Rich Tupica - There Was A Light: The Cosmic History of Chris Bell and the Rise of Big Star

A PERMUTED PRESS BOOK

ISBN: 978-1-68261-928-5

ISBN (eBook): 978-1-68261-929-2

There Was A Light:

The Cosmic History of Chris Bell and the Rise of Big Star

2020 by Rich Tupica

All Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author and publisher.

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Published in the United States of America

This book is dedicated to David Bell, who was always a pleasant phone call away and willing to talk about his kid brother, Chris.
I will always be grateful.

And to Nicole and Fiona.

A special remembrance goes out to John Fry and Richard Rosebrough. During their final years on this planet, they encouraged this project, offered up hours of memories and connected me with those closest to Chris. A month before Fry unexpectedly passed away, he agreed to fact check a portion of this book via email. In that same message he offered up a bit of advice: It is likely to be done right only once, so lets keep it precise, right down the line. I may not have accomplished that,
but I will never forget his wisdom.

Authors Note

This oral history contains many original interviews conducted by the author between 2013 and 2018. Some quotes were edited for clarity. To capture additional recollections and give voices to those who passed away before the start of this book, other excerpts were mined with permission from an array of outside publications and journalists. Another key source for There Was A Light was hours of raw interview footage from Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me , the acclaimed 2012 documentary (Magnolia Films). I cannot thank Ardent Studios and the entire film crew enough for graciously granting me that access. See page 449 for a complete list of sources.

TABLE of CONTENTS

The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.

Friedrich Nietzsche

If youre a rock n roll fan, even if you havent heard of Big Star, you owe them, because I guarantee you: Any band you like did hear of them, and listen to them, and do their best to do as well as they did. Mike Mills of R.E.M. , 2004 Memphis Heroes Awards induction speech for Big Star

In the four decades since the bewildering death of Chris Bell, the steady drumbeat of plaudits, honors and credits planting him among the musical influencers of his generation would have given him great solace. Tragically, he died at twenty-seven years old while living at his parents house, working a dead-end job as a grocery store clerk, and not knowing the recordings hed leave behind would go on to achieve the goals hed obsessed over throughout the 1970s.

After founding Big Star, the Memphis, Tennessee-born guitarist/vocalist led the charge on 1972s highly influential #1 Record , produced at Ardent Studios. At his side was a triad of fellow Memphians, including former Box Tops frontman Alex Chilton on guitar and vocals, Andy Hummel on bass, and Jody Stephens on drums. With ample assistance and latitude from Ardent founder John Fry, the assembly of audiophiles perfected a hybrid of beautiful British pop and rowdy American rock.

It didnt last long. Shortly after the LPs release, Chris slid into a bout of clinical depression and exited the band. Big Star carried on without him and, with Chilton at the reins, the band laid down the equally remarkable Radio City (1974) followed by Third/Sister Lovers (1978).

Chris recalibrated as a solo artist and produced a sonic boom of poignant materialrecorded piecemeal throughout the mid-70s at his home base of Ardent Studios, in London at George Martins AIR Studios, and in France at Chteau dHrouville.

Despite valiant efforts in his lifetime, Chris saw few triumphs and received minimal interest in his stockpile of solo recordings. After a succession of snubs from labels, in his final days he even took a job flipping burgersnot the archetypal makings of a future rock n roll legend.

Fast-forward to today, Grammy Award winners like Wilco and Beck cover his magnum opus I Am the Cosmos in concert, and his international cult following is larger than ever thanks to a series of books, deluxe album reissues and a Big Star documentary detailing portions of his short, reticent life as a rebellious Memphis songwriter.

Carole Ruleman Manning Photographer, Ardent Studios art designer: Chris died when he was twenty-seven years old. I heard somebody talking about that on the radio one night. It was on a program about all these rock n roll people who died at twenty-seven. There was Hendrix, Joplin, Morrisona long string of peopleand they included Chris. The tragedy of what happened to him after he left the group, combined with that, its like he just walked into a template for a rock n roll legend.

Terry Manning Ardent Studios producer, engineer, musician: While Chris was alive he didnt become a star, but over time he has taken on that status. Whether its a cult status or beyond that, he definitely made it. For the relatively small output he had, the quality is amazing.

Ric Menck Drummer, musician, Matthew Sweet, Velvet Crush: He died young and left a nearly faultless body of work in his wake. He was gifted and flawed, a sensitive young man wrestling with personal demons and expressing his feelings through song. The saddest part is he never got to realize how much his music meant to people. I think he would have appreciated it more than Alex Chilton ever did.

Andria Lisle Memphis-based journalist: Chris Bell has a different legacy than Alex Chilton because Chris died at twenty-seven, whereas Chilton went on to create a discography that was almost the antithesis of what he did in Big Starplaying with Tav Falcos Panther Burns, producing the Cramps, and then putting his own spin on [the 1958 Italian pop song] Volare. Chris Bell is frozen in time, which makes his music and lyricism that much more beautiful and his personality that much more impenetrable.

Mark Deming Music critic, journalist: Alex had been a rock star before Big Star. He was a charismatic guy and his crazy life made for good copy. Bell, on the other hand, was a genuinely troubled soul, and I have a hard time imagining he could have a career like Chilton did even if he hadnt lost his life. I cant see Bell bonding with Paul Westerberg or opening for the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion like Chilton did, though I bet the sort of folks who gravitate to Nick Drake or Scott Walker might have embraced Bell if hed been around longer.

Jody Stephens Drummer, Big Star, Icewater, Rock City, Baker Street Regulars: Chris profile has certainly increased over the years. You get on YouTube and all types of things pop up for Chris. Thats pretty cool. But Chris didnt make any real money from music while he was alive. He passed away in 78, even before the release of I Am the Cosmos , his solo LP. I dont know exactly how much money having In the Street as the theme of That 70s Show brings in, but its in syndication and sometimes its on three or four times a night. I wish I would have had a share of that song.