Trailer For Big Star Doucmentary; "Nothing Can Hurt Me"

In the grand scheme of things, it can be argued that Big Star where just a foot note in American music history. They didn't have a powerful, chart-topping single. They didn't start a revolution. They weren't even commercial successful. They released three power pop albums from Americans heartland that failed to chart thanks to terrible mismanagement by their record label, seemingly lost band members with ever record, and  eventually broke up, convinced that they hadn't accomplished anything. But for some reason or another, Big Star's lack of commercial success led to them becoming the grandfather of indie rock. Big Star was optimistic, in retrospect almost naively optimistic, that they would be something great. When Alex Chilton meet Chris Bell those dusty years ago in that awkward place when the 60's where over and the 70's hadn't yet begun, they shared a vision that could only be dreamed up by the optimism of youth. They reasoned that the 50's had Buddy Holly. The 60's had The Beatles. The time was ripe for the next icons in music. They would simply fill a need.

Taking their name from a nearby big box store, and naming their first album #1 Record, may have been tempting fate. Naming their follow up album Radio City in hopes for more air play didn't help things either. But for all their missteps, and crushing blows delt by the reality of a poorly run record label, Big Star trudged on with more jaded optimism till eventually the tank burned out. Chris Bell left the band after their second album failed to go anywhere thanks to the album simply not being available in record stores, and died in a car accident  a few short years later, believing he was a failure. The rest of the band simply fizzled out to be forgotten. But miraculous they weren't. Thanks to the simple merit of, that while few could get ahold of their records, those that did loved what they heard. Without being aware of it, or wanting it, Big Star woke up years later to find out that the music world decided to make them into cult heroes without letting them know.


And THAT's the magic behind Big Star. Those three albums, #1 Record, Radio City, and Third, may have been simply known as a trilogy of  great power pop albums that would be staples of classic rock radio today, along side Cheap Trick, and Tom Petty. But because they weren't' successful, they become something so much more. Without intending to, blinded by the simple love of wanting to play the music they wanted to hear, they inspired a legion of bands; from R.E.M to Dinosaur Jr., to Nirvana, to Pavement, to Built To Spill, and so many more indie rock staples. Basically, anytime you've heard an album form a band that you liked that did something cool and you loved, Big Star played it decades ago to empty rooms and deaf ears. And maybe that's their contribution in the grad scheme of things. To a generation of aspiring guitar heroes and garage bands, Big Star set the bar for indie rock years before it would be called that, and created a legacy without knowing.

Anyway, now that I've gotten all my fanboying out of the way, I was trying to simply say that Big Star have got a documentary out that's been finished since March 2012. It's finally getting a limited screen showing in select cites starting July 3rd. The documentary, called Nothing Can Hurt Me, looks fantastic and the accompanying soundtrack to the film is a literal "Best Of" of sorts by Big Star, containing mastered tracks.
Coinciding with the release of the movie to select cites, Kurt Vile, Mike Mills, Chris Stamey, and Jody Stephens (the sole surviving member of Big Star), are speaheading a concert in Central Park New York on June 30th. Look for video aplenty to be posted. Till then enjoy the trailer bellow.