I was making up for when I was going to fly and it used to
make me really, really calm! It would almost gave me an image
of someone watching over you, I think this songs got this
kind of spirit. It's a really soothing song. It's funny because
Alex is the sort of person that likes bugging people and winding
them up and putting a spanner in the works whenever he can
and takes great pleasure in this. He's definitely a rascal
but there's this other side to him which is responsible for
all these songs like 'Take Care' which are much kind of gentler.
It's almost like a lullaby, I could imagine singing it to
my baby when it's born, it's that sort of song. It made me
feel better, that song's got that sort of effect, it makes
you feel everything's okay and somebody's looking after you.
That's a nice feeling to get from a record".