Big Star's Story: "Nothing Can Hurt Me"

Music fans often discuss “the best band that you’ve never heard of” or declare, “they should have been a huge success” when debating the merits of little known but influential groups. The fascinating documentary Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me (2012) tells the story of one such band. Big Star came together in Memphis in 1971, and made two outstanding, critically acclaimed albums before lack of support by their label, little or no radio airplay, and problems within the band caused the group to break up in 1974. Singer/guitarist Alex Chilton was the former lead vocalist for The Box Tops, who had scored Top 40 hits with songs like “The Letter” and “Cry Like A Baby.” He and fellow Memphis native Chris Bell had both recorded at Ardent Studios, and knew each other from the local music scene. Bell had a band called Icewater, which featured bassist Andy Hummel and drummer Jody Stephens. When Chilton showed the other musicians some songs he’d written, they decided to work together, and Big Star was born.

Their debut, #1 Record, released in 1972, alternated between gentle acoustic numbers like “Thirteen,” and guitar driven rockers such as “Feel,” all laced with Byrds-like guitars & Beatles-esque harmonies. The album essentially set the template & direction for the power pop genre of the 70s, and beyond. Reviews were universally ecstatic, but the band’s label had financial & distribution issues, so people couldn’t find the album, much less buy it. The frustrating experience caused tensions within the band; Bell quit the group, rejoined, then later quit again. Their second album, Radio City (1974), was another strong effort, with wonderful songs like “September Gurls” and “I’m In Love With A Girl” showcasing the group’s polished pop song craft. But continuing issues with the band’s label doomed this release as well. Reviews were positive, but this record also had little or no distribution. The band's label was having issues after being purchased by Columbia Records, who did nothing to promote the group. Still, something about their music stuck in the minds & hearts of the people who did manage to hear their albums, or got to see them perform.

Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me charts the band’s history through the recording of both of those records, as well as their third album, Third/Sister Lovers, which was recorded in 1974, but unreleased until 1978. The group is seen in archival footage, and there are in-depth interviews with colleagues, friends & family members, as well as famous fans of the group, including Matthew Sweet, Cheap Trick, The Replacements and Mike Mills of R.E.M. The film also follows the paths that Chilton & Bell (who were like the Lennon & McCartney of the group) took after the band’s breakup, and discusses their solo work. There's also coverage of the eventual reformation of the band by Alex Chilton & Jody Stephens in 2003, and the growing appreciation of their music thru re-releases of their albums. While the group had little success in their original incarnation, a funny thing happened: people began to discover their records; bands like The Bangles, Cheap Trick and The Posies covered their songs, and cited them as an influence. Rolling Stone included all three of their original albums in their list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” 

The film has an element of melancholy (especially since original members Chilton, Bell and Hummel have all passed away), but it’s also a celebration of the band’s music as well as their lasting musical legacy. This is an insightful, heartfelt look at a band who should have been superstars, but whose music still managed to reach an audience, despite their lack of mainstream success. Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me was directed by Drew DeNicola and Olivia Mori, and is worth watching for devotees of the band, fans of the power pop genre and music aficionados. It's also an interesting look at how the record industry worked back in the 1970s. The movie is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and for digital download. Here are links to the trailer for the film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxAbkqRGxqY, and for the songs “September Gurls,” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAIuim4GXK0 and “Thirteen,” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pte3Jg-2Ax4.

"I never travel far, without a little Big Star." Lyric from The Replacements song Alex Chilton, a track from their 1987 album, Pleased To Meet Me.

The Amazing Story of Tower Records

Tower Records. For me, the name brings back memories of browsing through endless aisles of CDs, videos & books in their New York stores, with that now-famous yellow & red logos. These gargantuan record stores were a meeting place & frequent destination for true music fans from the 1960s thru the 1990s. The 2015 documentary All Things Must Pass: The Rise & Fall of Tower Records is an insightful look at the story of this amazing company. The film charts the creation & expansion of Tower, from its small beginnings in California to its eventual expansion, with new stores all across the country. There were even Tower franchises opened in Japan. Featuring interviews with founder Russ Solomon and many of the staffers who helped shape the business into the retail powerhouse it became, its an insightful movie that also shows how the music business changed over several decades, and how some companies (like Tower) didn’t update their plans enough to ride out the after effects of those changing times.

In addition to the comments from the staff, there are interviews with Bruce Springsteen, David Geffen, Dave Grohl (who worked at a Tower store, and was pleased he got to keep his long hair) and others, who talk about why Tower was beloved by music fans & artists as well. Tower wasn’t just a record store, it was a destination where fans could meet & talk about music. It’s clear that Solomon was a visionary; he encouraged a work hard, play hard attitude, and treated his staff like family. This policy served the company well in its formative years. Everyone who worked for him talks about how employee suggestions & ideas were encouraged & welcomed. Many of the key players (some of whom have unique personalities) in the company moved up in the ranks throughout the years. They had fun, were extremely loyal, and contributed significantly to the company’s success.

Tower didn’t just change the way music was sold in stores; it was a force for change in the music business. They were one of the first chains to offer in-store appearances & performances by artists, and even published their own music magazine, Pulse. The large displays featuring artists & album covers inside & outside the stores were a calling card for the company, which had its own art department, a rarity at the time. But like many entertainment-based corporations, problems began when mismanagement and over expansion (as well as the advent of digital music) hurt the business as a whole. The later portion of the movie which chart’s the company’s downfall, is a bit sad, but ultimately this is an entertaining story of a company that started small, got big, exploded onto the landscape, and left a lasting legacy (and some wonderful memories) for music fans everywhere.

Directed by Colin Hanks, this incisive film will resonate most deeply with music aficionados, but it’s worth seeing for those who enjoy a balanced & well-told story, and this one is all the more fascinating because it’s true. It’s effective not only as a history of Tower, but also as a perceptive look at the arc of the music business from the 60s through the present day, and how the way we listen to & buy music has changed so dramatically. The film is available on some digital services, but has also been been released on DVD, and the disc has some excellent additional interviews & clips as extras. Check out All Things Must Pass: The Rise & Fall of Tower Records, you wont be disappointed. Here’s a link to the film’s trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrcCAwL01fI.

Retro Movie: The Monster Squad

What do you do when Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, The Wolf Man, The Mummy & The Creature from the Black Lagoon all descend upon your town? You call The Monster Squad for help! This delightful movie follows the adventures of grade schooler Sean Crenshaw and his best pal Patrick, who love classic monsters, and have a club devoted to them. They're a lovable group of misfits who don't seem to fit in with the rest of the kids. When strange things begin to happen, and the real Dracula shows up, in search of a mystical amulet that will allow him to rule the world, its up to Sean, Patrick and the rest of their friends to stop him. Director Fred Dekker’s 1987 film is a cross between The Goonies & Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, with a dash of The Little Rascals thrown in for good measure. And just like in that classic horror comedy, the scares here are serious.

Dracula & friends are up to no good in The Monster Squad

The movie was director & co-writer Dekker’s second effort after his debut, 1986’s Night of the Creeps, an homage to 50s sci-fi & horror films. It’s co-written by Shane Black, best known for writing the original Lethal Weapon. The monster designs were created by a team lead by Stan Winston, who went on to work on Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Jurassic Park, among many others. The Monster Squad is done with an obvious affection for the classic Universal Monsters, and the actors portraying the creatures of the night all play it relatively straight, which adds to the film’s overall effectiveness. Duncan Regehr, who plays Dracula, and Tom Noonan, who plays The Frankenstein Monster, have some great moments interacting with the kids. The young performers who portray the members of the title club (including Andre Gower and Robby Kiger) are all appealing, and you’ll find yourself rooting for this band of young heroes to defeat Dracula and his fellow creatures of the night. But they'd better work fast, because the end of the world is coming.

The movie was not a great success upon its original theatrical run, but gained a cult following (much like Night of the Creeps) through constant airings on cable, and its later VHS release. The film continued to gain fans, and in 2007 a 20^th Anniversary edition was released on DVD (and later on Blu-ray) with a ton of extras, including a making of documentary, deleted scenes and more. That edition is now out of print, but a movie-only Blu-ray was released in 2013. If you’re a fan of classic horror films, 80s flicks or those “motley group of kids team up to save the town” stories, you’ll truly get a kick out of The Monster Squad. It’s a fast-paced, fun little movie that runs just under 90 minutes, so it doesn’t wear out its welcome. It’s also a film that you can watch with the whole family on movie night, as there’s no real objectionable content. Here’s a link the film’s trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeZs0B0mjXY.