BIG STAR #1 Record / Radio City - Original UK 2-LP - Alex Chilton Power Pop

	£		27
	$		35

New Page 1  

** RECORD COLLECTOR **

BIG STAR

#1 Record / Radio City

Original UK 2-LP released on Stax / EMI Records in 1978. Laminated gatefold sleeve.

STX 3021 A-1   /   STX 3021 B-1   /   STX 3022 A-1   /   STX 3022 B-1

***CHECK OUT OUR OTHER AUCTIONS THIS WEEK!!!***

The quintessential American power pop band, Big Star remains one of the most mythic and influential cult acts in all of rock & roll. Originally led by the singing and songwriting duo of Alex Chilton and Chris Bell, the Memphis-based group fused the strongest elements of the British Invasion era -- the melodic invention of the Beatles, the whiplash guitars of the Who, and the radiant harmonies of the Byrds -- into a ramshackle but poignantly beautiful sound that recaptured the spirit of pop's past even as it pointed the way toward the music's future. Although creative tensions, haphazard distribution, and marketplace indifference conspired to ensure Big Star's brief existence and commercial failure, the group's three studio albums nevertheless remain unqualified classics, and their impact on subsequent generations of indie bands on both sides of the Atlantic is surpassed only by that of the Velvet Underground.

The roots of Big Star lie in the group Icewater, formed in 1971 by singer/guitarist Bell in association with guitarist Steve Ray, bassist Andy Hummel, and drummer Jody Stephens. Ray left the group a short time after its inception and was soon replaced by Chilton, the one-time Box Tops vocalist who was just 16 years old when the group topped the pop charts with their 1967 classic "The Letter." Chilton had recently returned to Memphis after attempting to mount a solo career in New York City; he had first played with Bell years earlier in a high school cover band, and with his arrival, Icewater rechristened itself Big Star, borrowing the name from a local supermarket chain. Recording soon commenced at the local Ardent Studios, where Bell occasionally worked as an engineer and session guitarist, but despite solid critical notice and some radio airplay, their brilliant 1972 debut, #1 Record, nevertheless fell prey to the distribution problems of the newly formed Ardent label's parent company Stax: more often than not, the album simply never made its way to retailers.

In the meantime, Bell and Chilton continued to butt heads over Big Star's direction -- the former envisioned a primarily studio-oriented project, while the latter preferred performing live; moreover, Chilton's past success in the Box Tops guaranteed him the lion's share of attention from listeners and critics, minimizing Bell's own contributions in the process. In late 1972, Bell finally left the band. His subsequent attempts to mount a solo career proved largely fruitless, with only a spectacular solo single, "I Am the Cosmos," receiving official release prior to his untimely death in a 1978 car crash.Big Star briefly struggled on as a three-piece before disbanding, with Chilton returning to his stalled solo career; months later, he re-teamed with Hummel and Stephens to play a local music writers' convention, and the performance was so well-received that they decided to make the reunion permanent.

Big Star's second album, 1974's Radio City, remains their masterpiece -- ragged and raw guitar pop infused with remarkable intensity and spontaneity. It also contains perhaps their best-known song, the oft-covered cult classic "September Gurls." (Another highlight, "Back of a Car," bears the unmistakable input of Chris Bell, although the duration and extent of his return to duty is unknown.) Distribution difficulties again undermined whatever hopes of commercial success existed, however, and Hummel soon announced his resignation.

Tracks Are :-

Record One

Feel
The Ballad Of El Goodo
In The Street
Thirteen
Don't Lie To Me
The India Song

When My Baby's Beside Me
My Life Is Right
Give Me Another Chance
Try Again
Watch The Sunrise
ST 100/6

Record Two

Oh My Soul
Life Is White
Way Out West
What's Going Ahn
You Get What You Deserve

Mod Lang
Back Of A Car
Daisy Glaze
She's A Mover
September Gurls
Morpha Too
I'm In Love With A Girl

Released on 'Stax / EMI Records' in 1978

Catalogue No. SXSP302

Discs are VG- (Radio City - audible scratch on Side 2) / VG+ (No. 1 Record)

Sleeve is in G condition (9cm tear to front part of sleeve from opening edge - see pictures - and general shelfwear)

Please contact me via Ebay Messages with any questions I will try my best to get back to you as quickly as possible.

PAYMENT BY PAYPAL ONLY FROM NON-UK BIDDERS

IF BUYING MORE THAN ONE ITEM PLEASE WAIT FOR COMBINED INVOICE!!!

---------------------------------------------------------

UK 1ST CLASS POSTAGE RATES FOR LPs & 12" SINGLES:

1 LP £3.90
2 LP £3.90
3 LP £6.50
4 LP £6.50
5 LP £6.50
6 LP £6.50

INTERNATIONAL POSTAGE RATES TO EUROPE FOR LPs & 12" SINGLES:

1 LP £6.10
2 LP £7.50
3 LP £9.00
4 LP £10.50
5 LP £12.00
6 LP £13.50

INTERNATIONAL POSTAGE RATES TO DESTINATIONS OUTSIDE EUROPE (USA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN ETC ETC) FOR LPs & 12" SINGLES:

1 LP £8.50
2 LP £11.00
3 LP £13.50
4 LP £16.00
5 LP £18.50
6 LP £21.00

-------------------------------------------------------------

POSTAGE RATES FOR 7” SINGLES & CDs:

UK: £1.80 – then £0.50 each extra.
EUROPE: £4.50 – then £0.50 each extra.
DESTINATIONS OUTSIDE EUROPE: £5.50 – then £1.00 each extra
AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND: £6.50 then £1.00 each extra

*********DOUBLES COUNT AS TWO*********

---------------------------------------------------

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT COMBINED SHIPPING ON ALL 12" VINYL / LPS / 12" EPS / 12" SINGLES - PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY!!!!

We offer combined shipping on all LPs / 12" Vinyls: our shipping rates are listed above. HOWEVER shipping packages that weigh more than 2kg is VERY expensive. Therefore we can only offer combined shipping up to a maximum of SIX (6) LPs / 12" vinyls. Any extra purchases will be invoiced, packaged and shipped separately.

***Due to the physical logistics of how I can package orders, I will not combine box sets with other items, I will only package them individually***

---------------------------------------------------

COMBINED POSTAGE FOR DIFFERENT FORMATS will be invoiced at my discretion:

While I am happy to combine (for example) one or two 7” singles into one package with 12” records, sometimes it simply isn’t practical (like if you want me to combine one 12” record with three or more 7” records). I simply do not think that these combinations can be packaged together safely and securely. Therefore these will be invoiced separately as two packages.

IF YOU ARE UNSURE, please contact me before bidding!

---------------------------------------------------

Sorry but I am no longer willing to carry combined transactions beyond two weeks of auctions (see below).

---------------------------------------------------

PAYMENT

I would appreciate payment within seven days of the auction’s end. If you want to bid on more of my auctions ending a week later please inform me. I will wait and issue a combined invoice at the close of the second week’s auctions.

However, I am no longer willing to carry combined transactions beyond two weeks and in these cases would appreciate payment promptly after the close of the second week’s auctions.

I am sorry to have to introduce these measures – I always try to be patient and allow buyers to bid on extra auctions and / or delay payment. Unfortunately some buyers have been stretching out transactions to unacceptable lengths so I feel I have no option but to limit ‘carried over’ transactions to two weeks.