Slumgullion

U.K. author and pop music historian Malcolm C. Searles had a recent post on Facebook heralding his new book The Hollies: Riding The Carousel. It’s slated for release sometime this spring via his own Dojotone Publications, and will join his efforts on The Beach Boys, Bread, and The Association. Initially, it will be available only in the U.K. but Searles noted on Facebook that he’s willing to ship to America. Of course, I already have some fabulous Hollies-related autobiographies from Graham Nash and Bobby Elliott, but Riding The Carousel will probably be a nice addition.

Chicago Theatre Week traditionally takes place in venues across the city, but the 2021 edition kicked off in virtual performance mode yesterday and will continue like that through March 7. Over 100 local theatre companies are involved, with admission prices ranging from $15 to $30. Some shows can be viewed for free. Participants include 16th Street Theater; A Red Orchid Theatre; Aguijon Theater; American Blues Theater; Annoyance Theatre; Artemisia Theatre; Auditorium Theatre; Babes with Blades; Beverly Arts Center; Black Ensemble Theater; Broadway In Chicago; Chicago Dramatists; Chicago Latino Theater Alliance; Chicago Shakespeare On Navy Pier Theatre; Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Chopin Theatre; City Lit Theatre; Collaboraction Theatre Company; Congo Square Theatre Company; Goodman Theatre; Griffin Theatre Company;  Harold Washington Cultural Center; Harris Theater; Her Story Theater; Hubbard Street Dance Chicago; Lifeline Theatre; Lookingglass Theatre Company; Lyric Opera Of Chicago; Metropolis Performing Arts Centre; Otherworld Theatre Company; Porchlight Music Theatre; Raven Theatre; Remy Bumppo Theatre Company; Shattered Globe Theatre; Silk Road Rising; Steep Theatre; Steppenwolf Theatre Company; Strawdog Theatre Company; The Factory Theater Company; The Neo-Futurist Theater; and The Plagiarists. The fact that I didn’t have space to list all the venues involved, and that so many are well known—some even around the country—underscores the vitality and diversity of Chicago’s theatre scene.

The Go-Go’s documentary is now available on BluRay/DVD and assorted streaming sites. The film was directed by Alison Eastwood and covers the band’s career from its earliest days on the Los Angles punk scene. The Go-Go’s are now in fifth place in the 2021 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductee Voting. Fela Kuti is still in first place, followed by Tina Turner, Foo Fighters, and Iron Maiden.

If you’re dreaming of summer days when you can throw an outdoor bash but worry about competition from other people hoping to do the same, here’s something to make your backyard an essential place to party. Yellow Submarine Adirondack Chairs. A set of four is available for  $1,596 at The Beatles Store.  Single chairs are available for $350.

Congratulations to Jeff Lynne on marking his 50th anniversary with ELO. His Instagram page promises, “Throughout the year, we will be sharing special 50th anniversary surprises with you.”

Z2 Comics, the publisher of The Final Symphony - A Beethoven Anthology graphic novel, has jumped a few centuries forward with its latest publication. Blondie: Against The Odds will be available in Standard Soft Cover and Hard Cover editions, as well as Deluxe and Super Deluxe versions. John McCrea is the illustrator and Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti are the writers. Prices range from 24.99 for the Soft Cover to 499.99 for the Super Deluxe, which includes a slipcase, music bundle, art prints, and post cards.

Congratulations to The Fest For Beatles Fans on the successful presentation of its Life Of George - A Beatles Birthday Celebration on Zoom yesterday. Appropriate to its honoree, the virtual event exuded a peaceful ambience throughout, whether it was interviews with celebrity guests like Joey Molland from Badfinger or live performances. The highlights included Laurence Juber, a former member of Wings, unveiling an acoustic guitar version of Harrison’s spiritual song “Within You/Without You.” Liverpool—a fan favorite at the Fest For Beatles Fans over the years—performed expertly rendered covers of classic Harrison material for two hours.

Earlier yesterday, Fest For Beatles Fans posted live performances on its Facebook page. I listened to the Chicago band My Sweet Lord performing its Harrison tribute while I was working from home. Today, my work soundtrack involved listening to WXRT playing album sides as part of an all-vinyl celebration. DJs Richard Milne, Lin Brehmer, and Marty Lennartz served up classic rock from The Cars, The Rolling Stones, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Tears For Fears; The Who, John Prine, and others

The Mystery Of Wolf Alice sounds like a good name for a novel, but it’s just a way of describing Wolf Alice’s marketing strategy earlier this week. Teasing fans with the phrase Last Man on Earth and the date February 24, the English group seemed ready to drop its first album in four years. “Last Man On Earth” turned out to be a new single, but a full album titled Blue Weekend is coming June 11. The new song has an atmospheric arrangement that grows more powerful and is augmented by singer-guitarist Ellie Rowsell’s beguiling and multi-layered vocals. 

Saturday Slumgullion

Wolf Alice: New album up their sleeves?

The NME Magazine Instagram site recently reported that Wolf Alice has a new album titled The Last Man On Earth coming out soon. The U.K. band is being pretty cryptic about it on social media, hinting that it could arrive as soon as February 24. When Wolf Alice released Visions Of Life in 2017, I noted in a review here that “lead vocalist Ellie Rowsell can evoke an angel, a street fighter, or an alluring hipster, depending on the song [and the] arrangements flip from pristine to overpowering in a matter of moments.” It will certainly be interesting to hear what they’ve got coming up next.

 

Artist/musician/Beatles pal Klaus Voormann has been added to the list of special guests participating in the virtual Life Of George - A Beatles Birthday Celebration taking place next Thursday, February 25 on Zoom. The event is being presented by The Fest For Beatles Fans and will kick off at 4:00 p.m. and run through 10:00 p.m. CST. Tickets are $15 on EventBrite. The full schedule can be found on The Fest For Beatles Fans website. One of my most prized rock and roll possessions is a copy of Voormann’s birth of an icon - Revolver 50 graphic novel that he autographed for me at Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago a few years back. Voormann created the iconic cover for The Beatles’ Revolver album.

There will also be some pre-event shows this Thursday on The Fest For Beatles Fans Facebook page. My Sweet George, the Chicago-based band led by vocalist Ary Paloma and vocalist-musician Ellis Clark, will be performing at 1:00 p.m. They will be followed by Scott Erickson at 2:00 p.m., and Joe DeJesu at 3:00 p.m.

Chicago-based musician and Beatles fanatic Phil Angotti has a two-hour George Harrison tribute livestream at Fulton Street Collective Arts and Entertainment this Monday night at 8:00 p.m. on YouTube. He’ll be joined by Casey McDonough; Eric Howell; Blair Holmes; and Tony Richards, along with visual artist Melanie Brown. Admission is free.

The Art & Hue online store is offering limited-edition prints from its The King Of Carnaby Street collection through February 28. The prints are inspired by famed London retailer John Stephens, and include portraits of Mick Avery of The Kinks and Jeff Beck, as well as scenes from Carnaby Street in all its 1960s fab gear glory.

The Empty Bottle music venue is sponsoring Waltzer TV: Season II Episode II at 8:00 p.m., February 25 on the Noon Chorus Facebook page. The virtual event will feature Chicago-based indie rock musician Waltzer, AKA Sophie Sputnik, performing songs and comedy sketches, and hosting an off-kilter variety show. An Instagram post by The Empty Bottle stated, “Don’t miss this love letter to you, music, to the city, and our world, airing on Noon Chorus.” Also, be sure to check out The Empty Bottle’s website for ways to help them stay in business during the pandemic. 

As noted by Joe Marchese on The Second Disc website, Elvis Costello has just released a Super Deluxe box set of his 1979 album Armed Forces. It’s strictly a vinyl affair, spreading live performance and studio recordings across a mix of 12-inch and 10-inch records. Twenty three of the live songs were previously unreleased. The Armed Forces box also includes seven notebooks with updated liner notes; a poster; and postcards. All for $199.98.

 

The Chicago Tribune recently carried an article by David Syrek describing how local artist Nikko Washington has created limited-edition hoodies and t-shirts that are currently available at the Chicago Cubs online Ivy Shop. Washington, who earned a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, chose to honor two of the team’s Black players—Ernie Banks and Buck O’Neil. As a lifetime fan of Banks, I ordered the black t-shirt with his image on it. Proceeds from the shirts will benefit the nonprofit organization The Bloc.

The Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit at the Lighthouse ArtSpace in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood has been extended through September 6. Organizers have social distancing, along with numerous other health and safety measures in place, so visitors can be surrounded by the world famous artist’s best works for a little over a half hour.

So far, the late Fela Kuti holds a commanding lead in the 2021 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction voting. Known as a political activist, as well as a vocalist, musician, composer, and bandleader, the Nigerian-born Kuti has a commanding lead over second-place nominee Tina Turner. The top five vote-getters will most likely be the five acts chosen for induction, and if the voting ended today, those five would be Kuti, Turner, Foo Fighters, Iron Maiden, and Carole King. As it is, the voting continues through April 30, so Kate Bush fans (she’s currently in last place) have time to rally behind her. As I mentioned here previously, my choices are Tina Turner, Carole King, Kate Bush, The Go-Go’s, and Todd Rundgren.

This past Thursday’s newspapers brought tributes, and sadly, eulogies for owners of two special venues in the Chicago area. In the Chicago Sun-Times, staff reporter Maureen O’Donnell noted the passing of Mary Jo McGuire, who along with her husband Butch, founded the Butch McGuire’s bar on Division Street. As O’Donnell noted, its legacy is that it was one of the first singles bars in the U.S. Butch McGuire passed away in 2006; the place is now owned by the McGuires’ son Bobby. The Chicago Tribune picked up a Courier-News piece noting that Kathleen Mau, the co-owner of the Blue Box Cafe in Elgin, had suddenly passed away. Mau and her husband Chris began running what they called, “the very first Doctor Who dedicated cafe in North America” in 2014.

I have fond memories of being at both of these venues. Butch McGuire’s was a frequent stop whenever my friends and I hit the Division Street/Rush Street area back in the 1970s and ’80s. My wife Pam and I often stopped by the Blue Box Cafe when we traveled to Elgin to work with Jeff Kelley and Dave Metzger on their short films for the city’s annual Nightmare On Chicago Street Halloween festival. As a Doctor Who fan, I was fascinated with the Blue Box Cafe’s decor. The common thread in those newspaper tributes to McGuire and Mau is how friendly and devoted they and their spouses were to their customers. And how they brought a unique quality to their venues.

Sunday Papers

The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame’s recent announcement of its nominees for induction in 2021 seems to have arrived at least a few months late. Of course, my favorite memory of the whole process came in 2010 when The Hollies got the nod, and the voting was a done deal by December, 2009. At any rate, here are the RRHOF choices for this year: Chaka Khan; Carole King; Dionne Warwick; Iron Maiden; Jay-Z; Mary J. Blige; The Go-Go’s; LL Cool J.; Fela Kuti; Tina Turner; Todd Rundgren; Foo Fighters; New York Dolls; Kate Bush; Devo; and Rage Against The Machine. They’re all qualified for the honor, and as usual, the nominees cover a variety of genres. I always go with a personal favorite, so my top choice is The Go-Go’s. They’re weren’t the first all-woman band to write and perform their own material, but they were one of the first to have a top-selling album doing it. My other selections (fans can choose five nominees) would be Carole King; Tina Turner; Todd Rundgren; and Kate Bush. The voting is being held through April 30.

The February issue of the Illinois Entertainer, with Tom Lanham’s cover story on the U.K. band Pale Waves, is available to view on the long-time music publication’s website. Lanham also interviewed Steve Wynn from The Dream Syndicate; the U.K. band Hen Ogledd; and musician/actor/radio host Little Steven Van Zandt for this issue. (I was a staff writer for the Illinois Entertainer for several years.)

Assembly, a new compilation of Joe Strummer’s solo work, will be released March 26 on the newly relaunched Dark Horse Records. The album features covers of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” and three efforts from his days with The Clash, along with some previously unreleased material. The 16 tracks were remastered by renowned musician/studio engineer Paul Hicks, whose Dad is guitarist Tony Hicks from The Hollies.

The Empty Bottle music venue is sponsoring Waltzer TV: Season II Episode II at 8:00 p.m., February 25 on the Noon Chorus Facebook page. The virtual event will feature Chicago-based indie rock musician Waltzer, AKA Sophie Sputnik, performing songs and comedy sketches, and hosting an off-kilter variety show. An Instagram post by The Empty Bottle stated, “Don’t miss this love letter to you, music, to the city, and our world, airing on Noon Chorus.” Also, be sure to check out The Empty Bottle’s website for ways to help them stay in business during the pandemic.

Speaking of sketch comedy, I took part in a Zoom meeting for current and former members of the Famous In The Future comedy group this past Friday night. I left FIF in 2008, and the group continued to do shows with talented casts through 2019. It’s still alive and well but under lockdown due to COVID-19. Friday night’s meeting was sort of a class reunion, bringing together the 2002 cast. We shared a lot of memories; many based on our shows at the annual Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sins festivals held at the Mary-Arrchie Theatre. Artistic director Rich Cotovsky, channeling the spirit of Abbie, was always amazing. The earlier years of Abbie Fest drew acts that would later become famous, such as Upright Citizens Brigade and actor Michael Shannon.

Cheap Trick’s upcoming new album Another World is going to coming out in a picture disc version, exclusively at Target stores. It’s available for pre-order now. The album officially comes out April 9. The hard-edged and catchy first single, “Light Up The Fire,” is already available on various streaming sites.

The Peter Frampton Band has an instrumental album titled Frampton Forgets The Words coming out April 23 that will includes covers of songs by George Harrison, Radiohead, and David Bowie. According an Instagram post, Frampton plays his 1954 Les Paul Phenix guitar throughout the album. 

Lucy Van Pelt once questioned Schroeder’s admiration for Beethoven by pointing out the composer had never been on a bubblegum card. Surely Beethoven has more credibility now that he’s the subject of a graphic novel/vinyl LP combo from Z2 Comics and the Deutsche Grammophon record label. The Final Symphony: A Beethoven Anthology is available for $24.99 via the z2comics.com Instagram page.

I had to laugh at a post on the officialthewho Instagram site Friday stating HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR - THE YEAR OF THE OX, along with a photo of John Entwistle. The band’s bassist was affectionately nicknamed The Ox for his powerful playing style.

The Fest For Beatles Fans will present Life Of George - A Beatles Birthday Celebration on Zoom from 4:00 to 10:00 pm CST on February 25. The event will include a full-length concert by the top notch Beatles tribute band Liverpool along with their special guests. Other highlights will include Billy J. Kramer, Joey Molland, Peter Asher, Laurence Juber, Tom Scott, and other musicians sharing their memories of working with Harrison. There will also be an online exhibition of George Harrison art hosted by Deco. Fans are invited to submit photos of their art for consideration. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased from Event Brite.

Covered Bridge Creamery in Long Grove is looking for musicians to perform on the patio just outside its front door. Musicians interested can contact Eric Wallor at eric@CoveredBridgeCreamery.com. Long Grove, which is already known for its Irish Music and Strawberry Festivals, has been luring people back with live music on various outdoor stages. The area was once known for its antique, and later, craft stores, but now seems to be leaning more toward restaurants and cafes. 

Sunday Papers

The Fest For Beatles Fans will present Life Of George - A Beatles Birthday Celebration on Zoom from 4:00 to 10:00 pm CST on February 25. The event will include a full-length concert by the top notch Beatles tribute band Liverpool along with their special guests. Other highlights will include Billy J. Kramer, Joey Molland, Peter Asher, Laurence Juber, Tom Scott, and other musicians sharing their memories of working with Harrison. There will also be an online exhibition of George Harrison art hosted by Deco. Fans are invited to submit photos of their art for consideration. Tickets for Life Of George - A Beatles Birthday Celebration are $15 and can be purchased from Event Brite. 

In other Fest For Beatles Fans related news, its official website will offer Ringo Starr’s new Zoom In EP in CD, cassette, and vinyl formats. The release features the song “Here’s To The Nights,” which was written by Diane Warren and features Paul McCartney; Joe Walsh; Corinne Bailey Rae; Eric Burton from Black Pumas; Sheryl Crow; FINNEAS, Dave Grohl; Ben Harper; Lenny Kravitz; Jenny Lewis; Steve Lukather, Chris Stapleton; and Yola. Zoom In comes out on March 19.

WXRT radio personality Marty Lennartz has interviewed his share of rock stars, but recently remarked on his afternoon shift that his biggest thrill came recently when he conducted a phone interview with Ringo Starr. Part of their conversation aired on XRT’s Sunday morning program Breakfast With The Beatles today. Starr described his home recording studio, which enabled him to work on the new EP, as a lifesaver. He also reflected on The Beatles’ first American tour, which took place right around this time in 1964. I’ve talked to Marty Lennartz at a few WXRT events, and he’s a perfect example of the station’s mission to hire DJs who come across as friendly and professional.

New York-based singer-guitarist Kel Sabatino, who covered Beatles tunes for a virtual performance on The Fest For Beatles Fans Facebook page, has just released an original song. “Gone” features picturesque lyrics set to a melodic acoustic guitar arrangement that evokes 1960s folk, along with a bit of Norah Jones. It’s available on various streaming services.

I believe Sabatino once shared a virtual Fest For Beatles Fans double bill with Phil Angotti, a popular performer on the Chicago club scene. Angotti is one of the six artists on the new Big Blast Records compilation The Big Singles Vol. 1. His song “The Lamp” is a clever and catchy bit of genuine psychedelia that fits in perfectly on a playlist I created featuring a mix of vintage and new garage rock/psychedelic nuggets.

Congratulations to Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders on having a guitar named after her by Fender. The company made the announcement on its Instagram page last Tuesday, proclaiming “The Chrissie Hynde Fender Telecaster pays tribute to her beloved ’65 Tele, featuring a stunning Road Worn Ice Blue Metallic finish.” 

As noted by a number of people across social media, this past Friday marked the 30th anniversary of Material Issue’s game-changing debut album International Pop Overthrow. Its release, along with efforts by Liz Phair and Urge Overkill, cast a spotlight on Chicago’s vital music scene. I’m looking forward to seeing Balin Schneider’s Out Of Time - The Material Issue Story documentary when it comes out later this year.

The Handcuffs have released a video for their new song “Love Me While You Can” that’s available for viewing on YouTube. The guitar-driven first single from the upcoming Burn The Rails album finds lead vocalist Chloe F. Orwell once again channeling classic glam rock. The clip seamlessly offers footage from previous Handcuffs gigs (they’ve been performing the song for a while now) and as always, Brad Elvis is amazing on drums.

Big Hair Big Trouble, the Chicago duo of Ary Paloma from The Amazing Heeby Jeebies and Ellis Clark from The Social Act and Epicycle, has just released its fourth single. “Come On Down Girl” is a cover of a song by The Silk and has a more psychedelic feel than BHBT’s earlier  efforts. It also features guest musicians Brad Elvis from The Handcuffs and Soul Keeper saxophonist Vince Salerno. 

Covered Bridge Creamery in Long Grove is looking for musicians to perform on the patio just outside its front door. Musicians interested can contact Eric Wallor at eric@CoveredBridgeCreamery.com. Long Grove, which is already known for its Irish Music and Strawberry Festivals, has been luring people back with live music on various outdoor stages. The area was once known for its antique, and later, craft stores, but now seems to be leaning more toward restaurants and cafes. 

I recently received the copy Hindsight 2020 yearbook I ordered rom Metro. It’s a bit smaller than I expected, but still a very cool collection of black and white photos of the legendary Clark Street music venue and its staff. the proceeds for Hindsight help Metro “keep the lights on until we can safely reopen.”