I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell (why this is one of my all-time favourite songs)

[@polksaladalan]

Big up Big Star!

[@steveytguitar]

awesome lesson and performance Adrian! very timely for me as I attended the Chris Bell I Am the Cosmos 50th Anniversary Tribute Concert in Memphis last month - it was a fantastic show

[@el0blaino]

Fantastic song! I heard it on the DIY Power Pop compilation and have loved it ever sense. So poignant. A great selection, Adrian. I love his "My Life Is Right" as well.

[@RdLu]

Oh! I love this beautiful song❤ and the This Mortal Coil version ❤

[@indieguy81]

The story of Big Star, and particularly Chris Bell, is incredibly heartbreaking. They should have been huge and the critics loved them, but the label refused to promote them and their debut record was poorly distributed, resulting in low sales numbers. Chris Bell was so distraught he tried to destroy all the tapes, descended into drug addiction, mental illness, and eventually a reconnection with religious fundamentalism, which is never a good thing in my opinion. They are maybe the biggest "what if" story in rock and roll history. In another universe perhaps they could have been bigger than the Beatles. Thanks for the lesson, Adrian! A lost classic if there ever was one.

[@Ryantalope]

I always loved The Posies cover of it. I think it was the B side to Dream All Day. In fact that was the first time I heard that song. I’ve covered ‘You and your sister’ on my channel but I’ve done it so it resembles the This Mortal Coil version.

[@Dreyno]

One of my favourite songs too. Loved it since I first heard it about 25 years ago. The opening line randomly pops into my heard now and then. You are the man Adrian. Always the best selection of songs.

[@willrowe9920]

F*** me! What an outstanding voice!

[@lionelsapkus2440]

This video makes me like you even more than i already do. Honestly, i think you're the best guitar tutor on the interwebs. I only wish you were around in the seventies when i was struggling to play this beautiful instrument.

[@vayabroder729]

Wow! I didn’t know you were such a great singer!

[@dieguishernandez]

First time I hear your singing voice and boy do I like it! Thanks for your videos. It’s a never ending source of discovery for me

[@ST-xg3gy]

Fabulous album! Tragic artist!👏

[@markmills586]

One of my favourite songs of all time with my absolute favourite guitar solo. Simple, yet dripping with emotion. Thank you so much for this video.

[@andyglamrock]

You have a great singing voice

[@ianstuart6193]

One of my favourite songs ever. Thank you Adrian

[@SD_UK]

Wow. I dont expect to hear / see anything finer for some time. Thanks Maestro.

[@richalderson6069]

Chris Bell was a gifted beautiful artist who basically created a sound which became underground music and influenced countless bands.

[@reidhowland]

Once again, Adrian digs what we dig. Well done!!

[@pascalauzias5636]

You sing and play so well !!! We want to hear your full performance of that song !!!! Thank youuuuuu !!!

[@zipporaid]

These guys made me fall in love with songs, and phasors 😵‍💫

[@christianbelanger621]

Well, you are Mr Obscure Song Teacher. And we love you for it

[@grl_division]

was introduced to this from Wednesday’s (a band whose songs i feel Adrian should look at) cover of it,, played it on repeat last summer. love big star ⭐️

[@bigpoppawill7361]

extremely glad that you made this video

[@magraretsbane6274]

Looking at the Goo shirt got me thinking about how cool it would be if you’d tackle some Sonic Youth, maybe something like Mote or Eric’s Trip

[@fenderlead1]

Up vote for Eric’s trip!

[@lazymountain]

really enjoyed the vocal addition to the video!!!

[@stfranckmusic]

Nailed it! llove the saturation and vocals

[@scottsmith3679]

We Yanks appreciate your sense of humor, Adrian!

[@brutallyremastered4255]

It's "humour".

[@void0094]

Great pick. Truly underrated artist

[@PaulOwens]

Such a great song. What a loss his death was.

[@gda08]

If you know, you know. Tragic life, but he left an enduring legacy of beautiful music.

[@santorojo2]

One of my favorites! Great rendition, Adrian - as always, you nailed the parts and the tones! I remember the moment I first heard this song back in ’92: I had bought the LP and went to a friend’s house to give it a listen, we put it on the turntable, turned up the volume, and sat back, and MAN! Were we blown away! I had been a Big Star fan for years, and was familiar with Alex Chilton’s solo material, and always imagined he was the creative force behind that band, but hearing this, well, we were clearly mistaken, weren’t we! Alex and Jody included it in their set, when they reformed Big Star a year later - Jon Auer more than did it justice! May I suggest another from the same LP? I’d love to hear your take on “Though I know She Lies.” I KNOW you’d have fun with that one! Cheers!

[@jer8525]

thought it was eric haugen on the thumbnail haha. great video adrian, the song, and your rendition in particular reminds me of guided by voices

[@BrianBowes]

Thank you Adrian! Love hearing new music, even if it’s new old tunes! Cheers🎉

[@neilpatterson5705]

Cheers Adrian, brilliant lesson as ever. One of my fave ever tunes so great to see it explained 👍

[@tonydalton459]

Not very familiar with the work of Chris Bell, but this song is a gem, and you more than do it justice. Bravo 👏

[@petestern3639]

Such a fantastic song Adrian. I agree mine too

[@teenslain]

The boy nails it again. 🌌

[@mrtristero]

YES. THANK YOU

[@jasonbrown1987]

Well well good stuff

[@Tusitala1967]

More Big Star!

[@mjjames2442]

Thanks!

[@peckermusic]

I don't think Chris Bell gets enough recognition. His songwriting is incredible and he's so often passed over with Alex Chilton getting all the credit

[@TheFreedom35s]

Amazing!

[@JeromyBranch]

Cause Mos of us didn't know you could sing like a damn songbird dude! Very well done. Gorgeous song I never heard before. Gonna show this to the folks I'm playing with and see what they think. The rhythm would sound great on acoustic too! Much like I Was Only Joking.

[@commoneuropeanstarling]

Nice song and rendition from you. Always learning about music through this channel. Didn't know he was one of the 27 club.

[@JulietA.-qx8sj]

I love this one too…so beautiful. Poor guy…sad story ❤️

[@GeorgeJRP]

Graciaaas!

[@robertbogdan7058]

Great song.

[@nicholasg923]

Adrian, are you ok hun? Seriously that was a wonderful version - both the guitars & your fantastic voice. Though if next week's is Nick Drake,I might have to make an intervention. 😢

[@APMTenants]

My first exposure to this song was an excellent version by This Mortal Coil on the album Blood. The album also contains a cover of Bell’s song You and Your Sister with vocals from Kim Deal and Tonya Donnelly. Check it out.

[@jeffrowlette]

Yer a great singer too!

[@meadish]

I love this song too. Ex Posie Jon Auer does a very decent cover of it. Lovely chord voicings I hadn't picked up on - thank you!

[@briangough7680]

Chris Bell was on Number 1 Record and also contributed writing to Radio City. But the thing I only recently learned that three songs on Radio City were not recorded with Hummel / Stephens. And seeing as Sister Lovers was never intended as a Big Star record, it means that Number 1 Record is the only complete version of the band. But hey, who cares; they're all great records!

[@curtisphilumalee1447]

Holy Big Star vid. Then seeing a Sonic Youth tee Goo. Couldn’t hit the line button fast enough.

[@martinvargasnieto750]

The cover version from This Motal Coil is unique.

[@thinlinejo5318]

And ...thank you ! (Again)

[@5olas]

I love This Mortal Coil's version of this song.

[@davearooney]

One of my faves - great choice!

[@vv247]

Cool ! I found Big Star through This Mortal Coil who do I Am The Cosmos on the album Blood. You probably knew that too. 😂

[@sashguitars_com]

❤

[@epichalocat2887]

Dude yes! Thank you so incredibly much for covering this song. You are the best!! Also do you think you could solve the mystery that is Answering Machine by The Replacements? 🤔 Also also, do you have your own music?

[@vincentbull]

Very interesting, I'm only familiar with the This Mortal Coil version

[@Jberts]

Can I ask what your vocal chain is for this? Sounds great!

[@SyntagmaStation]

Holy crap! He can sing too???

[@Hornwiesel]

Haha got the same shirt! Only the Spanish version

[@scottmoyle879]

September gurls or thirteen would be good to learn.

[@jazzblasterrr]

The band Wednesday does an awesome cover of this song!

[@maydhsh579]

great one! ever thought of doing an episode on the Brian Jonestown massacre? cheers

[@christianhahn1299]

Alex Chilton soon?

[@Willis_S]

I can thank This Mortal Coil for introducing me to Chris Bell, Tim Buckley, Mary Margret OHare and so many others.

[@richardleveille3254]

Same. Love TMC.

[@69goldi]

Do Solid Air by John Martyn

[@georgessen-gupta5390]

Big Star's lawyer is on the phone....

[@shaneglackin]

Yeeeeeessssss!

[@kaycee600]

Very nice. I really like that Chris Bell album, lots of good tracks on it. Teenage Fanclub (Bandwagonesque) put me onto Big Star and then I tracked down the Chris Bell solo. I saw Alex Chiltern do 'Cosmos' when he toured with members of The Posies, who are also a great power pop band - Frosting On The Beater', 'Amazing Disgrace' and 'Dear 23' are their best albums. Well done.

[@dommccaffry3802]

Big star were not the same without him

[@simonrobson5844]

Sounds very flaming lips 👍🏿

[@mdtys]

the solo is so damn cool

[@ShlomirBareket]

Oasis only borrowed a few ideas from this tune.

[@johns.6197]

Chris Bell was the Brian Wilson of Big Star

[@girlrutherford]

Adrian should be knighted for this.

[@nathancombes2215]

Well, this is a bit good.

[@MrTimdriver]

Boy can sing too……

[@XLBiker13]

Your vocal is EXCELLENT. Wow! Amazing song choice. I honestly may prefer your vocal and production to the original. Really amazing work. And those few seconds in the song starting at 1:33 sound so much like You Never Give Me Your Money off of Abbey Road just as Paul's vocal transitions to the second part of the song when he sings "...I break down"

[@Timmoyoga]

❤