Big Star Box Set Due

One of America's greatest forgotten acts Big Star are to be the subject of a lavish new box set which will feature alternate takes, live versions and much more besides.

Alex Chilton was a teen idol, capable of topping the United States hit parade at the age of just sixteen with The Box Tops' sublime slice of blue eyed soul 'The Letter'. Splitting the group, he returned to Memphis and recruited some top local musicians for his next project.

Big Star hinged on the relationship between Chilton and fellow songwriter Chris Bell. The pair shared a love of British Invasion groups, American bubblegum pop and vintage soul. Together they would craft some of the most sublime music to emerge from the 70s.

However the group enjoyed little commercial success in its lifetime. Big Star's first two albums '#1 Record' and 'Radio City' were acclaimed by critics but due to problems with distributions fans couldn't get to them.

Frustrated by their lack of success, and feeling sidelined by lead singer Alex Chilton, Chris Bell left the band in 1974. Drifting into heroin addiction Bell would eventually die in a car crash in 1978, shortly after the release of the band's final album - the downbeat 'Third'.

Since their initial split Big Star's music has enjoyed a life of its own. Patronage from the likes of R.E.M. kept the band in the public eye, while hugely successful girl group The Bangles covered the band's track 'September Gurls'.

Big Star eventually reformed in 1993 but soon split again. A more permanent re-union took place in 2004, featuring Chilton and original drummer Jody Stephen alongside members of power pop revivalists The Posies.

Now the band's career will be given the attention it deserves with Rhino Records due to release a massive four CD boxset. Containing a raft of unreleased material the collection will run to a total of 98 tracks and seems to be the definitive word on Big Star.

Excitingly, the box set is due to contain an entire live concert from 1973. Amongst the theories as to why Big Star never made it is the notion that the group simply couldn't cut it live - an argument that can now be put to the test by fans.

Alongside this, Rhino Records have announced they will also be re-releasing Chris Bell's solo album 'I Am The Cosmos'. The title track has become the songwriter's best known track, with the parent album difficult to come by.

Re-packaged with a host of rarities, the album should see Chris Bell emerge from the shadows as a wonderful rock songwriter.

The new Big Star box set is due to be released on September 14th.