'I never travel far, without a little Big Star...'

Another sad day for music... Alex Chilton died Wednesday in New Orleans of an apparent heart attack. Chilton has inspired some of the greatest artists of our time--Tom Petty, The Replacements, R.E.M. and Wilco, just to name a few. One of the first authors of power pop music, he (alongside another talented songwriter, Chris Bell) lead Memphis rock band Big Star from 1971 to 1974, releasing two critically-acclaimed albums. He cut his teeth with blue-eyed soulsters, The Box Tops and met with success on the chart-topping single "The Letter" in 1967 when Alex was only sixteen years old.

The powerfully influential #1 Record came out in 1972, featuring "The Ballad of El Goodo", "Feel", and "Thirteen". Their exuberant follow-up, Radio City, was released in 1974 and included memorable entries "September Gurls", "O My Soul", and "Back of a Car". The band broke up shortly after, stemming from tension among members of the band caused from lack of commercial success due to poor promotion and distribution from Stax Records.

In 1978, the nihilistic Third/Sister Lovers was released. Despite attracting the attention from fans upon its release, the record did little, as far as sales. On December 27th of that year (one day before Chilton's 28th birthday), former founding member Chris Bell died in a tragic car accident. This came shortly after Third/Sister Lovers hit shelves.

Chilton and original drummer Jody Stephens reunited Big Star in 1993 with guitarist Jon Auer and bassist Ken Stringfellow of The Posies. This incarnation put out the record In Space in September of 2005 on Rykodisc. Several well-received performances followed, as well as the issuing of a compilation disc, a box set, and the remastered version of a double album consisting of the first two records in the Big Star catalog.

Alex Chilton was readying himself for an upcoming performance at this year's SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas. But, it seems that Alex has already played his last show...

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I put #1 Record on as soon as I got home and have let it track straight through. There's an incredible energy to each track, whether it be the intimate reflection of the acoustic performances or the rumbling affair of the guitar-driven rock songs. I can't get over how incredible the instruments sound. I'm amazed every time I cue up "Feel" or "Don't Lie To Me".
It is no secret that Alex has thrown down the gauntlet with his incredible contribution to pop/rock music. He was fiercely overlooked. But his legacy will live on in the music he has composed and the artists that he has influenced.

Alex Chilton, we miss you very much.

The Ballad of El Goodo - Big Star
September Gurls - Big Star
I'm In Love With A Girl - Big Star
Thank You Friends (demo) - Big Star
Thirteen (Big Star cover) - Elliott Smith
Alex Chilton - The Replacements

I like a president who smokes

I was flipping through pages on Google News yesterday and I saw an article on Barack Obama's latest physical report. It stated that the president was in good health, but that he still needs to lower his cholesterol count and work harder to finally kick his smoking habit. The President of the United States is a smoker? Why am always the last to know about these things??

I was bullshitting with an associate where I work (one who is known as a habitual liar) about my discovery. He said 'yeah, you didn't know that. He smokes Marlboro Reds'. The guy knows Obama's preferred brand? Really? Barack smokes 'cowboys'? This was all just too funny. I began my Google Images search and found photo after photo (some Photoshop-ed, of course) of our Chief Executive with a cigarette hanging from his mouth.

I thought about this for a little bit, and I came to the conclusion that... I like a President who smokes. Quoting one of my favorite lines from Noah Baumbach's 1995 comedy Kicking And Screaming, I, also, 'like a bartender who drinks, otherwise I feel like I'm being poisoned'. Knowing these things kind of make me feel better, more justified. This is precisely the reason why the public eye scrutinizes President Obama in this instance; him being a role model and all, dealing with his addiction to nicotine.

Later on in the evening, at the bar, I was relaying the events of my afternoon lunch break on Google Search. Someone posed the question, 'do you think he's allowed to smoke in the White House?' They continued, 'probably not, with the smoking ban in government buildings.' What? But, he's the motherfucking president. Not allowed to smoke in the Oval Office? Why? Do you know how many times Nixon and colleagues lit up cigars after dinner in the Green Room? Do you think people were shaking their finger at FDR or LBJ when they were seen sorting through a barrage of legislation at their desk while puffing away on a fag? Warren G. Harding was a smoker. Kennedy, too.

They must have done a pretty good job keeping it under wraps. I mean, I only now just found out about it. So, Obama enjoys watching The Godfather with a nice serving of huckleberry cobbler with caramel ice cream, and a full-flavored cigarette.

More Cigarettes - The Replacements