Slumgullion

My feature story on Chicago’s critically acclaimed alt rock /country band, Dolly Varden, can be found in the January issue of the Illinois Entertainer. Singer-guitarist Steve Dawson invited me to drop by the apartment he shares with his wife and fellow Dolly Varden founding member, Diane Christiansen, late last year for the interview. It was fascinating talking to him about the band’s latest release, For A While, as well as the art of songwriting. I could swear Dawson and Christiansen don’t look a day older since I last met with them for an IE story, in 1994. Dolly Varden will have a CD release party next Saturday, January 19th, at City Winery in Chicago before heading overseas for gigs in Edinburgh, Scotland, as well as Belfast and Rathfriland in Northern Ireland. In addition, Christiansen will be exhibiting some of her art work at the Edinburgh College Of Art.

Happy Birthday to vocalist-guitarist Vicki Peterson of The Bangles. Peterson also has a side project called Psycho Sisters with singer-guitarist Susan Cowsill coming out later this year. The two previously worked together in The Continental Drifters.

Shoes have accepted an invitation to perform at this year’s SXSW music festival in Austin Texas, according to a Facebook post from the band. The date is March 13th at the Holy Mountain venue. The three founding members, John and Jeff Murphy and Gary Klebe, have also been penciled in to participate in a panel discussion on March 15th, but the band is waiting for more details before confirming that part of the deal. There’s also a rumor that Shoes are considering a few gigs in the Midwest as well.

Chris Stamey of The dB’s has a new CD on the way. Lovesick Blues is now available for pre-order from Yep Roc Records. I couldn’t find any mention of him going on tour, though.

People looking to discover more about Chicago’s vibrant live performance scene will get plenty of opportunities when the very first Chicago Theatre Week takes place from February 12th through the 17th. The festival will offer discounted tickets to productions by Second City, A Red Orchid, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Bailiwick Chicago, ComedySportz, Goodman Theatre, Shattered Globe Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Black Ensemble Theater, Laugh Factory, Victory Gardens Theater, and numerous other groups. It’s highly recommended that patrons get their tickets in advance.

The Paul Collins Beat, one of the best of the early power pop bands, returns to Chicago on February 7th for a gig at the new club, Township. Little Boy Jr. and Blizzard Babies are also on the bill. Located at 2200 N. California, Township is a short walk from the Blue Line Metra stop.

The Handcuffs and The Wanton Looks have performed together at a number of Chicagp area clubs, and they'll be doing it again for a double bill at the brand new 27 Live club in Evanston, on January 19th.

Self-published authors searching for ways to promote their efforts would do well to follow the example of Young Adult/Sci-Fi author Susan Kaye Quinn. Full disclosure: She and I belong to the same writers group. Quinn, who was recently named as a panelist for utopYAcon coming up in Tennessee this June, skillfully works social media to promote her Mindjack Trilogy, and recently supervised the filming of a trailer in New York. To find out more check out Quinn’s website.  

CD Review: The Wanton Looks - Self-Titled

On their self-titled full-length debut, The Wanton Looks use high-speed and impossibly catchy arrangements while depicting the various ways a relationship can implode. That approach has resulted in some critics comparing the Chicago-based band to The Buzzcocks, as well as Joan Jett & The Blackhearts. The brash attitude on these 13 tracks should also please fans of The Friggs, a  four-woman group fronted by singer-guitarist Palmyra Delran in the 1990s.

Lead vocalist-bassist Traci Trouble gives The Wanton Looks a non-stop infusion of spunk and sneering, particularly on “Get Thru To You” and “86 Me.” On the energetic “Electromagnetic Force,” Trouble urges a not-so-secret admirer to makes his move. “You’ve been watching me, I know/Admit it,” she insists, but later complains, “You’re running away/You keep me at bay.” Guitarist Inga Olson and drummer Meg Thomas supply harmonies that hark back to the girl group sound of the early 1960s on “Come On,” and evoke L7 by engaging Trouble in some call and response vocals on the hard-hitting “Used & Abused.”

The Wanton Looks tackle other subject matter as well. Trouble and Thomas propel the nightmarish but rollicking “Demons,” which is a must for any Halloween party playlist. “G.O.P. Greedy Old Pigs,” a blast of left wing politics, isn’t on this disc, but can be found on the band’s website. The Wanton Looks will be on a double bill with The Handcuffs at the 27 Live venue in Evanston on January 19th.

CD Review: Norwood Park All Stars - Northwest Highway

Norwood Park All Stars is a rotating collection of musicians who forged a punk scene dubbed ‘Norcore’ in Chicago’s Norwood Park neighborhood back in the mid-1980s. Led by vocalist Dave Bergeron and guitarist Pete Hlavach, they started recording tracks about five years ago at JoyRide Studio in the hope of rekindling that rebellious spirit. Their mission has become a rousing success, as evidenced by recently released full-length CD, Northwest Highway. 

Norwood Park All Stars don’t unleash scathing political lyrics ala a Dead Kennedys, but the frustration on high-speed songs like “23 (Listen For It),” and “Hand To Hand Combat” is certainly authentic. “Russ Meyer” and “Gary Glitter” set social satire to a pounding beat, while “Jumpstart” has the more fun nature of The Buzzcocks. Most of the 13 tracks have rollicking instrumental passages, and according to the CD’s brightly illustrated liner notes, “Many gang-style vocals involved all performers on the track.”

The Norwood Park All Stars find a variety of entertaining mediums to proclaim their heritage on their website.  

Slumgullion

It’s only January 4th, and I’m already compiling a list of shows I wish I could have seen. I didn’t make it out to FitzGerald’s in Berwyn tonight to see a double bill of the neo-psychedelic band Tomorrow The Moon  and power pop artisans Pezband. Depending on what time you read this, you might still have time to check it out if you’re in the vicinity. Wouldn’t it be great if these two acts did more gigs together? Here’s an eye-pummeling video of “HeSawRed” by Tomorrow The Moon. 

Phyllis’ Musical Inn on Division Street in Chicago will have a strong lineup of power pop bands tomorrow night when Van Go and 92 Degrees take the stage. Both acts are veterans of International Pop Overthrow - Chicago, and both have a bass-playing/back-up singing Galassini. Left Hand Foot, formerly The Fighting Moultons, is also on the bill.

As I mentioned here about a week ago, Miles Austrevich, the inspiration for the Jokes4Miles   campaign, has passed away. It was touching to see the crowd of family and friends that came to his visitation on Chicago's north side last Saturday. There are two memorials planned in the coming weeks for this courageous young man who battled brain cancer with determination and a sense of humor. The first takes place tomorrow at the Museum Of Contemporary Art, at 220 E. Chicago Avenue, starting at 4:00 PM. And there will be a celebration of Miles’ life on January 19th, at the new Jokes4Miles headquarters at 3660 W. Irving Park Road. Check out the Jokes4Miles Facebook page for more information.

Mega Dodo, the UK independent label that unleashed the sinister fun of 1960s-influenced recording artist and honorary Palatine citizen Mordecai Smyth on the world, has some interesting new releases on tap. The Honey Pot is a quartet whose latest release, To The Edge Of The World, is an overflowing garden of psychedelic tunes. The Green Question Mark’s Pegasus EP features a cover of the 1960s Hollies song, “Pegasus,” as well as the band's take on The Rolling Stones’ “She’s A Rainbow.” The previously mentioned Mr. Smyth is a member of The Green Question Mark, along with intriguingly named musicians, Marrs Bonfire, Icarus Peel, and Chrystal Jacqueline.

Amazingly, this is the second cover of “Pegasus” I’ve heard about in the past few days. Shindig magazine had a review of an eight-minute version on a colored vinyl 45 by the band Temple Music. It’s available from the Fruits De Mer label, which is also planning a vinyl LP and 7” single Hollies tribute. The original version, from The Hollies’ psychedelic masterpiece, Butterfly, is notable as being one of the few times guitarist-harmony vocalist Tony Hicks got to sing lead.

There's still time to be part of my Big Ideas project here on Broken Hearted Toy. A while back, I put out a request to musicians, writers, directors, artists, and anyone involved in the arts to send me a one-sentence description of their creative goal for 2013. I ran the first batch on New Year's Day. I’ll post more throughout the month, as they arrive. Here's a recent one I recently received:

“I am determined to do a video project with much more mass appeal than my current Coffee With Jeff.  Something more structured and amusing, and hopefully get some of my talented friends involved.” - Jeff Kelley, host/producer/writer of the weekly Internet show, Sunday Morning Coffee With Jeff.

I’m looking forward to what Jeff comes up with, and would love to be involved. 

CD Review: The Mike Benign Compulsion - Martha

This second release from The Mike Benign Compulsion could be celebrated simply on the basis of its striking melodies and elaborate vocal interplay. The Milwaukee-based band of rock veterans plays a distinctively Midwestern strain of power pop and alt rock on Martha, which was mixed by Chris Stamey of The dB’s. Still, there are darker pleasures to be found by delving into singer-guitarist Mike Benign’s portraits of down-and-out losers and frustrated lovers.

The energetic “American Dreaming And Drunk” is the most obvious juxtaposition of stinging lyrics and fetching music, while some of the other tracks, like “My Michelle,” can be more tricky. The chorus on the baroque pop song, “I Won’t Let You Down” adds the word “again” to the title; suggesting a guy with a history of not coming through, and the good vibes generated in the Beach Boys-flavored “I’ve Never Felt As Good As I Do Now” depend on maxing out credit cards and being oblivious to other people’s suffering. On the acoustic “Tattoos Of Bruises,” Benign nails a self-destructive couple with lines like, “He made the money grow wings and fly free.” The Mike Benign Compulsion might not think much of the common man, but they do create a catchy fanfare.

CD Review: Stag - Self-Titled

It's not surprising to find references to record stores and record players on Stag's self-titled, full-length debut. Or for that matter, a faithful cover of Eric Carmen's “Get The Message” from his days with Cyrus Erie in 1969. The Seattle-based Stag, fronted by vocalist Steve Mack of the UK’s That Petrol Emotion, packs a power pop wallop that harks back to an era when Cheap Trick and Carmen's better-known group, The Raspberries, pretty much released everything on vinyl.

Stag's chief songwriter, guitarist-singer Ben London, draws from a variety of influences, such as The Who on the energetic “Ides Of March,” and the original British Invasion on the catchy and fun tribute to indie labels, “Love Her Records.” London's knack for satire shines through on the galloping “Chameleons,” with its images of diners fighting over a check and urgent chorus of, “What are you waiting for, you’re running out of time.” The rollicking “Tiffany Rose” depicts a woman so caught up in the latest trends, she disappears within her high fashion clothes and make-up. Mack offers a wide range of vocal styles throughout these 12 tracks, and creates some inventive harmonies with London and guitarist-vocalist Lincoln Barr.   

Big Ideas For 2013

Photo from Vicki Peterson's Facebook page. Is this the year she goes Psycho?

The Elvis Brothers once sang, “I got big ideas on my mind,” and the start of a new year always seems like the perfect time for people to present those ideas in the form of resolutions. So a while back I put out a request for musicians, writers, actors, directors, producers, artists, publicists, and all creative types to tell me what they’d love to accomplish in 2013.

I didn’t promote the concept as much as I should have, due mostly to the hectic holiday schedule. I’ve decided to extend the Big Ideas concept through the month, so that people who are interested in promoting their projects can still participate. Just send your 2013 creative goal to me in care of this blog, or if we’re Facebook friends, via a message. In the meantime, here’s a mix of predictions, suggestions,  and responses.

“Record a new CD, reverse earth’s polarity BACK on 12/21, smile at strangers, and perfect cold fusion but keep it to themselves.” -  Coed power pop band and International Pop Overthrow - Chicago regulars, The Right Tidys. So that’s how we escaped the Mayan Apocalypse!

According to an email I received from drummer Bobby Elliott on October 3rd, The Hollies plan to release a live CD at some point in 2013, “to round off 50 years of making records. We then tour New Zealand, Australia, and of course, here in Britain and Ireland.” Mr. Elliott and guitarist-vocalist Tony Hicks are the only remaining original members in the band. By the way, please come to America.

“I’ll be busy creating my comic strip, “Just Say Uncle,” three times a week, for Universal Press Syndicate’s GoComics website!” - Founder of power pop band The Bradburys/journalist/comic artist Dan Pavelich. 

SUGGESTION: If WXRT gives us another Live From The Archives this year, they should also offer something to keep all the discs in. Either a blue diamond-shaped container, or a box with the FM rock station’s diamond logo in neon on top. It should be free to anyone who can prove they own all 15 volumes from the series.

“Sell one of my current books to a traditional publisher in a big house & write a new book that becomes a NYT bestseller for weeks on end. No biggie.”  - Author Kym Brunner. 

Good Ol’ Freda was one of many highly worthwhile Kickstarter projects that appeared in 2012. It’s a film about Freda Kelly, the official secretary of The Beatles International Fan Club pretty much for the band’s entire career. Kelly was a guest at Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago in August and came across as totally charming. Good Ol’ Freda was also one of 10 films to receive a grant from The Women in Film Foundation as part of the 27th annual Film Finishing Fund. It would be nice to see it released some time this year.

“Take my creativity deeper through retreats with my fellow writers and wider by exploring different genres (MG and steampunk as well as YA SF),  while continuing to grow my reader fanbase by writing and publishing fiction they want to read.” - Author Susan Kaye Quinn. 

At some point in 2013, promoter David Bash will hit the road and start bringing International Pop Overthrow, his traveling showcase of power pop and indie rock bands to cities in the U.S., Canada, and England. Usually, IPO hits Chicago around the middle to end of April. I’m looking forward to another 10 days of discovery and fun. 

“My goal for 2013 is to continue to work with incredibly cool bands. I am really grateful for the talented people I work with.” - PR Specialist at Western Publicity, Heather West. 

My old comedy group, Famous In The Future, has been dabbling more and more with its alt rock side project, The Rut. Expect more of that in 2013. Also, founding member/performer/writer Frank Carr has been kicking around the idea of creating a documentary about Famous In The Future, which got its start in 1989.

“Continue work on our third album, which we've started recording with Daniel McMahon at The Midwest Sound in Rockford.” Mike Benign from The Mike Benign Compulsion. 

A while back, Bangles vocalist-guitarist Vicki Peterson created a Kickstarter project with former Cowsills member Susan Cowsill, under the name, Psycho Sisters. There have also been reports of Bangles vocalist-guitarist Susanna Hoffs wrapping up her third Sid & Susie Under The Covers collaboration with Matthew Sweet. With any luck, we’ll see both of these efforts, as well as lots of other Bangles solo and group activity in the coming year.

“Focus on my craft to build stories and characters readers will remember.” - Author Veronica Rundell.

SUGGESTION: The Bangles should participate in the annual Record Store Day this April by releasing some sort of rarity on 45 RPM vinyl. Maybe a version of “I Can’t Let Go” by The Hollies, which Peterson and Cowsill covered when they were with The Continental Drifters.

“In response to an editor's suggestions and favorable critique of a picture book manuscript, I resolve to rewrite and create a sketched dummy/w 2 original illustrations ... and have closed my facebook accounts until I reach that goal.” - Book illustrator/writer Terri Murphy. 

As for me, I’m determined to actively seek out a publisher and/or agent for my three novels. I’ve just completed one set in Chicago's alt-rock scene in the mid-1980s, but need to go back and make some edits so the narrative is more unified. I’ll be writing more about this book in the near future.