{"id":276,"date":"2010-03-18T12:02:00","date_gmt":"2010-03-18T12:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nowthissound.com\/ntsib\/?p=276"},"modified":"2011-02-12T14:52:10","modified_gmt":"2011-02-12T19:52:10","slug":"r-i-p-alex-chilton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.nowthissound.com\/ntsib\/2010\/03\/18\/r-i-p-alex-chilton\/","title":{"rendered":"R.I.P.: Alex Chilton"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alex Chilton died yesterday. <\/p>\n

As I suspect was the case with most music-lovers around my age, Chilton wove his way through my life in a non-direct fashion. My first brush with Chilton was through the 1967 hit he had with his young band the Box Tops, “The Letter”. When my father was a younger man, before my arrival, back when he was the sort of person who had friends in bands, he got up at a party and sang a song with his friend’s band – “The Letter”. Anyone who knows my father now would have a difficult time reconciling this fact with the gruff, curmudgeonly Italian-American they know. That is likely the very reason why the song always felt significant to me, that connection to a version of my father that was more like me. That, and it’s a good song. Chilton’s husky, soulful voice is commanding, and the modern sensibility of the song was always a captivating thing to hear in the midst of all the other songs played on the oldie goldies radio stations. <\/p>\n

[youtube=http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=wD9mCp8SifM]<\/p>\n

My next, very roundabout exposure to Chilton was the obvious one: the Replacements’ fantastic paean to the singer\/songwriter, “Alex Chilton”. A practically perfect song in every way.<\/p>\n

[youtube=http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=52PPm1fozqU]<\/p>\n

I have to admit that I didn’t fully understand who Chilton was until my third exposure, when Jeff Buckley took to covering Big Star’s “Kanga Roo” at his shows.<\/p>\n

[youtube=http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=T-7YvAC3j9g]<\/p>\n

While I never became a fan of Big Star, I came to understand, appreciate and respect the influence the band had on so many of the artists I have loved. I was excited when I learned that Big Star were slated to play SXSW this year. They were set to take the stage in Austin this coming Saturday. Bad timing, Alex. <\/p>\n

Thanks for being with us, Alex.<\/p>\n

Bonus: Follow the link<\/a> to view one of the weirdest band T.V. show appearances I’ve ever seen, the very young and awkward Box Tops on a teen dance show called “Disc-O-Teen”.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Alex Chilton died yesterday. As I suspect was the case with most music-lovers around my age, Chilton wove his way through my life in a non-direct fashion. My first brush with Chilton was through the 1967 hit he had with his young band the Box Tops, “The Letter”. 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