Big Star

You created a super-ilxor

Oh my God you're right...

:)

ONWARD

http://media.jrn.com/images/g7knox1_5181237_ver1.0_640_480.jpeg

But the Everlys' version of stuff like "So Lonely" completely outclasses the Hollies'.

that is correct! :)

The rest of xpost Vol. 1---Demos to Sessions to Roughs:

"Pre-Downs": somewhut asymmetrical grove-to-jam thang finding its way sometimes, with prob Dickinson shouting Beefhearty-Dr. John jive through the control booth mic, occasionally following it his steel drum, Chilton with his indolent aristo laugh--some potential here, but more on "Baby Strange", which i wish they'd nailed for the finished album or whatever it was. A third version of "Big Black Car", this one marked (Demo # 1/band), and yeah they're finding their way, but it's distracting, especially after the intimate confidence of the lights-out acoustic demos: he knew just what he was doing, where he was going and not-going--"Heroin" and several Townes Van Zandt tracks come to mind, but no nudge-nudge with the important influences etc---here, the confidence eventually becomes arrogant, then too indolent for that, "Sun-ny day, ", etc etc.---which would be more involving if the musos, incl. him, weren't poking this way and that---but then! his guitar becomes astringent, probing, in a way I can't defend associating with the Byrds--but maybe I'm right, because damn if it doesn't go over this little arc, surrounded by Byrds-y, starry and I guess Star-ry notes, twinkling as the car cruises on (Jody's so patient, he knows it'll work all work out eventually).
"KIzza Me", already in progress, is the first band track completely in focus, and "Til The End of the Day" even gets its Alex guide vocal kept for the final version, but these, and especially "Thank You Friends", really are rough, dry, kinda dull-edged mixes. "O Dana" and "Dream Lover" mostly absorb the roughness into their own juices and keep going, winning me over pretty quickly. End of Vol.1.

Thanks, D! Looking forward to hearing (reading) more.

Guys, one of the Box Tops posted on our borad once, for realz:So it's called _When Pigs Fly_...

― Wild Mountain Armagideon Thyme (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, January 11, 2014 6:54 AM (two years ago)

The Box Tops' "Call Me" was recorded by four of the five founding members of the group. The group reunited in late 1996. More info at http://www.boxtops.com/
Alex Chilton = vocal Bill Cunningham = bass Danny Smythe = drums Gary Talley = guitar

― Bill Cunningham, Wednesday, 15 May 2002 00:00 (fourteen years ago)

Also, RIP original Box Tops drummer Danny Smythe, who passed last month:
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/danny-smythe-box-tops-dies/

(I referred to that the xpost acoustic solo demo of "Big Black Car" as "pre-Cobain codeine classic", and the more I listen to all this stuff again, the more I think of how it fits between Lou and Kurt--did either of them ever mention Alex or Big Star? KC has been quoted to the effect that his original idea for Nirvana drew on the Beatles and Black Sabbath, so they've got the former in common at least.)

Complete Third Vol. 2: Roughs To Mixes starts with a Dickinson rough mix of "BBC": Alex's guide vocal has the self-awareness, confidence and indolence, now without lolling around in complacency, and/or no sonic distractions; the band knows the song now. Guitar sounds a little warped sometimes, but fittingly. Fry's mix immediately rivets attention on the vocal, which sounds like he's singing through a--pipe? Exhaust pipe? Opium pipe? Meerschaum? A tight focus, maybe eventually too tight, despite the more vivid bandscape: it might become more about the sound he's getting, less about the song itself (thinking most about that vocal effect); JD's mix is more transparent--would like to hear something that uses elements of both.

More of a sustained success (though still a little distancing, Fry's mix of "Take Care" adds a cool, thin, slightly dirty echo-mirror to Chilton's voice (good staircase-type ambience on the word "stairs", and was already thinking he might be singing to himself. Also, it enhances the (eventually slightly over-underlined) suggestion of Lennon, as does and did the piano, which was mentioned as most effective aspect of the solo demo of this song. Again, vivid, resonant band sound, though *kinda* prefer how on Dickinson's mix I first became aware of Cunningham's upright bass when it starting grinding away at the piano, during a little interlude between verses---in Fry's version, bass is even the first thing we hear (although yeah it sounds real good all through, and never showboating).

Also good Dickinson rough of "Whole Lotta Shaking" and a couple takes of "Take Care."

Oh yeah, and Fry's mix of "Nighttime" does improve on or is even better than Dickinson's, at least in terms of getting the "grain of the voice", which in Chilton's case can incl. fleeting nuance, flickerin' thought, even though in the notes he claims to have written most or all of these songs w no great conscious intent---in performance, he starts to get it/let it slip, little bit.

Dammit! If we could just have Dickson doing the treble, Fry doing midrange and bass---how about it, Mr. Albums That Never Were? D.'s "Thank You Friends" has a whole lotta shakin' shiny wires, excitable female backing voices, some kind of curvature too, all going with Ray Davies Chilton mash-up of arch excitement x poise, mentions of "Kayyyy-os", like he's serenading somebody, and how if not for his friends, the winds would take him get him high, o heavens. Fry's mix keeps the dry wit, but brings it down to earth; nice bass of course as always.
But the tight focus on the voice really works on "Nature Boy", drying out the so-what room sound of Dickinson's version, making Chilton sound more committed, masterful, even, though he still isn't Nat King Cole*, of course--ditto the piano (Cole was even better at that), but it sounds better here too, even though it was good enough to practically steal the show from Alex-Boy on the JD version.
*Cole sounded awed and awesome, but it ain't that much of a song otherwise, incl. here. Still, Fry's presentation is surprisingly damn good.

In both mixes, AC comes to a point where he obviously wants to laff, which doesn't help (if you're going to record and issue the thing at all, do it straighter than that). But he gets past it.

Just another l'il flicker of impulse and then control, so thank you again, friend.

ha i love chilton's "nature boy" -- that's eggleston on the piano ... kind of hoped there was a whole tape of them screwing around but I guess this is it.

Some of these *may* be different takes as well as diff. mixes, but they're certainly close enough for comparison.

Like diff piano at one point on the Fry version? Anyway it's a keeper.

(mention of Bread upthread totally apropos: the more I listen to these sessions, the more flashbacks to Top 40 narcotic satori, discreetly stoned at and by the Pizza Hut jukebox: "Nuthin can, hhhhhuuut me...")

the rest of Vol. 2: Roughs to Mixes:
So (spoiler), several subsequent Fry rough mixes *do* 'llow Dickinsonian treble hijinks atop the lucid layers of rhythm, which are also getting bolder. The notes have AC auditioning Dickinson with the brand new "Kanga Roo", and finding the results very educational. So at some point, he may have been more assertive with Fry about taking the music further(and/or more credibly articulate, having understood what JD showed him---along with what Fry had already taught the Big Star crew about running the board).
However it happened, Fry's rough "Lovely Day" swirls and swoops all around the crisp rhythm farmers, and his "Kanga Roo" is jangle-dub, with orchestral tendrils drifting by, teasing the chaos, Lady Alex Davies trilling and trailing fingahs in the thin paisley currents, thee whole pre-channeling Mad Profressor's re-channeling of Massive Attack, just a little, la-la-la.
Fry's rough of "Downs" is a pulsating puzzle palace, "After Hours", sung by Lesa, sports pre-ska skiffle-ish, kinda Mungo Jerry casual catchiness, with a bit of clarinet sometimes. She sounds less confident singing lead (Alex in the background) on an alt of "At The End of The Day", which detracts from the momentum a little (though might not notice if there weren't an Alex-led take nearby).
Alex glides through "Femme Fatale" with Lesa repeating the chorus in French---notes have him erasing some of her tracks "in a fit of pique", but Dickinson scolds him into keeping this one (at the end, after nice warm wry delivery, he suddenly gets peevish and atypically Southern, like "Aw, whah on Earth should we do another tayke). This and "Blue Moon", like xpost "Nature Boy", show that Fry can do ballads too, without sticking in all that rocknroll stuff.

Hadn't seen some of these Eggleston Big Star pics before - this one in partic is v choice

http://dangerousminds.net/home/dangerou/dangerousminds.net/html/content/uploads/images/made/content/uploads/images/02bigstareggleston_465_673_int.jpg

http://dangerousminds.net/comments/william_egglestons_photos_of_big_star#JSPc09xG66cMXzgD.01

Thank you friend!

My fave:

http://dangerousminds.net/content/uploads/images/08bigstareggleston.jpg

I didn't realize untilI I saw that documentary that Eggleston played piano on one of those Sister Lovers tracks.

wow @ those pics

thread revive continues to deliver

edd hurt up there described chilton's kind of effete memphis accent as "insolent" and i liked that. he also seems to had a kind of limp-wristed comportment as well. was taking on some of what we now think of as "gay" mannerisms part of that insolence? or is there a more complex connection, or none at all,between chitin's kind-of-upper-crust mid-south manner and "gay" codes?

i hope i don't offend anyone with those observations. it seems like an integral part of chitin's complicated schtick, if it was a schtick.

Jon Tiven on "pancake records" and working with his many friends--a group that doesn't include Axel Chitlin.

This guy

For clarity's sake, re the ones I mentioned above and others:

VOL. 1: Demos To Sessions To Roughs
1. Like St. Joan (Kanga Roo) * (Demo) 2. Lovely Day (Demo) 3. Downs (Demo)
4. Femme Fatale (Demo) 5. Thank You Friends (Demo) 6. Holocaust (Demo)
7. Jesus Christ (Demo) 8. Blue Moon (Demo) 9. Nightime (Demo)
10. Take Care (Demo) 11. Big Black Car (Demo #2/Acoustic Take 1)
12. Don’t Worry Baby 13. I’m in Love With A Girl *
14. Big Black Car (Demo #3/Acoustic Take 2) 15. I’m So Tired * – Alex & Lesa
16. That’s All It Took * – Alex & Lesa 17. Pre-Downs * 18. Baby Strange *
19. Big Black Car (Demo #1/Band) 20. Kizza me * (Dickinson Rough Mix/Alex Guide Vocal)
21. Till The End Of The Day * (Dickinson Rough Mix/Alex Guide Vocal, Kept As Final Vocal)
22. Thank You Friends * (Dickinson Rough Mix/Alex Guide Vocal)
23. O, Dana * (Dickinson Rough Mix) 24. Dream Lover * (Dickinson Rough Mix)

VOL. 2: Roughs To Mixes
1. Big Black Car * (Dickinson Rough Mix/Alex Guide Vocal)
2. Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On * (Dickinson Rough Mix)
3. Take Care * (Dickinson Rough Mix) 4. Holocaust * (Dickinson Rough Mix)
5. Nightime * (Dickinson Rough Mix) 6. Thank You Friends * (Dickinson Rough Mix)
7. Nature Boy * (Dickinson Rough Mix) 8. After Hours * – Lesa
9. Stroke It Noel (Backwards Intro) 10. Lovely Day * (Fry Rough Mix)
11. Nightime * (Fry Rough Mix) 12. Blue Moon * (Fry Rough Mix)
13. Till The End Of The Day (Alternate mix #1) 14. Big Black Car (Fry Rough Mix)
15. Holocaust (Fry Alternate/Rough mix) 16. Downs * (Fry Rough mix)
17. Kanga Roo (Fry Rough Mix) 18. Femme Fatale * (Fry Rough Mix)
19. For You * (Alternate Version/Alex Vocal) 20. Thank You Friends * (Fry Rough Mix)
21. Take Care * (Alternate Version/Alex Vocal) 22. Kizza Me * (Fry Rough Mix)
23. Till The End Of The Day (Fry Rough Mix #2) – Lesa
24. Nature Boy (Fry Rough Mix) 25. Mañana

VOL. 3: Final Masters
1. Stroke It NoeL 2. Downs 3. Femme Fatale 4. Thank You Friends
5. Holocaust 6. Jesus Christ 7. Blue Moon 8. Kizza Me 9. For You
10. O, Dana 11. Nightime 12. WhoLe Lotta shakin’ Goin’ On
13. Kanga Roo 14. Take Care 15. Big Black Car 16. Dream Lover
17. You Can’t Have me 18. Till The End Of The Day 19. LoveLy Day
20. Nature Boy

VOL. 1: Demos To Sessions To Roughs
Track 1, 13, 15–18, 20–24 Previously Unissued
Tracks 2-3 originally issued on Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story, Big Beat
CDWIK2 273 (2008)
Tracks 4-11 originally issued on Keep An Eye On The Sky, Rhino 519760 (2009)
Tracks 12, 19 originally issued in edited form on Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story,
Big Beat CDWIK2 273 (2008)
Track 14 originally issued on Jesus Christ, Omnivore Recordings, OVS10-153 (2015)

VOL. 2: Roughs To Mixes
Tracks 1-8, 10-12, 16, 18-22 Previously Unissued
Tracks 9, 14-15, 17 originally issued on Nothing Can Hurt Me, Omnivore Recordings OV-61 (2013)
Tracks 13, 24-25 originally issued on Keep An Eye On The Sky, Rhino 519760 (2009)
Track 23 originally issued in a different mix on Lésa, Barbarian Records BWRR0201 (1980)

VOL. 3: Final Masters
Tracks 1, 3-11, 13-15, 17 originally issued on 3rd, PVC 7903 (1978)
Tracks 2, 12 originally issued on The Third Album, Aura AUL 703 (1978)
Track 16 originally issued on Big Star’s 3rd: Sister Lovers, PVC 8933 (1987)
Tracks 18, 20 originally issued on Third/Sister Lovers, Rykodisc 10220 (1992)
Track 19 originally issued on Keep An Eye On The Sky, Rhino 519760 (2009)
All songs written by Alex Chilton except: “Downs” by Alex Chilton/Lesa Aldridge; “Femme Fatale”
and “After Hours” by Lou Reed; “Big Black Car” by Alex Chilton/Chris Gage; “Don’t Worry Baby” by
Brian Wilson/Roger Christian; “I’m so Tired” by John Lennon/Paul McCartney; “That’s All It Took”
by Darrell Edwards/Charlotte Grier/George Jones; “Pre-Downs” by Alex Chilton/Jim Dickinson;
“Baby strange” by Marc Bolan; “Till The End Of The Day” by Ray Davies; “Whole Lotta shakin’
Goin’ On” by David Curly Williams; “Nature Boy” by Eden Ahbez; “For You” by Jody stephens

Guitar: Alex Chilton, Jim Dickinson, Lee Baker, Steve Cropper
Keyboards: Alex Chilton, Jim Dickinson
Drums: Jody Stephens, Richard Rosebrough, Tarp Tarrant
Bass: Tommy Cathey, William Murphy, Tommy McClure, Jimmy Stephens Jr. (on “For You”)
Reeds, Woodwinds, Synthesizer: Carl Marsh
String Arrangements: Carl Marsh
Strings: John Wehlan, Robert Snyder, Peter Spurbeck, Noel Gilbert,
Rebecca Anne Mcmullan, John Stubbs, Celeste Wilson, Lorine Gottshall
Other Contributors: The Duncan Sisters, Pat Rainer, Randy Romano (on “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On”)
PRODUCED BY JIM DICKINSON
Engineered by: Alex Chilton, Jim Dickinson, John Fry & Richard Rosebrough
Recorded at Ardent studios, Memphis, TN
PRODUCED FOR RELEASE BY CHERYL PAWELSKI
ASSOCiATE PRODUCER: ADAM HILL
Tape Research, Transfers & Additional Mixing: Adam Hill
Audio Restoration & Mastering by Michael Graves at Osiris studio
Licensing: Bryan George
Editorial: Audrey Bilger
All Photographs courtesy of Andy Hummel & the Ardent Archives except where noted
Art Direction & Design: Greg Allen
Project Assistance: Dutch Cramblitt, Mary Lindsay Dickinson, Luther Dickinson, Joy Graves,
Lee Lodyga, Elizabeth Montgomery, Pat Rainer, Brad Rosenberger, Chris stamey & Jody stephens
special Thanks: John Calacci, Bertis Downs, Elizabeth Hoehn, David Jenkins, Tony Margherita,
Kevin O’Neil, Ken Shipley & Rich Tupica
some of the recordings on this collection contain audio anomalies and compromises that could not be corrected due
to their age and the manner in which some tapes were stored*. We’ve done our very best to restore the sound on these
tracks, and they are presented here for historical purposes and relevance to the overall story of this album’s creation.

(*Which maybe is why some of the roughs do sound crackly and dry, as I noted, but even those are basically pretty clear, and overall sound quality is very agreeable)

For Disc 3, we should keep in mind that xpost Dickinson quote in the booklet

“The Rykodisc people asked me if I wanted to sequence
it,” he recalled, “but when I went back to my production notes, I realized
that my ideas and Alex’s were so different that it wouldn’t be fair. There is
no sequence.”

Speaking of the booklet, I don't have any others at hand for comparison, or Rob J.'s book, but enjoyed this one: Besides the contextualizing main essay from journalist/A&R executive Bud Scoppa, extensive notes from original participants and artists influenced by Big Star are also included: Jody Stephens (Big Star), Mary Lindsay Dickinson (widow of producer Jim Dickinson), Mitch Easter (Let’s Active), Adam Hill (Ardent staff producer), Elizabeth A. Hoehn*, Susanna Hoffs and Debbi Peterson (The Bangles), Peter Holsapple (The dB’s), Gary Louris (The Jayhawks), Mike
Mills (R.E.M.), Cheryl Pawelski (Omnivore Recordings), Pat Rainer (Memphis photographer/friend of band), Danny Graflund (Alex Chilton’s bodyguard), Jeff Rougvie (former Rykodisc A&R), Pat Sansone (Wilco), Chris Stamey (The dB’s), John Stirratt (Wilco), Ken Stringfellow (The Posies, Big Star), and Steve Wynn (The Dream Syndicate).
*AKA Lesa Aldridge (did she marry Tommy H.?), who remembers their writing "Downs" together, mostly with her lyrics, and that it impressed Fry enough to give Alex the green light for a new album.

Finally got to xpost Vol.3: Final Masters just now, during the caffeinated workday, and found its phosphorescent after midnight vibe not at all dependent on mere circadian rhythms or other reality/irreality crutches. Beale Street Green would indeed have been a good title (picturing green odd-cornering three-storeys,also around bus shelters, if any, in smoggy parklets and medians and alleys and pipes). Latest remastering makes this just a bit more vivid, without getting into Guiliani York Time Square shine jobs.
I haven't counted up the outtakes I like or the ones I suspect may grow on me, but so far seems like this might be one of those rare boxes I wouldn't want to be without, almost in its entirety: the collector bait now takes its place alongside the canonical edition, or versions, in this case.
Since the booklet emphasizes the lack of any definitive intended sequence or even contents, we can make our own, and mine goes something like this:
All of Vol 3 as listed above, except I'd substitute the aforementioned "pulsating puzzle palace" Fry alt mix of "Downs", or maybe the crispy solo version.
If I knew how to pull Fry's echo around the vocal into the Vol. 3 version of "Holocaust", I'd do that, but otherwise, I'd let this 'un alone.
No "Femme Fatale": AC is oh-so-gracefully superfluous, kinda preeny too, Lesa's long-distance French chorus is just anxious (secret insecurity of la "Femme Fatale"? Conceptually acceptable, but currently vaguely annoying in actual listening). Steve Cropper is out in the hall, notes tell us: uncomfortable with the setting and/or material, and just kinda poking at it.
Prob no "Nature Boy" for me, though I do like Fry's mix, and Eggleston's piano.
I'll have to compare Vol. 3 version of "Lovely Day" to Fry's Vol. 2 rough, but they're both mighty fine.
Maybe reprise "Big Black Car" via one of those mesmerizing acoustic solo demos, though mainly cos I love the effect of going from that to
"Don't Worry Baby", multiple Alexes x unaccompanied guitar
"I'm In Love With A Girl", solo
Alex & Lesa:
"I'm So Tired"
"That's All It Took"
Lesa & musos:
"After Hours"
maybe the version of "Til The End of The Day" with her singing lead, but her lack of confidence does seem to drag the momentum a little.
maybe the Fry alt of "Kanga Roo" I mentioned as incl. "jangle dub."
Maybe the Big Star 2.0 live in Columbus MO version of "Baby Strange", because the attempt here did seem like it could have fit.
Ditto that show's version of "I Am The Cosmos", re grandiosity vs. reality, but not cringing away.
(Others from Complete Columbus? Must check.)
(Also trying to find AC's version of the Lefte Bank's "She May Call You Up Tonight". which seems like it might fit musically etc.)

Ditto the

"

Never knew Chilton did "She Might Look My Way." But that would kinda validate my Theory of Power Pop, that it starts, pretty much, with the Left Banke/Knickerbockers/Beau Brummels. Where and when did he do it?

"Femme Fatale" never bothered me, but it is...tentative. It always flowed in the context of the record. But I haven't listened to it in quite a while and certainly haven't sat down with any Big Star record from start to finish in a while either. The best things on the Columbia record are the covers--the T. Rexes and Eugene Chandler. "Kansas City" is superfluous, though. I'm not much of a fan of that recording; I was there, and about all I can say about it is that Chilton fiddled with his amp settings until he came up with a good blend with the other guitarist, that seemed to be his main goal at the show. I mostly find the Posied Big Star rather one-dimensional; the video of the Memphis show, I was there too, is nice but again, about all I get from it is that Alex was a good guitarist. Decent versions of "Daisy Glaze" and "Back of a Car," because they're really Guitar Fantasias in a way most of the other material isn't. "O My Soul" proved remarkably impossible to play well live. Christgau likes the Columbia record, I filed it away years ago. And yeah, Beale Street Green is a perfect title, because, as Pete Townshend said about summertime blues re "Summertime Blues," there's no green--only bad money and nothing verdant, either-- in Beale Street.

"She May Call You Up Tonight" is the title we both meant to post just now, Edd! Apparently not recorded by AC, although coulda worked: singer-narrator afraid he's about to get busted for furtive trash-talking, the shady, real-teen side of power popl in Lefte Banke's original recording--- but think I was thinking of the solo version of "She Might Look My Way" you mentioned (as a Karin Berg-produced or authorized demo), which I'm not seeing, though Ocean Club '77 performance is good vocally, despite somewhat clumsy accompaniment.

Yeah, I was mainly hoping for something else on The Complete Columbus that would go with "Baby Strange", for filling out my personal plastic Jesus cartape version of Third.

Talking of Alex and Lesa, went to see this today.

I'm quite pleased by the fact that, before I knew who William Eggleston was, I went to an exhibition of his and said to the person I was with that "This stuff reminds me of the photographs on Big Star's Radio City".

Yeah, I didn't think he'd done "She May Call You Up Tonight." But I bet he knew it.

Never knew Chilton did "She Might Look My Way." But that would kinda validate my Theory of Power Pop, that it starts, pretty much, with the Left Banke/Knickerbockers/Beau Brummels. Where and when did he do it?

it is on the "Beale Street Green/Sarcrossed" bootleg, maybe others?

https://www.discogs.com/Big-Star-Alex-Chilton-Beale-Street-Green/master/371466

uh 'Starcrossed'

We meant "She May Call You Up Tonight," by Michael Brown. "She Might Look My Way" is on the Dusted in Memphis set, which has been reissued on vinyl w/ the 1978 KUT interview and some other stuff. Bootleg. It really deserves a proper issue, perhaps packaged with the One Day in NYC live set that I have on an LP with the Tiven stuff.
From what I can gather, Michael Brown was even more ornery than Alex, and to less purpose--no one wanted to work with him. Funny that The Left Banke Too is without Brown, mostly, and it's a definite precursor to the third Big Star album, orchestrated, second-hand, ultra-romantic, overheated. One of those records that screams "'60s," kinda like Dudley Moore's Bedazzled soundtrack or prime Gal Costa. Brown never fulfilled his talent--the Beckies, eh, Stories, a little better, but always too fussy, unfocused. I think Brown was really young when he hit with the Left Banke, too, like Alex.

the Beckies' s/t got the tunes, though not especially the vocals; Stories' About Us got both, once/if you get used to Ian Lloyd, who is def not fussy; could have used more focus, more covers maybe (their Greatest Hit was version of Hot Chocolate's "Brother Louie"). Haven't heard their s/t or Montage's, that being another band (or something) with Michael Brown contributions. The Left Banke's There's Gonna Be Storm is worth checking out for some coverworthy songs and *some* earworthy performances (considering all the dithering/writhing/legal battles documented in the notes, and some since, it's amazing they achieved anything).

Yeah, I need to revisit the Stories album. Been a while since I heard it. I've got that Left Banke comp which includes all their recorded work. I have a taste for that kind of thing, so I like all of it, prolly have an original Smash LP of the first LB around somewhere. "Men Are Building Sand" may be the apogee of Brown's Art, anyway, kind of a brilliant song and a prescient performance to boot.

"Men Are Building Sand" is a Bert Sommer song - the guy who played at Woodstock who no-one remembers - he sings it anyway, I assume Michael Brown was still in the Left Banke then? Difficult to tell with that band. First Stories album is a bit rough, almost demo-like in places, some good songs but the second album is much better.

Yeah, think About Us was the second.

Sommer and Brown wrote "Men Are Building Sand." I've got a few Bert Sommer albums, which are on the edge of power pop, I suppose. Yacht-rocky.

Here's a big piece I wrote about Third a while back

Wow, that's really good, thanks! I forgot about the Cossacks, will have to check for more videos. Your quotes of the principals don't rehash anything they say in the Complete Third booklet, though on the same themes, of course. Gordon overemphasizes the misery a little bit maybe; I hear it more as keeping misery at arms length, with strings and things, though it's certainly not offstage or suppressed, but results tend to be lyrical, graceful, even moving around feedback, which is also welcome.
Speaking of strings, anybody know of other albums we should check out re Carl Marsh arrangements?

(oh yeah, and speaking of chaos, the Complete Third booklet indicates there's more:
The decomposition and decay that Dickinson spoke of in interviews is in full effect as we move from
the demos to the session material...We’ve spared you the near thirty minutes of people banging on things and endless guitar noodling,on a tape presumably left running on the day the steel drums showed up for “Downs.” To give you a good taste of it for context, we’ve excerpted a portion we call, “Pre-Downs.” As described upthread, that's enough for me, thanks [well probably].)

Carl Marsh's resume is long and varied:
http://carlmarsh.com/projects.html

Wow, he even worked with James Luther (Jim) Dickens.

string arrangements on garth brooks' deathless chris gaines LP

So is there a guide to all the versions released on "Complete Third", "Keep An Eye On The Sky", "Jesus Christ" single and other demos released on comps?