For fans of Peter Holsapple, The dB’s, Alex Chilton, Big Star or The Box Tops, comes big news from the good people at Omnivore Recordings as newly-unearthed recordings sessions of the two together (!) will be released on Friday, October 12th under the wry title The Death Of Rock.
The Death Of Rock’s story goes like this: Mr. Holsapple went to Memphis, Tennessee, where he met and began working with musician/engineer/friend-of-Big-Star, Richard Rosebrough. This was after first approaching and being turned down by Big Star founder Chris Bell, who Mr. Holsapple hoped might be interested in producing him. Together, Richard and Peter started laying down tracks during the off hours at Sam Phillips Recording .
Alex Chilton, at that time, was knee deep in the making of Like Flies On Sherbert, which was also being tracked at Phillips. He told Peter, “I heard some of that stuff you’re working on with Richard… and it really sucks.” Alex promised to come by and show Peter “how it’s done.”
There will be CD and LP editions; the CD containing 19 tracks; the LP carries 11 (with a download card of the entire CD). Including liner notes by Peter Holsapple and other many wonderful additions to the package, this will be a fascinating glimpse at two pop masters at a crucial intersection in their careers. At that point, Chilton was moving away from the pure, melodic pop he’d helped sculpt with Big Star as Peter Holsapple was just beginning to show his brilliance as a lyricist and composer before he helped bring The dB’s to the fore, a few short years later.
http://omnivorerecordings.com/shop/death-of-rock/