Read all my books and talked about, listened to my radio

So today on the train I finally sat down and listened to all of #1 Record by Big Star. I had listened to bits and pieces of it, and really liked a song or two, but never really gave it my full attention. Now you're probably saying to yourself, "who the hell is Big Star?" which actually isn't a bad question. They're a band who got their start in the early seventies, and amid critical success, were never able to get really big, like everyone thought they should have.

One of the many reasons I wanted to listen to it was because one of their main songwriters, Alex Chilton, died a week or two ago at a youngish age. The most interesting thing I learned in reading about him was that my first exposure to Alex Chilton was actually way before I knew who he was. He was the lead singer of band called The Box Tops, who's song "The Letter" I absolutely loved as a kid, and still do to this day. I remember it was on some compilation of 60's songs we used to keep in the car that had songs like "Mony, Mony," "Happy Together," and "Long Cool Woman" on it. You know, classic mid 60's radio rock songs.

Anyway, after reading some of the stuff people had to say about him & his music, I thought it was worth getting to, and boy am I glad I did. The album is incredible, but there was one song in particular that really, really stood out to me. It's one of those songs that you listen to 5 or 6 times in a row without thinking twice about hitting the back button on your iPod, or sitting by the turntable to move the needle back to the beginning of the song. As soon as it started I felt that connection that you only get from certain songs. It was the feeling I got the first time I heard "Change" by Blind Melon, or "Bittersweet Symphony" by the Verve. The song is called "Thirteen," and it is by Big Star. I highly recommend that you listen to it, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Thanks for writing it Alex Chilton.

peace, love, & big star,
m.w.w.
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Now playing: Big Star - Thirteen
via FoxyTunes