The Posies “Grant Hart”

In all the ink spilled* in praise of Alex Chilton, on his passing a couple of weeks back, music writers/music lovers were making sure that Chilton’s work -- much of which went unjustly unnoticed for a big chunk of his career -- was noticed, remembered, codified into the canon.

Passed over, in much of the Chilton press, was the importance, and wonderfulness of The Posies.

It was Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer who stepped in, during the mid-90s, when Big Star was invited to reunite. The Posies songwriting team filled in perfectly for the 2 members of Chilton’s 70s band that were dead/out of the music business.

And it made such sense that it was The Posies who became part of Big Star, since they themselves were this incredible band, turning out the finest examples of beautiful, shimmering, sometimes wrenching, sometimes challenging, always interesting pop music. And who, like Chilton, seemed poised for bigger things that never came.

The story folds in on itself once more, with this song, about Grant Hart, one of two incredible songwriters in Husker Du, the beloved Minnesota trio whose influence reached farther than their record sales would suggest.

Need a fix? Take two Grant Harts, two Posies, two Big Stars, and call me when you die.

Music clips: "Grant Hart," Grant Hart and Jon Auer singing with Big Star










* Maybe it's time to retire this metaphor. Hardly any ink was spilled in this digital world . . .