like many, I came to know the music of Big Star just recently -- in the past 10 years or so -- and when I heard that Alex Chilton was still actually living at the time, I was surprised. Why wasn't he still out there creating & touring, etc?
It turns out he was, but maybe lightning wasn't going to strike a third time (Box Tops was first time, then Big Star was second), or maybe he had some personal problems that robbed him of reaching that creative level again -- the Replacements' Alex Chilton song wonders "would he feed us with a spoon" and sees him "checkin' his stash by the trash at St. Mark's place." Anyway, I hope he was happy.