Bold self-reliance. That's what Alex Chilton was channeling when he penned The Ballad of El Goodo. It's one of those tunes that I try to include on any mixtape or CD that I ever make. Tonight, the melody emerged from the back of my mind as I was strumming my guitar. It moved me to find the chords and learn to play it. Striking the chords and whispering Alex Chilton's lyrics unleashed a powerful feeling inside -- like uttering some magical incantation. My spirits were immediately lifted. That's the power of rock & roll. True and simple.
Big Star was a huge influence on many of my favorite groups: The Replacements, Wilco, The Posies and R.E.M. The Ballad of El Goodo has been covered by countless artists. Here are two of my favorite covers;
Evan Dando's sublime version from the Empire Records Soundtrack (1995):
Matthew Sweet's version from Big Star Small World (Tribute to Big Star).
Sweetbottom - Angels of the Deep . I can provide a totally valid explanation for the existence of this record in my collection. You see, I'd been eyeing this peculiar 12" at my favorite little hole-in-the-wall record shop for about a month. It was in the $5 box. After a few weeks it finally landed in the $1 bin. For the album artwork alone, I thought, this is worth a buck. Four late-70s dudes clad in white, cotton shirts and pants, hairy chests and... white shag carpet. Sweetbottom indeed. Adding to the allure, the notes revealed that the album had been recorded at the Shade Tree Resort Studio in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin between 1977-78. Could this be like the Great Lakes version of Yacht Rock? Could I be holding some long-forgotten, Midwest soft rock obscurity? I was tempted to cheat and pull out my cellphone to Google them, but then I paused. This is $1 we're talking about. Let's take the risk and live dangerously. As I approached the register, I noted that the ...
Jules & The Polar Bears is one of those bands that you want to like, but continue to remain on the fence about even after a decade of failed listens. Recently, I've been sampling bands from the late 70s and early 80s who released fake new wave albums -- major label acts who played middle of the road rock, but disguised it in skinny ties, brightly colored sweaters and catchy, Cars-y keyboard riffs. Jules & The Polar Bears are a good example. Their first record, 1978's Got No Breeding, was compared to Dylan, The Kinks and Springsteen. Personally, I hear a quirky Jackson Browne in the songwriting. Everything sounds bearded and mid-tempo, except Jules Shear, the singer. He gives the band a distinct sound with his "singing at the top of my range" yelp. But even with Shears' interesting squelch, the songs never break out of 70s rock conformity. The guitarist's resemblance to a member of Orleans or Doobie Brothers is telling. Enter 1979's "Fenêt...
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