Rock-a-Rama
This month’s Rock-a-Ramas were written by Craig Zeller, Harold DeMuir, Michael Davis, Jon Young, Richard Riegel and Karen Schoemer.
ALEX CHILTON High Priest (Big Time)
His recording career spans three decades, he’s had big hits, thrown away several opportunities for more of the same, and been immortalized by the Replacements in a song that should’ve been a big hit itself. Who is he? Why, none other than Alex Chilton, friend of the Cramps, originator of at least one pop masterpiece (“September Gurls”) and one of rock’s favorite lost causes. High Priest, his first LP in a mere seven years, is heavy on covers, short on polish and long on freewheeling, knockabout savoir fare. All those rough edges only add to the fun, including heavy breathing sex stuff (“Take It Off”), a wonderful Goffin-King obscurity (“Let Me Get Close To You”), a priceless wedding-band version of “Volare” (in the original Italian) and a real urgent love song (“Thing For You”) that deserves to be a hit and won’t (even if it does run soul deep).
