Monday, June 28, 2010

Big Star: Beale Street Breakdown [WLYX Memphis 1975]

Some find the 1975 Memphis radio set by the post-Sister Lovers Big Star (only remaining members Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens, as on the album) disturbing -- those who have found it at all, that is. Me, I love it, dangerously high levels of inebriation, absence of any sense of shame and all. Willfully bizarre deconstructions of songs by Chilton's own Box Tops, the Bonzo Dog Band, and, yes, Dolly Parton sit uneasily alongside hazy takes on four songs from Third. Seriously, what other artist's repertoire encompasses both Dolly and the Bonzos? Here's the boot, known as Beale Street Breakdown, though I couldn't find any cover art online; the pic above of Chilton and Stephens will have to do for now, unless someone out there wants to take it and add some spiffy titles?* The clean radio sound balances out the age and generation of the tape, for a solid B, sound-wise. It's here @192k, as I once found it.

Two posts in one day -- for this blog, that's the Rare Stuff!


*URL for original photo in comments!
UPDATE: Reader OleD has submitted a cover -- link in comments! Thanks!


LINK MOVED TO COMMENTS -- so leave one when you get it, please. This is the only place you will find this tape. The least you can do is say thank you, or something about the artist. Courtesy shouldn't be The Rare Stuff!

81 comments:

  1. If anyone wants to re-crop this photo (down to just Jody 'n' Alex as above) and add some titles to it to make better cover art, or find another appropriate pic entirely, by all means, have at it!

    http://media.commercialappeal.com/media/img/photos/2010/03/17/Big_Star(5)_t607.JPG

    And/or, if anyone has scans of an actual cover for this boot, please share a link to that!

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  2. I just found your blog via the blogspot site Music Ruined My Life. I've never heard this Big Star recording before. Thank you so very very much!!!

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  3. Roky, welcome -- and you're welcome! I hope you enjoy the recording; if you'd like, please come back here and share your thoughts on it! MRML is one of my favorite blogs.

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  4. Hey, if anybody is interested, I made a CD cover for the Big Star Beale Street Breakdown. Check it out at http://oled-longtimelistener.blogspot.com

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  5. Beautiful! I especially love the little doggy on the left side! :) Thanks a lot, OleD!

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  6. You're welcome. My thanks to you for the original post.

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  7. so rare, so good a find, thanx!

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  8. OK, you thought I was kidding? I wasn't kidding. You could have said thank you, now you're going to have to say please. I know I'm inconveniencing those who haven't downloaded yet rather than those who already have, but what else am I supposed to do? There have been more than 30 more downloads of this file since I moved the links to comments and requested comments in exchange for the link, and only ONE more comment in that amount of time. I think at least one in TWENTY is not too high a ratio to ask for! I will repost when I get enough requests to make me believe that people actually appreciate what I'm doing here.

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  9. Don't Hold Back - We Love Ya'!

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  10. I came very late to the Big Star party which is a gaping hole in my music library and appreciation. Only recently did I even listen to #1 Record....here us hoping that more comments follow. Thanks for your dedication!

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  11. Anon@5:27, thanks for the love and encouragement.

    Anon@8:11, better late than never, right? One thing that's great about them is that each album has a different flavor; enjoy discovering them all, including Chris Bell's solo one! And don't tell anyone, but rest assured, comments or no comments that link will be restored before too long. I am realizing that, ultimately, I share music for my own enjoyment, irrespective of what anyone else thinks or says or does about it.

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  12. Well, thanks to that overwhelming response -- not -- here is the link again. Perhaps people will be more considerate but I guess I shan't hold my breath. But as I said above, I get pleasure out of sharing this music whether I get any thanks or not.

    BIG STAR WLYX 1975

    http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8LSQ8LJP

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  13. a drunken hate filled classic- I love it!

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  14. Cool Nazz! And while I'm giving people grief for not saying thank you, I never did thank you for being the first-ever commenter on this blog. Your "Mazel Tov" was much appreciated! Not to mention thanks for all the swell stuff I've nabbed from your site.

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  15. Thanks! Big Star!

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  16. Thanks for the restoration and yes better late than never. I will be jamming this one today and will return with reactions.

    TWDM (formerly Anon@8:11)

    ;-)

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  17. Thanks a ton for this. I had this years ago and lent it out, never to be seen again. Ragged as hell, this definitely is not their tightest recorded show. It is strangely lovable however, and a great insight into the drug addled period that bore their truly great and unique 3rd record. Strangely enough, Chilton always considered this album a failure and disliked the production. So much for artists being the best judge of their work. Thanks so much again, I've been looking for this for years!

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  18. I'm not downloading this, because I already have it - just wanted to say great site. You have good taste!

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  19. Never heard of this one but will be enjoying it later. Thanks! I found your site through Totally Fuzzy.
    Steve

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  20. I never even knew this existed. Much thanks; this is a wonderful site!

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  21. Great stuff. Chilton was one of the best and never really got his due. Check out the new Big Star boxed set too. It's incredible.

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  22. i've heard about this one for years! thanks!

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  23. Thanks, I don't think I have ever heard this before. Ragged but Right!

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  24. Thank you for this!!!

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  25. Thank You Friends! Wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you.

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  26. Thanks for commenting on my blog, which in turn drove me to yours, and finally to this piece of unkown Chiltonite. Excited!

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  27. Thanks a bunch for this and the other cool stuff posted - found and downloaded today, loaded up for tomorrow's commute - there can never be enough Big Star...or enough blogs that get it...

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  28. Thanks for the time and music.

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  29. Thank you so much!

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  30. Very excited to hear this thanks amucho!!!

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  31. Thanks fo much for this bit of Big Star - appreciate the gift - especially since it's my first visit to 'therarestuff' Many thanks for the music and the time spent to get the music heard

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  32. Thanks PC. Just came to your blog via The Unheard Music. Not only rare stuff but GOOD stuff!

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  33. Great post, great site. A genuine pleasure. Thanks!

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  34. Thanks !!!
    @PeterC

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  35. Just wanted to let anyone interested know, there is a cover for this Big Star post at http://oled-longtimelistener.blogspot.com free for the taking. Enjoy and leave a comment if you like!

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  36. Great site - Old fan of Big Star, never seen that one. Billion thanks.

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  37. Thank you very much. It's great to find such consistently good taste.

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  38. You're welcome. Thanks for the compliment.

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  39. Hi. Just came from Grateful Breed. This WLYX recording is pretty fucking great. Audio agony. Should have been part of the box. Thanks for the opportunity to hear it.

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  40. Thanks, I love Alex Chilton, abd I can't wait to hear this!

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  41. What a service you're providing. Thank you.

    Although it's rarely talked about in this way, sites like yours expand our knowledge of (dare I say it?) history, whether it be that of the artist directly, or that of context in its innumerable forms (culture, creative development).

    In any case, It's a thrill to discover a site like this, and I thank you for all of your help.

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  42. Thanks for your kind words, Anon! I'm glad you're finding value in the site. Only problem with anonymizing yourself is that I can't track which comments on other posts might be yours, too, but keep in touch.

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    Replies
    1. Any chance you could re-up the Big Star memphis radio set? Pleeeeeaaaaaassssseeeee??????

      Thanks!

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  43. I've been trolling through you archive for an hour or so and am thrilled at what you offer, Costello, Martha Wainwright, (I could go on) but this is a great gem - thanks so much for all your work.
    Just found one of your posts that mentions you're in Portland and at KBOO. That brings back some memories. I lived across the river in Vancouver for a time when I was going to school in Portland. What a great city and I used to listen to KBOO all the time.
    Promise I'll make a donation soon. Love the blog.

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  44. Thanks--can't wait to hear this

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  45. This is so good! Can't thank you enough! Laughed my ass off!

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  46. Thank you very much! If you haven't heard Chilton's 'I See Only Sunshine' from the Box Tops Dimensions album, check it out!

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  47. I heard Chilton does the Bonzo's Piggy Bank Love. Gotta hear this! Thanks

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  48. Thanks a lot my man. This is something I really do want to hear.
    How he moved from the Letter to Big Star & The Bonzos and Allen Page. He created more than a career.

    Again, many thanks.

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  49. My Big Star knowledge stops with Third (and the Chris Bell album) so very excited to hear this. I'll be having a Chilton memorial playthrough tonight. Thanks for sharing it ... and congratulations on this fantastic blog.

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  50. this is one of the best live recordings ever and probably the most significant big star bootleg in existence; it was a long time ago but i remember reading jody quit right afterward.
    i have the set on the beale st breakdown/tale of two cities cd but i've been looking everywhere for a different source, no luck yet. i think the full recording includes a cover of t-rex's jeepster with alex' girlfriend on vocals, plus another song. i'd assume it would include more talking/rambling without the cuts in the tape... not that it'd be any more coherent.
    thanks for getting this recording out there, as someone else noted, it's a shame rhino didn't get this on the box...

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  51. Thanks for this rare piece of music!

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  52. Thank you for the Big Star post. I hope it is different from boot that I have, but it is packed away. The Jayhawk singles were nice, too.

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  53. Looking forward to checking this show out! Thanks for the music.

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  54. wow, never even heard of this before. thanks for sharing!

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  55. I love Big Star, & can't wait to listen to this. Thanks for this & also The Jayhawks. Two great finds in the middle of the night, thanks to you & insomnia.

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  56. So, this is gone again - right? I am a moderate Big Star fan - enough to be disappointed that this is no longer available and to own all the commerically available stuff. (Including Bell's solo on Ryko) Any chance this wil be available again?

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  57. Please, post again!

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  58. Can someone post again?

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  59. Marc G. from DetroitSeptember 7, 2012 at 9:13 AM

    I recently discovered your site. Great job! Much appreciation and gratitude for your incredible discoveries. Keep up the outstanding work.

    Could you please repost? Thanks.

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  60. Can someone post again? PLEASE!!!!

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  61. Please post again

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  62. Can someone please post again?

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  63. Please post this again, I'd be very grateful. It doesn't seem to be available anywhere else online, all of the links are dead.

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  64. Please where can I buy the everly brothers video?

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  65. I, too would appreciate a REPOST of this show....I've been on a non-stop Big Star rotation for about the last 6 months...and am right now listening to Thank You Friends-The Ardent Records Story on CD...a great two disc set!

    PLEASE REPOST THIS SHOW!!!!!

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  66. Hello, you beautiful people. Here's a link: https://www.mediafire.com/?miplkxej5pe25e4.
    I'll post a higher quality version when I get the chance.

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  67. Thanks for keeping this alive. Can't wait to hear it.

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  68. Anything WLYX FM 89.3 is greatly appreciated!

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  69. http://doomandgloomfromthetomb.tumblr.com/post/79915885125/beale-street-green-breakdown-a-re-up-by-request

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If you get a link, let us know what you think!