Illinois Entertainer

Eagles
Packin’ Em In

It’s hard to think of a band whose members have had more time to themselves than the Eagles. A 14-year breakup from 1980 to 1994 allowed them to recharge their nerves, and even then they didn’t have to really do anything but tour and make appearances. Last fall, 13 years after reuniting and 18 from their final studio effort, The Long Run, they issued the double-disc Long Road Out Of Eden (Polydor). Only by tinkering with it on and off since 2001 have they escaped Boston and Guns N’ Roses-style ridicule.

• Read more: Cover Story: Eagles

The Million Dollar Quartet Lives

Move over Jersey Boys. There’s a new sweet-sounding gang of four rolling into town — this time from the South. Million Dollar Quartet brings to life the extraordinary afternoon on December 4th, 1956 when Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins all converged on the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll, Memphis’ Sun Studio, for an impromptu jam session.

• Read more: Million Dollar Show

Steve Cropper
Staxing The Deck

Once a music journalist has been around the block a couple times, it’s inevitable that certain patterns emerge. For example, it’s a sure bet at some point a baby band will sound uncannily like “Nuke” LaLoosh in Bull Durham: “Well, we’re just going to tour really hard and hope our CD sells enough that we get to make another.” An established artist, on the other hand,

• Read more: Steve Cropper interview

David Vandervelde
Back To Front

In a storybook world, David Vandervelde’s Chicago-to-Brooklyn-to-Nashville wanderlust would make him the ideal Dylanite troubadour. Sprung from the clutches of Holland, Michigan, he would crush our feeble intellects with a slapdash, rustic urbanity and cut a straight path through the hyper-media mire, grooming himself for a biopic to premiere in 2053.

• Read more: David Vandervelde interview

Passing Out Needles, Or: How To Stop Worrying And Love Your Vinyl Again
Record Collectors: Start Your Engines

Undoubtedly, you’ve heard vinyl is back. Maybe, to you, it never went away. There were rumors, however, that the traditional LP was a relic, abandoned for much shinier and more-portable storage units called compact discs. Fifteen to 20 years ago people dumped entire record collections at yard sales and flea markets, propping up the major labels by re-purchasing albums they already owned, electing greatest-hits sets over crisp 45s.

• Read more: Record Spree!

Hello, My Name Is Susan
Q&A With Susan Carr

IE: So how did you get into this area, screaming, of vocal training?
Susan Carr: When I was going to school for my degree — I have a degree in vocal performance and also in vocal pedagogy, which is the study of voice — I started to take a lot of the classical exercises that I was being taught and sort of switch them and explore them more for contemporary types of singing. It really emerged from all the exploration I did and working with students during the grunge music scene. I really solidified a lot of these exercises that are in the DVD then.

• Read more: Hello, My Name Is Susan

Mr. Poularity

This just in from Atlantic Records: Rapper T.I. now has more than 2 million Myspace friends! In an unprecedented, “record-breaking” accomplishment, the Atlanta rapper blew past the milepost, prompting his label to tell press the news. It really is amazing, if you think about it, because it’s not like just anyone can be Myspace buddies with T.I.:

• Read more: File: September 2008

Shine A Light
Paramount

After 45 years, countless live albums, and several live films and videos, it was only a matter of time before The Rolling Stones hooked up with Martin Scorsese. It’s a natural: The biggest band in the world teams with the most acclaimed director since Kurosawa, who seems to be contractually obligated to use at least one Stones song in each of his films. The only surprise is it took so long. Plus, it’s not like Scorsese is a stranger to concert films, having directed The Last Waltz — considered by some to be the greatest concert film ever made.

• Read more: DVD Zone: September 2008

On July 20th in front of an adoring crowd of roughly 4,000 fans, blues icon Buddy Guy took to the stage of Millennium Park’s Pritzker Pavilion and received the first annual Great Performer Of Illinois Award. As Chicago Cultural Affairs Commissioner Lois Weisberg presented Guy with the award, the audience exploded into “Buddy! Buddy! Buddy!” shouts, wildly cheering and holding up the large cardboard polka dots cleverly designed for the event.

• Read more: Whole Lotta Lovin’

For WKQK-FM 101.1 listeners, the morning drive is now an awful lot like the afternoon drive.

On August 11th, the former afternoon team of Brian Sherman and Steve Tingle took over the morning slot after Alan Cox and Jim Lynam’s “The Morning Fix” was given the ax.

• Read more: The Morning After

ION
TTUSB Turntable

If you plan to purchase a turntable to play records several hours a week, you could find better models in the Technics, Sony, or Stanton lines. But if you’re looking to convert your vinyl to digital, Ion, one of the early pioneers of USB turntables, should be at the top of your list.

• Read more: Spin Me Round

Not to say “told you so,” but it’s right there in my July ‘07 Black Sabbath The Dio Years CD review: “The Dio Years would make more sense as a box set with remastered versions of each album.”

As much as I’d like to think Rhino read my review and realized the error of its way, the real reason the label released the five-disc, four-album, Ronnie James Dio-era The Rules Of Hell now is to squeeze a few more bucks out of us. Hardly shocking.

• Read more: Hell Of A Box Set?

“Around Hear” is a monthly feature where a stable of IE writers review albums sent to us by local musicians. If you are interested in having your CD (must have a minimum of three songs) reviewed and are Illinois-based, mail it and any other media materials to 657 A W. Lake St., Chicago IL, 60661. Everything that meets the aforementioned guidelines will be reviewed in the order received. This may take several months.

Though he has guitar talent to spare, Jeffery Bravo’s The Ride depends too much on the instrument. Even when he tries to mix it up with a little Prodigy-esque techno, all the heavy guitar licks overwhelm every other aspect to the point where one wonders why Bravo bothered with the additional instrumentation. (www.jefferybravoguitar.com)
– Dean Ramos

• Read more: Local CD Reviews

While there’s no denying the sincerity or songwriting talents of singer Thomas Pace, his fourth self-released album, New American Way, leaves a bit to be desired. Sweet, tuneful tracks such as “60 Seconds Wasted” and “The Damage Is Done” are just a couple of the extremely well-crafted songs here, but overall, the end product is bland, leaving little impression either way. (www.thomaspace.com)
– Dean Ramos

• Read more: Around Hear Page 2

Eddie Vedder
Auditorium Theatre, Chicago
Thursday, August 21, 2008

It could just as easily have taken place next to a campfire, the mood was so relaxed. But there was no denying the anything-but-subdued ovation that greeted Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder was coming from an enraptured, ticket-buying audience who snatched up some 5,000 tickets in record time. The occasion was the first of two sold-out solo performances at Louis Sullivan’s Auditorium Theatre.

• Read more: Eddie Vedder solo!