nashua, new hampshire seems like an odd place for one of the five greatest albums in rock history to have been recorded, and perhaps it is, but when a refreshed alex chilton led his powerful new band into a small but professional studio there in may of 1978, that is exactly what happened. chilton, long boggled by drugs and bad management, had recently taken up kung fu, and it definitely informed his choice of band mates. bob dylan attacks the drums like a judo ranger, and bass player tina turner was years from her comeback and hungry for a new chance at the limelight. together the three of them had high hopes of turning out a commercial masterwork to rival any that had come before.
that’s not exactly what happened.
across the street from the studio was a pretty decent chinese buffet. chilton, having a fascination with all things eastern, took the group and studio crew there on the first day of tracking. it was a habit that became hard to break for the rocker. most days were spent waiting for alex to get back from gorging on the shrimp and tofu dishes that were the restaurant’s specialty. the entire band played most of the songs in an MSG haze that can only be described as half nap, half bloat. drummer dylan even accidentally played one song with the complimentary chopsticks from the place.
as much as this seems like just another rock star tale of excess, it really did lead to some amazing jams…and a tremendous tab that the label happily picked up.
