Back in the 1980s/1990s, I was a huge Bangles collector. They had covered the song “September Gurls” by the band Big Star who recorded it on their second album, the 1974 “Radio City”. I had never heard of Big Star until I learned this from the Bangles. I was in the Atlanta record store “Wax’n’Fax” and saw this “September Gurls EP” import.
Big Star was an American rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1971 by Alex Chilton, Chris Bell, Jody Stephens, and Andy Hummel. “September Gurls” was written by Alex Chilton, as was “She’s a Mover” the second song on the EP, and also found on the “Radio City’ album.
The second side of the EP has two more great songs both written by Chris Bell/Alex Chilton. They are from Big Star’s 1972 debut album, “#1 Record” and are “Don’t Lie To Me”, and “When My Baby’s Beside Me”. EMI would later release both albums as a single record in the late 1970s.
This white vinyl EP is a German import on “Line Records.” (with a dot at the end) catalog number LIEP 3.00008 E. This was my first Big Star experience but I soon bought the #1 Record/Radio City compact disc. They are a great band with a definite Beatles-influenced sound. The Bangles’ cover was on their second studio album from 1986, “Different Light”, and sung by Michael Steele.
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