Box Tops and Big Star guitarist and singer Alex Chilton, deeply influential to scores of musicians, died suddenly on Wednesday of what appears to have been a heart attack. Chilton, who was to perform with Big Star on Saturday at SXSW in Austin, was 59.

The Associated Press and Rolling Stone report that Chilton was taken to a New Orleans hospital complaining of chest pains.

Chilton made an early impact with the Box Tops in the late Sixties, scoring explosive hits like "The Letter" and "Cry Like A Baby." Chilton's next act was Big Star in the 70s, a group that never garnered commercial success, but became the template for scores of bands and musicians who came to regard Chilton as the patron saint of power pop cool. The Replacements famously recorded a song in his honor, "Alex Chilton," and Wilco and R.E.M. have cited Big Star's influence. Artists ranging from Elliot Smith to The Bangles to The Clientele have covered Chilton's songs over the years.

A panel scheduled at SXSW on Saturday afternoon discussing Big Star's influence, which was to include the participation of drummer Jody Stephens and bassist Andy Hummel, is still scheduled, though it will be likely be reconfigured as a tribute to the singer.

In a statement SXSW Creative Director Brent Grulke said: “Alex Chilton always messed with your head, charming and amazing you while doing so. His gift for melody was second to none, yet he frequently seemed in disdain of that gift. He seemed as troubled by neglect as he did by fame. He wrote the most accessible pop songs that turned into something quite sour on closer reflection. It was impossible to know what he was thinking. But it was always worth pondering, because that’s what a truly great artist makes us do. And make no mistake: Alex Chilton was an artist of the very highest caliber. It’s too early to do much but cry about our loss right now, but he’ll be missed, and missed more as the ages pass and his myth continues to expand — that music isn’t going anywhere. R.I.P. and thank you, friend.”

Dublin rockers The Butterfly Explosion, who've been compared to M83 and My Bloody Valentine, take their own ruggedly beautiful dream pop twist on the shoegazing aesthetic of the 90s. After a late night gig on Tuesday night in Chicago, singer and songwriter Gazz Carr told The Alternate Side just what to expect when the band lands at SXSW on St. Patrick's Day. The band's debut album Lost Trails is out now.

The Alternate Side: You're heading back to SXSW for your second visit. What are some ways you get through the heavy performance schedule there?

Gazz Carr: I would say plenty of rest is key but that's near impossible when you have so much going on. I'm flying out in 4 hours so will have 3 hours sleep tonight at this stage. Think a siesta will be in order when we check in to our hotel!

TAS Is breaking in the States a priority for you or are you more focused on building your following back home? Your single "Closer" is garnering substantive airplay in Ireland.

Gazz: I think our music definitely has the potential to find a wider audience in the States, it's all about getting the right exposure from underground level and up. The initial buzz from the album release has been great so far and the album charted in CMJ's top 200 radio charts after it's week of release. It's just a start but hopefully we can build on this over the year.

TAS: You've been readily compared to some shoegazing greats like Slowdive or Ride, but there's more of a dream pop, atmospheric sheen to songs like "Closer." That said, there's been a real resurgence of bands who are exploring the parameters of shoegaze and giving it a different twist, like Serena Maneesh, who you've toured with. What makes today's scene different from the early 90s?

Gazz: Yeah I think the bands that are doing really well from this resurgence are those that are taking it in their own direction. In the early 90s, shoegaze was a very defined sound, for the most part defined by a guitar sound. There's a much more diverse influence from that sound in music today, like M83 and Ulrich Schnauss who have minimal use of guitars.

TAS: Torsten Kinsella of God is an Astronaut produced Lost Trails. Is there anything surprising that he taught you in the recording process?

Gazz: To be honest, I think I learned more in the year of recording and mixing with Torsten than I have in years of recording demos at home and in studios. Even for the live show we do now, everything we did on record helped the development of our sound live. The feedback from people who see us seems to be that we are a lot heavier live than on record or heavier than they would have expected from listening to the record. Even with tracks like "Carpark," i think they are at their most pwerful in a live setting.

The Alternate Side and WFUV are headed to Austin for the barbecued, beer-soaked, rock 'n' roll party best known as the SXSW music festival from March 17-21. We'll have two live broadcasts coming from the heart of Texas: Spoon, Broken Bells and Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings the evening of Thursday, March 17 and Local Natives, Surfer Blood, Sleigh Bells and more on Friday night, March 18.

Check out our SXSW Live Coverage link for live updates from SXSW 2010.

Both The Alternate Side and WFUV will have ongoing, exclusive coverage on our blogs, Twitter and Flickr, including SXSW updates from guest bloggers Hurricane Bells, The Low Anthem, Melissa Auf der Maur, The Soft Pack, Wye Oak, Citizen Cope and more. We'll feature on-site video chats and interviews with bands like Broken Social Scene, the xx, Neon Indian, Real Estate, Pains of Being Pure At Heart, School of Seven Bells, Minus the Bear, Dr. Dog, Codeine Velvet Club, Band of Skulls, Yes Giantess, Chew Lips, Choir of Young Believers and many more. Plus, we'll give you the lowdown on showcase highlights, day party dynamics, breakout buzz bands and artists-to-watch ... or not. A handy Austin survival tip; never go for that greasy slice of pizza on East 6th Street at 2 am. You'll only regret it the next morning.

LIVE BROADCAST SCHEDULE

Thursday, March 18

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Broken Bells and Spoon take to the stage at Stubb's.

7-10pm (listen live)

Friday, March 19

7pm-Midnight (listen live)

Smith Westerns, Brooklyn Rider, Local Natives, G-Side, Surfer Blood and Sleigh Bells from The Parish.

Both Band of Skulls and The Whigs will be playing at SXSW in Austin this week, but they'll hopefully recover by the time they land in Brooklyn. Bluesy British rockers Band of Skulls had a big break last fall when their song "Friends" ended up on the soundtrack to The Twilight Saga: New Moon. They're touring with The Whigs, a gritty Athens, Georgia band which just released their new album In The Dark earlier this month.

Enter to win tickets for Band of Skulls & The Whigs

The rough, rugged voice of Lucero's frontman Ben Nichols is an acquired taste, but the Memphis spawned Southern-fried punkers have a pretty passionate fan base. The band has been touring with Glossary, which happens to be the side project of Lucero's Todd Beene plus Nichols recently released his own solo album, The Last Pale Light in the West.

Enter to win tickets for Lucero

British duo The Big Pink released one of the catchiest singles of 2009, the sing-along rocker "Dominos," and their debut album A Brief History of Love was a standout too, ranging from the potent electro-buzz of "Velvet" to the gentler lament "Golden Pendulum." The Big Pink's Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell are headed to Coachella after this gig, so this is a good opportunity to see them in a more intimate setting.

Enter to win tickets for The Big Pink

Like their friends Passion Pit, Boston electro-popsters Yes Giantess are attracting attention as a charismatic band with a knack for wry remixes, taking on everything from Asher Roth to The Temper Trap to Miley Cyrus. They've toured with La Roux and Little Boots and last fall they joined Local Natives, Golden Silvers and Marina and the Diamonds for the UK's NME's Radar tour, an often prescient preview to breakthrough bands.

After SXSW, the easygoing, effusive quartet, who've collaborated with Passion Pit's Ayad Al-Adhamy, has been tapped for George, Washington's Saskquatch! Festival in late May and will be open for Bad Lieutenant at New York's Webster Hall in April.

No debut album is planned quite yet, but the band release their official debut U.S. single this month, "The Ruins." An EP is also in the works which will hopefully include some of Yes Giantess' sparkling, Ibiza-on-the-Charles-River singles like "You Were Young" which you can purchase via Neon Gold.

The Alternate Side had a chance to catch up with singer, synth man and Daft Punk admirer Jan Rosenfeld as he and his Yes Giantess bandmates gear up for SXSW madness.

The Alternate Side: You're headed for SXSW this week. How do you make it through the Austin marathon of gigs and parties?

Jan Rosenfeld: We've done a lot of marathon shows actually. CMJ. The NME tour was brutal. We always try to eat healthy. By far the biggest danger is lack of sleep. It messes up your brain, your voice, your skin, your eyes. Everything. Just make at least some time for good sleep.

TAS: The new single "The Ruins" was produced by Starsmith, who has worked with Ellie Goulding. How was that connection made?

Jan: He was a good friend of Derek [Davies], who runs our label Neon Gold. We liked him and he liked us. On one of our England tours we looked each other up!

TAS: You toured with La Roux and you've also been performing a cover of the duo's "I'm Not Your Toy. Why that track?

Jan: We saw La Roux play maybe 40 times including soundchecks and stuff. That song just stuck with us as particularly awesome. That tour in general was great. Everyone got along well and the shows were huge!

TAS: You've actually toured with Little Boots as well. What do you find compelling about the UK pop scene as opposed to the US?

Jan: There's no bias toward UK pop, but they keep inviting us out in America! Probably because we've been through the UK a few times.

TAS: Ayad Al Adhamy of Passion Pit produced some singles for you which led to a deal with Neon Gold records. Do you look at Passion Pit's trajectory as what you'd hope to achieve with Yes Giantess?

Jan: Really not at all! In terms of success, sure, but as a genre and philosophy I think we're rooted in different things. Electronic, dance, house and disco are a really big part of what we do. Believe it or not, we generally shy away from indie if we can help it!