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Thoughts on Big Star

I've read a little about Big Star after getting two of their songs on a southern music CD sampler. I really like "For You" and "Stroke it Noel". After sampling some of their other stuff I found that I also like "September Gurls".

I really like those three songs but I'm having a hard time finding other stuff of theirs that I like.

Just wondering if anyone else is into them, which albums you might like best, which songs you like best, best approach to getting into them, which recordings/format you prefer? 

They seem to have been one of those 'influential' bands with critical acclaim and with a strong but small following. Sometimes I find that I just don't see the magic in some 'cult' bands of that sort but liking the three songs mentioned above I feel like they might be worth getting to know. My only streaming is low end iTunes....for now.
n80
n80 OP
2,133 posts
 
Good points Walter. And isn't a good thing? If we all liked the same things I suspect the diversity of things would be far less!

Often times when I hearing nothing that pulls me in from a band I move along. But when they have a good song or two that do grab hold of me I try to give their other stuff a good long listen.
boxer12
8,656 posts
 
" Generally agree with your premise, but there are plenty of albums that had to grow on me over time." I agree completely n80. There are several of those in my collection. For instance (& at an extreme) I have yet to meet anyone who liked Captain Beefheart the first time they listened to them...
loomisjohnson
1,956 posts
 
it's a pretty big leap from big star to captain beefheart (who i never got into; never was a zappa fan either despite earnest effort). what i suspect may be offputting to some about big star is how they pushed the boundaries of traditional melodic pop--there's an abrasiveness to some of their tunes + at least on the first two records they sing in such a high register as to sound unnatural.
as a related aside, check out "thank you, friends: big star's third live," a very nicely done tribute by various dbs/rem/posies, etc.
n80 OP
2,133 posts
 
The first songs I heard by Big Star (and my two favorites) are For You and Stroke It Noel. They sounded very unique to me. Strange even. I've found a few others that I like but just not getting the rest of their work....but still listening.
initforthemusic
282 posts
 
Alex Chilton was a genius.
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