All Entries in the "File" Category
File: October 2011
Energizing Bunnies: The Windy City’s resurgence as a setting for motion pictures has spilled onto the small screen, notably with “Boss” and “The Playboy Club” hoping to outlast the since-canceled “Chicago Code.” These programs draw high numbers of Chicagoans, who no doubt sit close to their sets wearing loupes to pinpoint flaws.
Hello, My Name Is Susan
Q&A with Human League’s Susan Ann Sulley
IE: What’s been going on during the decade between Human League albums?
Susan Ann Sulley: The last album, Secrets, didn’t do so well because the record company [Papillon] went bankrupt when it came out, and we had to pick ourselves up from that.
File: September 2011
Festival Tragedies
The way they’re marketed – like vacations – it’s easy to forget that music festivals are as prone to fate’s whim as anything. While flash-mob gate-crashing at Lollapalooza didn’t become a national epidemic like the England riots, Cheap Trick’s experience at the Ottawa (Canada) Bluesfest in July shockingly repeated itself twice more in August. [...]
Hello, My Name Is Rik
Q&A with Triumph’s Rik Emmett
IE: What did your life look like throughout the ’80s during the Triumph whirlwind?
Rik Emmett: I remember it being an exciting time and a pressure-filled time. We were a unique entity in managing ourselves and we had our own office, studio, and a pretty intense relationship with the record company.
File: August 2011
Timlollarpalooza
In keeping with last month’s baseball-themed Pitchfork Festival preview, we’ve dedicated our Lollapalooza snippet to the playing days of former San Diego Padres pitcher Tim Lollar, who did his damnedest to help the Cubs win in ‘84 (4 IP, 2 HR, 4 BB). Lollar also wears the distinction of having been traded to the White [...]
Hello, My Name Is Dolly
Q&A with Dolly Parton
IE: What advice would you pass on to a 20-year-old Dolly?
Dolly Parton: One of my favorite sayings of all time is that to thine ownself be true. I think that says so much.
File: July 2011
Ah, Gee, Pat
More than 50 Major League ballplayers have gone 6-for-6 at the plate in a single game – a handful went 6-for-7; only Rennie Stennett ever hit 7-for-7 – but no Chicago reps since One Dog in ‘95 and Scammin’ Sammy in ‘93. What could we possibly be driving at? Last year, for its [...]
File: June 2011
June Buggin’
As if Middle Easterners don’t have enough problems in this country, the term “Arab Spring” will become the opposite of “Indian Summer” and signify a relentless, wintry malaise. (You say it means revolution, well, you know . . . ) But at last it’s June, and you can smash that icy lake breeze in [...]
Hello, My Name Is Cathy
Q&A With Cathy Richardson
IE: What led you to forming your new group, Macrodots?
Cathy Richardson: I met Zack [Smith, also of Scandal fame] when I was living in San Francisco and we started writing together. He’s a very prolific writer and producer and he had a lot of great tracks without lyrics or vocals. The first song [...]
File: May 2011
O Come, O Come Emanuel
On the 16th, Chicago will inaugurate its first new mayor in 22 years. Despite the inevitable letdown breathed by every new administration that has ever taken office anywhere, Chicago’s music community seems cautiously optimistic
Hello, My Name Is J.P.
Q&A with Surfer Blood’s J.P. Pitts
IE: Describe the EP: stuff you’re playing live, a tip of the cap to Kanine Records before diving into Warner Bros.?
J.P. Pitts: A little bit of everything. We did want to release something to bridge the first record
Hello, My Name Is Corporate
Q&A with Macabre’s Corporate Death
IE: We want to give you a little grief, because you took eight years to put an album together, which conveniently landed you on your 25th anniversary.
File: April 2011
Oil-ty Payments
Conventional wisdom says that if record companies are so miserly when it comes to doling out royalty monies, the only real way for an artist to make bank is through appearance and performance fees. Corporate events and celebrity/billionaire birthdays have long been part of the circuit, but, while North Africa burned, it emerged that [...]
File: March 2011
Austin Power
Yes, the South By Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas has become something entirely different. Like MTV, SXSW doesn’t aspire to modesty. Miller Lite and Chevrolet are sponsors, Duran Duran and Duff McKagan will perform, and sxsw.com features an interview with “American Idol” runner-up (and holder of a major-label contract) Crystal Bowersox. There are [...]
Hello, My Name Is Gord
Q&A With Tragically Hip’s Gord Downie
IE: How do you balance The Tragically Hip with your solo career?
Gord Downie: I don’t really worry about balance. Just like anybody, I move from one thing to the other. I’m into the process of discovering things and chasing surprises.
