Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time - Rated 474/500!
Seemingly snake-bit from the start, Big Star's pure creative side exploded with their first two albums, both of which would eventually become icons of American Power Pop. This Memphis foursome, originally founded by Chris Bell in 1971 and joined shortly thereafter by the legendary chameleon Alex Chilton, would suffer due to personnel issues and distribution problems by their label, delaying their place in musical history. One of the ultimate cult bands in popular music, #1 Record and Radio City would both influence artists-to-come such as Tom Petty, R.E.M., The Replacements and The Bangles, to name just a few. Both titles placed within Rolling Stone magazine's poll of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
#1 Record (1972) is the band's only full album to feature Chris Bell. This brilliant debut sustains a 1960's British feel mixed with a Memphis edge. The layered twin alpha-male harmonies are slightly reminiscent of Lennon and McCartney's early Parlophone sides. The singles released, "When My Baby's Beside Me" and "Don't Lie To Me" reveal surprisingly elegant songwriting from talent so young while another album track, "In The Streets", would later be resurrected and slightly reworked as the main opening theme to the television sit-com That 70's Show, turning a whole new generation onto their staying power.
"Chilton wrote this acoustic ballad about two kids in love with rock & roll, featuring the deathless couplet 'Won't you tell your dad, 'Get off my back'/Tell him what we said about 'Paint It Black.'' It's simple musically; as Chilton said, 'I was still learning to play and stuff.' It never came out as a single or got any radio play, but 'Thirteen' is one of rock's most beautiful celebrations of adolescence." - Rolling Stone
Features:
Vinyl LP
Musicians:
Christopher Bell, guitars, vocals
Alex Chilton, guitars, vocals
Andy Hummel, bass guitar, piano, vocals
Jody Stephens, drums, vocals
Selections:
1. Feel
2. The Ballad of El Goodo
3. In the Street
4. Thirteen
5. Don't Lie To Me
6. The India Song
7. When My Baby's Beside Me
8. My Life Is Right
9. Give Me Another Chance
10. Try Again
11. Watch the Sunrise
12. ST 100/6
Seemingly snake-bit from the start, Big Star's pure creative side exploded with their first two albums, both of which would eventually become icons of American Power Pop. This Memphis foursome, originally founded by Chris Bell in 1971 and joined shortly thereafter by the legendary chameleon Alex Chilton, would suffer due to personnel issues and distribution problems by their label, delaying their place in musical history. One of the ultimate cult bands in popular music, #1 Record and Radio City would both influence artists-to-come such as Tom Petty, R.E.M., The Replacements and The Bangles, to name just a few. Both titles placed within Rolling Stone magazine's poll of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
#1 Record (1972) is the band's only full album to feature Chris Bell. This brilliant debut sustains a 1960's British feel mixed with a Memphis edge. The layered twin alpha-male harmonies are slightly reminiscent of Lennon and McCartney's early Parlophone sides. The singles released, "When My Baby's Beside Me" and "Don't Lie To Me" reveal surprisingly elegant songwriting from talent so young while another album track, "In The Streets", would later be resurrected and slightly reworked as the main opening theme to the television sit-com That 70's Show, turning a whole new generation onto their staying power.
"Chilton wrote this acoustic ballad about two kids in love with rock & roll, featuring the deathless couplet 'Won't you tell your dad, 'Get off my back'/Tell him what we said about 'Paint It Black.'' It's simple musically; as Chilton said, 'I was still learning to play and stuff.' It never came out as a single or got any radio play, but 'Thirteen' is one of rock's most beautiful celebrations of adolescence." - Rolling Stone
Features:
Vinyl LP
Musicians:
Christopher Bell, guitars, vocals
Alex Chilton, guitars, vocals
Andy Hummel, bass guitar, piano, vocals
Jody Stephens, drums, vocals
Selections:
1. Feel
2. The Ballad of El Goodo
3. In the Street
4. Thirteen
5. Don't Lie To Me
6. The India Song
7. When My Baby's Beside Me
8. My Life Is Right
9. Give Me Another Chance
10. Try Again
11. Watch the Sunrise
12. ST 100/6
