Big Star’s Third – Sydney Festival

Overview

People often like to use the word 'tortured' to describe the creation of Big Star's Third — a combination of financial issues for the record label, the uncommercial sound of the album and the slow disintegration of the band. Singer Alex Chilton's declining mental state and general lack of interest in making music meant that the album was never properly finished, and it didn't even get a proper release until three years after the recording sessions were abandoned.

But despite (or maybe because of) all this, Third has become one of the most important and influential records in history, described by Peter Buck from REM as "a Rosetta Stone for a whole generation" — which becomes clear when you look at the amazing lineup of guest musicians that have signed on to perform this tribute as part of Sydney Festival.

The 'house band' for this show is pretty amazing, including Big Star's original drummer Jody Stephens, Mike Mills from REM and Ken Stringfellow from The Posies. Joining these motley all-stars will be vocalists such as Sydney Festival headliners Cat Power, Kurt Vile and Edwyn Collins, as well as local legends Tim Rogers from You Am I, Kim Salmon and Dave Faulkner from Hoodoo Gurus.

This promises to be an amazing show, and there's so much love for this record that you just know everyone is thrilled to be involved. It's kind of like that time you and your mates decided to play nothing but Pearl Jam covers when you first started jamming in your garage — except with some of the world's most enigmatic and engaging musicians.