Thursday 18 March 2010

A bad day for music

I awoke today to the sad news of Alex Chilton's passing. Then coming home from running the kids to school, I heard that Charlie Gillett is also gone. I'm very saddened, almost speechless. Different men, different lives, different roles, but for me their significance is closely related. Long before satellite radio and the internet, both men were stubbornly committed to sharing unknown/unusual music with the world, Charlie through his broadcasts, and Alex through his recordings and shows (obviously not to mention his own brilliant song writing). Rest in peace gentlemen. Music lovers around the world are much richer for having known you.

Gigantic, ten-gallon hat-tip to my former neighbor Robert Gordon for this video of the song "My Rival" (which later appeared on "Like Flies on Sherbert," an album which fascinated me for a long, long time), shot by William Eggleston, who once let me use his phone when my car broke down outside his house. I didn't realize until years later that he was who he was.

No comments: