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After FIVE solid years of painstaking research and hard work, Rich Tupica’s epic tome on the deep end of the BIG STAR story is ready.

1st edition now SOLD OUT!
2nd edition shipping NOW!

ORDER HERE, SHIPPING NOW
ORDER HERE, SHIPPING NOW
ORDER HERE, SHIPPING NOW

THERE WAS A LIGHT is an oral history containing new and archival interviews with those closest to Chris Bell and the Big Star circle: their friends, family, former bandmates—even some fans, exes, classmates and co-workers.

The varied cast of voices, many from the band’s hometown of Memphis, comprises all the members of Big Star, including: Chris Bell, the iconic Alex Chilton, Andy Hummel and Jody Stephens. In the following decades after its 1975 breakup, the obscure group somehow reached and inspired some of rock’s most important bands, including R.E.M., the Replacements, Yo La Tengo, Teenage Fanclub, Beck, and Wilco.

With Chris Bell at the center of the Big Star universe, this book carefully reveals the production of Big Star’s masterful 1972 debut LP, #1 Record, for Ardent/Stax Records. Despite stellar reviews in music magazines, the record saw abysmal sales. Soon after, toxic personality conflicts and turmoil tore Big Star apart while Bell battled drug abuse and clinical depression.

There Was A Light then delves into Big Star’s second and third albums, while recounting Bell’s second act as a struggling solo musician and devout born-again Christian. During several trips to Europe, he ambitiously recorded songs and pitched to record labels—even crossing paths with Paul McCartney. From this productive era arose Bell’s lone solo album, the posthumously released I Am the Cosmos LP—his swan song and masterpiece.

There Was A Light details the pop culture phenomenon that made Big Star legends and divulges how its staunch fanbase saved the band from obscurity.

CHEAP NASTIES

LP – 1977 Perth, Australia (pre-SCIENTISTS/MANIKINS)

BABY GRANDE

LP – 1975-77 Canberra, Australia (pre-THE CHURCH)

VECTOR COMMAND

System 3 LP – 1983-84 SF, CA (post-CRIME)

ORDER Archival 3-Pack HERE
ORDER Archival 3-Pack HERE
ORDER Archival 3-Pack HERE

The Sueves are coming to EUROPE with their new R.I.P. Clearance Event LP to make mincemeat out of you, and to carry their torch of bludgeoning rock’n roll right into your brains. See them at Get Lost Fest in Germany, Denmark, Italy, Switzerland, FREAKENDER in England, Scotland, France, and Belgium, DO NOT MISS this crucial Midwest punk band!

THE SUEVES R.I.P. Clearance Event LP
RUBY KARINTO s/t debut LP
VELVETEEN RABBIT debut 7″
F.U.K. Road Kill / I Got A Head 7″ (1977 Archival)

ORDER 2018 4-Pack HERE
ORDER 2018 4-Pack HERE
ORDER 2018 4-Pack HERE

Check out the official video for “Fox’s Wedding” by RUBY KARINTO right here:

Check out the official video for “Never Been To The Beach” by THE SUEVES right here:

STREAM a track from the debut RUBY KARINTO LP Here:

STREAM a track from VELVETEEN RABBIT HERE:

STREAM a track from THE SUEVES HERE:

STREAM a track from F.U.K. HERE:

OUT NOW ON HOZAC BOOKS,

More Info & ORDER DETAILS HERE!

HZB-006
1st edition of 300
240 Pages, Full color monograph

THE COWBOYS 3rd LP
RAZOR BOYS Atlanta 1978 LP
LOWLIFE Leaders 7″ EP
SURFBORT Bort To Death 7″ EP

Fall 2017 4-Pack is SHIPPING NOW! Fall 2017 4-Pack is SHIPPING NOW! Fall 2017 4-Pack is SHIPPING NOW! Fall 2017 4-Pack is SHIPPING NOW!

THE COWBOYS feature on Raven Sings the Blues

STREAM the RAZOR BOYS Atlanta 1978 LP on VictimofTime.com

LOWLIFE feature on Noisey

Check out videos from SURFBORT for “Hippie Vomit Inhaler” and “Back To Reaction”

SAL MAIDA‘s incredible book FOUR STRINGS, PHONY PROOF, and 300 45s is on the way and coming in a couple weeks on HoZac Books. Unreal firsthand stories, rare unseen photos, and back cover blurb from the Shangri-Las Mary Weiss as well as a Forward by Lenny Kaye!

ORDER the 2nd edition HERE, SHIPPING NOW!

CHECK OUT AN EXCERPT from the book as featured on VICE/NOISEY right here

THE COWBOYS are coming to put their hands of love around your NECK, new LP OUT SOON on HoZac, stay tuned!

10/1 Bloomington, IN – The Bishop w/ Proto Idiot and Hipshake
10/2 Nashville, TN – DRKMTTR w/ Spodee Boy
10/3 Mobile, AL – Blind Mule
10/4 New Orleans, LA – The Circle Bar
10/5 Houston, TX – Walter’s Downtown w/ Bob Log III
10/6 Austin, TX – Barracuda’s
10/7 Denton, TX – Mohican Makeout (house show)
10/8 Oklahoma City, OK – Warehouse B
10/9 Memphis, TN – Goner Records
10/10 Murry, KY – Terrapin Station
10/13 Lexington, KY – The Green Lantern
10/14 Asheville, NC – Static Age Records
10/15 Durham, NC – The Pinhook
10/16 Roanoake, VA – The Q
10/17 Columbus, OH – Dirty Dungarees

The RUBS are headed South with The Whiffs, don’t miss this killer lineup and be sure to grab a copy of the new Impossible Dream LP back in stock, but only a few copies left!

10/5- Oklahoma City – the Blue Note
10/6 thru 10/8- Austin TX – Weekend At Barry’s
10/9- San Antonio TX – Paper Tiger
10/10- New Orleans – Circle Bar
10/11- Hattiesburg MS – Hissy Fit
10/12- Atlanta – 529 (Day Show Cookout)
10/13- Nashville – Fond Object
10/14- Carbondale IL – Ski Haus

THE COWBOYS are headed out on the road, do not miss this incredible band of Midwest heathens, new LP coming SOON on HoZac, stay tuned!

8/24 St. Louis, MO – Chill Dog Cove *house show*
8/25 Iowa City, IA – Gabe’s, Bloated Kat Festival
8/26 Kansas City, MO – Blind Tiger
8/27 Lincoln, NE – Duffy’s
8/28 Sioux Falls, SD – Total Drag Records
8/29 Fargo, ND – The Aquarium
8/30 Minneapolis, MN – House O’ Lard
8/31 Madison, WI – Mickey’s Tavern
9/1 Green Bay, WI – The Lyric Room
9/2 Milwaukee, WI – High Dive Bar
9/4 Chicago, IL – The Empty Bottle
9/22 Louisvile, KY – Cropped Out Fest
9/24 Bloomington, IN – Magnetic South w/ RAYS
10/1 Bloomington, IN – The Bishop w/ Proto Idiot and Hipshake
10/2 Nashville, TN – DRKMTTR
10/3 Mobile, AL – Blind Mule
10/4 New Orleans, LA – The Circle Bar
10/5 Houston, TX – Walter’s Downtown w/ Bob Log III
10/6 Austin, TX – Barracuda’s
10/7 Denton, TX – Tom’s Daquiri
10/10 Murry, KY – Terrapin Station
10/13 Lexington, KY – The Green Lantern