From: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org (loud-fans-digest) To: loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Subject: loud-fans-digest V9 #56 Reply-To: loud-fans@smoe.org Sender: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk loud-fans-digest Friday, March 19 2010 Volume 09 : Number 056 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [loud-fans] Re: home acres ["Brian Block" ] Re: [loud-fans] R.I.P. Alex Chilton [Dave Walker ] Re: [loud-fans] R.I.P. Alex Chilton [Dave Walker ] Re: [loud-fans] R.I.P. Alex Chilton ["Michael W. Zwirn" Subject: [loud-fans] Re: home acres >On Wed, Mar 17, 2010 at 1:38 PM, Jenny Grover >> For those who like proggy pop, or poppy prog, or just plain good music, the >> new Aloha album "Home Acres" is quite fine. Not that Aloha has ever put out >> an album I didn't like, but this one is more to my taste (peppier, less >> quiet overall, more marimba, proggier) than "Light Works". Hearkens back a >> bit more to their older stuff. Haven't gotten to their new one yet, but let me firmly agree with Jen about Aloha's excellence; my favorite albums of theirs so far are 'Sugar' from 2002 (which has substantial jazz influences) and 'Some Echoes' from 2006 (for which Jen's term "progressive pop" seems more central). They're one of my 3-yr-old's very favorite bands, along with Cloud Cult, Low, and Tori Amos, and they seem like they fit well in that company.

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Feed a child by searching the web! Learn how http://www.care2.com/toolbar ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:28:11 -0400 From: Dave Walker Subject: Re: [loud-fans] R.I.P. Alex Chilton Wow, this hit me like a ton of bricks... never got to see him play, but Id be hard pressed to name much music that touched me as deeply as many of the songs on the 3 original Big Star records, and his harmony with Chris Bell on You And Your Sister is probably the most beautiful thing Ive ever heard. Rest well. -d.w. On Wed, Mar 17, 2010 at 9:31 PM, Michael Zwirn wrote: > Terribly sad news in the Memphis paper: > > > Memphis music legend Alex Chilton dies > > Pop hitmaker, cult hero, and Memphis rock iconoclast Alex Chilton has died. > > The singer and guitarist, best known as a member of '60s pop-soul act the > Box Tops and the '70s power-pop act Big Star, died today at a hospital in > New Orleans. Chilton, 59, had been complaining of about his health earlier > today. He was taken by paramedics to the emergency room where he was > pronounced dead. The cause of death is believed to be a heart attack. > > His Big Star bandmate Jody Stephens confirmed the news this evening. "Alex > passed away a couple of hours ago," Stephens said from Austin, Texas, where > the band was to play Saturday at the annual South By Southwest Festival. "I > don t have a lot of particulars, but they kind of suspect that it was a > heart attack." > > The Memphis-born Chilton rose to prominence at age 16, when his gruff vocals > powered Box Tops massive hit The Letter. The band would score several more > hits, including Cry Like a Baby and Neon Rainbow. > After the Box Tops ended in 1970, Chilton had a brief solo run in New York > before returning to Memphis. He soon joined forces with a group of > Anglo-pop-obsessed musicians, fellow songwriter/guitarist Chris Bell, > bassist Andy Hummel and drummer Jody Stephens, to form Big Star. > > The group became the flagship act for the local Ardent Studios' new > Stax-distributed label. Big Star s 1972 debut album, #1 Record met with > critical acclaim but poor sales. The group briefly disbanded, but reunited > sans Bell to record the album Radio City. Released in 1974, the album > suffered a similar fate, plagued by Stax s distribution woes. > > "I m crushed. We re all just crushed," said Ardent founder John Fry, who > engineered most of the Big Star sessions. "This sudden death experience is > never something that you re prepared for. And yet it occurs." > > The group made one more album, Third/Sister Lovers, with just Chilton and > Stephens and it too was a minor masterpiece. Darker and more complex than > the band s previous pop-oriented material, it remained unreleased for > several years. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine would name all three Big Star > albums to its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. > > In the mid-'70s Chilton began what would be a polarizing solo career, > releasing several albums of material, like 1979 s Like Flies on Sherbet a > strange, chaotically recorded album of originals and obscure covers that > divided fans and critics. Chilton also began performing with local > roots-punk deconstructionists the Panther Burns. > > In the early '80s, Chilton left Memphis for New Orleans, where he worked a > variety of jobs and stopped performing for several years. But interest in > his music from a new generation of alternative bands, including R.E.M. and > the Replacements, brought him back to the stage in the mid-'80s. > > He continued to record and tour as a solo act throughout the decade. > Finally, in the early '90s, the underground cult based around Big Star had > become so huge that the group was enticed to reunite with a reconfigured > lineup. > > "It s obvious to anybody that listens to his live performances or his body > of recorded work, his tremendous talent as a vocalist and songwriter and > instrumentalist," Fry said. > > "Beyond the musical talent, he was an interesting, articulate and extremely > intelligent person," Fry added. "I don't think you d ever have a > conversation with him of any length that you didn t learn something > completely new." > > The band, featuring original member Stephens plus Jon Auer and Ken > Stringfellow of the Posies, continued to perform regularly over the next 16 > years. Big Star became the subject of various articles, books and CD reissue > campaigns, including the release of widely hailed box set, Keep an Eye on > the Sky, released last year by Rhino Records. > > The band was scheduled to launch the spring 2010 season at the Levitt Shell > at Overton Park with a benefit concert on May 15. > > Big Star had not played in Memphis since a 2003 Beale Street Music Festival > appearance. Chilton is survived by his wife, Laura, and a son Timothy. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:55:40 -0400 From: Dave Walker Subject: Re: [loud-fans] R.I.P. Alex Chilton Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tennessee) eulogizes Chilton on the floor of the US House: http://www.c-spanarchives.org/program/ID/221212&start=1596&end=1715 -d.w. On Thu, Mar 18, 2010 at 12:28 PM, Dave Walker wrote: > Wow, this hit me like a ton of bricks... never got to see him play, > but Id be hard pressed to name much music that touched me as deeply > as many of the songs on the 3 original Big Star records, and his > harmony with Chris Bell on You And Your Sister is probably the most > beautiful thing Ive ever heard. > > Rest well. > > -d.w. > > > On Wed, Mar 17, 2010 at 9:31 PM, Michael Zwirn wrote: >> Terribly sad news in the Memphis paper: >> >> >> Memphis music legend Alex Chilton dies >> >> Pop hitmaker, cult hero, and Memphis rock iconoclast Alex Chilton has died. >> >> The singer and guitarist, best known as a member of '60s pop-soul act the >> Box Tops and the '70s power-pop act Big Star, died today at a hospital in >> New Orleans. Chilton, 59, had been complaining of about his health earlier >> today. He was taken by paramedics to the emergency room where he was >> pronounced dead. The cause of death is believed to be a heart attack. >> >> His Big Star bandmate Jody Stephens confirmed the news this evening. "Alex >> passed away a couple of hours ago," Stephens said from Austin, Texas, where >> the band was to play Saturday at the annual South By Southwest Festival. "I >> don t have a lot of particulars, but they kind of suspect that it was a >> heart attack." >> >> The Memphis-born Chilton rose to prominence at age 16, when his gruff vocals >> powered Box Tops massive hit The Letter. The band would score several more >> hits, including Cry Like a Baby and Neon Rainbow. >> After the Box Tops ended in 1970, Chilton had a brief solo run in New York >> before returning to Memphis. He soon joined forces with a group of >> Anglo-pop-obsessed musicians, fellow songwriter/guitarist Chris Bell, >> bassist Andy Hummel and drummer Jody Stephens, to form Big Star. >> >> The group became the flagship act for the local Ardent Studios' new >> Stax-distributed label. Big Star s 1972 debut album, #1 Record met with >> critical acclaim but poor sales. The group briefly disbanded, but reunited >> sans Bell to record the album Radio City. Released in 1974, the album >> suffered a similar fate, plagued by Stax s distribution woes. >> >> "I m crushed. We re all just crushed," said Ardent founder John Fry, who >> engineered most of the Big Star sessions. "This sudden death experience is >> never something that you re prepared for. And yet it occurs." >> >> The group made one more album, Third/Sister Lovers, with just Chilton and >> Stephens and it too was a minor masterpiece. Darker and more complex than >> the band s previous pop-oriented material, it remained unreleased for >> several years. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine would name all three Big Star >> albums to its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. >> >> In the mid-'70s Chilton began what would be a polarizing solo career, >> releasing several albums of material, like 1979 s Like Flies on Sherbet a >> strange, chaotically recorded album of originals and obscure covers that >> divided fans and critics. Chilton also began performing with local >> roots-punk deconstructionists the Panther Burns. >> >> In the early '80s, Chilton left Memphis for New Orleans, where he worked a >> variety of jobs and stopped performing for several years. But interest in >> his music from a new generation of alternative bands, including R.E.M. and >> the Replacements, brought him back to the stage in the mid-'80s. >> >> He continued to record and tour as a solo act throughout the decade. >> Finally, in the early '90s, the underground cult based around Big Star had >> become so huge that the group was enticed to reunite with a reconfigured >> lineup. >> >> "It s obvious to anybody that listens to his live performances or his body >> of recorded work, his tremendous talent as a vocalist and songwriter and >> instrumentalist," Fry said. >> >> "Beyond the musical talent, he was an interesting, articulate and extremely >> intelligent person," Fry added. "I don't think you d ever have a >> conversation with him of any length that you didn t learn something >> completely new." >> >> The band, featuring original member Stephens plus Jon Auer and Ken >> Stringfellow of the Posies, continued to perform regularly over the next 16 >> years. Big Star became the subject of various articles, books and CD reissue >> campaigns, including the release of widely hailed box set, Keep an Eye on >> the Sky, released last year by Rhino Records. >> >> The band was scheduled to launch the spring 2010 season at the Levitt Shell >> at Overton Park with a benefit concert on May 15. >> >> Big Star had not played in Memphis since a 2003 Beale Street Music Festival >> appearance. Chilton is survived by his wife, Laura, and a son Timothy. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:20:59 -0400 From: "Michael W. Zwirn" Subject: Re: [loud-fans] R.I.P. Alex Chilton This is awesome on so many levels. Thanks Dave and thank you Congressman Cohen. Michael W. Zwirnmichael@zwirn.comSkype: zwirnm-----Original Message-----From: "Dave Walker" [dwalker@freeke.org]Date: 03/18/2010 01:05 PMTo: loud-fans@smoe.orgSubject: Re: [loud-fans] R.I.P. Alex ChiltonRep. Steve Cohen (D-Tennessee) eulogizes Chilton on the floor of the US House: http://www.c-spanarchives.org/program/ID/221212&start=1596&end=1715 - -d.w. On Thu, Mar 18, 2010 at 12:28 PM, Dave Walker ; wrote: > Wow, this hit me like a ton of bricks... never got to see him play, > but I d be hard pressed to name much music that touched me as deeply > as many of the songs on the 3 original Big Star records, and his > harmony with Chris Bell on You And Your Sister is probably the most > beautiful thing I ve ever heard. > > Rest well. > > -d.w. > > > On Wed, Mar 17, 2010 at 9:31 PM, Michael Zwirn ; wrote: >> Terribly sad news in the Memphis paper: >> >> >> Memphis music legend Alex Chilton dies >> >> Pop hitmaker, cult hero, and Memphis rock iconoclast Alex Chilton has died. >> >> The singer and guitarist, best known as a member of '60s pop-soul act the >> Box Tops and the '70s power-pop act Big Star, died today at a hospital in >> New Orleans. Chilton, 59, had been complaining of about his health earlier >> today. He was taken by paramedics to the emergency room where he was >> pronounced dead. The cause of death is believed to be a heart attack. >> >> His Big Star bandmate Jody Stephens confirmed the news this evening. "Alex >> passed away a couple of hours ago," Stephens said from Austin, Texas, where >> the band was to play Saturday at the annual South By Southwest Festival. "I >> don t have a lot of particulars, but they kind of suspect that it was a >> heart attack." >> >> The Memphis-born Chilton rose to prominence at age 16, when his gruff vocals >> powered Box Tops massive hit The Letter. The band would score several more >> hits, including Cry Like a Baby and Neon Rainbow. >> After the Box Tops ended in 1970, Chilton had a brief solo run in New York >> before returning to Memphis. He soon joined forces with a group of >> Anglo-pop-obsessed musicians, fellow songwriter/guitarist Chris Bell, >> bassist Andy Hummel and drummer Jody Stephens, to form Big Star. >> >> The group became the flagship act for the local Ardent Studios' new >> Stax-distributed label. Big Star s 1972 debut album, #1 Record met with >> critical acclaim but poor sales. The group briefly disbanded, but reunited >> sans Bell to record the album Radio City. Released in 1974, the album >> suffered a similar fate, plagued by Stax s distribution woes. >> >> "I m crushed. We re all just crushed," said Ardent founder John Fry, who >> engineered most of the Big Star sessions. "This sudden death experience is >> never something that you re prepared for. And yet it occurs." >> >> The group made one more album, Third/Sister Lovers, with just Chilton and >> Stephens and it too was a minor masterpiece. Darker and more complex than >> the band s previous pop-oriented material, it remained unreleased for >> several years. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine would name all three Big Star >> albums to its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. >> >> In the mid-'70s Chilton began what would be a polarizing solo career, >> releasing several albums of material, like 1979 s Like Flies on Sherbet a >> strange, chaotically recorded album of originals and obscure covers that >> divided fans and critics. Chilton also began performing with local >> roots-punk deconstructionists the Panther Burns. >> >> In the early '80s, Chilton left Memphis for New Orleans, where he worked a >> variety of jobs and stopped performing for several years. But interest in >> his music from a new generation of alternative bands, including R.E.M. and >> the Replacements, brought him back to the stage in the mid-'80s. >> >> He continued to record and tour as a solo act throughout the decade. >> Finally, in the early '90s, the underground cult based around Big Star had >> become so huge that the group was enticed to reunite with a reconfigured >> lineup. >> >> "It s obvious to anybody that listens to his live performances or his body >> of recorded work, his tremendous talent as a vocalist and songwriter and >> instrumentalist," Fry said. >> >> "Beyond the musical talent, he was an interesting, articulate and extremely >> intelligent person," Fry added. "I don't think you d ever have a >> conversation with him of any length that you didn t learn something >> completely new." >> >> The band, featuring original member Stephens plus Jon Auer and Ken >> Stringfellow of the Posies, continued to perform regularly over the next 16 >> years. Big Star became the subject of various articles, books and CD reissue >> campaigns, including the release of widely hailed box set, Keep an Eye on >> the Sky, released last year by Rhino Records. >> >> The band was scheduled to launch the spring 2010 season at the Levitt Shell >> at Overton Park with a benefit concert on May 15. >> >> Big Star had not played in Memphis since a 2003 Beale Street Music Festival >> appearance. Chilton is survived by his wife, Laura, and a son Timothy. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:24:23 -0700 (PDT) From: "Tim Walters" Subject: Re: [loud-fans] R.I.P. Alex Chilton Arson Garden fans (I know there are some of you out there) and others may enjoy this tribute cover of "Nighttime" posted by James and April Combs last night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qaa9NC_8WqE ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:50:05 EDT From: TruePantone293@aol.com Subject: [loud-fans] Allen Clapp questions and answers I asked Allen if I could send this on to Loudfans and he said sure. Thought this may be of interest to OP fans on here. Rest in peace, Alex Chilton. Loudfans love you. - --Mark hi mark, so glad you're digging the new album! i was actually meaning to get back to you and answer those questions, but got derailed by life. let's give it a shot: Why'd you give up the trademark specs? Just wanted a new look? yes, the specs -- i still have 'em, and actually, i have kept them up to date with new lenses each time i get a new prescription. the reality is, i found those frames in an old metal file cabinet at my first journalism job - -- they are really uncomfortable, but they are cool, which explains why i put up with them for 10 years on a daily basis. but yeah, thought it was time for a new look, so i thought the clear frames were about as far away from the buddy holly glasses as i could get. Also, when you were younger, did you consider becoming a meteorologist? I've never known someone who loves the weather more than you. It's apparent from your lyrics over the years. so, no -- never thought about meteorology as a profession; but just kinda realized after writing "a change in the weather" that nobody was really doing that -- so because i had studied the brit poets at berkeley, it just kinda made sense for me to take on the songwriting persona of a meteorologist of the heart (as bernie taupin says, "a weatherman of words"). and i went with it as an experiment, and it absolutely unlocked me as a writer. I was pleasantly surprised when I heard you'd opened for the B-52's a few years back. yeah, it was a total blast opening for those guys. they liked us enough after the first night to take us with them to clearlake the next night, and they invited us to their dressing room after the show to hang out. they are hands-down the nicest, most real people!!! totally inspirational. keep smiling, keep shining, - -allen _http://www.theorangepeel_ (http://www.theorangepeel/) s.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:03:40 EDT From: TruePantone293@aol.com Subject: [loud-fans] takin' it to the streets Thom Longino, the guy in this piece, is my best friend (from Spartanburg, SC). SF Loudfans please say hi to him when you see him out. No music here--just proud of him. Seriously, say hi and talk music with him. He is a huge Joe Pernice and Teenage Fanclub fan and plays a mean mandolin. - --Mark _http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnn6Xt4QpQU_ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnn6Xt4QpQU) ------------------------------ End of loud-fans-digest V9 #56 ******************************