A Star in the Cosmos

There has been a fair amount of press over the Big Star box set that Rhino released this month called Keep An Eye On the Sky. That four CD set contains a treasure trove of demos, alternate versions, different mixes, and a 1973 live set from the band. A lot of the material has been unreleased to this point but some of it saw the light of day on last year's great compilation Thank You Friends: The Ardent Record Story that came out in the UK on Big Beat Records.

But what hasn't had much press is the deluxe edition of the Chris Bell compilation I Am the Cosmos that is coming out on the Rhino Handmade. This edition will contain a remastered version of the original Ryko compilation that came out in 1992 along with a second disc containing fifteen other tracks. Most of the second disc's tracks are alternate versions or alternate takes. But, there are also a few songs from Bell's pre-Big Star bands Icewater and Rock City as well as an unreleased instrumental. Initial orders will also come with a 7" of 'I Am the Cosmos' b/w 'You and Your Sister,' the two songs that initially appeared on the 1978 Car Records single. Full track listing is as follows;

1. I Am The Cosmos
   
2. Better Save Yourself
   
3. Speed Of Sound
   
4. Get Away
   
5. You And Your Sister
   
6. I Got Kinda Lost
   
7. Look Up
   
8. Make A Scene
   
9. There Was A Lighht
   
10. I Don't Know
    
11. Fight At The Table
    
12. Though I Know She Lies
    
13. Looking Forward - Icewater
    
14. Sunshine - Icewater
    
15. My Life Is Right - Rock City
    
16. I Don't Know (Alternate Version)
    
17. You And Your Sister (Alternate Version)
    
18. I Am The Cosmos (Extended Alternate Version)
    
19. Speed Of Sound (Alternate Version)
    
20. Fight At The Table (Alternate Mix)
    
21. Make A Scene (Alternate Mix)
    
22. Better Save Yourself (Alternate Mix)
    
23. Get Away (Alternate Version)
    
24. You And Your Sister (Acoustic Version)
    
25. Stay With Me (With Keith Sykes
    
26. In My Darkest Hour (With Nancy Bryan
    
27. Clacton Rag (Instrumental)