Exclusive: Big Star Rhino Box Confirmed

Four discs, tons of rarities, "best ever" live recordings, and more. Wow.

By Fred Mills

Now this is a great way to start the holiday weekend off: with Big Star news.

Although the topic of the long-rumored Big Star box set has been cropping up on blogs and message boards for a couple of years, there's really been no official confirmation, leading to much speculation as to what might be included (e.g., what stuff has been lurking in the vaults of Ardent Studios). Even drummer Jody Stephens, in an interview earlier this year with RockSellOut.com, remained mum about the subject, as the following exchange highlights:

RockSellOut.com: Rhino Records is releasing a Big Star box set in 2009. Any insight of what's still in the vaults that will be shared?

Stephens: Don't really know what will be included. There was some interesting BS stuff on the Ardent Records Story.

Well, no confirmation until NOW.

Word already hit earlier this week, via Bruce Eaton's most excellent Big Star blog (Eaton is the author of the equally most excellent new 33 1/3 book on Big Star's Radio City), that Ardent's John Fry indicated that, indeed, a box was en route on September 15.

Today a source close to the project confirmed to BLURT that the box is definitely a "go" and is slated for a Sept. 15 release from Rhino.

Clocking in at four discs, the box (title not yet known) will reportedly cover the years 1968-75, which means that a number of pre-Big Star outfits the members - Stephens, Alex Chilton, Andy Hummel, and the late Chris Bell - were in will also be represented. The bulk of the actual Big Star material will comprise "mostly rarities and previously unreleased material," advises our source, material that, indeed, has been kept well away from prying eyes and ears in the Ardent vaults all these years.

There's also to be a good chunk of live material, including a Memphis concert circa 1972 or '73 shortly after Bell left the band, leaving Big Star to perform as a three-piece. "This might be the best-ever live recording" of the band, we're told, and it's worth noting that Bell's departure was apparently still fresh enough that the trio was still performing Bell-penned material, with Chilton handling vocals.

A fat book in the 100-page range, loaded with rare photos, natch, will round things out.

Worth noting is that there won't be massive overlap with the recently announced CD from Concord, a slightly expanded reissue of their Big Star twofer that contained the first two albums, Number One Record and Radio City, due June 16.

There's also talk of a related release from Rhino imprint Handmade for a limited edition expanded reissue of Bell's I Am The Cosmos solo collection. Originally compiled by Rykodisc for a posthumous CD release in 1992, it will reportedly be a two-CD set featuring outtakes and alternate versions.

An official announcement from Rhino is still forthcoming, but the news is expected to be announced early next week.