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Siderunners interview
Siderunners Keep Your Motor Running Joseph DeFily (Sappy, as he’s also known), the guitarist/lead vocalist of Siderunners, planned to lie low after returning to Chicago in November. He avoided going much of anywhere except work and Siderunners bassist Zack Schnieder’s house, his current residence. Yet here he is, sitting in a booth in the Double […]
Hello, My Name Is William
Hello, My Name Is William Q&A with William Elliott Whitmore IE: It’s been three years since the last record. How much of that time was spent writing and recording. William Elliott Whitmore: What, Song Of The Blackbird came out in 2006, I guess it must have been? Honestly, after that record came out I wasn’t […]
File: February 2009
But Who’s Buying? We all know about the vinyl rage. Things have gotten so rough, a 62-year-old woman had her eyes clawed out at an Uptown thrift store over a bullseye-striped copy of Ozzy Osbourne’s No Rest For The Wicked the other day. Really.
DVD Zone: February 2009
The Secret Policeman’s Ball (Shout Factory) In 1976 Peter Luft, the assistant director of Amnesty International, made a phone call to John Cleese, founding member of the legendary British comedy troupe Monty Python. At the time, Amnesty was a struggling organization barely making ends meet in the fight to bring awareness of human rights violations […]
Passing The Torch: Odetta & Miriam Makeba
Two vital women, American folk singer and civil-rights activist Odetta and South Africa’s voice of hope and freedom, Miriam Makeba, passed away within weeks of one another in late 2008. Makeba, 76, died of cardiac arrest after performing in Italy November 9th, and Odetta Holmes, 77, succumbed to heart disease December 2nd. Though they weren’t […]
Local Studio Happenings
At BOMBSHELTER RECORDING STUDIO in Park Ridge, Dan Precision, founding member of Rise Against and 88 Fingers Louie, finished the vinyl remaster of Shot Baker‘s Take Control. He originally engineered, mixed, and produced the CD, and Blaise Barton mastered it . . . Precision also worked with gothic metal band Urn; he tracked all of […]
Heavy Duty Rock ‘N’ Roll
Lair Of The Minotaur‘s War Metal Battle Master might not have been the best heavy metal record of 2008 (fifth best, says me), but I can’t think of a more metal heavy metal record released all year. It’s only fitting the Chicago band also made the most metal music video, too.
Reasons To Be Cheerful Pt. III: “JBTV”
“I love to help those that have talent, give them a place to be a rock star . . . on ‘JBTV,’” says Jerry Bryant, who has been bringing alternative-music videos, concert footage, and free-form interviews to the Chicago area since 1986. “JBTV” has featured everyone from The Afghan Whigs to Zwan, and won two […]
It’s NAMM, man
NAMM show postgame Despite the dodgy economy, there was no lack of enthusiasm or new musical instruments and sound/recording gear at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California last month. Here are a few of our favorites.
Local CD reviews
It’s tough to be negative about Brown Like Fiasco, a band so friggin’ happy on tracks like “Lovely Day” and “Somewhere” from Superstar. But the group’s Mr. Rogers outlook on life sucks all the power out of its power pop. Nothin’ wrong with feel-good jams, but these guys could write a cheery song huddled in […]
Cover Story: The 25 Greatest Chicago Songs
Illinois Entertainer presents: The 25 Songs That Make Chicago Shake With the album declining due to the Internet, we’re here to help kick it out the door and celebrate the songs that gave them life. But not just any songs: Chicago songs. Good grief, was this difficult. First, don’t ask what the parameters were – […]
Of Course, Chicago Wouldn’t Be Great Without . . .
The 25 Greatest Chicago Songs Drawing the 25 Greatest Chicago Songs took some effort, and don’t think any of the following didn’t factor in. And to think, there’s so much more (metal, industrial, hip-hop, jazz) to be mined.
Songs 1 to 10
Illinois Entertainer picks the 25 greatest songs in Chicago history, continued below. Click here for 11 to 20 and here for 21 to 25.
Songs 11 to 20
Illinois Entertainer picks the 25 greatest songs in Chicago history, continued below. Click here for 1 to 10 and here for 21 to 25.
Songs 21 to 25
Illinois Entertainer picks the 25 greatest songs in Chicago history, continued below. Click here for 1 to 10 and here for 11 to 20.
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