Tons of bands today reference R.E.M. and The Replacements as an influence... but what about the bands that influenced them? Both Peter Buck and Paul Westerberg cite the band Big Star as the pinnacle of power pop. (Heck, The Replacements even wrote a tribute for frontman Alex Chilton on the album Pleased to Meet Me! ) I’d be willing to bet that anyone reading this has a well-worn copy of their amazing debut #1 Record in their collection. In fact, check out this amazing video I found on YouTube, featuring footage bassist Andy Hummel and co-founder Chris Bell shot during those recording sessions!
Earlier this month, Rhino released an incredible 4-disc box set titled Keep an Eye on the Sky, spanning the band’s recordings from 1968 to 1975, and featuring unreleased demos, unused mixes, alternate versions of songs, and a 1973 concert recorded in Memphis.
And for the rest of the week on The Afternoon Show, I’ll be giving away three digital download codes for the box/7″ singles a day, and on Friday, a grand prize winner will win the actual physical box set. (Heads up: those of you who follow me on Twitter & Facebook might be getting a hint or two!)
One Comment
Hey, glad you like the music. Thanks for featuring it. Check out the Chris Bell Cosmos re-issue, now 2 CDs, on rhino.com. I enjoyed working with the Rhino folks on both, and hope they bring some enjoyment.
John Fry