A FEW THOUGHTS ON THE BIG STAR DOCUMENTARY "NOTHING CAN HURT ME" PLUS THE RASPBERRIES

Since this involves music, I will post my thoughts on the Big Star documentary NOTHING CAN HURT ME here instead of my film blog.

What I liked and didn’t like about this film.

First what I didn’t like

1.) It’s incredible whiny.  It’s too bad Big Star weren’t more successful but that’s life.  It does seem they made some choices about the recording business and their music that caused this.  Granted, they were youngins and didn’t know any better.

2.) People who discuss Big Star are incredibly sanctimonious.  I thought Velvet Underground fans were bad (and I am a big VU fan) but the people interviewed (musicians and others) act like before there was Big Star there was no rock and roll.

3.) After Big Star’s THIRD record it moves ahead awfully quickly.  I didn’t get a strong sense of what happened in between other than Alex Chilton really liked punk rock.

What I liked

1.) Taken as a film, this is an excellent documentary because it thoroughly covers all aspects of the scene, the place where Big Star came together and recorded - Memphis.  One gets a very strong of sense of what was going on around them.

2.) Chris Bell’s contribution to Big Star is methodically listed.  He is given his true place in history.  I also liked how they show what he did afterwards.

3.) This is a detailed, honest, rich presentation that isn’t just for fans of the music of Big Star but for anyone who likes to analyze a work for what fed into it and consequently what it spawned.

I like Big Star’s music....#1 RECORD and RADIO CITY that is.  The third one just sounds like dicking around in the studio to me although there are a few gems like “Thank You Friends” on it.

However, it took me a long time to get into them and they don’t hold a candle to the music of their peers Badfinger and even more so The Raspberries.

The four albums Eric Carmen and company made RASPBERRIES, FRESH, SIDE 3, STARTING OVER are all superb and feature Carmen’s beautiful McCartneyesque ballads in Beatles juxtaposition with other band members writing more rocking tunes.  The Raspberries are the greatest of what is known as power pop because they recognize the completeness of Beatles as founding fathers template and Carmen had a real gift for ballads something many power pop bands including Big Star couldn’t quite master.    

I am hoping and waiting for a Raspberries rediscovery and resurgence.