From: Jody2112@aol.com

                             THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL
               Copyright 1996 The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, TN
 DATE: SATURDAY, January 27, 1996
 PAGE: C1                                             EDITION: Final
 SECTION: Appeal                                      LENGTH: Medium
 ILLUSTRATION: photo
 SOURCE: By*Jody*Callahan* The Commercial Appeal

                 MOMENTUM TURNS ANOTHER REVOLUTION FOR*BIG*STAR*

    A quarter-century ago, four guys formed a band.
    Nothing earth-shattering in that. Dreamers have been locking themselves
in garages and scratching out chords since Les Paul perfected the solid-body
electric guitar decades ago.
    But in this case, something revolutionary happened. Few knew it, of
course, but something momentous was born in Memphis in 1971.
    That quartet - Alex Chilton, Jody Stephens, Chris Bell and Andy Hummel -
named themselves after a local grocery store and became*Big*Star,*releasing
the first of three albums - ''No. 1 Record'' - a year later.
    And it was the band's Beatle-esque pop mentality bordered with a raw punk
edge and blended with a divergent lyrical style that influenced an entire
generation of musicians, much like the Fab Four had done a few years earlier.
    Although that influence was certainly on a smaller scale than the lads
from Liverpool, it weaves through the music of such a diverse collection as
R.E.M. and the Gin Blossoms (both of whom were drawn to Memphis to record in
part because of the*Big*Star*legend), the Replacements (who recorded the song
Alex Chilton), Counting Crows (who opened for a reunited*Big*Star*at a 1994
San Francisco show), Teenage Fanclub (who named their second record
''Thirteen'' in honor of the*Big*Star*song), Matthew Sweet and countless
more.
    And in celebration of their 25th anniversary,*Big*Star*- original members
Chilton and Stephens joined by Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow of the Posies -
will perform two shows Feb. 7 and 8 in Atlanta. These will be the
first*Big**Star*concerts since a sold-out performance Nov. 8 in New York.
    Stephens said the fact that the band's music is more popular now than
when it was first recorded speaks well of*Big*Star*fans.
    ''The fact that there is a greater audience for what the band did in the
early '70s now, I think speaks really better of the audience than it does of
the band,'' said Stephens, A&R director for Ardent Records, the revived
version of the label that released the original*Big*Star*material.
    ''We had a great time producing that music and it means a lot to me, but
it really means a lot to know that the few people that cared in the early
'70s turned other people onto it, and the audience grew over the past 25
years,'' he added.
    Stephens said he is also attempting to arrange a Seattle show, but that
no other shows are currently planned. ''We don't really plan
these*Big*Star*gigs. They come along as opportunities that we take advantage
of,'' he said.
    The first Atlanta show will be a public performance Feb. 7 at the 1,500-
seat Roxy theater. The second show will be a private performance at Smith's
Olde Bar for those attending the Gavin Report seminar, a conference for radio
executives sponsored by the influential trade publication.
    Stephens sees the second show as an opportunity for Ardent Records to
promote some of the bands on that label.
    Spot and the Idle Wilds will open the second show, and several industry
and radio executives are expected to attend, exposing the bands to an
influential audience. Jolene, another Ardent band, will also perform in a
segment of the seminar called Americana.
    ''We thought, 'What can we do to spotlight Spot and the Idle Wilds?' We
thought, 'Gee, we'll have Alex play.' '' Stephens said, adding that the
genesis of a full*Big*Star*performance lay in his interest in again picking
up his drumsticks. ''I just kind of had the desire to play again.''
    That's not the only*Big*Star*news. A planned but unnamed tribute album is
taking shape for a possible fall release.
    So far, Stephens has commitments from five acts - Afghan Whigs, Gin
Blossoms, Matthew Sweet, the Posies and the Idle Wilds - to appear on the
album. Others are still under consideration, including Paul Westerberg, Foo
Fighters and Teenage Fanclub. The Counting Crows and the Dave Matthews Band
are remote possibilities.
    Stephens said the interest from these bands in covering*Big*Star*material
reveals something essential about that music.
    ''What it means to me is there's a timelessness to the music. It wasn't
so much part of a trend as it was something that came spontaneously, whatever
emotions were being felt at the time. And apparently, they were pretty
universal emotions,'' he said.
    The Afghan Whigs will cover Nightime, the Gin Blossoms will handle Back
of a Car, Sweet will be joined by Stephens and R.E.M.'s Mike Mills on The
Ballad of El Goodo and the Idle Wilds will perform You Get What You Deserve.
The Posies song hasn't been determined.
    With that collection of alternative talent, Stephens is hoping the record
will become a success, even though*Big*Star*still lacks name recogniton among
many music fans.
    ''I think we all have hopes that it will be commercially successful.
Given the talent and profile on it, it could not only be an artistically
great record, it can be great commercially,'' he said.
    Stephens hopes the 10-song record will be released Sept. 1