Alex Chilton appears on 120 Minutes on MTV to promote his new record on Big Time called Feudalist Tarts, which came out in 1985, so I'm guessing that is when this segment aired.
I got a phone call in 1985 from this guy who's name was Alex Chilton. He asked me if I would be interested in a gig playing drums for him at 1st Avenue in Mpls. Alex was in town producing the The Replacements album. Alex came over to my house to audition me . He had the infamous Replacement roadie with him. my drums were setup in my bedroom and I had old 60s record's everywhere in my room. I noticed Alex and Bill looking at a lp and laughing, I asked what are you laughing about. Alex had a Box Tops record in his hand and said and said that's me! I didn't know who he was ,to me it was a chance to play 1st Ave. I freaked out and he signed my record and he hired me and we played 1st Ave. Alex was a very nice guy,very professional and very talented. Thank you Alex.
As a 19 year old kid, in 1987 I helped Alex unload equipment from a Ryder truck on Miami Beach when he opened for a Replacements show. I did not know it was him until he gave me a beer and sat down on the curb and we talked. He was wearing a USPS uniform. Wow.
Alex passed at the age of 59 on my 59th birthday...its hard to believe I am going to be 60. I have listened to his music since I was 16, and I will till I die. BIG STAR may be the truest name for any band. RIP
Strangely enough, Alex Chilton's voice in this video sounds nothing like the lower register growl on the song "The Letter" as recorded in Memphis in 1967 for the Mala label. And a person's voice usually becomes lower as he/she ages, which makes Chilton's voice here seem doubly strange.
Memphis is loosing to many legends...Jim Dickinson, Willie Mitchel, Jay Reatard....now Alex!!?? ...fuk...I hope there's a Rock & Roll Heaven. Scoot over Elvis!
You should check out his band Big Star which came after the Box Tops split in 1970, great band and all and it was with that band that he developed this style of singing. It's a shame they never made it big but that was because their label couldn't distribute their albums properly.
![Alex Chilton - Feudalist Tarts (1985) [Complete LP]](/img/n.gif)
I got a phone call in 1985 from this guy who's name was Alex Chilton. He asked me if I would be interested in a gig playing drums for him at 1st Avenue in Mpls. Alex was in town producing the The Replacements album. Alex came over to my house to audition me . He had the infamous Replacement roadie with him. my drums were setup in my bedroom and I had old 60s record's everywhere in my room. I noticed Alex and Bill looking at a lp and laughing, I asked what are you laughing about. Alex had a Box Tops record in his hand and said and said that's me! I didn't know who he was ,to me it was a chance to play 1st Ave. I freaked out and he signed my record and he hired me and we played 1st Ave. Alex was a very nice guy,very professional and very talented. Thank you Alex.
As a 19 year old kid, in 1987 I helped Alex unload equipment from a Ryder truck on Miami Beach when he opened for a Replacements show. I did not know it was him until he gave me a beer and sat down on the curb and we talked. He was wearing a USPS uniform. Wow.
Alex passed at the age of 59 on my 59th birthday...its hard to believe I am going to be 60. I have listened to his music since I was 16, and I will till I die. BIG STAR may be the truest name for any band. RIP
That's how he sang The Letter on the first take before being advised to growl it up for take two !
This was filmed Mardi Gras weekend 1986 for the MTV show "The Cutting Edge."
alex chilton overlooked genius in music.same as chris bell and their band 'big star'.bless their souls.
Strangely enough, Alex Chilton's voice in this video sounds nothing like the lower register growl on the song "The Letter" as recorded in Memphis in 1967 for the Mala label. And a person's voice usually becomes lower as he/she ages, which makes Chilton's voice here seem doubly strange.
Memphis is loosing to many legends...Jim Dickinson, Willie Mitchel, Jay Reatard....now Alex!!?? ...fuk...I hope there's a Rock & Roll Heaven. Scoot over Elvis!
@azzad10 True, but here he's strumming "The Letter" using the "heavy" cadence that Big Star employed when they would play it, which is kind of cool.
Poor Alex, he was so young. Loved his singing and playing. Among other things, he had such exquisite taste for covers. R.I.P.
Love you dad! Happy Birthday dad and see u one day again up in Heaven :)
One of the longer interviews I've seen with Mr. Chilton - thanks for posting! I'm a huge fan of Big Star and some of his solo stuff.
Makes me sad. Alex Chilton was a fixture at The Chimes in Baton Rouge when I was in college. I loved seeing him perform! RIP.
Had no idea this documentary was done. Incredible. Alex is so fetching, so tragic.
I miss 1985 so much.
Alex Chilton of Big Star & Peter Zaremba of The Fleshtones
It's not 120 MINUTES, it's THE CUTTING EDGE. Needs to come out on DVD.
You should check out his band Big Star which came after the Box Tops split in 1970, great band and all and it was with that band that he developed this style of singing. It's a shame they never made it big but that was because their label couldn't distribute their albums properly.
RIP Alex. Hopefully you knew how we all feel before you left.
Two left of field artists in the advent of alternative rock. Just picking playing...he was all over the map in terms of style.