It Came From Memphis had one of my favorite Big Star stories, which I'm sure I've repeated here more than once. But here goes again: Chilton invited Steve Cropper over to lay down some guitar tracks during the sessions for Sister Lovers. Cropper gets to Ardent Studios, opens the door, and stops cold. "Bad vibes in there," says the man. So Dickinson and John Fry ran cables and headphones out to the parking lot, and Cropper recorded his parts (on "Femme Fatale," I believe) while standing in the parking lot on a hot Memphis summer day.

Now playing: "Blue Moon," one of my favorite lullabies to sing to the kids (although I slur the part about "if demons come while you're under/I'll be a blue moon in the sky"). I've more or less had the three proper Big Star albums on repeat since last night.

Oh, and this is interesting: [link]

Jump forward to 26:40. Got the link from Dave "Knut" Schwartz.

Do you have the companion CD? It's great! Lela Aldridge! "Batarang!" Dewey Phillips!

I don't! The other guitarist in my band had it back in the day. We used to crank it while touring.

[link]

Moments later a man entered the dressing room and asked if he could borrow a guitar. “BORROW A GUITAR??!!! WELL, WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU???!!! [Butthole Surfers Gibby] Haynes screamed, eyes flashing in delerious anticpation of forthcoming violence. But the man was totally unfazed.

“I’m Alex Chilton,” the man answered calmly.

Haynes was flabbergasted. After a long pause, he methodically opened the remaining guitar cases one by one and guestured at them as if to say, “Take anything you want.”

That's a great story.

Chilton on C-Span!!!1! [link]

t edit whoops -- Corwood beat me to it.

The singles on the Rhino comp American Power Pop in the DIY series include some things where I think Chilton is backing Chris Stamey.

Probably the Summer Sun 7". That's a great one.

What a brilliantly random rant:

“DUTCH FAGGOTS!!! GODDAMN FUCKING DUTCH FAGGOTS!!!! A WHOLE FUCKING COUNTRY FILLED WITH NOTHING BUT FUCKING TURD BURGLING FAGGOTS!!!! I FUCK YOUR ASS IN HEAVEN AND HELL!!!! FUUUUUUUUCK YOOOOOOOOU!!”

I also liked the "please don't hit me I have a brain tumor" gambit.

I also liked the "please don't hit me I have a brain tumor" gambit.

Coupled with "It's against my religion!"

I'll be doing a little tribute to Chilton starting right at 8am at [link]

Some songs, some stories (mostly ones linked to from here).

I've been dark for a few days getting a new work computer. But I'd also like to give a nod to Chilton's work with the Box Tops. Any 16-year-old who can belt "The Letter" has something special. (Though my favorite Box Tops song is "Soul Deep."