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The Great Crusades interview
The Great Crusades Teutons Of Fun Picture the scene: Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip just as the burgeoning, glittery hard rock scene is shining a national spotlight on bands intent on making a case for Aqua Net stock to surge. Fresh faced 17-year-old Brian Leach, with the approval of his high-school teacher father, leaves the hearty […]
DVD Zone: January 2008
Once Fox Searchlight It seems to happen every year: The S.L.I., or Scrappy Little Indie. At some point a scrappy little indie flick from across the pond shows up on our doorstep to remind us $300 million is not needed to make a good film. It will generally be about a scrappy dweller (or dwellers) […]
Year In Blues Review
During a recent talk at Northwestern University by Israeli professor and musician Karen Alkalay-Gut, the conversation turned to language and perception in poetry and music. Alkalay-Gut teaches Hebrew poetry in English at Tel Aviv University. As the discussion became musical, a British chap in attendance disparaged rock music played in various cultures, claiming it to […]
California Leavin’
Spending a year and a half on the road with George Clinton – recording all the funkmeister’s live gigs and producing a bevy of tracks – and employed as Snoop Dogg’s personal engineer for three years, Nate Oberman has witnessed the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle from an up-close-and-personal vantage. His working relationship with The Doggfather […]
Year In Gear
Once again it has been an interesting and exciting year for new products and musical gadgets in the world of “Gear.” Here’s our list of 2007’s best stuff. 1. Alesis iMultiMix 8 USB (May) We’re fans of new music products that yolk old-school design with new technologies, and Alesis‘ MultiMix series with iPod connectivity (spearheaded […]
You Wanted The Best?
This was a good year for heavy music, and by that, I mean there were a lot of really good records released. So I hounded some notable Chicagoland headbangers and begged them to name their top five heavy albums of 2007. A few people used the ol’ “in no particular order” line when they submitted […]
Local CD Reviews
“Around Hear” is a monthly feature where a stable of IE writers review albums sent to us by local musicians. If you are interested in having your CD (must have a minimum of three songs) reviewed and are Illinois-based, mail it and any other media materials to 657 A W. Lake St., Chicago IL, 60661. […]
Around Hear Page 2
As a musical contributor to WGN Radio’s “Steve And Johnnie Show,” you won’t always hear the full effects of Jeff Frankel‘s musical abilities over AM radio, but his reissued Sometime In The A.M. captures a guitarist whose abilities are so impressive and effortless, it’s a wonder to those who appreciate the instrument. With a style […]
Cover Story: Battle Of The Bands
What’s Going On? Seeing Change In The Sea Change: The Music Industry In Flux About six weeks before the music world descended upon Lower Manhattan for the 2007 CMJ New Music Marathon, one of the punk era’s great icons, CBGB founder Hilly Kristal, died at age 75. His club, which closed in 2006 after a […]
Billy Bob Thornton interview
Billy Bob Thornton Been There A handful of diehard fans wander around outside the club-parked tour bus like Dawn Of The Dead shopping-mall zombies. They don’t seem to know what to do, only that they’re supposed to be here for some reason, since something they crave might be lurking within. And it is.
Holiday CD Gift Guide 2007
Holiday Gift Guide Get your gift on with these megasets: An 11-minute remix of “Let Me Ride?” Merry Christmas indeed! The Death Row Records empire crumbled long, long ago, but that hasn’t stopped Suge Knight from digging up every half-ass remix, freestyle, and D-side in the vaults to make a few bucks. Snoop Dogg, Dr. […]
Little Brother interview
Little Brother The Return When hip-hop’s golden era died down in the mid-’90s, so did many of the greatest groups responsible for that renaissance.
Old Town School’s 50th
50 Folkin’ Years Of The Old Town School Of Folk Frank Hamilton phones in for this interview about 45 minutes late. Seems the 73-year-old folk singer/teacher and his wife are running behind schedule due to a late night singing at a Democratic Socialists Of America labor rally in their homebase of Atlanta. Appearing: Saturday December […]
Scotland Yard Gospel Choir interview
Scottland Yard Gospel Choir Welcome To Splitsville Elia Einhorn, the man behind Chicago collective Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, warns you should always know exactly who you plan on serenading. After leaving rehearsal recently with a few of his bandmates, Einhorn had the spontaneous idea of playing a song for a couple that happened to be […]
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