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Two weeks ago, on July 27, Omnivore Recordings released Game Day from Peter Holsapple, the dB’s co-founder and singer-songwriter’s first album in 21 years.  It was, of course, filled with all of the melodic hooks and incisive lyrical turns of phrase one would expect from the multi-faceted artist.  Now, Omnivore has uncovered a much less expected piece of Holsapple’s history – and one which converges with the label’s ongoing efforts to restore and revisit the catalogue of Big Star’s Alex Chilton.

On October 12, Omnivore will release The Death of Rock: Peter Holsapple vs. Alex Chilton. In a story worthy of a movie, the young Holsapple was in Memphis hoping to channel the essence of Big Star. Though Chris Bell had turned him down, he found a sympathetic ear in engineer Richard Rosebrough. Holsapple was working at Sam Phillips Recording Service when he encountered Chilton, then recording his solo album Like Flies on Sherbert [sic].  As Omnivore recounts the tale, the former Box Tops leader told Peter, “I heard some of that stuff you’re working on with Richard… and it really sucks.” Chilton promised to drop in again and show Peter “how it’s done.”

The resulting sessions yielded songs from Chilton which fit in with the Flies aesthetic, per Chilton, of “a wild mess…crazy and anarchic.”  Holsapple’s tracks ended up on albums by his band The dB’s and by sixties rockers The Troggs.  In other words, the younger artist was entering the world of “sweet pop” which cult hero Chilton was exiting.  For Omnivore’s release, Holsapple himself tells the whole story, aided by historian Robert Gordon, while photographs from the collections of Holsapple and Pat Rainer bring listeners back to Memphis, c. 1978.  Michael Graves and Jeff Powell have remastered this snapshot of a true musical crossroads that could only have existed in Memphis.

The Death of Rock: Peter Holsapple vs. Alex Chilton arrives on CD, digital, and vinyl on October 12.  The vinyl edition has 11 tracks (vs. the CD’s 19) but the entire program will be included on a download card.  You’ll find the track listings and pre-order links below!

The Death of Rock: Peter Holsapple vs. Alex Chilton (Omnivore, 2018) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Links TBD)

Peter Holsapple:

1. Bad Reputation
2. House Is Not a Home
3. We Were Happy There
4. The Death of Rock
5. Take Me Back
6. Take Me Back (Backing Track)

Alex Chilton:

7. Tennis Bum
8. Marshall Law
9. Heart and Soul
10. Train Kept A-Rollin’
11. Hey Mona

Bonus Abuse: Peter Holsapple except Alex Chilton (*)

12. Bad Reputation (Long Version)
13. Tennis Bum (Rehearsal) (*)
14. O My Soul (Instrumental Rehearsal)
15. In the Street (Instrumental Rehearsal)
16. Baby I Love You (Rehearsal)
17. The Death of Rock (Rehearsal)
18. Someone’s Gotta Shine Your Shoes (Rehearsal)
19. Mind Your Manners (4-Track Version with Vocals)