#1 Record

Different friends, different interests.

So when I saw I had one chance to see "Nothing Can Hurt Me" about the seminal '70s band Big Star, I knew who to call.

"Oh, yes! That sounds awesome!" she responded.

I know I must have other friends who like Big Star, but none immediately come to mind.

Or at least none who are free for a matinee, which was the last screening of the film here.

For this documentary dork, the thrill is what I can learn and there was plenty to learn here.

And admire. Big Star was made up of four good-looking guys very easy on the eyes, even decked out in such '70s attire.

And the snapshots of the era!

I was blown away to hear that there had been a National Association of Rock Writers convention held in Memphis, purportedly to discuss unionizing the business.

Only in the '70s.

As one rock journalist recalled, "That was kind of like trying to herd cats."

But what did happen was Big Star played for that room full of music writers and they went so crazy, the unthinkable happened.

"They got a roomful of rock writers dancing!" one who was there exclaimed.

It's hard to imagine such a thing, but it points to the power of Big Star's distinct and compelling sound especially in the context of the time.

A lot of the film centered around Ardent Studios in Memphis, first its storefront location and then the bigger, state-of-the-art facility where so much magic happened.

And if the band's name sounds grandiose and affected to unfamiliar ears, they should know that it was chosen because they'd recorded a bunch of music and still had no name.

Fortunately, there was a Big Star supermarket nearby and that was enough of an inspiration.

And speaking of Memphis businesses, it was the local TGI Friday's (the first franchised location after the original in NYC) where the band would hang out to drink and drug  once liquor by the drink became available.

Naturally, they ended up in the studio afterwards because that was their passion.

And they had the keys to it.

I loved seeing an ad for a Big Star show, saying, "Upstairs at Max's Kansas City- Big Star- Also appearing, the Butts Band- and introducing Ed Begley, Jr."

I'd like to think that that made Ed a lifelong fan of the band.

As musicians and producers talk about Big Star, it's clear that it was only the most unfortunate of chances that allowed a band as talented as they were to slip past the notice of the general public.

While all of the band members except the drummer Jody Stephens are dead now, the filmmaker had plenty of audio of interviews from over the years to give critical context to the stages of a band career that lasted from 1971-2011.

And then there was the joy of listening to Big Star music for two hours.

Has young man music ever sounded as innocent and starry-eyed as "Thirteen"? As touching as "My Life is Right? As sweetly simple as "Kangaroo"?

My friend was happy to hear "You Get What You Deserve" because it was her favorite.

If only that sentiment had applied to Big Star.