Columns
Spins: Paul McCartney • Amoeba Gig
Paul McCartney Amoeba Gig (MPL/Capitol/UMe) Lots of artists play informal sets at record shops when promoting an album. These appearances offer the chance for fans to get up-close-and-personal with their favorites, but how memorable could they be without the pomp and production of a full-blown concert experience? If the artist in question is Paul McCartney, […]
Spins: Hall & Oates • Our Kind of Soul
Daryl Hall & John Oates’ Our Kind of Soul (Friday Music) Making its vinyl debut, this reissue of 2004’s Our Kind of Soul takes a deep dive into the roots of Daryl Hall & John Oates’ chart-topping blue-eyed soul. The duo’s own ebullient “Let Love Take Control” fits well alongside an urgent performance of the […]
Spins: Tuff Sunshine • Dig Deeper, Peanut
Tuff Sunshine Dig Deeper, Peanut (Declared Goods) Brooklyn’s Johnny Leitera returns with his second full-length LP under the Tuff Sunshine banner. Dig Deeper, Peanut shows no sign of a sophomore slump, and why would it? Leitera proved his songwriting mettle with Low Water before stretching out for a pair of pseudo-solo EPs and 2015’s celebrated […]
Spins: Rush • Permanent Waves 40th Anniversary
Rush Permanent Waves (40th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition) (Anthem/Mercury/UMe) With the passing of beloved drum virtuoso Neil Peart early this year, the days are gone when Rush fans can anticipate new music from the Canadian progressive rock heroes. However, it’s a great time to celebrate Peart’s memory and rediscover the band’s rich catalog. The trio […]
Hello, My Name Is… Butch Walker
Mega-producer and solo artist Butch Walker fully understands the dire scope of our current coronavirus pandemic, which is forcing folks all over the world to shelter in claustrophobic place while the worst passes. But — truth be told — he’s noticed no tangible difference in his day to day Malibu activities, he swears. “I’m at […]
Media – June 2020
Marc Silverman was already having a tough go of it, trying to do a sports talk radio show (Waddle & Silvy, afternoons, ESPN Radio AM 1000) in a time with no live sports, when he began to suspect there might be something wrong with his health. “I didn’t really have any symptoms. I wasn’t feeling […]
Spins: Local H • LIFERS
LOCAL HLIFERS(AntiFragile) Twenty-five years after their debut, Scott Lucas’ Local H continues to defy the odds – not only by producing aggressive music that still matters but by being a band that appeals to both city and suburban crowds. Their musical magnetism continues to be strong across both musical spectrums, and that’s no small feat. […]
Media – May 2020
The Mix Morning show (WTMX, 101.9FM) is now officially called Eric in the Morning with Melissa and Whip. After an unprecedented run of success during morning drive time in Chicago, everyone knows Eric Ferguson, the star of the show. Most also know Melissa McGurren, a trusted co-host for many years. But who in the world […]
Sweet Home – April 2020 • Blues Rona Playlist
A Blues Rona Playlist These are challenging times as the Covid-19 pandemic has touched all corners of the globe, all countries, and all societies. The quarantine forces us inside to piece together new routines around an uncertain situation. Music has always been a refuge in fearful circumstances, and blues literally evolved from pain, so there’s […]
Spins: Greg Dulli • “Random Desire”
Greg Dulli Random Desire (Royal Cream/BMG) Calling this “the first solo album” by The Afghan Whigs frontman Greg Dulli isn’t technically truthful – unless it’s a deliberate attempt to erase 2005’s Amber Headlights altogether. Whether first or second, it was time for another musical road less traveled for Dulli. Surviving way longer than most rock […]
Spins: Pearl Jam • “Gigaton”
Pearl Jam Gigaton (Monkeywrench/Republic) Pearl Jam’s timing for the end of the world record is impeccable. The Seattle-based quartet’s recorded output has been stalled for nearly seven years, and apparently, they have some shit they want to get off their chests. The band’s eleventh record, Gigaton, also finds its members looking for new ways to […]
Media – April 2020
Steve Darnall remembers the exact moment he became obsessed with old time radio. “It was 1977, and I was driving in the car with my dad. I asked him to turn on the radio, and he turned on Chuck Shayden’s program, which aired old-time shows from the Golden Age of Radio. Dad told me that […]
Media – March 2020
How long has Pat Cassidy been delivering us the news on the radio by “the dawn’s early light?” “The alarm clock has gone off at 2:30 am for over 40 years,” he says with a laugh. “I go to bed early. The bottom line is that I start going to bed around 6:30 or seven […]
Media: February 2020
Scott Miller was a regular on the radio in Chicago for several decades (WJMK, WCKG, WGN, WDRV, News 101.1 FM, Oprah Radio). Still, a few years ago, after his stint at the Drive (97.1 FM) with Pete McMurray and Dan McNeil, Miller found himself out of work. Despite knowing just about everyone in town, he […]
Media – January 2020
When Brad Edwards was asked to be the co-anchor of the 5, 6, and 10 pm newscasts on CBS-2 Chicago in March of 2019, he was a little taken aback. Edwards had been a big part of the award-winning CBS investigative team since 2012, and “anchor” was a whole different ballgame. He knew what […]
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