Big Star was an American rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee in 1971 by Alex Chilton, Chris Bell, Jody Stephens (drums), and Andy Hummel (bass). They have been described as the "quintessential American power pop band", and "one of the most mythic and influential cult acts in all of rock & roll". In its first era, the band's musical style drew influence from 1960s acts such as the Beatles and the Byrds, producing a style that foreshadowed the alternative rock of the 1980s and 1990s. Before they broke up, Big Star created a "seminal body of work that never stopped inspiring succeeding generations" according to Rolling Stone. Three of Big Star's studio albums are included in Rolling Stone's lists of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".
James Luther Dickinson was an American record producer, pianist, and singer who fronted, among others, the band Mud Boy and the Neutrons, based in Memphis, Tennessee.
Christopher Branford Bell was an American musician and singer-songwriter. Along with Alex Chilton, he led the power pop band Big Star through its first album #1 Record (1972). He also pursued a solo career throughout the mid-1970s, resulting in the posthumous I Am the Cosmos LP.
Ardent Studios is an American recording studio located in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. The studio was founded in the late 1950s by John King, Fred Smith, and John Fry. Over time, it has become a commercially successful recording studio.
Pleased to Meet Me is the fifth studio album by the American rock band the Replacements, released in 1987 by Sire Records. The album was acclaimed by music critics.
Boom Boom Chi Boom Boom is the third studio album by Tom Tom Club, released in 1988. It includes a cover of the Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale", with David Byrne, Lou Reed, and Jerry Harrison. The track "Suboceana" was released as a single in the UK in late 1988 and received some radio airplay. In the US, a 12-inch single of the song was released, which featured a remix by Marshall Jefferson, and contains the track "Devil, Does Your Dog Bite". That song is a bonus on the Japanese issue of the album that has the original 10 songs. The track "Don't Say No" was released as a single in the UK, Europe, and Australia. The 7" version was remixed by Tuta Aquino and various 12" releases included acid house remixes by Marshall Jefferson. "Challenge of the Love Warriors" is played over the ending credits of Mary Lambert's 1987 mystery thriller Siesta though it is not included on the soundtrack album, also released in 1987, from Miles Davis and Marcus Miller.
#1 Record is the debut album by the American rock band Big Star. It was released on April 24, 1972, by Memphis-based Ardent Records.
Mouth by Mouth is the third studio album by American rock band His Name Is Alive, released by 4AD in 1993.
In Space is the fourth and final studio album by American rock group Big Star, released in 2005. It was the first new Big Star studio album since Third/Sister Lovers, recorded in 1974 and released in 1978.
"Alex Chilton" is a song by American rock band the Replacements from their fifth studio album Pleased to Meet Me. The song was written as a homage to Big Star frontman Alex Chilton, who was an idol of the band's who worked with them on several occasions. The song's hook was inspired by Replacements frontman Paul Westerberg's attempt to compliment one of Chilton's songs upon meeting him for the first time.
Columbia: Live at Missouri University 4/25/93 is a reunion live album by the American power pop group Big Star, recorded and released in 1993 by the original Big Star members Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens together with The Posies' members Jonathan Auer and Ken Stringfellow. It was recorded at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri.
Keep an Eye on the Sky is a 4-CD, 98-song career retrospective box set from American rock group Big Star, released in 2009. It features 52 unreleased tracks: demos, alternate takes, and live performances. As well as material from founder member Chris Bell's earlier bands Rock City and Icewater, it includes all titles from Big Star's first three studio albums, #1 Record, Radio City, and Third/Sister Lovers, and a recording of a 1973 Big Star concert. Staged in January at Lafayette's Music Room, the Memphis venue used again in May for the Rock Writers' Convention, the concert took place after Bell's departure and before the remainder of the group began work on Radio City. The box set's liner notes won a 2011 Grammy Award for author Robert Gordon.
I Am the Cosmos is the only solo album by the American musician Chris Bell, posthumously released in 1992 by Rykodisc. It was produced by Bell and recorded in the 1970s. Bell had previously been a member of Big Star. Many of the songs reflected his embrace of Christianity.
Like Flies on Sherbert is the first solo album released by American pop rock musician Alex Chilton. He had previously recorded a collection of songs in 1969 and 1970, ultimately titled 1970, but this was not released until 1996. Released in 1979, Like Flies on Sherbert was recorded at two Memphis studios, Phillips Recording and Ardent Studios, in 1978 and 1979. Chilton had previously been a member of the Box Tops and Big Star.
Alex Chilton was an American musician, singer-songwriter and record producer, best known as the lead singer of the Box Tops and Big Star. Chilton's early commercial success in the 1960s as a teen vocalist for the Box Tops was never repeated in later years with Big Star and in his subsequent indie music solo career on small labels, but he drew an intense following among indie and alternative rock musicians. He is frequently cited as a seminal influence by influential rock artists and bands, some of whose testimonials appeared in the 2012 documentary Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me.
Femme Fatale is the seventh studio album by American singer Britney Spears. It was released on March 25, 2011, by Jive Records, and was her last album with the label before they shut down later in October of the same year as she was moved to RCA Records. Musically, Spears wanted to make a "fresh-sounding" and "fierce dance album", thus incorporating dance-pop, electropop, EDM and synth-pop styles with elements of dubstep, techno and electro in its sound. Spears began working on the album during the second leg of her tour The Circus Starring Britney Spears (2009), while also contributing to her second greatest hits album The Singles Collection (2009). Spears collaborated with various producers including Max Martin, Dr. Luke, Fraser T Smith, Rodney Jerkins, Bloodshy, will.i.am, Stargate, and Travis Barker.
"Big Fat Bass" is a song recorded by American singer Britney Spears for her seventh studio album, Femme Fatale (2011). It features the vocal collaboration of American rapper will.i.am. The house song was written and produced by will.i.am as a celebration to the bass and its influence on club music. The song contains a double entendre gender metaphor sung by Spears. "Big Fat Bass" received mixed reviews from contemporary music critics, who deemed it an instant radio and club hit, and also considered it the most old-school work on the album. However, a few reviews considered it as an unfortunate collaboration with will.i.am, and dismissed Spears' heavily processed vocals.
"Can't Hardly Wait" is a song by American rock band the Replacements from their fifth studio album Pleased to Meet Me. Written shortly after the sessions for Let It Be, the song was attempted for the 1985 Tim album but ultimately went unreleased until Pleased to Meet Me. The song features Alex Chilton on guitar as well as an arrangement with horns and strings, additions that were controversial within the band.
Bach's Bottom is the second solo album by American pop rock musician Alex Chilton, released in 1981. Bach's Bottom was recorded in September and October 1975 at Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee.
The Theory of Whatever is the fifth album by English indie rock singer-songwriter Jamie T, released on 22 July 2022 through Polydor Records. The first single from the album, "The Old Style Raiders", was released on 4 May 2022, followed by "St. George Wharf Tower" on 21 June, and "Between the Rocks" on 20 July.
