In Another World, the first new album from Cheap Trick in almost four years, is due out April 9. The band released the hard-hitting but catchy “Light Up The Fire” as the first single this past Thursday, and it’s available on various streaming sites. The album will include “The Summer Looks Good On You,” which was released as a single a few years back, but not Cheap Trick’s excellent cover of David Bowie’s “Rebel Rebel.”
In addition to being a legendary guitarist who’s performed solo, as well as with The Faces and The Rolling Stones, Ron Wood is famous for creating art. (It’s the motif in his compelling documentary Somebody Up There Likes Me.) Wood recently hit upon the fun idea of selling A2 lithographic prints of the colorful set lists he created while touring with The Rolling Stones.
“During rehearsals, I draw up set lists on big canvasses, putting down the songs and the keys they’re in,” Wood explains on his official online store. “We hang these set lists on the rehearsal room walls so we know where we’ve been and where we’re going.”
Fans can purchase these prints, which feature a gold stamp for authenticity, at the online site. American set lists include 2019 shows in Chicago, Seattle, Philadelphia, and Houston, and can be purchased for $100. Set lists from 2018 Rolling Stones’ gigs across Europe are also available.
I’ve been meaning to mention freelance music critic Britt Julious for some time because of her Local Sounds column in the Chicago Tribune. There are less and less opportunities for Chicago area music acts to garner publicity, and Julious covers a wide range of genres for a major daily newspaper. She had an interesting profile on the power pop band The Deals in yesterday’s edition.
I’ve been enjoying the music of The Unswept for years, in live performances at International Pop Overthrow - Chicago as well as on their recordings. Their bio describes them as native Brits who moved to Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, and they’ve always had a clever way with lyrics. They can also throw verbal punches if they feel the political climate merits that sort of thing.
The Unswept’s brand new EP Power Pop For All People is, I believe, their first collection of cover versions. The choices here are impeccable—“Cynical Girl” by Marshall Crenshaw, “I Can’t Sleep” by The La’s; “I Must Be In Love” by The Rutles, and “So It Goes” by Nick Lowe.” Each number is delivered via The Unswept’s ringing guitars and fetching vocals. Splendid.
As advertised in the current issue of MOJO magazine, The Royal Mint’s third coin in its Music Legends collection honors David Bowie. The £11,520.00 Gold Proof Limited Edition is no longer available, but you can still choose from options that range from £65.00 to £15.00. The two previous honorees were Elton John and Queen.
It was a pleasant surprise when I opened this past Wednesday’s edition of the Chicago Sun-Times and saw my nephew Joe Flamm on the cover of the Taste section. He was among the choices for an article (picked up from the Eater website) titled The 10 Most Anticipated Chicago Restaurants of 2021. As a former chef at the critically acclaimed Spiaggia restaurant on Michigan Avenue and the Season 15 Top Chef winner, Joe caught the attention of local culinary followers a few years back when he announced his plan to open a Croation/Italian restaurant. The arrival of COVID-19 delayed the process, but things are looking good for a grand opening this year.
Get them in time for spring training. As we’ve seen from the annual Hot Stove Cool Music events in Boston and Chicago, there’s a definite connection between baseball and rock music. The all-star/all-woman Band Of Their Own (BOTO) made up their own baseball cards featuring the group’s members, but as far as I know they’re only available at BOTO gigs. In a similar vein, BN59 Pop Art Sports Cards use the classic baseball card format so many of us cherished as kids to honor rock musicians. The choices lean toward metal acts, but you’ll also find The Beatles, The Who, The Beach Boys, Cheap Trick, The Monkees, and The Kinks. You can purchase BN59 Pop Art Sports Cards on eBay. Sets generally run $20, but prices can go quite a bit higher.
Chicago’s long-time music venue Metro has created a yearbook titled Hindsight 2020 that’s available through its online store. Funds go directly to the venue to help it stay in business during these challenging times. The softcover version is $30, and you can skip the $5 shipping fee if you pick up your copy in person. There’s also a $75 limited-edition hardcover edition that’s autographed by Chicago photographer Derrick Smith and Metro’s founder Joe Shanahan. I just got an email stating the softcover copy I ordered has been shipped.
Yesterday, I received the very cool Protect Live Music long-sleeved t shirt I ordered from the Consequence of Sound website. To help music venues, 50% of net sales will be donated to the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) Emergency Relief Fund.
The Chicago-based indie rock label Big Blast Records has just released a various artists compilation titled The Big Singles Vol. 1 on its Bandcamp page. It features tracks by The Bishop’s Daredevil Stunt Club; The Glad Machine; Golden Richards; Mark Watson Band; The Peeves and Phil Angotti.
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