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.
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!
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!
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
HoZac Pure Pop Playlist
HoZac Archival Playlist
HoZac Darkwave & Synth Punk Playlist
HoZac – 21st Century Underground
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Noise In My Head: Voices from the Ugly Australian Underground (ORDER HERE) Dare To Be Stupid SOLD OUT Denim Delinquent 1971-76 SOLD OUT Jaguar Ride: Memoir of an electric eel by Brian McMahon SOLD OUT Four Strings, Phony Proof, and 300 45's by Sal Maida SOLD OUT Madman's Eye - Artwork of Mac Blackout There Was A Light: Chris Bell (BIG STAR) SOLD OUT I'm Just the Drummer - by Bob Bert (Sonic Youth, Chrome Cranks, Pussy Galore) SOLD OUT Dodged & Burned -Photography 1976-84 by Brian Shanley SOLD OUT I Don't Fit In: My Wild Ride in The Nerves & The Beat by Paul Collins with Chuck Nolan SOLD OUT When Can I Fly? The Sleepers, Tuxedomoon & Beyond by Michael Belfer with Will York ORDER HERE The White Label Promo Preservation Society: 100 Flop Albums You Ought to Know - by Sal Maida, Mitchell Cohen & Friends ORDER HERE Where The Wild Gigs Were: A Trip Through America’s Legendary Underground Music Venues by Tim Hinely & Friends ORDER HERE
Disturbing The Peace- 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave by Bill Kopp ORDER HERE Wicked Game: The True Story of James Calvin Wilsey - by Michael Goldberg Kill A Punk For Rock’n Roll – Photography by Marty Perez GUILTY! My Life as a Member of The Joneses - A Heroin Addict, A Bank Robber, and a Federal Inmate - by Jeff Drake
COMING SOON:
Pull Down The Shades: Garage NZ Fanzine 1984-86 - by Richard Langston ESCAPADES - Music & Art 1980-2022 - by Jowe Head (Swell Maps/TV Personalities/Steve Treatment) The Other Side of Reason- Peter Jefferies memoir by Andrew Schmidt (Nocturnal Projections/This Kind of Punishment/Plagal Grind) Bottom's Up - Give The Bass Player Some by Sal Maida Diary of An ADman: Rock, Punk & Underground Advertising - by Nathan Webber Canderson Photography Book ONE
UPCOMING HoZac Archival LPs BY:
NEON LEON Singles & Rarities (1979-84 NYC)
SCREAMING URGE 1980 debut LP (OH) THE MIRRORS (1973-75 Cleveland) THE TERMINALS 'Disconnect' debut (1988, NZ) LIVIN' SACRIFICE debut (1982 Sweden) 8 LIVING LEGS debut (1983 NZ/Flying Nun) MARS Village Gate: 1977(NYC) The Clams 1986-88 LP (MN)
EPICYCLE 1978-81 volume 2 THE BRIDES Singles, Demos/Rare tracks
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GENTILESKY debut LP DISCO JUNK debut LP
V/A- Trunk City Junk: Chicago 2003-07 LP
UPCOMING HoZac Archival 7"/EPs BY:
VILETONES 'Look Back in Anger' (1979 CAN) THE IMPORTS (1980 Chicago) THE BRATS 'Criminal Guitar' (1973 NYC) THE SLUGS 'Problem Child' (1979 NYC) THE BOYS 'S.A.P.' (1979 UK) SCRAPS 'Strike 3' (1981 Chicago)