Monthly
A Change Is Gonna Come
“Sam Cooke was a golden child around whom a family mythology was constructed long before he achieved fame or added the e to his last name.” — Peter Guralnick, Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke.
And The Winner Is . . . ?
After years of flying under the radar and often being ignored altogether, Chicago hip-hop finally busted the mainstream seal during the last two years with the help of high-profile releases by Common, Twista, and Kanye West. And while it’s easy to credit those artists with lighting the spark, the truth is producer/rapper The Legendary Traxster […]
If You Tape It They Will Come — Part II
Imagine seeing your favorite band in an intimate, 400-seat venue where the worst seat in the house is 25 feet from the stage. Imagine the show starts and ends on time, and the artists will show the offstage side of their personality. Then imagine the venue is acoustically perfect. Add free parking and it sounds […]
Play Like A Girl
DAISY ROCK GUITARS Rock Candy Series If girl-on-girl rock is your thing, Daisy Rock Guitars, the “girl guitar” company, is expanding their Rock Candy Series with the new and positively feminine Rainbow Sparkle and Power Pink finishes. It’s enough to make Courtney Love sick, but that’s a good thing. The Rock Candy guitars feature a […]
Brazil, Beats, & Hip-Hop
Despite Austin Powers‘ groovy musical imagery, the swingin’ ’60s weren’t just about psychedelic rock riffs. The sounds of Brazil, from “The Girl From Ipanema” to various samba and bossa nova hybrids, also ruled, and Sergio Mendes and his group, Brazil 66, were at the forefront of the movement. From the moment they burst onto the […]
Local CD Reviews
The Brutal Poetry Of Existence, by thrash metal band A.S.A., is a multi-dimensional album that delivers some angry screaming tracks (“Rancor,” “Overwhelmed”) and some with more melodic vocal alterations (“The Perfectionist”). “4571” showcases the band’s potential and diversity, surprisingly ending with a piano solo. The songs have powerful production, but this is a band better […]
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 […]
Michael Anthony Q&A
Hello, My Name Is Michael IE: You’ve just released the third and fourth entries into your line of Mad Anthony sauces. What started this? Michael Anthony: I like to cook, but, you know, the rappers are all doing clothes, so I can’t. Might as well do the sauce. I’ve always loved hot sauce, and through […]
Lene Lovich Q&A
Hi, My Name Is Lene IE: Your new album, Shadows And Dust, is infused with supernatural themes. Lene Lovich: We deal with the real world everyday. It gets a little tedious [laughs]. I’ve always been interested in unnatural and spooky things. I’m not really so much into horror for the sake of people dying and […]
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.
BUT THE SOCKS ARE SO CHEAP!
Wal-Mart — The High Cost Of Low Prices Bravenew Films Word of advice to small business owners: If you find out a Wal-Mart is coming to your town, start scanning Monster.com to figure out what your next career path is going to be.
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