Features
LongShot
Longshot Sure Fire When Chicago’s ever-eager Longshot was getting ready to record his third album last year, this MC/poet (legally known as Chad Heslup) made a decision most hip-hop acts would write off as flat-out ludicrous: He put his own album on the backburner to help out his fellow Chicago hip-hoppers. Even while under contract […]
Hank III
Hank III Spittin’ Image Shelton Hank Williams, or Hank III as he’s better known, will be excited to see his new record, Straight To Hell (Curb), on store shelves, but excuse him if he won’t allow himself to become too enthusiastic. “Yeah,” he says with a thick Southern drawl, “I’ll believe it when I see […]
Cover Story: Lost Albums
Release Me The releases of Brian Wilson’s Smile and one head of Fiona Apple’s bi-cephaloid Extraordinary Machine spotlighted artistic endeavors that had, until then, been considered lost. Both were hailed as masterpieces — Wilson’s for 37 years — before their formal introductions, only two items in a whole world of aborted projects. What’s interesting is […]
Those Damned Gideons
Bible Of The Devil For The Kids, Man “That’s our first setlist right there on the deerskin,” Greg Spalding, Bible Of The Devil drummer, says as he points toward the back of the band’s practice space in the Superior Street rehearsal facility. There hanging from the wall is, as advertised, a deer pelt with a […]
Chemical Bryar
My Chemical Romance Getting Windy My Chemical Romance might be touted as a New Jersey band, but they’re based, not literally but rhythmically in Chicago. That essence can be attributed to the addition of West Suburban drummer Bob Bryar in 2004.
Run For It, Marty!
Marty Casey & Lovehammers Star Time Hanging out with his buddy in a swank Hollywood pub recently and buying rounds of drinks for all his newfound bar friends, Marty Casey was feeling — if not on top of the world — then pretty damn close. Letting the relaxing effects of alcohol wash over him, he […]
Studio feature!
Price Point: Chicago Studios Adapt To The Home Recording Revolution In the ever-changing music industry, recording studios are adapting and re-molding themselves to stay competitive. Not all studios have been able to fight the battle. Major institutions such as Hit Factory in New York and Cello in Los Angeles have closed. Some studios in Chicago […]
Six Feet Above
Sia Waiting To Exhale Sia, known to the Australian government as Sia Kate Isobelle Furler, is familiar with fate, deja vu, fortune reversals, and other tricks at the universe’s disposal. When she awakens in the morning, celestial entities tremble, the Earth’s polarity relocates, and God cracks his knuckles. But for right now she has one […]
M’s Are Back
The M’s 21st Century Boys Anyone who has attended a local rock show over the last few years is sure to have seen The M’s’ name pop up on one marquee after another. Besides introducing their rebellious, guitar-slinging sounds on solo headlining shows, the gang have also opened shows for a slew of indie icons […]
Cover story: Mancow
The World According To Mancow The Merchandise Mart is bustling with business long before many people’s alarms have gone off. People in smart suits populate the various stores and restaurants — cutting deals, spending money. In Q101’s headquarters on the second floor, a flurry of activity makes what’s going on outside its doors seem pretty […]
Veruca Salt Returns
Veruca Salt Saline Solutions “I love the Entertainer!” exclaims Louise Post by phone from her current home in Los Angeles. “I used to read it every month. It’s such an honor to have a feature in there. I’m really psyched. You guys have always been behind us, and it’s really awesome because, you know, we’re […]
Allister feature
Allister Bent, Not Broken A mere three months after Allister’s sophomore album was released in 2002, the quartet lost half of their members, leaving the group without a drummer or guitarist. The Chicago-based outfit were forced to either end the band or search for replacements.
Siegel Schwall Interview
The Siegel-Schwall Band Talkin’ Corky & Jim Blues It’s hard to imagine Ginger Baker sparking the Cream reunion by calling up Eric Clapton saying, “Look, I have this new tape recorder and need a band to test it out.” It’s not exactly what coaxed The Siegel-Schwall Band back into the studio, but it’s close. While […]
The Living Blue
The Living Blue Back In Blue “I love indie music, even though I think a lot of younger bands are using the indie rock tag to get away with sloppiness. But that’s all right. We were there, too. I think a true indie musician is one who stays true to themselves. It just takes a […]
Ike Reilly: Death Becomes Him
In another life, Chicago roots rocker Ike Reilly probably hung around the gallows, or maybe that’s his cameo as the gravedigger in Hamlet, irreverently framing the differences between the quick and the dead. From nowhere else could songs like “What A Day” come.
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