A Bit Behind My Time, As It Were

Last Friday’s Slumgullion was noticeably skimpy due to my holiday merry-making. As Bob Crachit would say, it’s only once a year, and it won’t be repeated. So here are some additional bits that should have been included.

The Seventh Annual Alex Chilton Birthday Bash takes place tomorrow night, December 28th, at The Empty Bottle in Chicago. In addition to honoring one of power pop’s most influential musicians, the event will benefit The National Association of Free Clinics. The scheduled performers are Adam Fitz, Certain Stars, For Pilots, Gran Prixx, Injured Parties, Jen Saint Stjärna, Khalid Hanifi, Love & Radiation, Michael Heaton, Phil Angotti, Urban Twang, Wells-next-the-Sea and Scott Niekelski of Go Time! There’s an $8 cover charge for all this fun, which gets underway at 8:00 PM. The Empty Bottle is located at 1035 N. Western Avenue.

Go Time! has a record release party for its new 16-song Boneshaker CD coming up on January 21st at The Horseshoe on Lincoln Avenue. Some of the tracks have already been getting airplay on college radio stations.

WhiteWolfSonicPrincess, the alt-rock band fronted by Black Forest Theatre founders James Moeller and Carla Hayden, has a gig at the Red Line Tap on January 6th. There are two other groups on the bill, which is a lot of music for a $5 cover charge. The show starts with Tron Ate My Baby at 9:30, WWSP takes the stage at 10:30, and Somersault Factory wraps things up at 11:30. WhiteWolfSonicPrincess recently completed its latest CD and will be actively promoting it in 2012. Looking forward to hearing it.

Meanwhile, The Telepaths, the more garage rock oriented combo Moeller formed with occasional Black Forest member Pat Über-Critic McDonald, has an “Eve of the Eve of the Eve” gig this Thursday, December 29th, at Ultra Lounge at 2169 N. Milwaukee in Chicago. Doors open at 9:00 PM.

Congratulations to WXRT on selling every last copy of Live From The Archives Volume 13. The Chicago FM radio progressive rock station always warns that procrastinating shoppers could be left out in the cold, but this is the first time I can think of that one of its limited edition collections has sold out so quickly. Was it a particularly strong lineup of artists, or was it the favorable review on Broken Hearted Toy? (See December 8th post.)

The Second Disc online newsletter recently reported that Squeeze member Glenn Tilbrook has just released When Daylight Appears: The Demo Tapes 1985 - 1991. The 20-track CD features stripped-down versions of melodic Squeeze gems like “Hourglass,” “Hits Of The Year,” “The Prisoner,” and “Footprints.” Currently, the only listing I see for it on Amazon is an import.

As someone who’s been known to smirk at the bad grammar and misspellings on Facebook posts, I was particularly embarrassed to discover that I had wished a number of bands a successful 2112. Can’t decide whether my excuse is going to be that I believe these musicians are going to live a very long time, or that they’re all going to record Rush tribute CDs in the coming year.

A Lively Celebration For Live Music

Chicago’s longest-running progressive rocker WXRT welcomed the arrival of its latest volume of ONXRT Live From The Archives with a bash at the Martyrs’ Club on Lincoln Avenue earlier this week. A few of the station’s personnel were on hand to greet fans who had won free tickets to the event, but by the end of the evening, it was a previously unknown band from Louisiana that made the biggest impression.

As with the previous 12 releases in this series, Volume 13 offers exclusive live performances that at some point aired on WXRT. The artists involved were either recorded in the station’s studios or at local venues like Martyrs’, The Abbey Pub, Reggie’s, or The Elbo Room. Proceeds from the CD benefit the Lincoln Park Community Shelter and Partners In Health. ONXRT Live From The Archives Vol. 13 is available at Target stores for a limited time, and it’s a must have for those of us who already own numbers 1 through 12.

There’s only one weak track. Whatever intrigue Mumford & Sons once held has been washed away via the three million hours of airtime XRT has devoted to them, and “The Cave,” with its nonsense lyrics and overly precious vocals, is one of the band’s most annoying songs. The rest of Volume 13 is pretty solid. The Decemberists’ “Down By The Water,” despite being a blatant R.E.M. ripoff is a good song, while Florence + The Machine live up to their reputation with the stirring “Dog Days Are Over.”

There are tuneful acoustic offerings from Ray Montagne And The Pariah Dogs, Dawes, and Amos Lee. Govt. Mule’s “Broke Down On The Brazos” competes with The Black Keys’ “I Got Mine” for the hardest rock track, and Fitz And The Tantrums crank out the soulful “Moneygrabber.” Some acts reinvented their well-known songs in a live setting, such as Michael Franti & Spearhead on “Say Hey (I Love You)” and Foster The People on the disturbing “Pumped Up Kicks.”

The Airborne Toxic Event’s performance of “Sometime Around Midnight,” an emotional portrait of a guy coming unraveled during a chance encounter with an ex-lover, could almost stand as a separate song from the original. Both versions are compelling. The New Pornographers’ “Crash Years” and Death Cab For Cutie’s “Soul Meets Body” stand out as catchy, alternative tunes.

The audience at Martyrs’ for the kickoff party was a mix of the station’s diehard followers and younger hipsters from the Lincoln Park area. PR expert/Corporate Takeover host Kristin Kay watched over her minions as they greeted the crowd and handed out raffle tickets. Program Director Norm Winer came on stage to give props to the behind-the-scenes tech and legal people who help make the CD a reality, and dee jay Marty Lennartz also addressed the crowd.

From that point on, the crowd belonged to the Givers, a quintet of hyperactive Lafayette, LA musicians led by singer-guitarist Taylor Guarisco and singer-percussionist Tiffany Lamson. In addition to dynamic coed vocals, the Givers unleashed thundering drums, percolating keyboards, and careening guitars. The songs weren’t always cohesive but that was part of the fun. Lamson would sometimes coo softly into her mic before attacking her stand-up drum kit like a child having a tantrum. At other times, she belted out lyrics in a style reminiscent of Bjork or Ida Maria. Guarisco was simply a wildman on acoustic and electric guitars.

Norm Winer was standing amidst the crowd, and it was a kick seeing a veteran of the music scene so obviously impressed with a new act. After their rousing set, The Givers thanked the audience and promised to return to the Chicago area soon.

Slumgullion #73

Photo from the Model Music website.

Lollapalooza has returned to the windy city, and for those who can’t physically be there, WXRT will be focusing on the festivities all weekend. The Chicago alt rock radio station promises live reports from air personality Marty Lennartz, and all kinds of exclusive backstage features. Throughout the weekend, other disc jockeys will offer their reflections on attending Lollapalooza over the past 20 years. Tomorrow morning, the always entertaining weekly show Saturday Morning Flashback and its host Wendy Rice travel back to 1991, the year of Lollapalooza’s birth. People out of the Chicago area can listen to WXRT through the station’s website.

Lollapalooza and The Fest For Beatles Fans often fall on the same weekend in Chicago, prompting some people to dub the latter as a Baby Boomer alternative to the hip kids frolicking in Grant Park. But any celebration of John, Paul, George, and Ringo draws a multi-generational audience, and The Fest For Beatles Fans is no exception. It kicks off today at 5:00 PM and runs through midnight on Sunday. WXRT air personality Terri Hemmert, who hosts the weekly Breakfast With The Beatles show in addition to her daily mid-morning time slot, is once again serving as The Fest’s Master Of Ceremonies. She’s also a gifted interviewer, combining the enthusiasm of a true fan with the knowledge of a professional.

The affable humorist/writer Martin Lewis will also be on hand, hopefully conducting one of his musicians’ forums, and spinning tales from his work with various celebrities. This year’s guests, some of whom Hemmert or Lewis will be chatting with, include Peter Asher of Peter & Gordon, Joey Molland of Badfinger, former Wings guitarist Henry McCullough, and musician/producer Mark Hudson. Liverpool, a Beatles tribute band that doesn’t try to look like the original musicians, but does a bang-up job of playing their songs, will perform in concert Saturday and Sunday nights. See the Fest For Beatles Fans site for a full list of the activities that will be going on throughout the weekend.

The Palatine Park District wraps up its Sounds Of Summer 2011 series tonight with Jimmy Sohns’ Rock N Roll Side Show at 8:00 PM at the Fred P. Hall Amphitheater. Sohns was the lead vocalist for Shadows Of Knight, the Chicago-based 1960s band that’s still revered in garage rock circles for its gritty take on “Gloria.” He’ll be joined tonight by Shadows Of Knight guitarist Mike Gotshall and vocalist-keyboards player Cindy Gotshall. The Palatine Park District is distributing surveys about which bands residents would like to see next summer. I wrote down several musical acts, as well as the suggestion that the Sounds Of Summer series extend beyond the first week of August.

Those of us who prefer the more energetic side of The Bangles will definitely get a kick out of their cover of “Open My Eyes” the garage rock classic originally done by Todd Rundgren’s Nazz. A sample of “Open My Eyes,” along with five other songs, can be heard on the Model Music Group website. An article accompanying the tracks describes the Debbi Peterson penned “Ball N Chain,” which is not yet available for preview, as a “high-revving agro kiss-off.” The Bangles’ new CD, Sweetheart Of The Sun, is scheduled for release on September 13th.

A few weeks back, I mentioned Hugh Hart’s House Of Imaginary Hits project, where he works with graphic designer Sean Hartter to create real songs for nonexistent bands and albums. Recently, the musician/journalist added to his collection with “They Just Keep Coming On (Bullshit Shuffle),” a political satire about the ongoing struggles in Washington, D.C. to agree on a budget. Written by Hart and featuring guitarist John Rice, the song has an amiable, Neil Young Harvest era arrangement and clever but biting wordplay like, “Kids are starving while they bitch and bargain gutting my future on a whim” and “Highways crumble while they act all humble, stuffing their pockets on the sly.” This newest track from Hart features Jim Lo Scalzo’s black and white photo of bureaucrats coming and going.

The Hollywood Walk Of Fame in Los Angeles goes New Wave on August 11th when The Go-Go’s get a well-deserved star to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the release of their still vibrant debut, Beauty & The Beat. The honor comes just under a week before the band plays a major gig at the Greek Theater.

Following in the footsteps of Celtic acts like The Chieftans and James Galway, the all woman band Cherish The Ladies explore the connections between traditional Irish music and American bluegrass on their latest CD, Country Crossroads - The Nashville Sessions.

The new disc comes as the group, which has had an ever-changing lineup over the years, marks its 25 anniversary. Deidre Connolly, who sang lead on Cherish The Ladies 2001 release The Girls Won’t Leave The Boys Alone and has toured with them recently, is on hand for this latest effort, along with former members Eileen Ivers, Liz Carroll, Maura O’Connell, and Liz Knowles. Other guests include Country & Western stars Vince Gill and Nanci Griffith, along with a number of well-known session musicians.

In other CTL news, Joanie Madden, the band’s very funny and talented founding member, recently received The Ellis Island Medal Of Honor Award for her many contributions to Irish music and dance.

Media Blitz Eve - Friday At IPO - Chicago

Saturday, April 23rd is easily the biggest night of International Pop Overthrow - Chicago 2011. WXRT is sponsoring the event, and the Material re-Issue gig, featuring singer-guitarist Phil Angotti, along with original members, bassist Ted Ansani and drummer Mike Zelenko, has been generating a lot of publicity. All the attention should result in a packed house, and hopefully some new people who’ll become regular visitors to this annual celebration of power pop and indie rock music.

So, tomorrow is sort of a Media Blitz Eve at The Abbey Pub. There’s a lot of Chicago musical history within this six-act lineup, and as always, promoter David Bash has assembled some impressive talent.

True to its name, Your Gracious Host, a Michigan-based band led by former Autoliner member Tom Curless, exudes an easy-going vibe on tunes like the intricate “Admit To Myself” and more energetic “I Feel Alright.” The band’s indie rock approach is crafted from acoustic and electric guitars, along with layers of vocals. Your Gracious Host has released two CDs, the more recent one being Easy Red.

The spotlight currently being shone on singer-guitarist Phil Angotti is due to his role in Saturday night’s Material re-Issue show, but his new People And Places CD merits attention as well. Angotti’s power pop resume reaches back to the days when he fronted The Idea, so this Friday night’s solo show qualifies as one of IPO - Chicago’s highlights as well.

Singer-guitarist Kevin Junior was one of the chief artists behind the renaissance power pop of The Chamber Strings, a multi-faceted ensemble that has released two critically-acclaimed CDs. Look for his new solo work to carry on in that tradition.

Singer-guitarist-keyboards player Ellis Clark’s contributions extend well beyond Epicycle, which in itself would cover several years of being at the cutting edge of the Chicago music scene. He was also behind the melodic rock of Social Act, and is currently a member of The Handcuffs, the indie rock band fronted by vocalist-guitarist Chloe F. Orwell and drummer Brad Elvis. Brad Elvis will be at the drum kit for Clark’s Friday’s show.

Doleful Lions have a droll sense of humor that’s manifested in the title of their latest CD on Parasol Records, Let’s Break Bobby Beausoleil Out Of Prison. They also recently posted a minimalist music video by frontman Jonathan Scott on their Facebook page. Some of the off-kilter pop tunes they might be playing Friday night include “Underground Werewolf Scribe Agape” and “The Brooks Brothers Riots.”

Penthouse Sweets are no strangers to The Abbey Pub, having been part of IPO - Chicago showcases there in the past. The band, led by vocalist-guitarist Andy Hansen and guitarist-vocalist Lou Hallwas, combines funny antics and solid musicianship on songs like “Dark Eyes.” “Smart Black Dress,” from the latest EP, See You In Bed, is a rollicking number that evokes The Rolling Stones

20-20 Vision

Material Issue bassist Ted Ansani dropped in on the WXRT show Local Anesthetic this past Sunday to chat with Richard Milne about the 20th Anniversary Edition of International Pop Overthrow the album, as well as Ansani’s upcoming Material re-Issue gig at International Pop Overthrow the festival. Ansani and his fellow Ish member, drummer Mike Zelenko, will be joined by singer-guitarist Phil Angotti in the role once held by the late Jim Ellison.

Local Anesthetic, a weekly program that casts a spotlight on up and coming Chicago music acts, is celebrating its 20th anniversary as well, and Milne has served as its host for that entire time. He has always come across as an avid supporter and fair-minded critic of the local scene.

Minutes before speaking with Ansani, Milne played a Local Anesthetic interview he had done with all three members of Material Issue, back in May, 1991. It was eerie but interesting to hear Ellison speak, as he explained his belief that it takes a lot of hard work to succeed as a band. The archive clip also included the trio performing a live, acoustic version of “Loneliest Heart That Beats,” which hadn’t been released yet at that time.

Returning to the present day, Milne conceded that some of the XRT air staff had expressed doubts about the upcoming re-Issue gig, but that he had assured them Phil Angotti was a talented musician. Ansani agreed that the singer-guitarist was up to the challenge.

“He’s been doing his homework,” Ansani told Milne. “He’s picking up many of the nuances that Jim had. He’s really nailing it vocally, and with his guitar work.”

Ansani, who has pursued a variety of projects since the demise of Material Issue, including the entertaining Throttle & Pistons CD with the Ted Ansani Project, said there are no plans to record new Material Issue songs. He, Zelenko, and Angotti will play the entire International Pop Overthrow at the re-Issue performance, which will be at The Abbey Pub on April 23rd, plus a few tracks from later albums.

Slumgullion # 56

Special bonus! A second round of Slumgullion in a single day.

By the time you read this, it will probably be too late to catch Faith In The Fallen’s 9:45 set tonight at Rock US Beer Company at 1801 N. Clybourn. The hard rock quintet, which features current New Millennium Theatre member and former Famous In The Future member Guy Schingoethe on lead vocals, has a gig in Kentucky on April 22nd, as well as one at the Penny Road Pub on June 18th.

Genral Patton & His Privates will be the closing act for the Peace Fest Battle Of The Bands (isn’t that an oxymoron?) tomorrow night at Phyllis’s Musical Inn on 1800 W. Division in Chicago. Other acts include Jagweeds, King Casey, Populele, and Ko Starz. There is a $5 donation.

The Second Disc online newsletter recently reported that The Go-Go’s will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of their effervescent debut, Beauty And The Beat by releasing a variety of special editions in May. The options will include Beauty And The Beat on pink vinyl, and as a two-disc CD set that features live performances as well as the original tracks. The Go-Go’s, who will be performing with The B-52’s at Ravinia on June 17th, are slated to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in August.

Bruce Springsteen will be Little Steven’s special guest on the guitarist-actor’s syndicated radio show Underground Garage for the next three weeks. Underground Garage airs on Sunday night from 9:00 to 11:00 PM on WXRT in Chicago. Fans can also hear a live stream via the station’s website.

International power pop trio The Britannicas have released a three-sided single - - one song composed by each of the members - - that’s available for free download at drummer-vocalist Joe Algeri’s bandcamp page.

The Bad Examples have just announced their first full concert since the release of their long-awaited Smash Record CD will take place on April 29th at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn.

Also at Fitzgerald’s, the 2nd Annual Concert For Carlos, a tribute to the late journalist Carlos Hernandez Gomez, will be held next Thursday, April 7th. Scheduled performers include Miles Zuniga of the band Fastball; Material re-Issue, featuring singer-guitarist Phil Angotti, along with original members Mike Zelenko and Ted Ansani; The Phil Angotti Band; Eric Howell’s Greatest Hitch!; and The New Fiction, which includes members of The Gear, along with guests Wes Hollywood and Johnny Million. There will be a silent auction with items donated by Rock And Roll Hall of Fame inductees and Grammy Award winning artists. Fitzgerald’s is located on 6615 Roosevelt in Berwyn. Donations can also be sent to the Carlos Hernandez Award in Journalism by contacting Wendy Irvine at DePaul University at wirvine@depaul.edu

Back on February 15th, I did a post on director P. David Ebersole’s Hit So Hard, an independent documentary about former Hole drummer Patty Schemel. Rolling Stone is now reporting that all four members of the band reunited for the premiere at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Bassist Melissa Auf der Maur described the film as, “an incredible survival story about Patty.”

The Chicago band Empires has made it into the next round of Rolling Stone’s Do You Wanna Be A Rock & Roll Star? competition and is now among the eight finalists. The group has just recorded two new songs, which can be heard at http://www.rollingstone.com/choosethecover/artists/empires

Where’s That Hit?

Photo taken from the Hoodoo Gurus Facebook page.

Note to WXRT fans: This year the station’s Cubs Opening Day celebration falls on the first of April. Since XRT is notorious for its April Fools Day pranks, you have to wonder if the people who gather for the live broadcast this Friday at YakZies on Clark Street will somehow be involved in a large scale scam. It should be interesting to see what happens.

Now that spring training has wrapped up and we’re on the verge of the 2011 baseball season, it seems like a good time to contemplate the Hoodoo Gurus’ “Where’s That Hit?” from their 1989 LP Magnum Cum Louder. Back then, head Hoodoo Dave Faulkner was rumored to be an avid follower of America’s favorite pastime, and he certainly had the lingo down pat on this fun and catchy track.

After playing a few notes from “Take Me Out To The Ball Park” on the organ, Faulkner sets the stage for a rookie’s first challenge in the big leagues. “Bases are loaded, two out and you’re at the plate.” As the song progresses, we get a little background info on the batter. “Just up from the minors/A kid with potential, they said.” The tension mounts. “Here you are at Shea, your heart’s in your throat/Will you make the grade? Will you miss the boat?” The energetic arrangement also features some spirited harmonica playing, and Faulkner winds things up by repeatedly belting out the title with the fervor of a gospel singer.

It’s tempting to think that Faulkner conceived “Where’s That Hit?” as a metaphorical response to pressure from his record label to score a chart topping single. But I think he really just meant it to be a song about baseball. Besides, Magnum Cum Louder already had a potential hit with “Come Anytime,” a melodic gem that featured The Bangles on backup vocals

I saw the Hoodoo Gurus at The Metro in Chicago when they were touring in support of this album. Surprisingly, they didn’t play “Where’s That Hit?” even though they were in walking distance of Wrigley Field.

Up To His Neck In Classical Rock

Photo by J.D. Motte, from Cheap Tricks’s official website.

Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen dropped by the WXRT studio this morning to have a quick chat with morning man Lin Brehmer about a series of concerts that kicks off tomorrow night at The Northern Lights Theater at Potawatomi Bingo Casino in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Cheap Trick will be performing the entire Dream Police album, backed by The Bombastic Symphonic Philharmonic with The Rhythmic Noise Mind Choir throughout January and February. Six back-up singers and a 20-piece orchestra will be involved. The concerts will feature the band’s other hits as well.

“We do that as one section of stuff,” Nielsen said, referring to Dream Police. When Brehmer noted that it would be particularly interesting to hear the title track, with all its dramatic instrumentation, backed by an orchestra, Nielson agreed, saying, “The intensity of that is cool.” He added that the Northern Lights people had come up with the idea after having seen one of the Beatles-themed shows Cheap Trick performed during an extended stint in Las Vegas.

Brehmer has a long association with Cheap Trick; his guest appearance as the hyper AM radio DJ during a live performance of “On The Radio” at The Metro can be heard on the On XRT Volume 4 CD, released in 1998. So this morning’s interview naturally included some joking around, such as Nielsen saying that he had chewed out one of the orchestra members during a rehearsal. When Brehmer asked if anyone in the orchestra had a five-neck violin, Nielsen insisted that he actually owns one. It would be interesting to see him playing it at the Dream Police concert, but I’m still not convinced Nielsen was serious. He also teased that Brehmer sounded like Kevin from The Office when he described Cheap Trick’s The Latest CD as, “Nice!”

There was one burning question that went unanswered during the interview: Why isn’t Cheap Trick doing this type of show in Chicago?

CD Review: ONXRT Live From The Archives Volume 12

Over the years, I’ve picked up the occasional volume from an ongoing series of CDs. A Bob Stroud’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Roots here, a Rhino Just Can’t Get Enough there. Mojo has attached many fine various artist compilations to its magazines, usually based on a central theme. I also have CDs that came from issues of Q, Uncut, and Paste. When I worked in the music department at Borders back at the turn of the century, I acquired a few of its Rock Essentials discs.

But there are only two series in which I own every single volume. One is Little Steven’s The Coolest Songs In The World, and the other is ONXRT Live From The Archives. Some of the ONXRT editions have been disappointments, but as a devoted fan of Chicago’s longest running progressive rock station, WXRT, I feel compelled to have all of them. Besides, the profits go toward charities.

Fortunately, the recently released Volume 12, which benefits The Gulf Restoration Network and Rock For Kids, is one of the better ON XRT Live From The Archives compilations. As usual, the sound quality on these live recordings, all of which aired on WXRT at some point, is very good. David Byrne’s take on his former band’s “(Nothing But) Flowers” augments the original’s satirical bite with lively percussion, and The English Beat likewise does well with “Tenderness.” (Initially done by its offshoot, General Public.) The Swell Season’s Academy Award winning “Falling Slowly” retains its fragile beauty and perfect harmonies in this live setting, while Andrew Bird’s “Imitosis” mixes classical and avant garde music, with a touch of his trademarked whistling.

On the more energetic front, you can’t go wrong with Spoon’s “Don’t You Evah,” which manages to be even more fun performed live, Vampire Weekend’s “A-Punk,” and Franz Ferdinand’s hard-edged but melodic “No You Girls.” Volume 12 closes with “Home,” that southern-fried guilty pleasure from Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros.

Slumgullion #35

It's been a long time, been a long time, been a lonely, lonely, - - - but I finally have another Slumgullion ready.

Those of us who enjoy Mary E. Donnelly’s contributions to the cool PowerPop blog run by Steve Simels are looking forward to Boys Don’t Lie, the book she’s written about the band Shoes. Due to be published from Pure Pop Press next Spring, the book covers this essential group’s entire history, including the Elektra LPs that should have become best sellers.

Legendary Rock Stars, which includes former Material Issue bassist Ted Ansani, will be performing at the Bad Monkey Bar & Grill in Algonquin at 10PM tonight. Next weekend, Ansani’s cover band, Diving for Dynamite, will play an all ages show at 7PM at Bogie’s Ale House as part of Mount Prospect’s Octoberfest. There is no cover charge.

Terri Hemmert’s recent two-part Breakfast With The Beatles tribute to John Lennon on the occasion of what would have been his 70th birthday was yet another example of why she remains one of Chicago’s favorite radio personalities. Hemmert, who has been on WXRT since the 1970s, was recently inducted into The National Radio Hall Of Fame. An official ceremony, including cocktails and dinner will take place on November 6th at the WTTW Studios at 5400 N. St. Louis Avenue in Chicago. There will be a live broadcast of the ceremony starting at 9:00PM. For information, check out the Radio Hall Of Fame website.

Last Rites will present its third annual two-day Halloween Fest at The Abbey on the weekend of October 29th/30th. Once again, a number of local artists will be paying tribute to well-known performers. Those of us who caught the Fest last year know it’s a blast, and this year’s lineup definitely looks promising. On the 29th, Tomorrow The Moon will explore its dark side as Pink Floyd; Penthouse Sweets will kover The Kinks; Ellis Clark and Epicycle will become The Beatles; Who’s This Mary will appear as The Cure, Canasta covers Elton John, and Sentinels will kick out the jams as MC5. The equally enticing 30th bill features ZZ Listening as ZZ Top; Phil Angotti as Buddy Holly; The Webstirs as The Beach Boys; The Delafields as New Order; Curtis Evans as Nirvana; and Androstache as The Pretenders.

Roxy Swain, a co-ed band that evokes The Bangles and Continental Drifters on its recently released impressive full-length debut The Spell Of Youth, has an upcoming gig at Martyr’s on Lincoln Avenue on October 28th.

Singer-guitarist Jimmy Herter, who’s one of several reasons The New Invaders are one of the area’s better 1960s tribute bands, has a solo gig at the Prime Time Restaurant and Bar at 7750 W. 95th Street in Hickory Hills tonight. The show starts at 9:30. Yell out some Hollies requests and tell him Broken Hearted Toy sent you.

It’s Beginning To Rock A Lot Like Christmas as Kool Kat Musik unwraps its A Kool Kat Kristmas compilation. The CD features Maple Mars, The Britannicas, Paralax Project, Jellybricks, Frank Royster, and other acts.

45 RPM Memories: Immune System - “Ambivalence & Spark Plugs”

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

It’s a safe bet that there was only one song in the history of rock with the name “Ambivalence & Spark Plugs,” and it was recorded by the Chicago quintet Immune System in 1979. I’m pretty sure I bought this record after hearing it on WXRT, and I have a vague memory of a disk jockey referring to vocalist Ro Goldberg as cute.

Goldberg wrote this energetic swipe at trendy types with guitarist George Siede, and her conversational approach to singing is reminiscent to Deborah Harry. She refers to someone as “a passing bug,” and sums up her own appearance with the line, “I’m pretty, but I’m in a rut.” Other band members chime in on a chorus of “Ooh yeah yeah ooh yeah yeah,” showing that punk rockers could be silly as well as confrontational.

The fast and catchy “Ambivalence & Spark Plugs” brings back memories of when it felt cool to go into a trendy record store and buy the latest 45 by a cutting edge Chicago band like Immune System, Bohemia, B.B. Spin, or Gary Jones. I can’t claim to have been one of the trendsetters slam dancing at O’Banions or Exit; usually the only time I went to those clubs was with the publishers of Metro Calendar, to pick up ad money. Luckily, several bands in the area still uphold the tradition, even to the point of releasing their material on vinyl.

Liverpoolooza - Part Two

More reflections on The Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago 2010, which was held at the Hyatt Regency in Rosemont this past weekend.

A Beatles Storytellers session featured Pat DiNizio, lead singer/guitarist for The Smithereens, and a friend he introduced as Tommy Beatle, performing as The Scotch Plainsmen. DiNizio is uniquely qualified to comment on Beatles music, having recorded the CDs Meet The Smithereens, a note for note recreation of Meet The Beatles, and B-Sides Of The Beatles, with his New Jersey based band.

Between songs, DiNizio spun tales of hearing his first Beatles song at age nine while brushing his teeth, and how it took the sage advice of an older cousin for him to fully appreciate “Penny Lane” when it first came out. There was also a funny story about his mother calling him in the middle of the night back in the mid 1980s to let him know that The Smithereens had been listed for The David Brenner Show in the latest edition of TV Guide.

DiNizio and Tommy Beatle entertained with acoustic versions of “Hide Your Love Away,” “Dear Prudence,” and “Strawberry Fields,” as well as Smithereens tunes like “Only A Memory” and a medley of “Blood & Roses” and “Behind The Wall Of Sleep.”

British humorist/producer Martin Lewis has served as host of Fest For Beatles Fans on the East and West Coasts since 1992, and has worked on assorted Beatles related projects. In Chicago, he conducts some of the celebrity guest interviews and moderates B.U.I. - Musician’s Forum, which is an informative and entertaining discussion/jam session with some of the famous musicians who have been booked for the Fest. Musician/producer Mark Hudson was once again the most active participant, and while his exuberance approaches a Muppet-like silliness at times, he knows music inside and out, and is a talented performer. Denny Laine and Denny Seiwell of Wings, and musician Gary Wright also helped make this year’s Musician’s Forum another winner.

Pretty much everything at Fest For Beatles Fans qualifies as family entertainment, but none of it more so than the Battle Of The Beatles Bands. WXRT air personality Terri Hemmert, marking her 33rd year as MC for Fest For Beatles Fans Chicago, always oversees this amateur hour with gentle humor and an encouraging word, even for contestants who are noticeably off key. It’s common for parents and their offspring to form bands for this event, and any act that features cute kids has a definite edge in making the finals. Some of the better acts this year included The Shades and Hootenanners.

The Art Contest, with participants competing at various levels and age groups, brought in another crop of imaginative works, especially the piece that showed over 30 albums on which the actual Beatles were replaced with their animated counterparts from the 1960s cartoon show; and a huge portrait of the lads in their Magical Mystery Tour splendor.

As the night wore on, the people under the stairs began to make their presence known. This unofficial collective has been performing a sort of Mersey beat hootenanny on the ground level of the Hyatt at Fest For Beatles Fans for years. When I stopped by on Sunday, there was a row of about eight guitarists playing Beatles songs to a small crowd sitting directly in front of them on the floor. The joyous spirit of this phenomenon illustrates the bonding power of Beatles music.

Liverpool, a four piece band comprised of keyboards/rhythm guitar player Drew Hill, bassist Glen Burtnik, drummer Chris Camilleri, and lead guitarist John Merjave, has developed a loyal following through its performances at Fest For Beatles Fans. At Chicago shows in the past, Liverpool has focused on a single album by The Beatles, but this year, the band bounced from one era to another for sterling renditions of “Glass Onion,” “Let It Be,” “Another Girl,” and “Golden Slumbers.” Unlike many Beatles tribute bands, these guys don’t dress or act like the original band members, they just perform their songs with solid musicianship and amazing vocals.

After Liverpool appeared to have finished its set, original Wings drummer Denny Seiwell appeared onstage to a roar of applause, and asked if the audience wanted to hear more. As the band returned, he took his place behind a second drum kit onstage and joined in for a spirited version of “Smile Away” from Paul McCartney’s Ram album. A short time later, former Wings and Moody Blues vocalist Denny Laine came on board to join his old mate Seiwell, and Liverpool for some show-stopping versions of the Wings classics “Band On The Run,” “Mull Of Kintyre,” and “Live And Let Die.”

After Laine’s guest appearance, bass player, artist, and longtime close friend of The Beatles, Klaus Voormann came up to play, along with Gary Wright. I must confess that while I’m certainly familiar with Wright’s hit singles, I wasn’t aware of his work on solo albums by Ringo Starr and George Harrison. With Voormann and Wright joining in, Liverpool charged through “Back Off Boogaloo” and “It Don’t Come Easy,” before Wright took center stage for “Dream Weaver” and some of his originals. Wright also sang lead on “To Discover Yourself,” a song he had co-written with Harrison. With Mark Hudson joining in, the concert continued to rock toward its impressive finale.

Fest For Beatles Fans had come to Chicago once again, and left those in attendance with a wealth of happy memories.