Marchbanks
Hat and Beard member
I don’t know if there has ever been a thread about this album - the search facility can’t cope with ‘big’, ‘star’ or ‘city’ so it’s tricky to find out.
I was about to post on the Christmas Wine thread that this album was the musical accompaniment to tonight’s bottle, but the ramble about it got longer and longer, so I thought I ought to snip it out and post it separately.
I came to Big Star via this album in 1974. I remember reading an ecstatic review of an import copy in the NME and shortly afterwards hearing September Gurls on Bob Harris’ Radio 1 late night show. I was instantly hooked. A couple of weeks after that I saw an import copy of the first pressing in the Virgin Records store in Brum (the original one, where you needed a torch in case you tripped over anyone sitting on the floor in the gloom) but I baulked at paying the asking price of about £7 compared to the standard UK album at £2-something. Today a decent copy fetches the thick end of £200. Another of my financial successes.
I can’t remember when I eventually got a copy, but what a revelation! Wonderful pop songs, a bit of snarly attitude, jangly guitars and drumming that had you constantly on the edge of your seat wondering if the next fill was going to be finished in time. I’ve been listening to Life Is White and Back Of A Car for half my life and I’m still never quite convinced he’s going to make it. A musicianly friend of mine was horrified that I actually enjoyed playing that was so “ramshackle.” And there’s also the occasional lyric that makes you sit bolt upright, like ‘I’m thinking “Christ, nullify my life...”’
I heard it again today when I was driving and saw it on my car HDD. Of course it sounded as fresh and wonderful as ever. It is without doubt one of my Desert Island Albums. And if I was talented enough to be in a tribute band I think it would be to Big Star. I think I’d enjoy being the drummer most of all.
I was about to post on the Christmas Wine thread that this album was the musical accompaniment to tonight’s bottle, but the ramble about it got longer and longer, so I thought I ought to snip it out and post it separately.
I came to Big Star via this album in 1974. I remember reading an ecstatic review of an import copy in the NME and shortly afterwards hearing September Gurls on Bob Harris’ Radio 1 late night show. I was instantly hooked. A couple of weeks after that I saw an import copy of the first pressing in the Virgin Records store in Brum (the original one, where you needed a torch in case you tripped over anyone sitting on the floor in the gloom) but I baulked at paying the asking price of about £7 compared to the standard UK album at £2-something. Today a decent copy fetches the thick end of £200. Another of my financial successes.
I can’t remember when I eventually got a copy, but what a revelation! Wonderful pop songs, a bit of snarly attitude, jangly guitars and drumming that had you constantly on the edge of your seat wondering if the next fill was going to be finished in time. I’ve been listening to Life Is White and Back Of A Car for half my life and I’m still never quite convinced he’s going to make it. A musicianly friend of mine was horrified that I actually enjoyed playing that was so “ramshackle.” And there’s also the occasional lyric that makes you sit bolt upright, like ‘I’m thinking “Christ, nullify my life...”’
I heard it again today when I was driving and saw it on my car HDD. Of course it sounded as fresh and wonderful as ever. It is without doubt one of my Desert Island Albums. And if I was talented enough to be in a tribute band I think it would be to Big Star. I think I’d enjoy being the drummer most of all.
Last edited:
