A Man Called Destruction: The Life and Music of Alex Chilton, From Box Tops to Big Star to Backdoor Man by Holly George-Warren

Fans searching for an account of the life of enigmatic and underappreciated singer/songwriter Alex Chilton need look no further; March 24th marks the release of “A Man Called Destruction” by Holly George-Warren, a thorough and highly enjoyable document of Chilton’s life and career. I admit that I haven’t completely finished the book (I’m a rather slow reader and when it comes to this particular musician, I try and savor each page), but what I’ve read has been illuminating. I’ve been burned by other music-related biographies in the past and a surefire way to destroy interest in a subject is to write a book that’s dry and lifeless. George-Warren does the exact opposite; her writing is lively and engaging and the book itself is well-paced. It’s also well-researched; George-Warren combed through interviews Chilton gave to various media outlets and conducted her own with his family, friends and associates. The book even opens with a brief history of the Chilton family lineage (a topic Alex was keen on later in his life) from the shores of England to the plantations of Virginia.

George-Warren’s portrayal of Alex himself is honest and compassionate. Chilton was a bright and talented young man and grew up in a household brimming with creative energy, but struggled with emotionally unavailable parents, alcohol abuse and depression. When he was just six-years-old, his older brother Reid died from accidental drowning, an event that haunted Alex the rest of his life. A moody, rebellious teenager, Chilton sought comfort in music, listening to everything from his father’s jazz records to his brother’s Coasters 45s and was an avid listener of The Grand Ole Opry and local R&B radio stations. It’s been a joy reading about Alex’s encounters with music and his early foray into rock and roll with his first bands the Moondogs and the Devilles and later, the Box Tops. And the cast of Memphis characters that surround Chilton as he launches his music career has me jotting names down on a separate piece of paper, Game of Thrones-style.

Clearly, this is just the tip of the iceberg, as Alex Chilton embarked on a music career that would span 43 years. I’m excited to read about him producing iconic psychobilly quartet The Cramps, playing with avant-garde iconoclasts the Panther Burns and writing and singing for one of the most influential bands of all time, Big Star. And for those of you who haven’t yet seen it, the 2012 Big Star documentary “Nothing Can Hurt Me” is the perfect companion to this book.

Currently, Spin has an excerpt from the book up at their website and Holly George-Warren kicked off a book tour earlier in March at the South by Southwest festival.

Holly George-Warren's book signing tour:

emily () ♥
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