Big Star was formed in the early '70s in Memphis, Tennessee, and in its original configuration consisted of Alex Chilton on guitar and lead vocals, Chris Bell on lead guitar, Andy Hummel on bass, and Jody Stephens on drums. The songwriting of Chilton and Bell — both strongly influenced by the likes of the Beatles and the Byrds — combined with their, rough, guitar-heavy sound, made them unique among their peers at the time. While it didn't take the band long to score a record contract, their label, the legendary soul imprint Stax Records, would seriously fumble the promotion for Big Star's debut album, 1972's even more optimistically-named #1 Record.
The third track on that album was titled "In the Street," and its opening guitar salvo and first verse will instantly evoke images of Eric Forman's Vista Cruiser for any fan of That '70s Show. The following track from the album, "Thirteen," would also go on to receive prominent placement on the sitcom (it's the lovely ballad that opens, "Won't you let me walk you home from school") as a sort of theme song for Eric and the love of his life, girl next door Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon).
Stax's mismanagement of Big Star — the label struggled even to properly make #1 Record available in record stores — put the band behind the eight-ball from the start, and despite glowing reviews from critics, their debut failed to move many copies, leading Bell to quit (although he performed uncredited work on later releases). The band only managed two more albums, 1974's Radio City and 1978's Third, before disbanding. Tragically, Bell was killed in a car accident shortly after the latter album's release; Chilton and Hummel both passed away in 2010.
