a visual collective outlet of inspiration

chris bell hailed from memphis and was (mostly) the brainchild behind the amazing-yet-not-necessarily-appreciated rock group, big star. bell left the band for a number of reasons: heroin addiction, depression, and that undeniably plaguing issue of feeling overshadowed. this song, not released on an album until 1992 years after bell’s accidental death (he is in fact a member of the infamous 27 club), has been haunting me since i watched the big star documentary a few months ago. i knew the song from a cover (which it pains me to admit) by pete yorn and scarlett johansson; but hearing the words in bell’s enchanting voice, how it’s meant to be heard, is simply magical.  to be honest, the documentary itself leaves something to be desired; it left me confused about the band’s stature not only as musicians but as human beings. perhaps it was the documenter’s vision to make these men seem unlikeable, although judging from the title i truthfully don’t know. with that said, chris bell was a truly extraordinary songwriter, and i will listen to this for years to come. what a mantra; to recite that you ARE indeed the COSMOS–i can’t possibly think of anything more encapsulating. by sv