Alex Chilton Like Flies On Sherbert (Aura) (VG+/NM-)

$

24

You are bidding on an original 1980 Aura Records release of Alex Chilton's finest and most notorious post-Big Star outing, Like Flies on Sherbert. This album is a lightning rod for criticism, but it is also one of my all-time favorites. Chilton was rebuilding his career in the wake of Big Star's demise and this album stands in contrast to a lot of what Big Star records were about. While Big Star albums were meticulously overdubbed, polished and reverent, Like Flies lets it all hang out. Probably the best comparison I can think of is John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band album (his first after the Beatles split). Both artists were trying to shuck the mantle of their legendary former bands and their fans were not prepared for what came next. Like Flies features a number of infamous Memphis scenesters, including late producer Jim Dickinson (who produced the Replacements and whose sons, Luther and Cody, comprise the North Mississippi All-Stars), Lee Baker, Ross Johnson, Sid Selvidge and many others. It's a loose, shambolic and, yes, drug-addled affair, but it also has its moments of genius -- My Rival, Hey! Little Child, Hook or Crook, Rock Hard, and the title track. 

About the record itself:

• Cover: VG+ Some ringwear and a 1.5-inch split along the top edge. Spine is flawless.
• Vinyl: NM- Nice gloss, plays very smoothly, with no trace of a pop, and certainly no skips. If you look at one side from the right angle, you can make out a paper scuff, but this has no affect whatsoever on on play.

Track List:

1. "Boogie Shoes" (Harry Wayne Casey, Richard Finch) - 2:29
2. "My Rival" (Alex Chilton) - 3:27
3. "Hey! Little Child" (Chilton) - 3:43
4. "Hook or Crook" (Chilton) - 2:25
5. "I've Had It" (Ray Ceroni, Carl Bonura) - 2:23
6. "Rock Hard" (Chilton) - 2:42
7. "Girl After Girl" (Gary Shelton) - 2:28
8. "Waltz Across Texas" (Ernest Tubb) - 4:46
9. "Alligator Man" (Floyd Chance, Jimmy C. Newman) - 2:40
10. "Like Flies on Sherbert" (Chilton) - 2:08

10% of your purchase price benefits the Stax Music Academy, part of the Soulsville Foundation, which mentors young people, using music as its tool.  With special focus on serving the youth of the surrounding Soulsville, USA neighborhood (38106, 38126) of Memphis, SMA provides students with music education and unique performance opportunities, with the goals of enhancing their leadership and academic skills and inspiring them to become facilitators for community change. The SMA's vision is rooted in the belief that music can shape a young person's life. We use music as a tool to mentor young people, and instill them with a set of values and skills that will serve them throughout the rest of their lives.