Columns
Gear: August 2009
MARSHALL MG2FX Portable Amplifier Marshall Amplification has added the portable MG2FX to its popular MG4 line of mini practice guitar amps. It offers a simple interface consisting of four dual-function knobs to provide access to 10 unique stage settings, five digital effects, a two-band EQ, and a tuner. As you expect, the MG2FX can run […]
Studiophile: August 2009
Studiophile August 2009 J-Miah At COMFORTZONE RECORDS in Oswego, J-Miah and producer Jason Mackniskas recorded the last two tracks needed to finish his debut album . . . On The House from Indiana University At Bloomington threw a three-song demo down featuring Brice Fox (vocals/piano), Bryan Flinn (vocals/guitar), Conor O’Toole (lead guitar), Ben Shulman (bass), […]
File: July 2009
God Bless The Queen The blues world has lost its Queen. Koko Taylor, whose raw-edged, impassioned vocals won the hearts of fans worldwide for five decades, passed away at 80 on June 3rd of complications from gastrointestinal surgery.
Hello, My Name Is Lita
Q&A With Lita Ford IE: I’ve noticed a lot of Runaways imports in the record stores. That seems to be really hot right now. What is your involvement, if any, in the upcoming Runaways biopic? Lita Ford: We’ve had a bit of a falling out, and I just don’t care to be a part of […]
Around Hear: July 2009
Local Band Reviews Lubriphonic Lock five skilled blues musicians from the heart of Chicago in a room and ask them to jam for a couple of hours, and what do you get? Hopefully an all-out blues-soul-funk experience — and in the case of Chicago newcomers Lubriphonic, that’s exactly what’s delivered. The quintet lets all its […]
Media: July 2009
Live Local Bands Get Their Own Free Weekly (Free) TV Show “We’re encouraging local bands to support each other in a grassroots way,” says John Sink, executive producer of “Chicago/ Live,” a new live, weekly music performance series that airs Wednesday nights at midnight on WJYS TV-Channel 62 — just after “JBTV.” Editors note: Due […]
Caught In A Mosh: July 2009
Master’s No Puppet As if Master wasn’t enough of a reason to like Paul Speckmann, the dude credits this humble little magazine with boosting his career! In early 1984 Speckmann had just left War Cry (which, along with fellow Chicago doomsters Trouble, was a major influence on the mighty Cathedral) and craved something faster, more […]
Sweet Home: July 2009
Whole Lotta Music Goin’ On The bright spot in an otherwise drab and dreary spring is the group of high-quality new releases that have crossed my desk for review. I am especially pleased to see that Chicago labels are recording local talent — a trend I hope continues. As I have said many times before […]
DVD Zone: July 2009
Iron Maiden: Flight 666 UMe If Bruce Dickinson isn’t the coolest person on the planet, I’d be hard-pressed to tell you who is. Not only is he still one of the best and most charismatic frontmen in the business at age 50, but if he needs to catch the afternoon shuttle from London to Cardiff, […]
Yeah Yeah Yeahs live
Aragon, Chicago Tuesday, May 26, 2009 A common concern with success is whether someone gets too big too quickly. In Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ case, they went from a venue the size of the Riviera (where this show was originally booked) to the Aragon in a matter of weeks. No wonder frontwoman Karen O. didn’t know […]
Hello, My Name Is Dan
Q&A With Tortoise’s Dan Bitney IE: Beacons Of Ancestorship is a mouthful of a title. What were the runners up? Dan Bitney: That’s always the biggest struggle for us — naming stuff is the last thing we do. Appearing: Friday, July 17th at Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago.
File: June 2009
VIA CHICAGO This space was originally a set of light jibes regarding the legal dispute brought against Wilco‘s Jeff Tweedy by former bandmate and writing partner Jay Bennett. Bennett, who was fired in 2001 after seven years in Wilco, claimed Tweedy owed him songwriting royalties as well as compensation for his appearance in the documentary […]
DVD Zone: June 2009
Revolutionary Road 20th Century Fox After taking a trip to the Middle East with Jarhead, director Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road To Perdition) returns to the fertile ground of middle-American dysfunction with Revolutionary Road. Teaming up again are Titanic co-stars Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio as April and Frank Wheeler, but there are no “king […]
Caught In A Mosh: June 2009
THE DEVIL IN DETAIL “I’ll be shocked if The Devil You Know isn’t absolutely awesome.” I typed those words in my April column. It was less than a month until said Heaven & Hell album’s April 28th release and I, like many metalheads, was very excited.
Media: June 2009
FREE RADIO STILL RELEVANT – ESPECIALLY FOR MUSICIANS A few years ago, Massachusetts-based musician Candace Clement was in a band called Better Friends Than Lovers when she started taking a hard look at how the music industry works. “A pattern quickly emerged — one where very few companies seemed to control all content,” says Clement, […]
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