Book Review: Boys Don’t Lie: A History Of Shoes - Part One

It’s a safe bet that most Shoes fans are pretty much familiar with how the Zion, Illinois-based band overcame the inept policies of their major label and became legendary pop stars who started and ended up with their own record company. Boys Don’t Lie: A History Of Shoes, written by Mary E. Donnelly with Moira McCormick, fleshes out that story via extensive research and interviews with the band members, music biz insiders, and people from the media. Donnelly is a founder of the PowerPop blog, as well as well as a college professor, and McCormick has covered pop culture for several publications.

John and Jeff Murphy, Gary Klebe, and Skip Meyer come across as sincere and likable, and their determination serves as inspiration for creative types everywhere who are faced with adversity. These musicians also provide a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at their process for creating irresistibly catchy pop songs with intricate harmonies that still resonate decades after they were recorded.

Donnelly reaches back to childhood days of the Murphy brothers and Klebe, long before they ever played a note of music together. It’s a debatable approach since these guys aren’t major historical figures or celebrities, but it does help her establish their distinct personalities. And there are fun anecdotes, such as how John Murphy and Klebe first became friends while working on an underground newspaper at their high school, or how John Murphy drew cartoons of himself and his friends as big-time rock stars. A more touching revelation is that the Murphy brothers were never close to their father, and weren’t particularly upset when he abandoned them while they were still young. Their mother would soon remarry.

As much as Donnelly keeps these early chapters engaging, Boys Don’t Lie definitely picks up speed after the Murphy brothers and Klebe start getting national attention with Black Vinyl Shoes, their third self-released album. (Even some ardent Shoes fans might not have known that the first two were One In Versailles and Bazooka.) And when Donnelly describes how the band (with newly recruited drummer Skip Meyer) checked into a posh recording facility called The Manor in London to work on their Elektra debut, Boys Don’t Lie becomes hard to put down. 

The Real Halloweekend

Poster from the Metropolly Facebook page.

Two weeks ago, I did back-to-back posts packed with suggestions for this year’s Halloween tribute band shows. I had the annual Halloweekend—originally staged at The Abbey Pub but now at Martyrs—in mind, but there are similar events at other clubs around town. I figured I was early enough that some local musicians might act on my ideas.

I created a wish list of famous musical artists who were overdue for a tribute, and picked local acts who would be well-suited to the task. Just as I was about to do the first post, I discovered that Martyrs had already announced this year’s Halloweekend lineup. And so, what had been meant to be a blueprint, was now simply a rock and roll fantasy.

Here is the REAL schedule for Halloweekend 2013, according to one of the participant’s Facebook page. It will be held at Martyrs on Friday, October 25th. The show starts at 8:40 PM; admission is $10 in advance; $12 at the door.

8:40: Will Phalen as Beck. Phalen has recorded albums as a folk solo artist and with the band The Stereo Addicts, who describe their original work as cosmic American music, psychedelic alt-rock, and Midwestern soul. Sounds like he could be a good match for the always adventurous Beck. 

9:20 Rm:509 As PJ Harvey. Comprised of Yvonne Doll and Christy Nunes of The Locals; singer-guitarist Ripley Caine; and drummer Joanna Vassilatos, Rm:509 has recorded Idle Hole, a tribute to Harvey that’s available on iTunes. This looks to be a treat for fans of the eccentric English recording artist.

10:00 Phil Angotti As The Doors. The 1960s flow through singer-guitarist Phil Angotti’s veins, but I’ve mostly seen him cover more pop-oriented acts like The Bee Gees, Squeeze, The Monkees, and The Beatles. The Doors are an intriguing choice for him, and he has worked with some talented keyboards players in the past, so this is bound to be entertaining.

10:40 Metropolly As Liz Phair. This band’s lead vocalist-guitarist Holly Senchak has been rock solid covering Courtney Love and ABBA at previous Halloweekend gigs, and I’ve heard she’s also channeled Chrissie Hynde. Senchak as Phair could be another knockout performance.

11:20 The Shams As The Traveling Wilburys. The Shams mix blues, rock, and country music for their original songs and have opened for Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros, Grace Potter And The Nocturnals, and Dawes. Choosing to cover The Traveling Wilburys is an ambitious move that should pay off.

12:00 The Dirty Pigeons As Ozzy Osbourne. These four guys have opened for Drive By Truckers, Dawes, Joe Pug, and other national bands on tour, so covering Ozzy will be a bit of switch for them. Even if you don’t like heavy metal, it goes hand-in-hand with Halloween, and other bands covering the genre at Halloweekend in the past have been fun.  

Slumgullion

Postcard with vintage photos of The Three O’Clock and The Bangles from The Three O’Clock’s Live At The Waldorf LP.

The M Word. EXPO ‘76, the eclectic and fun covers band comprised of musicians from various Chicago area indie rock groups, is promising, “Music, Madness, Memories and something else beginning with M” at its gig tonight at Mickey Finn’s Brewery in Libertyville. Once again, EXPO ‘76 will be backed by The Total Pro Horns. Showtime is 9:00 PM.

Paisley Deja Vu. You don’t have to live in Los Angeles to know there was a retro/psychedelic music scene there back in the early 1980s called The Paisley Underground. But you will have to be a resident (or travel to L.A.) to catch a Paisley Underground reunion featuring The Three O’Clock, The Bangles, Rain Parade, and Dream Syndicate on December 6th at Fonda Theatre in Hollywood, CA. Lead singer-guitarist Michael Quercio of The Three O’Clock and singer-guitarist Vicki Peterson of The Bangles have mentioned on their respective Facebook pages how much they’re looking forward to the concert. It would be nice to see this line-up hit the road and visit some other cities, like Chicago.

A Book About Truthful Boys. It should be interesting to see how many people from Chicago’s power pop and indie rock community show up at the Book Cellar on Lincoln Avenue at 7:00 PM next Saturday night. That’s when authors Mary E. Donnelly and Moira McCormick will be promoting their biography, Boys Don’t Lie: A History Of Shoes. There’s also a chance members of Shoes will be on hand as Donnelly and McCormick read from the book and sign copies. I’m currently about halfway through Boys Don’t Lie, and will post a review next week.

In other book store related news, Linda Bubon and Ann Christophersen, owners of Women and Children First on Clark Street are looking for someone to take the reins after they retire. The goal is to find new owners who would continue the store’s mission of supporting women writers. Congratulations to Bubon and Christophersen on their 34 years of making Women And Children First an essential part of the Chicago literary scene.

The Smithereens have already announced they’ll be guests at Fest For Beatles Fans - New York in February, 2014. They’re going to recreate the entire concert The Beatles played in Washington, DC in 1964, to commemorate the the arrival of the Fab Four in America 50 years ago. The Smithereens will also be performing songs from their own impressive repertoire as well. The line-up for each year’s Fest For Beatles Fans changes a bit at the different cities it visits, so here’s hoping The Smithereens will also be part of the Chicago version.

  

Chloe F. Orwell and Brad Elvis from The Handcuffs have been named honorary chairpersons for the 7th Annual School Rocks Benefit Concert Supporting Inner City-Students Of San Miguel School Chicago at The House Of Blues on October 29th. Two genuine musical legends, Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys and guitarist Jeff Beck, will be performing this year. The general admission price is pretty steep (and there are even higher-priced packages available) but as Orwell noted on her Facebook page, “If you can swing it, this benefit is worth your support.” 

Actress Karen Gillian, formerly on Doctor Who, stars in Not Another Happy Ending, which is opens in the UK this weekend. Fans won’t have to worry about her getting close to any statues, since the Weeping Angels (the villains who exiled her Amy Pond character to a previous era on Doctor Who) aren’t in this flick. No word yet on whether Not Another Happy Ending is coming to the States.

Pezband, one of Chicago’s best-loved power pop acts, has reunited and is leaving for a tour of Japan. The group has just dropped its Dangerous People CD, a collection of songs originally intended to be released a few decades ago. Lead vocalist-guitarist Mimi Betinis continues to simultaneously pursue a solo career, and has just released the song “Is It Real Love” as a digital single. It’s a breezy romantic song done in a 1960s lounge style and finds Betinis doing a romantic duet with a female vocalist. 

Heart recently posted on Facebook that Ann and Nancy Wilson are among the nominees for the Songwriters Hall Of Fame 2014 induction ceremony. Their fellow nominees include Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, Madonna, John Mellencamp, Cat Stevens and Donovan. The Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony is scheduled for next June 12 in New York.

You Could Be Seeing Red. They’re being a bit secretive about it, but neo-psychedelic band The Red Plastic Buddha are planning to record a live set in a recording studio, and want their fans to attend.

Their Facebook page notes that an announcement will be made soon. 

CD Review: Crystal Jacqueline - Sun Arise

Singer-keyboards player Crystal Jacqueline was already an active player in Britain’s prog rock/psychedelic scene before releasing her new solo effort, Sun Arise. She’s a founding member of the band The Honey Pot and she joined forces with musician Mordecai Smythe and radio personality/vocalist Marrs Bonfire to record obscure 1960s cover versions under the name, The Green Question Mark. A few of the songs on Sun Arise were previously released as a 45 on the all-vinyl label, Fruits de Mer.

Throughout Sun Arise, Crystal Jacqueline avoids prog rock over-synthesized cliches in favor of more inventive arrangements. On energetic songs like “A Fairy Tale,” originally recorded by Second Hand, and “Dream I,” she seems to command the elements of the universe to swirl around her as she spins tales via her atmospheric keyboards and vocals. On “By The Way” she blends piano and layered vocals in a medieval arrangement that’s both ominous and romantic. The melodic “I Break” is also steeped in Old World folk music. The title track opens with hypnotic chanting before introducing a boogie guitar sound reminiscent of Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit In The Sky.”

Crystal Jacqueline puts her own stamp on the The Troggs’ “Cousin Jane” and The Rolling Stones’ “Play With Fire,” and reinvents Gordon Lightfoot’s easy-going “Sundown” with a spare, techno approach.    

In Our Lives . . .

As The Beatles once sang in one of those frivolous musical snippets they were fond of reeling off, “It’s Johnny’ Birthday.” Decades after John Lennon’s death, it’s telling that he’s loved and remembered almost as much for his unique personality as for the world-changing music he created with Paul, George, and Ringo. He’ll be honored today in Liverpool; at the Strawberry Fields memorial in New York’s Central Park; at the Hollywood Star Walk, and other locations across the universe. So let’s take some time to consider what John Lennon stood for, and now more than ever, Give Peace A Chance. Here are a few things going on in the Chicago area today.

As reported by Mary Schmich in the Chicago Tribune, Lennon’s 1962 Martin D-28 acoustic guitar, which was once part of the Peace Museum in Chicago, has been rescued from storage and is now on permanent display at The Old Town School Of Folk Music. 

There will be a John Lennon Birthday Tribute/Rock For Kids Benefit featuring several music acts today at Uncommon Ground on Clark Street in Chicago starting at 8:00 PM. The performers are Jennifer Hall; Belleisle; Lying Delilah; Todd Kessler; Brice Woodall; Rory Sullivan; The New Switcheroo; Jess Godwin; Steve Sebby; Drew Wittler, Stephen Francis; Phil Angotti (who can be seen holding the above-mentioned John Lennon Martin D-28 acoustic guitar on his Facebook page); Honey And The 45’s and Rich Cole. Each will perform two songs written by Lennon. Admission is $10, and there will also be a raffle for a 70th Anniversary John Lennon J-160E Gibson Acoustic Guitar. 

EP Review: The Reserve - Shades Of White

Note: This review originally appeared in the Around Hears column in the Illinois Entertainer.

The Reserve pursues a blend of hard rock and punk on its new EP, Shades Of White, that’s not far removed from Nirvana. Lead vocalist-guitarist Jon Babin and guitarist John Birchfield lead the attack on the energetic but catchy “Chuck,” and navigate the various tempo shifts on the more elaborate “Slide” with help from bassist Steve Somogyi and drummer Kyle Biba. The spooky, fun arrangement on “White Lines” shows yet another side of this inventive band. 

Halloween Song: The Wanton Looks - “Demons”

Following a tradition that began on Broken Hearted Toy in October of 2009, here’s a profile of a song that’s well-suited for the Halloween season. For more Halloween songs, check the month of October for each year in the BHT archives. 

The stark front cover art and predominantly black packaging for the 2012 self-titled full-length debut from The Wanton Looks casts an ominous vibe, and this Chicago-based trio got pretty scary on a rampaging track titled “Demons.” Propelled by Traci Trouble’s bass guitar, it forges punk and hard rock with a catchy melody in a way that evokes Joan Jett or L7. Trouble’s throaty vocals make this depiction of a woman haunted by terrifying visions sound entirely believable. “I see a face, it’s got metallic skin,” she sings. “He’s staring down at me. I’ll have to blink again.”

The situation gets worse at night, keeping the woman from being able to sleep. She tries to convince herself that what she’s seeing can’t be real, but the images are impossible to ignore. “I have to open my eyes to make it disappear.” Trouble and drummer Meg Thomas keep a relentless pace throughout “Demons,” creating a feeling of being chased, and there’s a hint of heavy metal stomp. Guitarist Inga Olson bursts in from time to time, and the song has an extended instrumental coda, as if leaving the visions to the listener’s imagination.

The Wanton Looks debut placed at No. 10 in the Broken Hearted Toy Top Releases of 2012.