The Big Star Bassist discusses the recent Big Star memorial show in SXSW, reflects on Alex Chilton, and talks about the future……Prior to his joining Big Star (at an impromptu reunion at the University of Missouri in 1993), Ken Stringfellow was (and is) a member of the The Posies, and is a solo artist & producer as well.
(This interview was conducted via email between NYC & Bejing (where Stringfellow is currently working a recording project), and it’s been edited to fit the format of our site.)
You’ve just returned from SXSW and it looks (and sounds) like the show was a fitting memorial for Alex. What is your frame of mind having come back from this event, and how was it meeting & playing with Andy Hummell?
I think we did an amazing job, considering–it was hell to be there, really. I was hit very hard by Alex’s death, it just was so unexpected, and…who knows, I mean, I was very fond of Alex, but I didn’t see him that often. I hadn’t seen him since our Brooklyn show in November. But, somehow…I was just kicked in the gut by those events, and having to make a decision immediately about what to do with the scheduled show 72 hours after Alex died, phew…in fact, it’s a testimony to a lot of love and a lot personal strength that we did what we did, and did it well. After the event, I was wrecked, really…I was sick, tired, jet lagged. I left the next day for Paris, and the day after I got home I headed to Beijing, which is where I am now. I am coming out of my funk now, about a week later.
I met Andy in 2004, also at SXSW (he lives in Texas now). We had a panel about the music of Big Star [that year.] I swear he might have even jumped up and played on a song, or am I dreaming? In any case, it was a little more involved now–if he did play in 2004, I would have been *off* stage, having given him my bass. This time, He didn’t feel comfortable on the spot with playing “Way out West” on bass, so he went for guitar, and then he played “September Gurls”, the last song of the night, on bass–which was fine, I actually know Alex’s parts quite well on that one. I wish I could say I enjoyed it at the time, but looking back now, it’s quite a powerful memory. We have the event on film, so with a little distance, I’ll be able to look at it when I’m not deep in the emotional well of mourning, which I was that night.
When did you first meet Alex, and what was your initial impression of him?
Mr. Neutral. He didn’t say a lot, at first. He was cool, laid back. Of course, that just makes someone (when you’re 24 and a huge fan) quite intimidating but that was my head, really. He just did his thing, like always. This, by the way, was in 1993, when Alex and Jody came to rehearse with us leading up to the first Big Star reunion show that was recorded for a live album (“Columbia”). We knew Jody well by then, but had never met Alex until they came to Seattle for that two day rehearsal.
You’ve had a long history with Alex’s music, from your own work with The Posies, to the original Big Star reunion in 93′ to today. I’ve read some statements over the years where you’ve said Chilton “taught you a lot musically.” Can you give some examples of his approach to music?
He was very dedicated, and continually sought to improve his skills. He did things in a kind of unusual order. He learned the craft of songwriting quite well at a young age, [and he] did a total kind of anti-craft deconstruction – (his feedback-laden live shows in the early 80s, e.g.), and then ‘went to school’ as it were. Learning his jazz chordbook, learning how to transcribe and arrange music in written form. He just followed his interests, really, and his interests kept growing.
You perform music all over the world, as you did with Big Star. Was there a Big Star show in particular that made you or Alex say “This is the best show we’ve ever played”?
Alex was not given to superlatives, really. Or self-congratulatory statements. I think the last show we did was one of the best ones. We played superbly well, the venue was beautiful (this was the Masonic Temple show you saw), and Alex was healthy and in great spirits. The show was sold out, and the audience was fanatical. Even Alex, who tried not to be too impressed with himself or his achievements [especially given] Big Star’s resurgence, couldn’t restrain from being aglow. Nothing needed to be said.
What project are you currently working on as we speak, and when can we expect another album from Mr. Stringfellow?!
At this very moment I am in Beijing producing sessions for the band Hanggai, who mix Mongolian folk music styles with rock power. Really awesome. My band THE DiSCiPLiNES have just completed a glorious, brutal, fantastic album called ViRGiNS OF MENACE. Not sure when that will come out in the US, but [we’ll] probably concentrate on Europe first, and get a release date when we know we can come back – which might be awhile, because The Posies will record our 7th album, starting next month, in Spain; we plan to release it on Rykodisc in late September, worldwide tour to follow. So, my next solo album might be awhile.
We are planning to use our last previously scheduled Big Star show, May 15 at the Levitt Band Shell in Memphis, to put Big Star to rest and say farewell to Alex, presumably with some special guests….
Thanks Ken for answering our questions!
Interview re-posted courtesy of JournalismNow.com
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