A Man Called Destruction: The Life and Music of Alex Chilton, From Box Tops to Big Star to Backdoor Man (43 page)

Alex in his new cowboy outfit, Christmas 1956.

COURTESY OF PRIVATE COLLECTION

Alex and his father in Sidney Chilton’s home office, circa 1963.

COURTESY OF LOUISE LEFFLER

The Box Tops hanging out at the Chiltons’ (clockwise from front): John Evans, Danny Smythe, Gary Talley, Alex, Bill Cunningham, 1967.

COURTESY OF DANNY SMYTHE

Former Chilton home at 145 North Montgomery, Memphis.

PHOTOGRAPH BY HOLLY GEORGE-WARREN

An early Box Tops promo shot (from left): Talley, Cunningham, Alex, Smythe, Evans.

COURTESY OF DANNY SMYTHE

An ardent fan joins the Box Tops onstage at New York’s Cheetah club, 1967.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JAY GOOD/FRANK WHITE PHOTO AGENCY

Bell Records’ Larry Uttal, Alex, and Dan Penn at the Gold Record ceremony at Manhattan nightspot Arthur, 1968.

PHOTOGRAPH BY WILLIAM
“POPSIE”
RANDOLPH © MICHAEL RANDOLPH

Alex at home in Memphis with Suzi (in white bathrobe), 1969.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL O’BRIEN

Onstage with the Box Tops in 1969.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL O’BRIEN

Alex at Michael O’Brien’s apartment, Knoxville, 1971.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL O’BRIEN

A Chilton family gathering at a friend’s home in Saugatuck, Connecticut, Christmas 1971. Back row (from left): Jim Russell (Cecelia Chilton’s then-husband), Mary Evelyn Chilton, Alex, Grant Weisbrot, Bob Schiffer, Vera Ellis; front row: Rex Moody (Alex’s uncle), Cecelia Chilton Russell and one-year-old Sally Russell, Annelle Moody (Mary Evelyn’s sister), Howard Chilton. Cecelia remembers that Alex and Grant played music that night, while Vera sang “D-I-V-O-R-C-E.”

COURTESY OF ROBERT SCHIFFER

Big Star writing a song for
#1 Record
in Alex’s bedroom (from left): Chris Bell, Andy Hummel, Alex, Jody Stephens, 1971.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL O’BRIEN.

Big Star in the newly opened Ardent on Madison in Memphis, 1971 (from left): Chris, Andy, Jody, Alex.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL O’BRIEN