Slumgullion #106

Squeeze photo from the band's official website.

Case & Collins Tour Loses Nerve. If you were planning on hearing some songs by The Nerves at the Empty Bottle this Sunday night, don’t look for Paul Collins to be there. Peter Case & Paul Collins, who formed the power pop trio back in the 1970s (guitarist Jack Lee was the third member), were in the midst of a 2012 reunion tour when something went wrong. A recent press release from Case, who was also a founding member of The Plimsouls, states Collins’s abrupt departure was due to “the usual musical differences.” Collins is no stranger to Chicago, so hopefully he’ll be back soon, performing songs from his days with The Nerves, The Beat, and his 2010 solo CD, King Of Power Pop.

Second Disc News. The Second Disc online newsletter recently broke the news about a Cheap Trick 14-CD boxed set cube called The Complete Epic Albums Collection that’s now available from Sony’s PopMarket for $99.99.

A few days later, The Second Disc heralded a collection of 10 rare George Harrison demos titled Early Takes Volume 1. Its May 1st release on Hip-o Records coincides with the American debut of Martin Scorsese’s Harrison documentary Living In The Material World on Blu-Ray and DVD.

Now Don’t That Make You Feel A Whole Lot Better? Tickets went on sale today for The Summer Dance Party, a double bill of Squeeze and The B-52’s on July 6th at Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island. Assuming the weather cooperates, this could be one of the more fun events of the season. The B-52’s were impressive running through their festive repertoire last year at Ravinia, with an extended performance of “Planet Claire” that alone was worth the price of admission.

The current line-up of Squeeze includes songwriting partners/founding members, Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford. In 2010, the band re-recorded some of its best material, such as “Tempted,” “Hourglass,” and “Cool For Cats” for a new CD titled Spot The Difference. It would be great to hear those songs live, with Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline as a backdrop. In other Squeeze-related news, the band is set to release a limited edition, white vinyl, 2 LP set called Squeeze: Live At The Fillmore. For $25, fans will also get a Live At The Fillmore download card, a Spot The Difference poster and a Squeeze sticker.

Caffeine Withdrawal. For the past few years, Jeff Kelley has been creating the weekly Internet comedy show, Sunday Morning Coffee With Jeff. Initially, his M.O. was establishing a theme based on public domain footage he found on YouTube, along with his own monologues and animation. As time went on, he recruited contributors like his wife Dawn, and son Mark; my wife Pam and me; and rock and roll road warrior Willy Deal. Kelley phased out the found footage, replacing it with original bits like What’s My Crime? and It’s Not Fred, and running gags like being transported to a spaceship, or being visited by his future self. He also incorporated free downloads from indie rock bands.

But he still wasn’t satisfied, so after this week’s installment, Sunday Morning Coffee With Jeff will cease to exist. Kelley will be taking some time off to contemplate a new Internet show with a different name and format. I look forward to meeting with him and Willy Deal for a few idea-generating sessions.

Blood & Roses In Beverly. Usually, when The Smithereens come to Chicago, it’s at a north side location like the Park West club or a neighborhood festival. But next month, they’ll be on the opposite end of town, for an April 27th concert at the Beverly Arts Center. Hopefully, they won’t be shy about playing songs from their latest CD, the impressive Smithereens 2011. Tickets are $39, $35 for Beverly Arts Center members. The Smithereens were recently inducted into the Star-Ledger New Jersey Rock & Pop Hall Of Fame.

Blood & Guts At The Portage Theater. Chicago-based independent filmmaker Stuart R. Wahlin will present the premiere of his new horror film, Hand Of Glory at the Portage Theater in Chicago this Sunday (March 25th) at 4:15 PM. It’s part of the Indie Horror Film Festival that started today and runs through 10:00 PM Sunday night.

The Fool On The Film. Regulars at the Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sins festival at the Mary-Arrchie Theatre back in the 1990s will surely remember Drew Richardson, the comic performer who bills himself as a Dramatic Fool. Richardson lives in Pittsburgh these days, and is looking for volunteers from around the world to take part in a project he’s doing for the Quest Visual Theatre in Maryland. Pictographic Play Project is going to be part of QuestFest 2012 and involves people filming their interpretation of a symbol-based script Richardson created. It looks like fun but I can’t even begin to explain it. Anyone interested can get the details at a blog he’s created.

The Whole World’s Acting. World Theatre Day is coming to the Chicago Cultural Center, located downtown, on Tuesday, March 27th. Sponsored by The League Of Chicago Theatres, this free event will include panel discussions, presentations, and special guests. The event starts at 4:00 PM.

Walk Like You’re In England. The Bangles are scheduled to perform at this year’s Rewind The 80s Festival in Henley-On-Thames England on Saturday, August 18th. Some of the other acts lined up for the weekend bash include Kool & The Gang, Lightning Seeds, OMD, Wang Chung, Midge Ure of Ultravox, Grandmaster Flash, Marc Almond of Soft Cell, Roland Gift of Fine Young Cannibals, and Jimmy Somervill of Bronski Beat. There will also be a Scottish version of Rewind The 80s Festival in Scone Palace, Perth, on the weekend of July 20th-22nd, featuring many of the same acts, though not The Bangles.

Just a quick note to the Rewind The 80s Festival organizers: Pay for my airfare and hotel accommodations, along with free admission, and I’ll be happy to cover your little shindig on Broken Hearted Toy.

2011 Memories - Bangles At The House Of Blues

Photo from The Bangles Facebook page.

Another concert highlight from 2011. The Bangles came to The House Of Blues in Chicago to support their first CD in a number of years, Sweetheart Of The Sun. Having Vintage Trouble, a band that performs old school R&B as the opening act was an unusual choice, but judging from the audience’s reaction, it worked.

The Bangles didn’t hesitate to promote their most recent CD, Sweetheart Of The Sun at their House Of Blues concert in Chicago. In fact, they kicked things off with “Anna Lee (Sweetheart Of The Sun).” The melodic song was greeted warmly, although there was a much more emphatic roar of approval for “Hazy Shade Of Winter,” which followed directly after it. Still, The Bangles’ faith in their new material was merited, as several Sweetheart songs were expertly woven throughout a 90-minute career retrospective.

“In case you didn’t get the memo, we have a new recording out,” Vicki Peterson joked while introducing the stubbornly romantic “I’ll Never Be Through With You.” Debbi Peterson sang lead on her own rollicking “Ball N Chain,” and the majestic “Mesmerized” proved to be another newly minted highlight.

The performance included all the big hits, with “Manic Monday” coming fairly early on, but this was also an evening for those of us who were avid followers long before “Eternal Flame” topped the charts. Just as the show started, a version of the Bee Gees’ “In My Own Time” done by fellow Paisley Underground members The Three O’Clock blared over the sound system.

Slumgullion #19

Comic book cover art taken from Jane Wiedlin's Facebook page.

Congratulations to The Go-Go’s for being honored with a star on Hollywood’s Walk Of Fame. Now if only this would keep them from breaking up. Meanwhile, Jane Wiedlin, whose recent injury caused the Go-Go’s to cancel their tour, is sure to be much more durable in her comic book persona, Lady Robotika. The musician is telling fans on Facebook that they need to pre-order Issue #1, which will be published by Image comics, at their local comic shops by June 24th. Maybe if the comic book-loving nerds on Big Bang hear of Wiedlin’s alter ego, it will result in a guest spot on the show for her.

Bangles guitarist-vocalist Vicki Peterson has extended her congratulations to The Go-Go’s on their Walk of Fame honor. In a separate tweet, she noted that she, sister Debbi, and Susanna Hoffs just finished a new Bangles song that will be a tribute to famed songwriter Toni Stern.

Indie rock for a good cause: The Handcuffs will be performing at a benefit for the Chicago Abused Women Coalition at The Viaduct on Saturday, June 19th. The show starts at 10PM and admission is $10. The Handcuffs will also be part of an impressive double bill when they and Phil Angotti perform in Millennium Park on Thursday, June 24th. Angotti kicks things off at 4PM, followed by The Handcuffs at 5:30PM.

Avant garde indie rockers WhiteWolfSonicPrincess are coming off a successful gig at Goose Island on north Clark Street, and will be playing from 1PM to 2:30PM Saturday afternoon at the Custer’s Art Fest in Evanston. The stage will be located at Chicago and Main Street. Leave it to radical guitarist-vocalist James Moeller to make a crack about Sitting Bull on his Facebook post.

Yesterday, I did a post about Paul Collins, and wondered if he would be coming to the Chicago area soon. I’ve just heard from Martha Westbrook, the Midwest Commander for The Beat Army, that Paul Collins will be performing at The Empty Bottle on August 25th.

Hollus, a Chicago band that exudes the look and sound of classic 1970s rock bands like The Faces and The Who, has just released its first official video. Their well-produced clip for “Songs That You Love” features the musicians and friends frolicking at various locations, and finds Hollus working in a lighter, jangling pop mode. Maybe those appearances at International Pop Overthrow are rubbing off on them. At any rate, it’s a good song and a good video.

Happy birthday to Paul McCartney. Nice to see so many contemporary musicians and groups saluting him on Facebook.

Anyone familiar with the anecdote about how Paul’s original working title for “Yesterday” was “Scrambled Eggs” will hopefully get a kick out of a running gag my wife and I have going on our comedy series, Manchester Gallery. And when I say ‘comedy series,’ I mean some short clips that can be seen on the Sunday Morning Coffee With Jeff Internet program. I play an inept and untrustworthy curator of a pop culture museum. On one episode, I displayed the scrambled eggs Paul was eating when he came up with up with “Yesterday,” and explained that they were on loan from the Treasures Room at the British Museum in London. Unfortunately, I didn’t keep a close enough eye on the eggs, and the episode ended with the Gallery’s feline mascots eating them. In a more recent clip, a private dick hired by the British Museum came by to inquire about the eggs. All of this is fictional of course, but if you’re looking to celebrate Paul’s birth in a wacky kind of way, you can check out the episode at Jeff’s blog.

Another Bangles Day

Photo taken from Bangles website.

It was exactly 23 years ago when Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley declared February 23rd Official Bangles Day in his city. I only know this because the anniversary is mentioned on the band’s website. The Bangles probably aren’t being handed the keys to many cities these days, but original members Susanna Hoffs, Debbi Peterson, and Vicki Peterson still tour and are actively working on a new CD. It will be a belated follow up to 2003’s Doll Revolution, and their first without bassist Michael Steele, who left the band a few years back.

Doll Revolution was one of those rare reunion albums that found a band sounding just as strong as ever. A rousing rendition of Elvis Costello’s “Tear Off Your Own Head” led the way, and there were also highly energetic songs like “Ride The Ride,” “Here Right Now,” and “Between The Two.” True, the techno-oriented “Something That You Said” was an obvious attempt at a hit single, but the most noticeable thing about Doll Revolution was that The Bangles were following their own instincts rather bowing to any corporate mandate. That sense of freedom is still evident in the band’s live performances, and bodes well for the new recordings.

The Bangles website offers a firsthand perspective from drummer-vocalist Debbi Peterson on how things have gone on the nine tacks the band has worked on so far. “It's really been a joy to put this album together without anyone breathing down our necks,” Peterson noted. “Just taking our time to do it exactly the way we want to - it feels great, and I think it shows in the music.”

Guitarist-vocalist Vicki Peterson has also sounded optimistic on a series of Tweets under the name VickiBangle. Some of the recording was done at Matthew Sweet’s house, and he’s posted some positive things on Facebook about working with The Bangles.

The Bangles will be promoting the new release this Spring with dates in Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and St. Louis. Since their long-time Australian mates, The Hoodoo Gurus, are also releasing a new CD, it would be great to see these two power pop bands on a double bill like they did back in the 1980s.

Slumgullion #3

Hoodoo Gurus photo from the band's Facebook page.

Another assortment of items for a Friday.

The Hoodoo Gurus, the crazed Aussies who have been mixing power pop with deliriously fun lyrics for over two decades, just announced on their Facebook page that their new sixteen-song CD, Purity Of Essence, will be out in a few weeks. Front man Dave Faulkner describes Purity Of Essence as “one hour of exciting new Hoodoo Gurus music” and goes on to mention a six-part “mockumentary” called Must Travel On Wheels that will be available starting next week from the Australian Internet provider Bigpond. U.S. fans will soon be able to buy the webisodes on iTunes. A Must Travel On Wheels trailer can be viewed on YouTube. Hmmm, with The Hoodoo Gurus and The Bangles both coming out with new CDs this year, maybe there’s a chance the two bands will tour as a power pop double bill, like they did back in the 1980s.

Braam is a veteran Chicago-based indie rock band that features 12 guys with the last name of Braam among its members. Well, three guys, anyway. The group has just released a very nicely done video for “Burlington Northern,” a melodic tune with ringing guitars that will be included on Braam’s soon to be released fifth CD, Living Room. The video can be seen on YouTube.

The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo is coming to McCormick Place in Chicago on the weekend of April 16th -18. The multi-media event, also known as C2E2, bills itself as a showcase of comics, movies, television, toys, anime, manga, and video games. There will be autograph sessions, sneak previews of upcoming movies and TV shows; hundreds of exhibitors; and famous as well as new artists on hand. Kids five and under can get in free on Friday and Saturday, and kids under 12 can get in free on Sunday.

Today is Cliff Johnson’s birthday, and the power pop vocalist, best known for his work with the Chicago band Off Broadway, is looking forward to tomorrow. In fact, “Look To Tomorrow” is one of the catchy tunes on his new Little Crimes CD, which recently became available for digital download on cdbaby.com. The actual CD will be released in a few weeks. The songs, co-written with musician Jim Timbers, sport infectious melodies and chiming guitars, while Johnson sings in that classic rock and roll voice that evokes Lennon, Bowie, and the newer Elvis. The long-awaited solo debut follows on the heels of Johnson’s last performance with Off Broadway, at Fitzgerald’s in December, 2009.

As we welcome Little Crimes, it’s worth reflecting on all of the fun Johnson gave us in the past, via recordings and live performances. The first time I saw him was in the seventies, at a suburban rock club, back when he was with Pezband. I was immediately struck by the power of his vocals. Johnson soon left to form Off Broadway, whose live shows became must-see events on the Chicago club scene. He frequently wandered from the stage, either to get beers for his bandmates or to engage in some sort of tomfoolery with the crowd. For a while, his thing was splashing cologne on audience members. Once, at a show at the Mother’s club on Division Street, a fan grabbed the bottle of cologne and took a drink. Johnson looked shocked, but only for a moment. He grabbed the bottle back and pretended to chug it.

By the time Off Broadway released On in 1979, Chicago fans were primed to snap it up. Songs like “Bully Bully,” “Hang On For Love,” “Stay In Time,” and “Full Moon Turn Your Head Around” remain classics of the power pop genre to this day. Quick Turns, released a year later, wasn’t as overwhelming, but still had some great material. Unfortunately, Off Broadway never achieved the national success it deserved, although the band continued to perform on a regular basis up to 2009. Hopefully, Cliff Johnson will be touring in support of Little Crimes, and his live shows will include a few Off Broadway gems.

Happy birthday, Cliff, and keep rocking!

Some Dreams Come True

Photo from Bangles website.

Hard Rock Cafes and Hotels around the globe will celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Pinktober by holding concerts and parties throughout October. Their goal is to raise money for The Caron Keating Foundation, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and other breast cancer awareness organizations. You can also help the cause by purchasing selected items at www.hardrock.com/promo/pinktober09. The website provides an extensive rundown of the upcoming Pinktober events.

The Bangles got things off to an early start with a September 24th concert at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando. Band members Susanna Hoffs, Vicki Peterson, and Debbi Peterson can also be seen online modeling comfy-looking Pinktober robes, which, along with a guitar-shaped Pinktober pin, are part of the extensive line of merchandise for sale.

Photo from Vedera MySpace page.

The Chicago Hard Rock Cafe will present Vedera, an indie rock quartet fronted by vocalist-guitarist Kristen May, on October 6th, and sell raffle tickets for a pink Vespa throughout the month. The raffle takes place on the 31st. Vedera (check www.myspace.com/vedera for details) also has Pinktober gigs scheduled at Hard Rock Cafes in Indianapolis, St. Louis, and Minneapolis.

Pinktober will have a regal finale in London’s Royal Albert Hall on November 1st with a Women Of Rock concert that includes Joss Stone, Melanie C, and Bananarama.