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Big Star
2,410,911 plays (160,050 listeners)
Memphis, Tennessee, United States (1971 – 1974, 1993 – present)
Big Star was an American rock and roll band of the early 1970s whose work is often cited as a prime example of power pop. Drawing upon pop music traditions — especially The Beatles, The Byrds, The Kinks, The Zombies, Badfinger, The Who, Todd Rundgren, Moby Grape, The Beach Boys and Free — Big Star’s music was lyrical, powerful, and at times melancholic pop for the post-1960s generation. Their approach not only recalled the British Invasion groups but the spare, relaxed style of Stax Records, the Memphis soul label, as well as the edgy rockabilly of early Sun Records. In an era of singer-songwriters and heavy-metal groups, they played melodic, concisely written songs. Their reputation, negligible in 1974 beyond a small coterie of admirers, has steadily grown, and they are today considered one of pop’s classic groups.
Big Star was formed in 1971 in Memphis, Tennessee, United States by guitarist/vocalist Chris Bell, bassist Andy Hummel, drummer Jody Stephens, and guitarist/vocalist Alex Chilton. All four at times contributed to the songwriting and lead vocals, with Chilton and Bell singing and writing the majority of the early songs as a team modeled after Lennon and McCartney’s collaborative style. Chilton, a former teen pop idol, and Bell had a musically fruitful but difficult relationship. The band’s first two albums had a string of great reviews but sold almost nothing, not helped by Stax’s struggle to know how to sell a bunch of white guys playing retro rock.
Big Star was formed in 1971 in Memphis, Tennessee, United States by guitarist/vocalist Chris Bell, bassist Andy Hummel, drummer Jody Stephens, and guitarist/vocalist Alex Chilton. All four at times contributed to the songwriting and lead vocals, with Chilton and Bell singing and writing the majority of the early songs as a team modeled after Lennon and McCartney’s collaborative style. Chilton, a former teen pop idol, and Bell had a musically fruitful but difficult relationship. The band’s first two albums had a string of great reviews but sold almost nothing, not helped by Stax’s struggle to know how to sell a bunch of white guys playing retro rock.
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#1 Record
Big StarBuy- Download Album
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Radio City
Big StarBuy- Download Album
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Third / Sister Lovers
Big Star
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#1 Record/Radio City
Big Star Buy- Download Album
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Shoutbox
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mustardog wrote:
I heard this story about Big Star on the radio while I was driving the other day. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123270136
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jarlero wrote:
The more I listen to this band the more I love them.[3]
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TheDevilsTuna wrote:
Check out the review of the deluxe edition of Big Star's Chris Bell's classic album I Am The Cosmos on the Devil's blog at http://besttuna.blogspot.com/2010/01/jangle-bells.html
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diana2amazing wrote:
The more I listen to this band the more I love them. [2] So true, they sound very good :D
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fluoxetine20mg wrote:
i prefer the ryko tracklisting myself...i agree with the exorcism of the bonus tracks though
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ritesofspring wrote:
The more I listen to this band the more I love them. Teenage Fanclub used to bang on about them in the 90s but I never checked them out then - BIG mistake, I shoulda listened
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chairmanmaocoat wrote:
Third/Sister Lovers has always been a big point of contention for me - I absolutely adored parts of it, but always had trouble listening to it the whole way through; it never seemed to have a good flow. With the release of the box set, I have rearranged Third from its tracklisting on the Ryko CD (allegedly Chilton's intended/preferred tracklisting), removed the bonus tracks, and restored the running order from the 1978 vinyl release, and I now am having trouble not listening to it. Anyone else find the original 1978 PVC tracklisting a much more compelling listen, or am I just insane? (I am aware that the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive.)
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roberawards wrote:
Big Star have been nominated as best anthology of the year in this year's Rober Awards Music Poll. You can vote @ http://roberawards.com/rober-awards-2009-poll-open-vote-now/
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StatelyLover wrote:
I thought Holocaust and Kangaroo are more popular.
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chaotically__ wrote:
i like the album "#1 record". particulary the songs "thirteen" and "in the streets".
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YControl755 wrote:
got the boxed set for christmas and it is absolutely amazing. every power pop lover should own it!
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carlosen wrote:
Keep an Eye On the Sky - brilliant box set!
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Madameobscure wrote:
<3
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StephanMathieu wrote:
we love you, big star
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caro_vian wrote:
want u like a kangaroo _ what a cool band
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blowyrgourd wrote:
funny to see jesus christ high in the charts this week
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BIGTUNA69 wrote:
love
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LeftCoastRyda wrote:
The box set is fantastic. Some surprisingly great and extensive linear notes.
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tomorrowsparty wrote:
I have to say that I find it a bit tragic that more people don't listen to Kangaroo, it's so beautiful.
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michaelmichaels wrote:
Pushing O My Soul for best song ever. So bad ass. So bad ass.
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Recent Activity
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somerville101, waxartist, loleeps and 7 other people added Big Star to their libraries. 9 hours ago
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Yerboutique tagged Big Star with ‘hediondo subnormal’. Sunday afternoon
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silkyIshotz, aNebilim, LykkeLeigh and 17 other people added Big Star to their libraries. Sunday morning
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P_Machado tagged Big Star with jangle pop, 70s, rock and 2 other tags. Thursday morning
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zachjones8 added Big Star to zachjones8’s library. Thursday morning
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lookbackbore wrote about Big Star in February acquisitions. Thursday morning
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ned2425 added Big Star to ned2425’s library. Wednesday evening
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rattlebag wrote about Big Star in Last.FM Milestones. Wednesday evening
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rattlebag wrote about Big Star in My Top Albums (Last 3 Months). Wednesday evening
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rattlebag wrote about Big Star – Third/Sister Lovers in My Top Albums (Last 3 Months). Wednesday evening
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