Big Star

Ooh, ooh, I have this (picked it up at RS Records during Spring Break). Firstly, as far as I can tell, there ISN'T a pressed CD edition (unlike previous Deep Six releases--like their live Spirit set and the Love "Last Wall" set that came on a gold-tinted CD). Instead, a mock-MFSL motif appears on a gold CDR. I have no problem with this, though, as the booklet is GARGANTUAN, much like the Last Wall booklet. It's huge, and I can't imagine they wrote that all themselves, unless they have serious connections.

And your note about this stuff being considered for legitimate release reminds me of something. The stuff on Last Wall *also* seems to be stuff that was being considered for legitimate release (i.e. it came out right before the Love reissues, and lots of the material ended up as bonus tracks). Maybe that's Deep Six's source?

-D

 

If any of you gentlemen would like to contact me regarding this Big Star boot (which I don't have) I'd very much appreciate it!

 

I'm pretty sure that Ardent just used the Big Beat mastering. The Big Beat CD came out in the UK in 1990; if you look at the credits of the Ardent CD, which came out two years later, it says that it was mastered in the UK in 1990. (Or something to that effect--I don't have the disc with me at the moment.)

In any event, I agree that anyone with even a smidgeon of interest in power pop should buy this at once.

I seem to recall that a Big Star tribute CD has been in the works for several years. I think that Jody Stephens had a hand in assembling it. Did this ever come out, and if so is it any good?

 

I think I know the tribute album you are thinking about. (There are a few "unofficial" indie type tributes out there.) In any event there was supposed to be a new song by Big Star (Jody + Alex+ Posies) on the album. I forget the titile of the song, but I heard it played at a show in Memphis a few years back and it was ok, but nothing adding to the legend. I think the label that tribute album was supposed to be on went under and I don't think it ever came out...steve c

 

Wilco did a beautiful, rather somber version of "Thirteen" for this project, which they later got out as a CD single B-side in Europe. It's gorgeous ... A whole album of Big Star covers of that calibre would have been very welcome.

 

Big Star tribute CD

Is this it

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=896503053

Cheers!
Norm
real name: Gary

 

Nope,

That looks like a home made comp of existing covers. The new Big Star song that was on the Jody sanctioned tribute was called "Hot Thing" (I just found an older review that mentioned the album's title was to be "Big Star, Small World."..... steve c

 

Yeah, I figured it was a boot. Didja click her other auctions?
She has live DVD and VHS Big Star.
Lives in Memphis and goes by Septgurls handle...
Those boot DVD's can be very shakey.
I have one of Spirit that is unwatchable.

Going to see Blondie and The B-52's tonight.

Cheers!
Norm
real name: Norm

 

To Burningfool about the What's Going Ahn boot....I read on a Chilton site that the tapes were being considered for an official outtake release when the owner of the tapes ran a dub of some of the tracks for a friend. That 'friend' then sold the dub to some boot company who them pressed the What's Going Ahn CD. Apparently the whole project is now in jeopardy. The owner of the tapes is supposed to have lots more than what's on the boot. A real shame because the outtakes are a lot of fun. The studio outtake of Chilton's cover of 'Motel Blues' is gasp out loud beautiful isn't it?

Best,

Chris

 

Thanks, Chris. I appreciate the information.

The whole darn disc is great. BTW, I recently heard Elliot Smith's version of Thirteen, which I thought was great. It's worth finding, IMHO.

 

Okay, now I have conclusive proof that Steve H. needs to remaster the first two Big Star albums. None of the CD releases gets 'em right.

Therefore, my fellow compulsives and Big Star fans, I offer a three-parter outlining my Big Star holdings. Here's part one. Sorry for the length.

LPs and other vinyl:

#1 Record—Ardent ADS-2803. Three copies. Jackets are stiff cardboard with paper glued on top and some kind of shiny cellophane affixed to the paper. The effect is very cool.
Copy One: may be a cutout (inner sleeve is punched, jacket is not), slightly warped.
Copy Two: cutout, back sleeve glued on low and crooked. Someone has written “April 1972” in upper right-hand corner on exposed cardboard of jacket, since the “April 1972” printed at bottom right of rear jacket has been cut off.
Copy One and Copy Two have material written on the inner (lead-out) grooves. Side One: K-5464, STXS-0178-5, AS-0401, the astrological/chemical symbol for Mercury, and S0N (or it could be 50N). Side Two: K-5525, SON, STXS-0261-6, AS-0406 MII L. Nix, and the words THE MORE YOU LEARN THE LESS YOU KNOW.
Copy Three is a promotional copy given to radio stations. Jacket is punched in the lower left corner and crushed in somewhat in lower right corner. Stickers on front jacket say PROMOTIONAL COPY NOT FOR SALE (top right) and BIG STAR #1 RECORD SUGGESTED CUTS Feel 3:31 The Ballad of El Goodo 4:19 Thirteen 2:36 When My Baby’s Beside Me 3:20 (top left). Inner groove material abounds. Side One: STXS-0178-1, AS-0401, what looks like the letters MR in a circle, ADS-2803, Side 1 (with a little fancy O or Q just above it), A-17069 (the A has a base line drawn between the two legs), three tally marks, and in lower-case cursive the words “steamroller creation” (minus the quotation marks, of course). Side Two: STXS-0261-1, AS-0406-RR, -Re2, MR in a circle with L. NIX just above it, A-17213 (with a base line between the two A legs), and (1) with the word PRUDENCE in block capitals just above it.

Radio City—Ardent ADS-1501. One copy. Conventional cardboard jacket with printed paper on top.
Copy is cutout (clipped at upper left). Autographed on bottom center of back jacket by Alex Chilton. Again, lots of inner groove material. Side One: hand-drawn trident symbol, STXS-0740-3, AS-0565, --L. NIX------ (solid lines, not dashes), and SON. Side Two: two hand-drawn symbols (the first looks like Saturn, the second is a star), STXS-0741-3, AS-0566, and –L. NIX------ (again, solid line, not dashes).

Big Star 3rd—PVC 7903. 1978. Extensive sleeve essay by Pete Tomlinson. Nice pictures of Jody and Alex on the cover and on the inner sleeve. Also on inner sleeve is a poem called “The Flood” by J.F.K Knifebender. Sounds like a pseudonym to me. Nothing of note on inner grooves.

BIG STAR/#1 Record and BIG STAR/Radio City. Reissues of two original LPs on Big Beat. Catalog numbers WIK 53 and WIK 54, respectively. Liner notes by Brian Hogg on both LPs, dated August 1986. “Direct Metal Mastered from Digital Tapes” on #1 Record, “Direct Metal Mastered From Digital Tape” on Radio City. Nothing of note on inner grooves.

Other vinyl: I have a promo single of “Don’t Lie To Me” backed with “Watch the Sunrise” with inner groove astrology symbols Jody Stephens told me that Chris Bell scratched on the master. Jacket signed by Jody Stephens. I also have a boot EP that includes CBGB’s performances by Alex of material from Big Star 3rd, along with what’s said to be the original single release of “September Gurls” backed with a re-recording of “In The Street” featuring two drummers, Jody Stephens and Richard Rosebrough. (I got this info straight from Jody, who also said that Rosebrough plays on “Mod Lang” and “What’s Going Ahn” on Radio City. Jody may have said Rosebrough played on a third track, but if he did I don’t remember what it was. Sorry.) Finally, I have a boot of the 1974 WLIR broadcast that was released legit on Rykodisc in 1992 as Big Star Live. The boot includes chatter between the DJ and Alex just before the acoustic set in which Alex is typically prickly and poor-mouthed. There’s also a great moment before “In The Street” when Alex seems genuinely bewildered and lost because his electric guitar has gone out of tune.
This chatter is not on the official release. The boot’s speed is also lower than Ryko’s—presumably Ryko is right.

 

Big Star holdings part two: CDs (twofers)

#1 Record/Radio City. Twofer. First Big Beat issue, CDWIK 910. (Big Beat is a subsidiary of Ace, a well-known UK reissue label.) Pressed by Nimbus in UK. 1987. Missing “In the Street” and “ST 100/6” because of “manufacturing limitations on the running time.” Total time of the CD is just under 70 minutes.

#1 Record/Radio City. Twofer. Second Big Beat issue, CDWIK 910 (replaces first BB issue). 1990. Pressed by PDO in the UK. PDO discs are known to suffer rot problems. My own CD has tarnished to an interesting bronze on the circumference. Only my CD burner will rip tracks toward the edge with confidence. This issue restores “In the Street” and “ST 100/6,” so both albums are complete.

Both BB issues reprint Brian Hogg’s essay from the vinyl Big Beat editions. Both erroneously credit Alex Chilton with authorship of “Way Out West,” instead of Andy Hummell. Neither includes any band credits.

#1 Record/Radio City. Twofer. Ardent/Stax/Fantasy FCD-60-025. 1992. “Remastered in 1990 at Sound Mastering, Ltd., London.” Brian Hogg’s 1986 essay is reprinted, along with a new and relatively short 1992 essay by Memphian Rick Clark, built around an interesting interview with John Fry, the original producer-engineer (and owner-operator of Ardent Studios). Booklet is folded, not stapled, and has smaller photos along with a big box of credits. Songwriting credits are correct.

All three official #1 Record/Radio City CDs have anomalies. The second, complete Big Beat edition (1990) clips the first note of “Feel” because the track starts with no “dead space” whatsoever. The Ardent edition (1992) has a little space at the beginning of “Feel” but starts with a clipped first note anyway—even more so than with the second BB edition. Only the first, incomplete Big Beat CD has a correct “Feel” without a clipped first note.

In another serious problem, all three CD issues clip the first note of “September Gurls.” You can see from the waveforms below that the LP (right waveform) has a sharp transient attack at the beginning of this song, while the CD (left waveform--all three are alike here) does a quick fade-in that omits the attack. This song is Big Star’s signature song. It deserves to be gotten right! (All the Big Beat LPs have this same error—clearly it happened during the first digital transfer in the mid-1980’s.)

 

I'll try again with the waveform as an attachment. If this doesn't work, some kind soul advise me, please!

 

Big Star holdings part three: other CDs

Big Star Third (Sister Lovers). PVC/JEM PVCD 8933. 1985. 17 tracks. Brief liner notes by Howard Wuelfing that conclude with “Rave on Butch,” which explains (?) the line in “September Gurls” that goes “I was your Butch, until we touched.” Richard Rosebrough is erroneously listed as “Richard Rosenbrough” in the credits.

Big Star Live (on WLIR). Rykodisc RCD 10221.1992. Liner notes by Robert Gordon. Mastering credits as on Big Star Third. 1974 radio broadcast concert for Long Island station WLIR.

Big Star Third (Sister Lovers). Rykodisc RCD 10220. 1992. 19 tracks. Liner notes by Rick Clark. Mastered by Dr. Toby Mountain at Northeastern Digital Recording Inc., Southborough, MA. NoNoise processing on selected tracks by Scot Leviton, at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley CA.

A Little Big Star (promotional CD). Rykodisc VRCD 0222. 1992. Reprints a little of Robert Gordon’s liner notes from Big Star Live, along with Paul Westerberg’s famous “I never travel far / Without a little Big Star.” Includes 5 tracks from Big Star Live, 5 tracks from Big Star Third, and 5 tracks from Chris Bell’s posthumous solo album I Am The Cosmos. A bonus track is “Psychedelic Stuff,” from Bell’s “first-ever recording sessions available exclusively on this sampler.”

Nobody Can Dance. Norton CED-265. 1999. 8 tracks from March, 1974 studio rehearsals for WLIR concert. along with 7 tracks from live May, 1974 concert in Memphis. Excellent sound quality and performances on rehearsal tapes, better than on official WLIR concert recording IMO. Sound on live tracks is variable and poorly mixed.

What’s Goin’ Ahn. Boot on Deep Six label. 23 tracks, all demos, outtakes, alternate mixes, or rough mixes from #1 Record/Radio City sessions, except for two tracks recorded at CBGB’s in 1978.

POSTSCRIPT:
A two-LP set of #1 Record and Radio City was released in the UK in the late 1970's. I actually held a copy in my hands at the time but didn't buy it because I already had the originals. Who knew I'd be nutty enough one day to want ALL Big Star releases. I believe the LP twofer was on EMI. The catalog number was SXSP 302, according to the liner notes on the PVC/JEM Big Star Third album.

 

Wow, Gardo! Thanks!

Now, anyone know a thing about a supposed 24-bit remaster of the twofer earlier this year (apparently German)? Also, there were digipaks of #1 Record and Radio City released (separately) in Italy this year also. Maybe any or all of these don't have the problems plaguing the other CD editions.

 

I always thought Big Star kinda sounded Folkish in some of their music, not that that's a BAD thing, but they are often praised as Power Pop gods, and I just don't get it. I do like a few of their songs, though.

BTW, a British Mod/Pop band called Squire also did a cover of "September Gurls", and it's a splendid one, indeed. Any fans of 60-ish revivalist pop music should check them out.

A second BTW, this is my first post to this great Forum. I've been seeing a lot of mention of it in another website so I finally decided to check it out. I must say I am impressed, although I will admit, I don't know a lot about the technical aspects of recorded music, so I think I will not be venturing too much into those Forums!

Chuck

 

CDNOW is listing a 2002 remastered 24bit German import version of the twofer disc on Fantasy. Anyone heard anything about this release yet?

 

Hi Chuck,

Welcome to the Steve Hoffman forums! As for not venturing into the other forums because you are concerned about your lack of knowledge, I say close your eyes and jump in the pool! The only way to learn is to visit those areas and read, read, read. You'll learn a lot!

Have fun!