Slumgullion #92

The birthday boy, with drummer Bobby Elliott. Photo from Bobby Elliott’s book,

The Hollies Through The Ages Volume One.

You Say It's His Birthday. Best wishes to Tony Hicks on his birthday. Tony has served as lead guitarist and harmony vocalist for The Hollies for almost the entire 50 years (in 2112) the band has been around. He’s the bloke who came up with the idea for “Stop Stop Stop,” the 1966 hit single that features his distinctive banjo playing. Once again, I highly recommend the recently released DVD Look Through Any Window The Hollies 1962 - 1975. Tony, along with Graham Nash, Allan Clarke, and Bobby Elliott, provides running commentary throughout this entertaining documentary, and demonstrates some of the more interesting riffs he’s played over the years.

No Cover For Covers. There’ll be no admission fee when The Beatle Brothers perform at the Countryside Saloon tonight. The group has been covering the fab four and other 1960s bands for 25 years. Countryside Saloon is located at 2501 Ballard Road in Des Plaines. Show time is 9:00 PM.

Wonder If Julianna Hatfield Knows About This. The Del Fuegos, the critically acclaimed 1980s garage rock band who were mentioned in Hatfield’s “My Sister,” have a brief reunion tour coming up next year. It kicks off on February 22nd in Boston, and includes gigs in New York, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and St. Louis. They have a date at Lincoln Hall in Chicago on February 25th. It would be great to hear some of those classic tracks like “Nervous And Shakey,” “Backseat Nothing,” and “Mary Don’t Change” performed live.

The Beat Is Back. Another guitar-driven band that got its start a few decades ago, The Paul Collins Beat, is coming back to Chicago with a gig at Ultra Lounge on Milwaukee Avenue on February 3rd. Collins has been on a roll since releasing one of the better power pop CDs of 2010 with King Of Power Pop.

Pants On Fyre. Happening Magazine, an offshoot of the groovy neo-1960s publication, Shindig, reported in a recent email that another legendary garage rock band, The Lyres have resurfaced in London. The Boston-based group that gave us classics like “I Want Help You Ann” as well as a letter-perfect cover of The New Colony Six nugget, “I Confess,” is on a European tour that takes them to the 93 Feet East club on February 13th. Prior to that, they’ll be playing gigs in Italy.

It’s Beginning To Rock A Lot Like Christmas. The syndicated radio show Underground Garage is always worth checking out, but it’s even more fun when host Little Steven Van Zandt unpacks all his favorite holiday songs on the annual Christmas Special. Not sure if this year's party will be a two-part event, as it has been in the past. Underground Garage airs on WXRT each Sunday from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM.

Mania And Monroes. The Melismatics, the Minneapolis-based alt rock band that has its next CD, Mania, coming out on Pravda Records in January, just announced on Facebook that it’s also working on a CD with Tony Ortiz, the former singer of The Monroes. “Missing Man,” a song from the collaboration is up on YouTube and sounds pretty intriguing.

Let’s Paint Their Smiles On Upside Down. The New Jersey band Mike Daly and The Planets has created a theme song for those of us who have never liked Bozo or any of his ilk. I’ve been afraid of them (clowns, not Mike Daly and The Planets) since I saw a TV show as a child where some guy was haunted by a ghost clown. “Kill A Clown (No, Not Really),” has a catchy, guitar-driven arrangement reminiscent of Webb Wilder or possibly ZZ Top, along with some exuberant backup vocals. It’s filled with funny lyrics about offing people with fake red noses like, “I killed a clown in Kalamazoo/Made him choke on his own kazoo” and “Killed them clowns in Zanzibar/Ran them off the road in that tiny car.” The single is available as a digital download at the band’s website, Amazon, CDBaby, and iTunes.

I should mention that Frank Carr from my former comedy group Famous In The Future, did a similar song/skit a number of years ago. Now that's someone who really hates clowns.

Heart's In The Right Place. Heart may not have been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame this year, but at least the South By Southwest Music and Media Conference and Festival is giving the Wilson sisters some props. Ann and Nancy will be featured speakers on March 15th at the Austin Convention Center, and they’ll also be performing with Heart at a TBA venue at the event.

Tears On My TARDIS. Even though it was inevitable given the show’s rotating cast format, I was still sad when The Nerdist website reported yesterday that companions Rory and Amy will be leaving Doctor Who in the coming season. I didn’t immediately warm up to actress Karen Gillian as Amy Pond, but it wasn’t too long before she was exuding the spunk and sexiness that are the hallmarks of The Doctor’s female companions. Arthur Darvill, who portrayed Amy’s husband Rory, is a likable and supportive guy that a lot of male viewers probably identify with. Here’s hoping Gillian and Darvill continue to appear at Doctor Who conventions and promotions, because it seems like they have great rapport with the series’ current lead actor, Matt Smith.

Songs Sung (About A) Blue Police Box. On a related note, Chicago Tribune writer Christopher Borrelli had an article in yesterday’s edition about Niles North High School student Allegra Rosenberg. She’s been making a name for herself by writing songs about Doctor Who episodes and posting them on her YouTube Channel, Stop! It’s Ginger Time! Noted author Neil Gaiman and BBC America executive Matt Stein are among her fans.

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The dB’s are looking to release their long-awaited new CD in early 2012, and will be performing a few songs on April 16th at the Criminal Records store in Atlanta. The band’s double 45 record, “Picture Sleeve”/“Write Back” is among the many vinyl treasures being offered as part of Record Store Day festivities.

Ohio-based alt rock/country band Over The Rhine is back in town for a show tonight at Lincoln Hall. Led by Karin Bergquist and Linford Detweiler, both of whom play various instruments and sing, Over The Rhine has released several critically-acclaimed CDs since forming two decades ago. Their latest, The Long Surrender, which was pretty much recorded live within five days last year in California, is likely to continue that tradition. I had the pleasure of interviewing Bergquist and Detweiler for the Illinois Entertainer around the time their stark and beautiful Patience CD came out in 1992, and saw Over The Rhine perform at a Chicago street fest in 2009. Lucy Wainwright Roche, Over The Rhine’s opening act tonight at Lincoln Hall, recently released her debut CD, Lucy. She’s the daughter of Loudon Wainwright and Suzzy Roche of The Roches. The show starts at 8:00 PM.

Wonderwall Music Shoppe & Emporium is well known to Beatles fans in the Chicago area, and is using a mop-top motif for an event to help aid Japan’s earthquake and tsunami victims. Help! Japan Fundraiser, organized by Wonderwall co-owner GiGi Wong-Monaco, will run from 6:00 to 9:00 PM next Thursday, April 14th at the store’s location in Oak Park. WXRT radio personality and Breakfast With The Beatles host Terri Hemmert will serve as the MC, and performers include Brit Beat, Eric Howell, Jay Goeppner, Phil Angotti, The Harrison Street Ukulele Players, and Sandalwood Sitar Music Ensemble. Admission is $40 per person in advance, $45 at the door.

Fountains Of Wayne have posted on Facebook that they’ll be releasing details on their new CD in the near future.

This Sunday night brings Part 2 of Bruce Springsteen’s visit with his longtime band member Little Steven in the Underground Garage. The syndicated radio show airs on from 9:00 to 11:00 PM on WXRT in Chicago, and people around the globe can hear a live stream via the station’s website.

The Cars are releasing Move Like This, their first CD of new material in ages, on May 10th, and they’ll be in Chicago about a week later to perform at The Riviera Theatre.

The Minnesota-based group Matt Dodge & The Lobsters have already proven that power pop is alive and well among the younger generation of musicians, and now Atlanta trio The Head offers more evidence. The energetic songs from the band’s latest release, Hang On, are built on strong melodies and harmony vocals.

Expo ‘76, one of singer-guitarist Dag Juhlin’s multitude of bands, will be returning to Simon’s Tavern on Clark Street in Chicago for another evening of entertaining and eclectic cover versions on April 13th.

Orgie Theatre Award, a group formed to “encourage original innovative risky thrilling inspiring overlooked offbeat or even outlandish work in Chicago,” is sponsoring a ceremony to celebrate past and current Award winners at The Spot on April 19th. Seth and Kellen will serves as official hosts, and the email invitation notes, “All theatre freaks and friends are welcome.” Doors open at 8:00 PM. The Spot is located at 4437 N. Broadway.

The Chirp Record Fair is being held tomorrow and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM at Chicago Journeymen Plumbers, at 1340 W. Washington Boulevard in Chicago. In addition to offering a wide assortment of CDs, vinyl, cassettes, original art, and posters for sale, the fair will also present entertainment throughout both days. Admission is $7, or $5 with any ad that mentions the Chirp Record Fair.

The new season of Doctor Who is garnering some heavy-duty, movie type promotion in the United States in preparation for its arrival via BBC America on April 23rd. Earlier today, cast members Matt Smith, who plays the current incarnation of The Doctor, along with Karen Gillan and Arthur Darville, who play his companions, appeared at the Barnes & Noble on Fifth Avenue in New York, to sign copies of the Doctor Who Complete Fifth Series DVD. Chris Hardwick of The Nerdist blogsite will host a premiere screening at the Village East Cinema in New York from 7:00 to 10:00 PM on the 11th. The show’s Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darville, Alex Kingston and Steven Moffat will also be on hand. The Red Eye newspaper is reporting today that its Show Patrol TV columnist Curt Wagner will host a premiere in Chicago on April 20th at the Landmark Century Centre Cinema, at 2828 N. Clark in Chicago. Those interested in attending must RSVP at the Show Patrol website.

45 RPM Memories - “Doctorin’ The Tardis”

The online entertainment and art newsletter Flavorpill recently had a link to a clever blog hosted by Chris Hardwick called Nerdist. A February 8th post by Danny Damore dealt with artist Bob Canada’s latest work, Doctor Who Infographic; a sort of cartoon wall chart explaining everything there is no know about the long-running British sci-fi series.

It’s not only great fun for those of us who have followed Doctor Who for almost as long as the title character has been time traveling, it’s also an eye-catching work that should delight even non-fans.

That brought to mind the 1988 import single “Doctorin’ The Tardis.” Released on TVT Records, it’s a mash up of Gary Glitter’s 1970s glam anthem “Rock And Roll Part 2” and the Doctor Who theme. There’s also some robotic dialogue as the show’s chief villains, the Daleks deliver their catch phrase, “exterminate!” over the tribal beat. The record is credited to The Timelords, a fictional trio whose front person, or front vehicle, is a police car named Ford Timelord.

Sports fans across America (the world?) know “Rock And Roll Part 2” as a rally song, so if The Doctor ever decides to become a professional athlete, “Doctorin’ The Tardis” could be his theme song. Actually, the Matt Smith version of The Doctor did play soccer in one episode, but that wasn’t in a stadium.

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Following on the heels of the Nowhere Boy flick that depicts John Lennon in his teen years, PBS station Channel 11 in Chicago is airing the Masterpiece production of Lennon Naked this Sunday night at 8:00PM. The film should interest Brit sci-fi fans as well as Beatle maniacs as it features onetime Doctor Who actor Christopher Eccleston as Lennon and Naoko Mori from Torchwood as Yoko Ono. Lennon Naked covers the early days of the controversial couple’s relationship.

Rolling Remount. Aftermath, the Signal Ensemble Theatre’s critically acclaimed play about the early days of the Rolling Stones, has returned but sold out its entire run faster that you can say “Get Off Of My Cloud.” The play has now been extended through January 23rd, 2011. Show times are currently Thursday through Saturday at 8:00PM and Sunday at 3:00PM; but there will be no Thursday shows after January 7th.

Michael Lux, who has done some impressive strumming with the multi-faceted rock band Hollus steps out on his own with a self-described punk surf side project called Michael Lux and The Bad Sons. “Saturdays Boys,” which is available for download on the Michael Lux and The Bad Sons website, is an energetic track with ringing guitars. Lux has a free EP on the way, with the cool ad slogan, “All songs written in 30 minutes or less or your money back.” Meanwhile, Hollus continues to promote its latest effort, the Part One EP with a gig next Saturday night at The Metro.

Maple Mars has the lead-off song on the new A Kool Kat Khristmas compilation. The wistful but guitar-driven “Christmastime In The City” is a melodic mid-tempo number about coming home for the holiday, that features Rick Hromadka’s classic power pop vocals and some glorious harmonies.

Damn Right I Got The Drumstick. I know I used that headline for this same event last year, but I kind of like it. SOPRO will sponsor its 28th Annual Thanksgiving All Star Blues Revue on Saturday, November 27th, featuring The Chicago Horns, vocalist Deb Seitz, harmonica player Doug Lee, vocalist-guitarist Billy King, and guitarist-vocalist Joe Jammer. Held on SOPRO’s sout’ side home turf at The Voodoo Lounge (6501 W. 79th Street in Burbank, IL), the revue will also include bassist John Falstrom, guitarist-vocalist Joey Drada, drummer Scott Bonshire, and keyboards player Greg Wolfman. There will be special prize giveaways and CDs and autographed photos for sale.

Local actor Guy Schingoethe is best known for his work with the edgy New Millennium Theatre, but he was also once in my old comedy group, Famous In The Future. I’m forever grateful to him for the bang-up job he did as the lead vocalist in my musical satire Damn Andersen, which was based on the Arthur Andersen/Enron crisis. Schingoethe is now the lead vocalist for a new hard rock band called Faith In The Fallen. You can check out the band’s three songs on its ReverbNation page.

Former Off Broadway vocalist Cliff Johnson’s new double disc, 30 year retrospective Razors And Rose Petals is now available on CDBaby. Johnson promises his Facebook friends that “Within the next two weeks, it will be available on every download site in the world.”

People involved in the rock business who are looking for a unique Christmas card to send to friends and clients should check out Karen Cannon’s selection at Art Strings Publishing. I particularly liked the one with the two electric guitars by the Christmas tree. Cannon states that being a guitarist has greatly influenced her art. Several of her music-related cards, holiday and non-holiday, are available at The Music Room store in downtown Palatine.

The Mint Julep Room, also in downtown Palatine, will welcome back the jazz and pop music of the Together Again Trio tomorrow night, and will present The Wiggle-O’s, who mix comedy and vintage rock, next Saturday night, November 27th. On Sunday, November 21st, The Palatine/Inverness Arts Council is hosting a High Tea at The Mint Julep Room with a musical guest acoustic guitarist Merv Collins. Info at 847-963-6451.

Know anyone who wants a Bill Murray action figure for Christmas? You can make their wish come true with The Ghostbusters Collector Set, which is currently on sale at Toys R Us for $49.99. The set also includes Harold Ramis, Dan Ackroyd, and Ernie Hudson figures. Can a Bill Murray gopher-hunting Carl Spackler figure from Caddyshack be far behind?

45 RPM Melodies #2

A semi-regular feature about some of my favorite singles from the past.

I recently joined a new Facebook group called The Art Of The 45 RPM Label that looks like it should be a lot of fun. The home page describes its mission as, “Sharing pics and memories of the nearly lost format of the 45 rpm single.”

I’m not sure how many Trekkies are aware of the 1979 single “Where’s Captain Kirk?” but the London based band Spizzenergi definitely set its phasers on fun with this clever sci-fi punk song. Similar to the way The Timelords would later mess with fans of Doctor Who on the 1988 song “Doctorin’ The Tardis,” “Where’s Captain Kirk?” features samples of the Star Trek theme mixed into a high-speed adventure of a punter who suddenly finds himself beamed aboard the Starship Enterprise. “I looked around and wondered can this be/Or this the start of my insanity?”

He meets all of the crew except for the ship’s captain, and survives “the storm of the vortex” because “Spock pulled me through.” By the end of this strange trip, the visitor has been transformed into Kirk. “The time warp in space made a change in me/For I was the captain and the captain was me.”

The B-Side is another offbeat punk song, called “Amnesia.” Done in the style of The Buzzcocks, it’s a cautionary tale of mind control in the future. “This is all a part of the Brave New World,” lead vocalist Spizz explains, and later declares, “If you don’t agree with us, you’ll be blown away.”

Spizzenergi is currently celebrating its 30th Anniversary on its website by offering commemorative coffee mugs with the band’s logo as well as one with the cover art from “Where’s Captain Kirk?”

Doctor Doctor

Photos from the Doctor Who website

The cover of a recent issue of the U.K. publication Doctor Who Magazine proclaimed exciting news for Anglophiles and sci-fi fans: Tom Baker will once again play the time and space traveling, universe-saving alien known as the Doctor. Alas, his performance won’t be one we’ll see on TV or in a movie. Baker is reprising his most famous role for a BBC Audio Series called The Hornets’ Nest.

Still, the interview (the first he’s granted the mag in 12 years) is funny and informative, and should delight anyone who loved the actor’s charismatic work on the cult series back in the 1970s. Baker’s was the fourth, and for many, the best incarnation of the Doctor; a character a friend of mine once described as “the coolest guy in the universe.” Flashing a toothy grin in the faces of terrifying villains, the Doctor used his wits to thwart their diabolical plots. Doctor Who could be a violent show, but its hero always sought peaceful solutions. Describing his take on the Doctor, Baker tells Doctor Who Magazine, “I prefer a kind of benevolent lunacy . . . because I’m an alien.” 

Now 75, Baker seems to dismiss the specter of old age with the same irreverence he used on Daleks and Cybermen. He gets a kick out of fans who approach him with photos they took with him when they were children. “Well, it amuses me no end, when I’m looking at a bald, middle-aged man who’s worn out with domesticity, then there he is in the picture, sitting on my knee. But it’s all about the happy memories, isn’t it?”

Baker is well aware of the current buzz surrounding actor David Tennant ‘s work as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor. Tennant seems to be having a blast, and his winning mix of strength, compassion, and youthful looks have placed him in several publications’ most popular or sexiest male entertainer polls. (To me, he looks like a cross between John Lennon and Elvis Costello, but that might be because I always thought Lennon would have been a great choice to play the Doctor.) In a 2006 Doctor Who Magazine reader survey, Tennant replaced the usually unbeatable Baker in the Best Doctor category. But Baker is not about to be mastered by the green monster of envy. “We all owe David Tennant a great debt,” he says in the recent DWM, “because, with his style and brio, he has revitalised the whole thing!”

There are similarities in the way Baker and Tennant handle the role, but one major difference is that Tennant’s Doctor had a romantic connection with his female companion, Rose Tyler while Baker worked in a more innocent era. “We didn’t think of that,” Baker recalls, looking back on companions like Leela and Sarah Jane Smith. “So, for my part, I played the Doctor without any sexuality at all.”

Just as Tom Baker eventually left Doctor Who, Tennant will wrap up his tenure this year. Each actor will always be remembered as the coolest guy in the universe.