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When you think of great 70's acoustic/electric pop rock with great harmonies you think of CSNY, Chicago, Elton John, America, and Big Star right? Wait who's Big Star? Exactly.
Somebody mentioned 'Big Star' when asked what band they thought was underrated over the course of pop/rock music. So I obviously agreed having no fucking idea who they were. I went out and grabbed their first record and I gotta say, Its really damn good. You have to be in a nostalgic 70's mood (I was born at the tail end of '79, I get to say that.) But that's not a difficult mood to be in. The band was barely around for 3 years but they kicked out some delicious tunes. Check em out!
Thanks for pointing this band out to anyone who might not be familiar. Their first (only?) album, "#1 Record/Radio City" (which may have originally been two records, but is now sold as one, I'm not sure), is on my top 10 of all time list, although I don't know anything else by them. The two best known songs off that album are big because they were covered by others. Elliott Smith did a cover of "Thirteen" that if you can get through it without welling up, you have no soul, and "In the Street" was used as the theme to "That 70's Show". Anyone intrigued by the video any comments should check the album out. The whole album is amazing and should be listened to from to back, but my favorites are "O My Soul" and "I'm in Love with a Girl" (which Elliott Smith was directly referencing in the song "Say Yes", for fans of his); they are both life changingly good. The only thing I disagree with bgood79 about is that you don't have to be in a strictly 70s mood to enjoy it. It does have some of that Foghat or Edgar Winter, as ripping-type rock-pop, but it also has some really beautiful singer-songwritery acoustic stuff, too.
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Apparently, the band had some frictions that would have made the Gallagher Brothers look functional.
From Wikipedia: "There was physical fighting between members: Bell, after being punched in the face by Hummel, retaliated by smashing Hummel's new bass guitar to pieces against the wall. Hummel took revenge at a later date: finding Bell's acoustic guitar in the latter's unattended car, he repeatedly punched it with a screwdriver"
Thirteen is the second most played song on my ITunes (After Steve Arringtons "I Be Trippin"
One of my favorite bands The Replacements was hugely influenced by Big Star, both are great bands. Great Replacements live track if you are a fan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BqwwL5RtRo ugly mess if you aren't I'd guess.
thenewgreen · 4877 days ago · link ·
Great drum sounds. I downloaded the album this morning. Now the hunt for the vinyl begins. Is it obscure?
thenewgreen · 4877 days ago · link ·
"So I obviously agreed having no fucking idea who they were" -Nice.
Great song, I'll check out the album and keep my eye out for it.