• 1971-1974, 1993-2010

  Alex ChiltonVocals, guitar

  Andy HummelBass1971-1974

  Jody StephensDrums

  Chris BellGuitar1971-1972
• Big Star is an American rock band formed in 1971 in Memphis, Tennessee. The band evolved from two previous bands directed by Chris Bell, Icewater and Rock City. The name Big Star is borrowed from Big Star Markets, a grocery store which the band frequented during rehearsals and recording sessions for snacks.
• Bell knew Chilton from having both lived in Memphis and recorded music at Ardent Studios. Bell and Chilton also shared an affinity for the Beatles. Although he declined to join Chilton in a duo modeled after Simon & Garfunkel, Bell invited Chilton to join a performance by his existing band Icewater, already including Hummel and Stephens.
• Once Chilton joined the band, most of the songs were written by Bell and Chilton and were heavily influenced by the music from the British Invasion bands, most notably The Beatles and The Kinks. They were also influenced by US acts such as The Byrds and The Beach Boys. It is perhaps this influence that resulted in the band being classified as "Powerpop."
• In 1972, Bell left Big Star because of depression and heroin addiction, although some believe he left the band because he felt over shadowed by the more famous and charismatic Chilton. He continued to struggle with depression despite working on numerous other musical projects. On December 27, 1978 Chris Bell died in a car accident at the age of 27, earning him a place in the infamous 27 Club. All members of this "club" died at the age of 27 from problems relating to drug addiction. Members include Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin and Amy Winehouse.
• The journalist Jon Tiven met Alex Chilton after writing a review of Big Star's 1972 record for Fusion magazine. John King introduced Tiven to Chilton and they became good friends. After Bell's departure, the band almost broke up but reformed in 1973. Big Star owes some of their success to Tive,n who convinced John King to include Big Star in the Rock Writers Convention of 1973. It was Tiven who persuaded Big Star to reform and play on that occasion, giving the group a showcase for at least 100 music journalists, many of which wrote glowing reviews of the band.
• Big Star continued to perform with Chilton leading the band until 1974, after which the band members went their separate ways for almost twenty years, pursuing other musical endeavors. Chilton moved to New Orleans and pursued his career in jazz, recording several solo albums and performing with Panther Burns. Chilton was still in New Orleans in 2005 at the time of Hurricane Katrina and was eventually evacuated on September 4.
• In 1993 Jon Auer and Kenneth Stringfellow of the band The Posies, joined Chilton and Stephens to reform Big Star. The new formed band made its resurrection debut at the 1993 spring music festival at the University of Missouri. For seventeen years the band toured extensively with stops across Europe and even in Japan. They recorded only one more studio album, In Space. In Space however, failed to deliver the signature American Beatles style fans associated with Big Star, show casing instead the more eclectic musical tastes of the band including elements of jazz, R&B and glam rock.
• In declining health, Alex Chilton died of a heart attack in 2010. His death saw the final dissolution of the band. Original member Andy Hummel joined a number of other artists including Mike Mills, Chuck Prophet and The Watson Twins for a tribute concert held in Texas on March 20. Hummel died three months after performing in the tribute concert.
• Despite the checkered history of the band, Big Star left an indelible mark on the musical world, acquiring a cult following amongst fans as well as the respect of other musicians such as Peter Buck from R.E.M.

Comments

More Songfacts:

Touch MeThe Doors

At the end of the Doors song "Touch Me," Jim Morrison chants, "Stronger than dirt!" The line is from an Ajax commercial where a white knight rides around destroying dirt.

She Loves YouThe Beatles

"She Loves You" by The Beatles was the song that convinced Ozzy Osbourne to make music his life. The Beatles were a big influence on him because they were also poor kids from a small town in England.

(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and UnderstandingElvis Costello

"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding" was written by Nick Lowe in 1974. The original version with his group Brinsley Schwarz was kind of somber, but Elvis Costello made it a classic with his 1978 uptempo take.

LovesongThe Cure

Cure lead singer Robert Smith originally wrote "Lovesong" as a wedding present for his fiancée, Mary, shortly before their marriage.

The Right ProfileThe Clash

After a devastating car accident, the actor Montgomery Clift had to be filmed from "The Right Profile" to look good - that provided the name of The Clash song.

The Man Comes AroundJohnny Cash

The idea for "The Man Comes Around" came to Johnny Cash from a dream he had where he was in Buckingham Palace and the Queen said to him, "Johnny Cash, you're just like a thorn tree in a whirlwind."

Editor's Picks

Movie Stars In Music VideosSong Writing

Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Mila Kunis and John Malkovich are just a few of the film stars who have moonlighted in music videos.

DevoSongwriter Interviews

Devo founders Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale take us into their world of subversive performance art. They may be right about the De-Evoloution thing.

Second Wind SongsSong Writing

Some songs get a second life when they find a new audience through a movie, commercial, TV show, or even the Internet.

Yacht Rock!Song Writing

A scholarly analysis of yacht rock favorites ("Steal Away," "Baker Street"...) with a member of the leading YR cover band.

The Real Nick DrakeSong Writing

The head of Drake's estate shares his insights on the late folk singer's life and music.

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin PopoffSong Writing

A talk with Martin Popoff about his latest book on Rush and how he assessed the thousands of albums he reviewed.