Re-Vue Chicago - Blue Lake Records

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Re-Vues:
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February/
March
2007
St.
Valentine’s
Day
Massacre!
- Ain't Rocket
Science 101
- Rockin' Ryan
& the Real
Goners
- Rory Justice
& His Ubangi
Rockers
Madris
Gras 2007
New
Orleans
Debbie
Does
Oakbrook
The
Sonics!
As always more News,
Reviews, Event Notices,
Calendar and More. . .
Inside this issue
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OK. So Re-Vue was on a sabbatical for quite a few months
in 2006. From time-to-time everyone’s mind needs a rest
after all! But the problem is a little more serious than that—
finding writers and other contributors that are willing and
able to provide content every month has proven to be
exceedingly difficult. Coaxing articles out of the small select
group of people has been like pulling teeth lately.
Unless we are able to find some new writers and
contributors, Re-Vue may indeed have to throw in the
towel… perhaps just publish issues periodically—read that
to mean—whenever we have enough content to publish a
full issue.
Re-Vue is also moving to a predominantly online format. I
know it will be odd not picking up your hot-off-the-presses
copy of Re-Vue each month at the Big C, but realistically, it
is simply not feasible to continue to get free printing and cart
issues to the Big C the first Thursday of every month. In any
case, that does not mean the end of Re-Vue, just a fresh
start. And we’re working on a couple places in Chicago
where you can still pick up a hardcopy during the month.
Juan Rodriguez at Blue Lake Records has been extremely
generous continuing to offer Re-Vue Chicago an online
home-base… he even gave the editor a little nudge recently
to get back on track.
Feb/
March
2007
Now, on to the content we have from the staffers this
month.
Matt Strickland,
known world-wide as the
savage scenester from Detroit, continues to write
reviews each month and we keep printing ‘em. This
month we’re running his reviews of the following:
“Ain't Rocket Science 101” on Wild Hare Records,
Rockin' Ryan & the Real Goners, “Cry of Midnight” on
Golly Gee Records, and Rory Justice & His Ubangi
Rockers, “Rock n’ Roll Flu” on Golly Gee Records.
Additionally, Ken Mottet, Chicago’s own Mayor of
the rockabilly scene, pops in this month with a couple
much needed Op-Ed (opinion/editorial) pieces; a
review on the vivacious Debbie Reynolds, a testament
to why one should not put off what can be done today.
Drew Schadegg joined
the motley little group of
writers in 2006 and we’re darn-proud to have him
continuing on this year. At the strong urging of the
editor, and in light of the just-passed Valentine’s Day
holiday, Drew wrote this month about the infamous
(Continued Next Page)
We are not going ALL high-tech on you though… the issues
will be designed, converted to PDF and posted online at the
following link: http://rock-a-billy.ch/revue/index.htm. That’s it.
You can choose to download it and print it on your own if
you still really want a hard-copy. And if not, you can read it
all online whether you are in Chicago, elsewhere in the ‘ol
US, or anywhere in the world for that matter.
A couple pluses in our new format will be TIMING and
COLOR. We can now have the flexibility to churn out an
issue and make it “live” anytime during a given month.
Rather than rushing to be finished by the first Thursday of
the month. And putting the issue online will allow better
quality and clarity. The printed format was not always of top
quality. Posting the PDF online allows the photos to be
viewed in higher quality and we can use flashy colors rather
than only black and white...
An bulletin will be sent to let readers know that each
issue is online – to get that email, find Re-Vue
Chicago on Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/
revuechicago) and send us a friend request. It’s just
that easy.
Re-Vue’s Feb-March 2007 CoNTribUtors:
Top L to R: Matt Strickland, Ken Mottet, Susan Funk
Bottom L to R:
Dennis Leise
Doug Freedman, Drew Schadegg, and
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Feb/
March
2007
There
are
always shows
coming up that
shouldn’t be
missed
and
as
always,
we have a
“Don’t
Say
We
Didn’t
Warn You”
section to
give you a
heads-up
to
get
t h o s e
dates onto
y o u r
calendar
well
in
advance.
St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. Who better to write a
piece about this dark and gory part of
Chicago’s mob-related history, but
our resident history aficionado. A bit
of local gangster lore, Drew
investigated further to bring you just
the facts.
Since this month is February and
supposed to be all about roses and
sunshine and LOVE love L.O.V.E…
The Re-Vue staff were tasked to write
about something that they LOVE. And
your faithful Editor opted for the Sonics!
The Sonics recorded most of their early
material on the Etiquette label. The
sound engineer genius and the originator
of the signature mid-60s Seattle garage
sound, was Kearney Barton of Audio
Recording, Inc. He was behind the sound
board capturing the raucous recordings
and savage stylings of the Sonics. Read
further in this issue about the Sonics shortlived careers and a bit about their interactions with
Mr. Barton.
Doug Freedman,
Chicago’s International Man
of Mystery, always finds the most interesting DVDs
and movies to review for us each month. This month
he reviews: The marionette-tastic Thunderbirds.
Dennis Leise just took a trip to New Orleans for
Mardi Gras and wrote a short travelogue about his
experience down in the Crescent City. Catch a
glimpse into post-Katrina New
Orleans
through Dennis’s eyes.
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As always, we also have
some interesting tid-bits from recent news
stories and the music/event calendar on the back
page.
Re-Vue will (hopefully) be back again next month; we
hope to have profiles and bio-pieces about several of
the legendary performers that will be making the trip
out to Vegas and – depending on the timing of the
issue, possibly also some of the acts that will be
performing in Green Bay as well.
Remember, we are desperately on the lookout for
new writers and photographers. It doesn’t matter
where you live. We want to hear from you. We would
love to hear what’s going on in your neck of the
woods—wherever that may be. Drop us a line and let
us know if you have any ideas for articles, new
columns etc. Additionally, bands feel free to drop us a
line about any upcoming releases; we’ll be thrilled to
hear from you. If you get us a copy, we can be sure
to get it reviewed.
Covering all the angles… all the time,
Susan E. Funk
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Ain't Rocket Science 101
Various Artists (Wild Hare Records)
Ain't Rocket Science 101 is a nice sampling of five Wild
Hare Records artists. The music ranges from rockabilly to
hillbilly to old timey country! All the tracks on the CD have a
nice authentic sound….some with echo and some dry! No
overproduction involved, just pure music as it should be
played! Throw it on and get ready to bop, boogie and shuffle
‘til you drop.
Track List:
Scotch Whiskey–The Garnet
Hearts
Gypsy Eyes–The Garnet Hearts
Minnesota Snow–The Garnet
Hearts
Through With You–The Garnet
Hearts
Red Lipstick on Cigarettes–The
Garnet Hearts
Big Wheels Roll–Thommy Burns
Dear Old Dad–Thommy Burns
Crazy About Nancy–Thommy Burns
Doorbell Dreamboat–Thommy Burns
Buried Hopes–Thommy Burns
Cool It–Thommy Burns
Blue So Blue–Ron Berry
Lovesick–Ron Berry
I want You–Ron Berry
It's All Life–Ron Berry
Live This Way–Ron Berry
Tell Me Darlin–The Saddle Pals
Honey, Honey–The Saddle Pals
Wined & Dined & Pocket Lined–The Saddle Pals
Mrs. Jackson–The Saddle Pals
Why Can't You Be True–The Saddle Pals
24 Hours A Day–Jason "Hoss" Hicks
So Untrue–Jason "Hoss" Hicks
Can't Keep My Mind Off You–Jason "Hoss" Hicks
Just Take Me Home–Jason "Hoss" Hicks
Feels So Good–Jason "Hoss" Hicks
Catch My Breath–Jason "Hoss" Hicks
Rockin' Ryan & the
Real Goners
Cry of Midnight
(Golly Gee Records)
Back with his third full length release (second on Golly
Gee), Rockin' Ryan has combined the darker more
primal subject matters associated with his garage band
the Hexxers with the rockabilly and
late 50's rock n roll sound of the
Real Goners. What you end up with
is one of the most interesting
rockin' records to come out since
the Space Cadets burst onto the
scene! The line-up for the CD
brings us Rockin' Ryan Sagat on
rhythm guitar/vocals, Rip Carson
on lead guitar/rhythm guitar/upright & electric bass,
Michael Faughnan on drums and Jeff Gerow on drums.
"Cry of Midnight" contains 11 new original songs, 3
covers and solid rocking from start to finish. My favorite
tracks on the CD are the originals "Double Crossin'
Daddy" (nice rockin' hillbilly style bopper),
"Cottontail" (killer bopper w/ Hal Harris style leads) and
"Open Up the Casket" (late 50's stroller with Peter Gunn
style trombone break). Excellent covers of "I'm the
Wolfman" and "Rattle Shakin' Mama" on there as well.
Great playing throughout…surely Ryan's best effort to
date!!! Dig it wherever Golly Gee records are sold.
Track List:
Cry of Midnight
Rainin' In My Heart
I'm The Wolfman
Why Did You Leave Me Baby
Double Crossin' Daddy
Open Up the Casket
Headstone Rock
Snake In The Grass
Animal Tamer
Cottontail
Rattle Shakin' Mama
Woman Cry
Cry of Midnight (Alt. Country Mix)
Castin' My Pearls Before Swine
www.gollygeerecords.com
www.myspace.com/rockinryanandtherealgoners
www.wildharerecords.com
Strickland Scale 4.0
Matt
Strickland
Strickland Scale
4.5 fezes
Re-Vue Chicago
Feb/March
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Rory Justice & His
Ubangi Rockers
Danny 'tequila!'
Flores, dead at 77
Rock n’ Roll Flu (Golly Gee Records)
If every kid were lucky enough to be the offspring of an 80's
rockabilly revivalist, the world would definitely be a more
rockin' place!!! Rory Justice (son of Crash Justice,
Rockaholics), is back with his second full length rockabilly
CD. Rory plays most of the instrumentation on the
recordings…vocals, guitars, bass, piano…and is joined by
Bobby "Mumbles" on drums.
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.,
Friday, Sep 22, 2006 - Danny
Flores, who played the
saxophone and shouted the
word "tequila!" in the 1950s hit
song "Tequila!," has died. He
was 77.
Flores, who lived in
Westminster, Calif., died
Tuesday at Huntington Beach Hospital, said hospital
spokeswoman Kathleen Curran. He died of
complications from pneumonia, the Long Beach PressTelegram newspaper reported.
15 songs on the CD, 14 of which were penned by Rory…
nice job for such a young performer!!! My favorites on the
CD are "Let's Go Baby" (up-tempo boogie with nice
harmonies and lead break), "Listen Up" (mid-tempo rock n
roll with a rhumba beat) and one of my all time favorite
boppers, Floyd Mack's "I Like to Go". The overall sound on
the CD is pretty similar to his previous release and it's great The man sometimes called the "godfather of Latin rock"
to hear Rory's progression as a musician. Nice sophomore was born in Santa Paula, Calif., but grew up in Long
Beach. By age five he was playing guitar in church and
effort!!!
at 14 he was a member of a trio that performed
Mexican music.
Track List:
In 1957, Flores was in a group that recorded some work
with rockabilly singer Dave Burgess. One of the songs
was based on a nameless riff Flores had written. He
played the "dirty" saxophone part and repeatedly
growled the single-word lyric: "Tequila!"
Rock & Roll Flu
Let's Go Baby
I'm Not So Nice
Baby, I Love You
Railroad Mama
Why Do I Cry
Listen Up
Moonlight
Sugar Mama
U From Us
I Like to Go
Let's Bop
Baby Knows How to Rock
She's Gone
All She Want's to Do
The next year it appeared as the B-side of a single,
credited to the Champs. Flores used the name Chuck
Rio because he was under contract to a different record
label.
"Tequila!" went to No. 1 on the Billboard chart and won
a Grammy in 1959 for best rhythm and blues
performance. Flores continued to play it for the next 40
years.
www.gollygeerecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/
Strickland Scale 3.5
Matt
Strickland
The song has been used in numerous commercials and
TV shows. It became popular with a new generation
after it was used in the 1985 movie "Pee Wee's Big
Adventure."
- The Canadian Press, 2006
Re-Vue Chicago
Feb/March
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We got our name from the
sonic boom made by the
jets… It seemed natural.
Andy Parypa – bass
Frantic, savage, primal, aggressive, angstridden, raucous… there are about a million
powerful words that could be used to describe
the Sonics signature sound… and not one of
them can adequately capture their potency. To
me, it’s the best way in the world to leave that
crappy-ass day I just had behind me. Tune in,
turn it up and let ‘er rip. The Sonics are meant to
be heard at number 15 on a dial that only goes
to 10. Ahead of their time, they forever set the
bar for Northwest rock and roll and influenced
acts in countless genres over the years.
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As was common around Seattle and Tacoma at
the time, the members of the Sonics all sort of
played around in a bunch of other bands before
coming together. The Sonics line-up history is a
little convoluted, but let’s see if we can’t boil it
down a bit.
Larry Parypa started playing guitar young—ten
years old—after seeing his uncle play guitar.
But he didn’t really become serious about it until
he was in his early teens and bought his first
Gibson ES-125 hollowbody (with paper route
money, nonetheless). He started playing around
town with some pals and as members would
come and go for various reasons (family moves
due to the military usually) they would be
replaced with other members. Eventually his
older brother Andy saw an opening and elbowed
his way in as the new bass player. For a short
time their brother Jerry played sax with them.
“We had my twin brother Jerry honkin’ along on
one note on the sax.” Larry explains. Andy went
on to note, “We got a sax player Tony Mabin…
that was the end of Jerry and his one note!”
They noted some of their early influences as
Link Wray, Duane Eddy, local bands the Wailers
and the Roamers.
(continued next page)
The Sonics exploded onto the music scene in
the Tacoma area in the early to mid-60s. Taking
no prisoners, the Sonics recorded some of the
loudest rock n’ roll caught on tape in their day.
Heck, in any day. Those savage screams from
Gerry Roslie, the furious percussive primal
pounding on the drums by Bob Bennett, the wild
wailing saxophone work by Rob Lind, the dirty
distorted chaotic guitar riffs by Larry Parypa, and
the frenzied frantic driving bass lines by Andy
Parypa all combine to create one of the most
savage rock n’ roll acts ever.
Susan E.
Funk
Re-Vue Chicago
Feb/March
2007
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The Parypa brothers were the ones that originally
named the band “the Sonics”. And as mentioned earlier
there were members coming and going. The line up in
‘63 was Tony Mabin on sax, Andy on bass, Larry on
guitar, Rich Koch on lead guitar, and Bill Dean on
drums. When Rich Koch and his girlfriend decided to
get day jobs, Larry took on lead guitar himself. “I started
playing all the guitar myself. I wasn’t able to play
anything but dirty so that was my style.”
Around the same time there was another group of
musicians playing around that would soon collide and
fuse to create the rest of the
classic Sonics line-up. Gerry
Roslie and Rob Lind were pals
from high school. Rob played
clarinet originally until he jammed
one day with Gerry. Gerry was on
piano and Rob grabbed a sax
and the rest was history. “I
switched totally over to sax, much
to the consternation of the music
teacher who had big orchestral
things in mind for me,” Rob Lind
noted. They started a band called
the Imperials. Rob and Gerry
even went to Yakima Junior
College together and then went to
Olympic Junior College which
was across the bay from Seattle. And the Parypa family
home (the brother were still living at home with mom
and dad) was right there. “Friday afternoons the school
would block off the quad and we’d play—me and Larry
and Andy and Jim Valley (the lead guitarist for the
Raiders)…”, Rob Lind recalls.
Bob Bennett, that savage brute behind the drum kit,
started playing drums in 6th grade and was in his first
band about 7th or 8th grade. Bob was also in his high
school band. But that didn’t last too long.
I was kind of mischievous, into hot
rods and rock n’ roll, and my music
teacher wasn’t…
Bob Bennett—Drums
Susan E.
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...I quit (the high school band)
because they wanted me to play at
the football games but that was like
Friday nights and there was rock n’
roll going on Friday nights! Bob Bennett
Gerry Roslie, Rob Lind and Bob Bennett used to jam in
Bob’s basement. By the summer of ‘63 (where we left
off with the earlier Sonics lineup) the band with Rob
Lind, Bob Bennett, and Gerry Roslie, “The Imperials”
had ceased and the short-lived Searchers played. They
had Jerry Miller on guitar (he also
worked with the Squires, Epics,
Elegants, Turbans and Bobby
Fuller). But the Searchers missed
their one big break… they had a
Friday night show at the Crescent
Ballroom (which was a huge gig in
those days) but it was a huge bust
due to Lee Harvey Oswald’s Nov
22 spree in Dallas. The stars must
have come back into alignment,
because due to some changes in
the Sonics line-up, the Parypa
brothers were seeking out Bob
Bennett and Gerry Roslie to join.
Although they had a great talented
sax player in Tony Mabin, they
switched and invited Rob Lind to join. “Tony was real
talented and the most experienced member of the
group, but he was always giving us crap. When Roslie
and Bennett suggested we get Rob Lind in, well, we just
did.”
Thus, the forces of nature collided, history was made
and they five of them became the legendary version of
“The Sonics” that drove generations of rock n’ roll fans
wild. The new combo was dirty, loud, and fierce. At first
they played instrumentals only… but that all ended one
fateful night in early ’64 when Gerry burst into song.
The floodgates had opened and there was no stopping
them. Fierce before… brutal forever after.
(continued next page)
Re-Vue Chicago
Feb/March
2007
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We were real aggressive… our
motivation was that we wanted to be
a wall of sound. We wanted people to
gasp, we wanted people to go ‘oh my
gawd!’ And so that’s how we
approached it. We wanted to blow
people off their feet, not just with
loudness, but with tightness, with
music that made you want to dance.
Bob Bennett
After playing some really savage shows at the Red
Carpet, the band decided to take the funds from the gig
one night and record. They knew they couldn’t get a gig
at the larger venues unless they had a record to play.
They went to the bass player for the Wailers, Buck
Ormsby who, with the rest of the Wailers, had started
their own independent record company, the Etiquette
label. He asked what they had and they told him it was
a catchy dance song called “The Witch”. Buck told them
not to try to record a dance number and to work on the
lyrics and come back in a couple weeks. When they ran
the next version past him he thought it was good
enough to go record it. He took them down to Seattle to
record “The Witch” and the B-sde, “Keep a Knockin’”.
“The studio guys got all wigged out ‘cause we were
blowing their doors down!” Buck Ormsby recalled of that
session.
In the liner notes from the “Here are the Sonics” CD, the
fellas in the band describe their original dismay at the
results of the recording session.
We had a dub master of it that we
wanted to play for their parents (the
Parypa’s) and we laid on the living
room floor in their house and played
what we had just done and we were
just heartbroken. We felt we had
totally screwed up.
Rob Lind–saxophone
Susan E.
funk
I remember
the engineers
arguing. One
guy says,
‘That doesn’t
even sound
like drums’
and the other
guy goes,
‘Well, what
am I gonna
do—look at this guy!!’ But, hey
instead of recording to make
something that sounded good, we
recorded just to kick ass! Bob Bennett
Fortunately for music fans everywhere, the tiny
independent Etiquette label took a chance and released
the 45. Buck tried making the rounds with the record to
local radio stations and even some secondary markets
in the area. It was rough going for a while to get anyone
to play it since it was so tough and rough sounding.
The real goal was to get it played on KJR which was the
region’s dominant Top 40 station. But Pat O’Day, the
top DJ there, wasn’t having any part of it at first. He told
Buck that if he showed him some charts that it had
been picked up by other stations, he would consider it.
A few stations started to play it and Buck brought back
the charts to Pat O’Day. Still not buying into it, it wasn’t
until he caught the Sonics live that he realized what
they were all about. He then started to put it into
rotation—but only after the teenagers got out of
school—he didn’t want to isolate the housewives that
were in the audience. Sure enough, “The Witch”
became, according to one source, the top selling local
rock single in Northwest history. The song was a huge
hit with local kids—even with the restrictions on the
radio play. The single then started to gain momentum in
other areas of the country—Orlando, Pittsburgh, New
York and San Francisco.
(continued next page)
Re-Vue Chicago
Feb/March
2007
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After the record became successful, Buck Ormsby
worried about copyright laws on the B-side so the
Sonics went in to the studio to record a different B-side
to be included on future pressings of the “The Witch”.
The band used to do “Farmer John” and the kids would
go crazy wanting to dance so they doctored up that riff,
featured Bob wailing like crazy on the drums and Gerry
put some words to it; they put that eerie little ditty onto
wax and “Psycho” was born. They recorded that side
with legendary Northwest recording genius Kearney
Barton at his Audio Recording Studio. In that studio
Barton was able to create pure magic. It was described
once as being like a “mad laboratory”… seems fitting
enough with the noise and the disturbing lyrics and the
brutality of the Sonics “wall of sound”. Kearney Barton
recorded in mono, on a 2 track with the vocal and music
on separate tracks. They used only one microphone to
pick up the entire drum kit.
The Sonics came in on a Sunday night
and banged out ‘Psycho’. They were
in and out in 45 minutes, live to two
track. It was supposed to be a
throwaway replacement B-side so
they didn’t have to pay publishing for
‘Keep a Knockin’. But I knew they
had something big right away.
Kearney Barton—Engineer Producer
Audio Recording Studio
As an aside, Kearney Barton was the brilliant pioneer
capturing that signature Northwest dirty aggressive
garage rock sound. He recorded such acts as Jimi
Hendrix,
the
Ventures,
the
Wailers,
and
scores of others.
He still records
(at last check) in
Washington
State and even
recorded
a
record with the
Susan E.
Funk
Roy Kay Trio in recent years. Kearney Barton is a
legend in his own time…
“Psycho” also became wildly popular in the Northwest.
Buck Orsby would later indicate that he was in a hurry
to get their music out and he should have instead
released “Psycho” as their second single. The song
rocketed (get it “ the Sonics” ??) up the local charts.
The band had their big break and were finally able to
play the larger venues that they were struggling to get
into. They were playing at places like the Spanish
Castle Ballroom, Evergreen Ballroom, and eventually
even the Seattle Coliseum to a crowd of 10,000 while
opening up for major acts like the Beach Boys Jan and
Dean, Herman’s Hermits, the Righteous Brothers, and
the Kinks.
After that they went in to record a full album, “Here are
the Sonics”, which was released on Etiquette. At this
point, the Sonics already started to practice some
reckless and destructive recording techniques. Ormsby
and Morrill of the Etiquette label were producing the
record and Barton was recording it.
They (the engineers) just weren’t
used to the full energy stuff. You have
to remember that the state of the
recording industry in 1964 was
something less than crude. We kept
saying we wanted to do this or that
and they kept saying you can’t do
that. We didn’t care if it bled—I
wanted to hear sweat dripping on the
tape.
Buck Ormsby—Wailers/Etiquette Records
(Continued Next Page)
Re-Vue Chicago
Feb/March
2007
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The goal was to find a way to capture their raw
energy, disturbing darkside and unyielding power
and force. “They pushed every piece of the studio’s
ancient gear well past reasonable limits. By redlining
the deck’s VU meters and overloading every tube in
every old amp in the place the Sonics found their
sound.”
Kearney Barton was one interesting
guy, a little worried about his
equipment—we were in the red all
the time! I don’t know what ‘in the
red’ really means, other than really
distorting everything, but Kearney
acted like it was really dangerous.
Larry Parypa
The Sonics, simply put, were doing something that
most other groups at the time hadn’t thought of or
could never achieve themselves. No one touches the
Sonics in my book to this day for delivering the
passion and desperation of savage rock n’ roll. They
were frantic, wild, out of control. Everything that true
rock n’ roll should be.
Some of the hits that came out on the original “Here
are the Sonics” album include record hop favorites
Dirty Robber and Have Love, Will Travel as well as
some of the Sonics originals including The Witch,
Strychnine, Boss Hoss, and Psycho. My favorite pick
on
that
record
lately?
“Money
(That’s
What
I
Want”. Absolutely
savage
screams
and rockin’ guitar
on that side...
Their
second
album,
also
released
on
Etiquette, “Sonics
Boom” came out in
Susan E.
Funk
1966. It included “Shot Down”, another DJ favorite. By
far my favorite of their originals. You can hear the
desperation in that man’s voice. And I’d almost
believe it except by that time they were playing sold
out shows and I’m sure the fellas weren’t having any
trouble with the ladies !!
The Sonics moved to a different label for their third
record, “Introducing the Sonics” in 1966. Jerden
Records had the Kingsmen on their roster at the time.
Some articles have the Sonics actually moving to LA
to live and record, others just say they recorded there.
Take your pick. The record was recorded with Larry
Levine at Gold Star studios. In any case, the output
left a bit to be desired. The new label over-produced
and polished up the act giving the boys less freedom.
And it just wasn’t the same brutal, forceful, rockin’
Sonics. The band was rather disappointed with that
record. They did have national distribution now
through ABC Records, but they still never had that
one international landslide hit.
Between 1966-1968, the original band started to fall
apart as members departed for college or to join other
bands. Although they reunited briefly in 1972 for a live
show and it was recorded for Etiquette and released
as “Live Fanz Only”, the band steadfastly refuses
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Feb/March
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to reform or have reunion gigs. Sources say that the holdout is Gerry Roslie. His inherent fear that the Sonics of
today could never live up to the expectations of fans
longing to relive the Sonics of yesteryear.
Cited by many as the first in a long line of punk rock
predecessors. Influential to generations of wanna-be
rockers… the Sonics were the real deal.
A few short years of fiery, passionate, rebellious,
dangerous music… and then… they dissolved.
At least they committed to wax some of the most
harrowing murderous screams, chaotic guitar riffs, wailing
wild sax solos, driving bass and caveman-style frenzied
beating on the skins… to show future generations how to
shake-things-up.
Want to be my hero?
Find a way to get the Sonics to play the next Green Bay
weekend or another festival. Hell as the song says “I might
take a boat or I’ll take a plane. I might hitch hike or jump a
railroad train” but whatever it takes, if the Sonics ever play
again… I’ll be there.
Some Sonics sources:
Here are the Sonics—Liner Notes by Miriam Linna; Norton
Records, 1998.
Norton Records got the rights to re-release the Sonics
Etiquette material. They now have them available of
course on CDs. But I was beside myself to learn that
they also released “Shot Down”, “Have Love Will
Travel”, “Dirty Robber”, and some other sides on 45.
The Sonics on precious new vinyl. My heart is happy
just waiting for my copies to arrive!
Also of note— Norton also got a
hold of a bunch of other unreleased
sides from Kearny Burton’s private
stash. Great Northwest rockers of
the Sonics/Wailer’s mid-60s garage
rock era. Check it out!
http://www.nortonrecords.com/nw/index.html
Moonglows'
Prentiss Barnes,
R.I.P.
Oct. 3, 2006 - We note with sadness and regret the
passing of Prentiss Barnes, former bass singer with
the vocal group the Moonglows, who died at the
weekend in a traffic accident in south-west Mississippi, aged 81.
As a member of the Moonglows, Prentiss memorably
provided backing vocals on BO DIDDLEY's mid1950s singles "Diddley Daddy" and "Diddy Wah
Diddy".
In common with Bo Diddley, Prentiss Barnes was a
native of Pike County, MS and was inducted into the
Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame in the rhythm &
blues category. Prentiss was inducted into the Rock &
Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 and was a founder member
of the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and a Rhythm &
Blues Foundation Pioneer.
All Music Guide—Biography, photos, discography, quotes.
Signed to Chess Records in the fall of 1954, the
Moonglows enjoyed considerable international success with R&B classics such as "Sincerely", "See
Saw" and "Ten Commandments of Love" and the
group went on to become the most successful of the
mid-1950s doo wop groups.
Wikipedia—Biography, photos, timeline, discography and
quotes.
We send our sincere condolences to Prentiss' family
and friends at this sad time.
MusicMatch.com—Discographies, photos.
Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame website
Susan E.
Funk
Re-Vue Chicago
Feb/March
2007
o:
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Mobs
o
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a
Inf
If you live in Chicago, you’ve probably
driven by 2122 N. Clark St. many times.
Nestled in the yuppie Lincoln Park
neighborhood, between condos and corner
bars, this address is home to an
unassuming nursing home parking lot that
would rarely garner a second look. Torn
down in 1967, the SMC Cartage Company
Garage which stood where the parking lot
is now was home to one of the most
infamous murders of the 20th Century. It was at the SMC
Garage that seven members of a North Side Irish Gang,
led by George “Bugs” Moran, were gunned down by five
members of Al Capone’s Italian South Side gang on
February 14, 1929. This event came to be known as the
St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.
The plans for the hit began taking shape long before
February 14. One of Capone’s members, Jack
"Machinegun" McGurn, devised the plan as a way to
eliminate “Bugs” Moran, Capone’s enemy number one.
An interesting side bar about Jack
McGurn: As the twenties roared, The Green Mill
became mobster territory when Al Capone's henchman,
"Machinegun" Jack McGurn, gained a 25% ownership of
the club. Manager Danny Cohen had given McGurn the
25% stake to "persuade" comedian/singer Joe E. Lewis
from moving his act south to the New Rendezvous Café at
Clark and Diversey. McGurn managed to “convince” Lewis
by slitting his throat and cutting off his tongue.
Miraculously, Lewis recovered, but his songs never
regained their lush sound. The incident was later
immortalized in the movie The Joker is Wild, with Frank
Sinatra as Joe E. Lewis and a Hollywood soundstage as
The Green Mill. Of course, his interest piqued, Sinatra had
to visit the club (some also believe this is where much of
the planning for the massacre took place).
— source The Green Mill website
Drew
Schadegg
The hit was planned by McGurn partly in
retaliation for an unsuccessful attempt by
brothers, Frank “Tightlips” and Peter Gusenberg,
to murder him a month earlier while at a telephone
booth. Territorial tensions between "Bugs" Moran
and Al Capone about who would own the Chicago
bootlegging business and make the most money
from it also led Capone to accept Jack's plan for
the killings.
McGurn assembled a team of six men led by Fred
Burke, whose plan involved luring Moran and his
men to the Clark Street warehouse, on the pretext
of buying some bargain hijacked bootleg whiskey.
Burke's team would then enter the building
disguised as police officers and
kill them.
On the morning of the 14th,
before any shooting had begun,
Capone ordered lookouts to be
placed in the apartments across
the street from the warehouse.
Five members of the McGurn
gang drove to the warehouse in Bugs Moran
a stolen police car at around
10:30 a.m., two dressed in police uniforms and
three in ordinary street clothes. Moran,
supposedly watching the warehouse, spotted the
police car and fled. One of McGurn’s men,
however, mistook one of Moran’s men for “Bugs”
himself, and the gang headed toward the
warehouse.
Inside the warehouse, Capone’s men lined up
seven members of Moran’s gang against the back
brick wall. They were willing participants
considering they thought they were being busted
by the cops. All seven men were shot in the back
with a Thompson submachine gun. While dying,
Frank “Tightlips” Gusenberg was asked who shot
him, he replied, "Nobody shot me." Hence the
nickname.
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In genius Capone style, in order to
divert attention in the neighborhood,
the plain clothed members of his gang
came out with their hands up, while the
two with uniforms escorted them. Of
course, on this -15 below zero day in
mid-February, Capone himself was
basking in the sun conveniently
“vacationing” in Florida.
Big Bopper to be Exhumed
Jack McGurn
The massacre brought down Moran’s North Side gang
and began a two year reign for Capone as king of
Chicago. Unfortunately, it was also the beginning of his
end. The increased pressure from the federal
government brought on by the massacre, led to his
conviction on income tax evasion charges in 1931.
The notorious back wall of the SMC Garage was
dismantled brick-by-brick in 1967. It was bought at
auction and shipped to George Patey of Vancouver, a
Canadian businessman, who rebuilt it in the men's
restroom of a bar with a Roaring Twenties theme called
the Banjo Palace. After the bar closed, Patey sold the
bricks as souvenirs.
An interesting side bar about Frank
“Tightlips” Gusenberg:
The Simpson’s character of Johnny Tightlips, who hardly
gives any information to anyone, even his own gang, is
based on Frank Gusenburg. His catchphrase is "I ain't
sayin' nothin'.", which he says even after he has been
shot by a stray bullet.
Sources:
www.prairieghosts.com/
valentine.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/
St._Valentine's_Day_Ma
ssacre
www.mysterynet.com/
vdaymassacre/
Drew
Schadegg
Jan. 22, 2007 - The Big Bopper, who died in a 1959
plane crash that also killed Buddy Holly and Ritchie
Valens, will be exhumed in an attempt to clear up a
mystery around their deaths.
Jay Richardson, son of the Big Bopper, whose real name
was J.P. Richardson, has hired a forensic anthropologist
to help with the investigation.
On February 3, 1959, Holly chartered a four-passenger
plane because the bus was cold and prone to breaking
down. It crashed, killing all on board - a tragedy
memorialised as "the day the music died" in Don
McLean's song American Pie.
After the crash, an autopsy was performed on the pilot,
but not on the passengers. Two curious discoveries at
the crash site have given rise to rumours about what
might have happened on the flight from Mason City,
Iowa.
The first is that Richardson's body was discovered 12m
from the wreckage, while the other bodies were found at
the site.
The second is a gun, registered to Holly, which was
discovered in a farmer's field two months after the crash.
Newspaper accounts of the gun discovery fuelled
rumours among fans that the pilot was somehow shot,
causing the crash.
The owner of the flying service added to the conspiracy
theory by insisting his pilot was not at fault.
The location of Richardson's body is also a mystery.
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Big Bopper to be Exhumed cont.
Jay Richardson, who performs tribute shows as the Big
Bopper Jr., has hired Dr Bill Bass, founder of the research
facility at the University of Tennessee nicknamed the Body
Farm, to study his father's body.
The Big Bopper, who achieved success with hits such as
Chantilly Lace, will be exhumed from his grave in
Beaumont, Texas, in March.
After the investigation, his remains will be reburied and a
statue erected on the site. Bass is an expert in determining
identities and causes of death who confirmed the identity of
the Lindbergh baby, who was kidnapped in 1932 and
murdered.
Bass said his goal is to "document all the fractures and get
an idea of how many broken bones and which ones are
critical and give them as much information as I can about
the crash and how it affected his father." X-rays of the
bones have the potential to show up lead from a bullet.
The forensic anthropologist also might be able to determine
if the Big Bopper was thrown from the wreckage or if he
walked away.
He never met his father, as his mother was pregnant with
him at the time the Big Bopper died.
Horseshoe Closed…until March
Per a recent message on MySpace from The Horseshoe,
they are closed until March since they are chaning-over
their license. Formerly under “Easy Rider Bar & Grill DBA
Horseshoe”, they will now be “The Shoe DBA Horseshoe”.
This requires some time in court and they needed to close
during the transition. They will be closed for a couple
weeks.
While they are closed, they plan to do some repairs and
upgrades to the bar. The reopening date will be announced
later. For more info, check their MySpace profile:
http://www.myspace.com/horseshoechicago
Who Killed Cock Robin? Progress
and Development Did.
Since 1931, this ice cream and burger joint
across the street from the train station in
Brookfield, IL has been serving their
signature square ice cream scoops and
delicious greasy onion rings and burgers.
Recently, a sign appeared in the window of the picturesque
vintage ice cream shop stating that the land and the shop
are for sale.
So ends an era. This was the last remaining Cock Robin
anywhere in existence. Once a chain in the Chicago area,
most of the other locations are now long gone. A program
on NCTV, “One in a Million, the Prince Castle/Cock Robin
Story” indicated there were once 23 Cock Robins in
Chicago.
Known for their innovative and quirky food, the original
proprietors that started the Prince Castle and Cock Robin
franchises were Walter Fredenhagen and Earl Prince.
They started out in Naperville and there were locations in
Downers Grove, up north in Niles, Skokie, and the poor last
standing Cock Robin in Brookfield. I’m sure there were
many others…
I will miss the square scoops of sherbet piled three high—
lime, grape and orange... It was one of their signature
treats. I’m certain my little 4 year old nephew will miss it
even more as he got hooked on their ice cream after his
classes at the Park District each week. Such was the
tradition… many frequented Cock Robin as children… they
grew up and took their families to Cock Robin… so ends
the legacy.
Wish I could say to stop in before they are gone… since
they close each winter… who knows if they will ever
reopen. Wish I had known this fall… I would have relished
my last trip there much more...for nostalgia at least.
Cock Robin still stands (until a developer
knocks it down for condos) at 8861
Burlington Ave, Brookfield, Il 60513,
(708) 485-7504.
All their weekend shows are were moved to “SaveMore”
which is across the street from The Horseshoe.
Re-Vue Chicago
Susan Funk
Feb/March
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Editor’s Note:
The below article was originally
submitted for publication for a July 2006 issue. As
explained in the Editor’s Re-Vue Page in front, we did
not publish several issues. We are now running this
article in its entirety.
The Thunderbirds
(1965-1966)
It's the Fourth of July, and there will be many firecrackers
exploding, and firecrackers are supposed to remind us of
rockets (at least in my twisted world it does). When I think
of rockets, I think of two things. Unfortunately, Ray Rayner
showing Gigantor cartoons from a spaceship is not
available on video yet, but my other favorite rocket show
"The Thunderbirds" is. Before Rupert Murdoch took over
WFLD and turned it into Fox32, it had some of the coolest
shows ever. One of these show was "The Thunderbirds"
or as it was otherwise known, the greatest puppet show
you've ever seen. I have chosen the DVD "The Best of
The Thunderbirds" because it is the cheapest way to
introduce yourself to this series, since the other
alternatives are 2-Disc box sets, or a box set of the whole
series for $180.
"The Thunderbirds" was the brainchild of master
puppeteer Gerry Anderson. In the opening credits it will
say "Filmed in Supermarionation". This was no ordinary
Doug
freedman
children's
puppet
show. This was hitech special effect
coolness.
The
production of
this
show had to be
painstaking. That was
the big attraction of
the show. It was a
puppet show. In 2003,
they filmed a live
action
thunderbird
movie
starring
Anthony Edwards. It
didn't work. You need
the puppets. This
show worked on so
many levels that it is
very hard to explain
them all. First, it was a puppet show using
marionettes. The writing and the storylines were very
clever also. The set was painstakingly detailed, and the
special effects were fantastic. I am hoping that if I start
off explaining the story line, maybe the rest of it will fall
into place.
The show revolves around an organization called
International Rescue. The purpose of International
Rescue is to rescue anyone who is in danger no matter
how great or small the danger is. It was created by
multimillionaire Jeff Tracy, a former astronaut who has
been to the moon and back. The members of the
organization are his five grown sons Scott, John, Virgil,
Gordon, and Alan. Also included is the stuttering genius
engineer named Brains, and secret agent Lady
Penelope, her butler Parker, the Tracy's servant Kyrano,
and Kyrano's daughter Tin-Tin. Brains has created and
built four rockets, Thunderbirds 1,2,3 and 4.
Re-Vue Chicago
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The
Thunde
rbird
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International Rescue is headquartered on a deserted
island. The year is 2065. The Thunderbird rockets are
hidden inside the rock formations of the island. The island
is also home to the Tracy's mansion. Even though this
takes place in 2065, the styles of furniture and clothes
have not changed since 1965, which means that the
Tracy's are the epitome of style and coolness. It's not fair
that puppets should have cooler furniture and clothing than
us human beings, but unfortunately it's true. When I said
that the set was painstakingly detailed, you will wish that
you are alive 150
years from now so
that you can go to
their estate sale.
Let's get into the
story. The Best of
The Thunderbirds
DVD contains five
episodes of the
T.V. show which
ran
for
33
episodes.
The
first episode is
called "Trapped in
the Sky".
Arch
Villain The Hood,
has
placed
a
bomb
in
the
landing gear of a
supersonic atomic
powered jet that is
supposed to fly at
six
times
the
speed of sound. The bomb is discovered by the air traffic
controllers while the plane is in flight by using hi-tech
camera gear. If the plane lands it will blow up killing
hundreds of passengers. As long as the plane doesn't land
everything is alright. Unfortunately, the plane is run by
atomic power, and the barriers that prevent the atomic
radiation from reaching the crew and passengers is about
to give out. Can International Rescue get there in time?
This is the very first episode of the series, so all stops
were pulled as far as special effects go. You will see the
puppets get into their Thunderbird crafts through elaborate
secret passages and conveyor belts.
Doug
Freedman
You will see the mansions swimming pool open up and the
Thunderbird spacecraft fly right through it. You will see
palm trees fall to the sides to make room for the launching
of another Thunderbird craft, and the coolest thing of all is
the inside of the atomic powered jet. It is a cool lounge
with a bar. It would almost be like The Studio in Morton
Grove, except there aren't any puppet versions of Yvonne
and Larry.
The second episode is called "Sunprobe". A rocket ship
called Sunprobe is about to be the first spacecraft to orbit
the sun. Unfortunately, the suns ray are so strong that
they are jamming the controls of the Sunprobe and it is
now on a collision course with the sun. Can International
Rescue save the Sunprobe. Luckily it does. Unfortunately,
after saving the Sunprobe, the controls of the Thunderbird
craft are jammed and it is about to crash into the sun. Can
it be saved?
The third episode is called "The Perils of Penelope". A
scientist, who has just invented a process that turns water
into fuel, has just been kidnapped. Lady Penelope and her
butler Parker are assigned to find him. If this formula gets
into the wrong hands (such as Kenneth Lay or Jeffrey
Skilling) it can become dangerous. While searching for the
scientest, Lady Penelope gets herself kidnapped. Will
International Rescue be able to save her. In this episode,
there is a cool highspeed monorail system that is used as
a form of transportation. You will also get to see Lady
Penelope's pink Rolls Royce which contains a machine
gun that fires from the radiator grille.
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Re-Vue Chicago
Feb/March
2007
The Thu
nderbir
ds
(1965-196
6)
The episode is called "Terror in New York City". It
seems that in the future there will be a process that
moves whole buildings (you could wake up someplace
else without ever leaving home), and they have
decided to move the Empire State Building. This is
such a major event that it is being broadcast over live
T.V.
In the middle of the move, there is an earthquake. A
news broadcaster and his cameraman get trapped
underneath the building. Because there are
underground rivers, the water is rising in the space
that they are trapped in, and it will soon be over their
heads. To make matters even worse, there is another
building ready to fall on top of them. Can International
Rescue get there in time?
The final episode is called "Attack of the Alligators". A
scientist invents a formula that is supposed to increase
the size of livestock in order to solve a food
shortage. The formula gets stolen and is accidentally
dumped in an alligator swamp. The alligators grow to
be about twenty feet long, and they surround the
house where the scientist and his assistants live. The
alligators are using their tails as battering rams and
smashing in the house. Can International Rescue get
the scientist and his assistants out of the house before
it falls on top of them?
This is a fantastic show. The stories are so good and
intense, that at some point during the viewing of this
Doug
Freedman
e
t
a
L
e
R
show you will forget that
the
characters
are
puppets, and you will
start relating to them as
if
they
were
human. This DVD is
available at any place
where
DVD's
are
sold. There are also two
Thunderbird full-length
movies. "Thunderbird6",
and "Thunderbirds Are
Go". And if that isn't
c o o l
e n o u g h
"Thunderbirds Are Go"
features
a
puppet
version of Cliff Richards
and The Shadows.
Say goodbye to the 10-scoop
sundae October 10, 2006 BY MARK J. KONKOL Chicago Sun Times
For 30 years, the Zephyr's menu slogan enticed customers to "step into an era." Dressed up in Roaring '20s
flamboyance with mirrored walls, hints of neon, art
deco-style booths and zebra-striped floors, the joint didn't disappoint. Some days people even lined up out the
door for gigantic burgers and colossal ice cream treats.
But like so many Chicago favorites, the Zephyr's days
must come to an end.
Owner Byron Kouris, 71, said a lease dispute with his
landlord will force the soda fountain diner to close Oct.
22. Kouris -- who also owns the Byron's Hot Dog chain
-- opened Zephyr in 1976, long before that sliver of Ravenswood became a posh place to live.
"All the businesses around there were offices, and they
needed a place to go," he said. "I thought I'd do well . . .
and it was a popular place."
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Tillman Franks R.I.P.
Tillman B.
Franks,
a
figure
of
n e a r legendary
status in the
world
of
country and
popular
m u s i c
locally,
nationally
and beyond,
d i e d
October 26,
2007
in
hospice
after
a
lengthy
illness. He
was
86.
Zephyr to Close . . .
So popular, in fact, that the tiny corner soda
fountain overtook other businesses in the building
and even spilled out onto a sidewalk cafe. The
menu offers heaping portions. Regulars noshed
on favorites -- the F. Scott Fitzgerald beef,
Charlie Chaplin reuben, and the King Kong
burger. And for dessert there's a 64-ounce
"Marathon" milk shake and the "War of the
Worlds" 10-scoop sundae -- that's right, 10
scoops.
"We always had ample portions. . . . Today
people pay a lot for a little and think it's better,"
Kouris said. "We went out of style that way."
But regulars say Zephyr has always been much
more than just an ice cream shop or corner diner.
An institution
"It's a community gathering place. An institution,"
said Philip Pfister, who's been coming for coffee
and the "Hemingway" baked vegetable soup
since the blizzard of '79.
Even manager
Rosemary Lucas -- who was first a regular, then
a waitress and became boss "by default" -- says
Zephyr, at the corner of Ravenswood and Wilson,
has been her second home for 22 years.
"It was more of a social life than a job. . . . Two
couples that met working here got married," she
said. "I just love this place."
For Kouris -- who says he's ready for a slower life
and spending more time with his wife, Gloria -- its
folks like Pfister that he'll miss most.
"I've met a lot of wonderful people, hosted
several engagement parties, graduations, a
wedding reception, lots of political parties," he
said. "I don't know all their names, but I know
their faces. . . . They were devoted and
supported us."
Franks' work in entertainment began in the 1940s and
his advice, production skills, intuition and
understanding of the nuances of the public's tastes in
music touched the careers of figures ranging from Elvis
Presley and Hank Williams Sr. to Bob Dylan and Pete
Seeger.
Franks, 86, was a veteran and debut performer at the
original Louisiana Hayride and managed the careers of
many of the show's alumni, including Johnny Horton,
Claude King and Jimmy C. Newman. He played
standup bass for the Bailes Brothers on the famed
radio program's first broadcast on April 3, 1948.
Franks, an Arkansas native who moved to Shreveport
at age 2 and grew up in Cedar Grove, attended Byrd
High School and learned to play guitar at age 14,
inspired by his father and listening the Grand Ole Opry.
He formed his first band at Byrd, called it the "Rainbow
Boys" and performed such standards as "Take Me
Back to Tulsa," "Wabash Cannonball" and "Walkin' the
Floor Over You" at square dances, hootenannies and,
he told the defunct Shreveport Journal in 1976, "any
place we'd find someone to listen to us."
After graduating from Byrd in 1940, he joined the U.S.
Army Air Forces and was stationed in the Pacific
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Family members said he was known for his ability to
spot, encourage and develop talent in players.
Tillman Franks R.I.P.
during World War II. He wound up on the island of
Saipan, formed another lineup of the Rainbow Boys,
including a then-obscure banjo player named Pete
Seeger.
But he couldn't find anyone to play standup bass, and
shifted to it from his beloved guitar, beginning an
association with the instrument that lasted six decades.
Dressed in a Nudie Suit and slapping his trademark
standup bass, he became a familiar figure on stage
with many of the artists he managed or assisted.
Franks was a passenger with Johnny Horton in the
1960 crash in which the singer was killed. Franks was
badly injured in that accident, and bore a scar on his
forehead from that wreck the rest of his life.
In a 1979 interview in The Times, already a music
industry legend but only halfway through his career, he
said he didn't look back, only ahead.
"I can still get excited about the music business," he
told The Times. "I could talk about what I did in the
past, and I appreciate your interest in it, but I'm more
excited about the future."
It was as a bassist that Franks got his introduction to
professional music after the war, performing first with
the late, great Webb Pierce. He also played standup
bass with Harmie Smith and the Ozark Mountaineers,
then went on to manage Pierce, Horton, Newman and
King, as well as Slim Whitman, David Houston, Jimmy
and Johnny, Billy Walker, Tony Douglas, The Carlisles
and Billy Walker.
In the same 1979 article in which Franks, a modest
man in a most unmodest business, demurred talking
about himself, his praises were sung by friend and
peer Billy Deaton, veteran Nashville talent agent.
"He's one of the most energetic, influential and great
men in country music," Deaton told The Times. "If he
works for you, he's fully devoted to you."
"He would find talented performers and encourage
them in ways that other promoters could not," his
children penned in a tribute. "He devoted countless
hours to helping performers perfect their talents and
find just the right song to match their abilities."
Sometimes he would create that music and pass it on.
Among the classic tunes he wrote or co-wrote are
"Honky Tonk Man," "North to Alaska," "Springtime in
Alaska" and "How Far is Heaven."
He was a charter member of the Country Music
Association, a member of the Louisiana Hall of Fame,
a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, is on
Shreveport Chamber of Commerce Walk of Stars, in
the Byrd High School Hall of Fame and was invited to
perform at the Smithsonian Institute.
Franks is survived by his widow, Virginia. Other
survivors include two daughters, two sons, two
brothers, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
- John Andrew Prime
Re-Vue Chicago
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Re-Vue Chicago
Feb/March
2007
Repartee
I think I can die happily now. I have heard Debbie
Reynolds utter the phrase "big t*ts" in person. And I was
sitting in the midst of a lot of crushed red velvet and
crisp blue hair at the time.
For years the Chicago area has been blessed with the
Drury Lane Theatre. Originally we had several--the one
that still remains just off Roosevelt Road in Oakbrook
and the big boy that no longer stands in Evergreen Park
on 95th Street(I never made it to that one but I am told
that the Ice Capades and the Osmond Family
used to kill at that joint).
The best part of the Drury Lane was
the talent that it drew. Years and years
ago I made the trek out there from the
city to see the master himself, Mr. Jerry
Lewis, live on stage with a fifteen piece
band. And it was glorious. He juggled
canes. He told dirty jokes. He threw unlit
cigarettes around.
It was primetime
showbiz for this
little boy. To this
day the lobby of
the Drury Lane
displays
a
fabulous
oil
painting (at least
it kind of looks
like
an
oil
painting)
of
Wayne
Newton
(with
mustache
and belt buckle
the size of a
hubcap).
And Debbie could not have been more personable.
She admitted that she is 74. And she moved at a
slightly less nimble pace than she did
when she was co-starring with Gene
Kelly at the age of 18. She introduced
herself to you young people in the
crowd as being Princess Leia's
mother. She implied that her first
husband, singer Eddie Fischer, was
an idiot. She compared herself to
Dolly Parton by pointing out her
own tiny feet ("Nothing grows in the
shade, you know.").
e
i
b
Deb es
Do
k
o
o
br
k
a
O
As I entered the theatre to see Debbie Reynolds
recently I was struck by my own failure. Time and again
I had seen ads for appearances there by Donald
O'Connor, legendary actor/ hoofer/costar in "Singin' In
the Rain." And I never made the effort to see him
perform. That is another black mark on my permanent
record.
The theatre is plush, gold and red being the colors of
choice. It is an intimate horseshoe affair with a lovely
Ken
Mottet
surprise that row E is not the fifth row—the first five
our six row are double letters--oh drat). But we were
close enough to catch all the action. Debbie entered to
a fine fanfare. Bright lights. Fancy sequins. Plenty of
rah rah rah.
The moment that
got
me
the
weepiest
was
watching some
of her old film
clips.
She
leaned on the
white
piano,
stared up at the
s c r e en ,
a nd
sang along with
herself doing the
"Good Morning"
song
with
O'Connor
and
Kelly. It was a
through-thelooking
glass
moment for me, watching a scene from one of my
favorite films with the woman who starred in it.
After a costume change and killer impersonations of
Mae West, Zsa Zsa Gabor and Barbra Streisand it
was time to end the show. She closed with the song
"Tammy," her only real hit record. She hugged her
way off that stage and right into my heart. I was
exhausted by her quiet greatness. That, my friends,
was a star.
Re-Vue Chicago
Feb/March
2007
Repartee
Don't tell anyone, but I was making personal
phone calls on company time. Trust me, these
calls are earth-shakingly important and they just
can't wait until I am off the clock. They contribute
to my sanity and well-being...and that helps me do
a better job...right!?!
First call of the day was to the ticket office of one
of the local suburban show places. This is the kind
of theatre that does matinees...on Wednesdays
and Thursdays. Discounts for seniors and groups.
The beef dinner is an additional $4.95. I had
trimmed their display ad out of the paper months
ago because they had a headliner coming that I
had to see--Miss Debbie Reynolds.
Debbie has been coming through Chicago since
the Dead Sea was just sick. She probably
performed here at the Chicago Theatre between
showings of some of her own MGM pictures. Well
she's bringing it on before the end of the year. And
the wife and I will be in those plush red velvet
seats cheering her every word and glance. I am
hopeful she will do a meet and greet after the
show. If so I just want to say to her, "Thanks for
breaking your back on 'Singing in the Rain.'"
That's all. Nothing fancy.
My second illicit phone call was to the great city of
Las Vegas. Me and my gal are headed there for
next year's Viva. And recent emails have
recommended booking a hotel room immediately
if not sooner. Knowing that the Gold Coast is
locked, I decided to book us into one of the classic
hotels on the Strip and just spend my life savings
on cabs while we're in the desert.
Betty answered the phone. And she sounded a
little grimmer than usual. I asked if I could book a
room for next year. And she told me that I could
not---because the Stardust won't be there next
year. She said that it will be knocked down by the
end of this year! I was crushed. I love the
Ken
Mottet
Do It
No w !
Stardust.
I
saw Wayne Newton
there in the Wayne Newton Theatre.
I saw slot machines shaped like cowboys there.
I saw Si Zentner's name on the marquee. And
now it's going to be a hole in the ground--like the
Sands, the Dunes, the Desert Inn, the
Thunderbird, the Aladdin...the list is too damned
long.
A second Vegas call connected me with
Vanessa across the street at the sacred Riviera.
Fifty years old and counting. The first act on
their main stage was Liberace. And the first act
in their lounge was the Fabulous Treniers!! I love
this place too. Vanessa said she thought they
would still be there in April so that's where
we hope to stay.
My last call of the day went to my mom and dad
on the farm. Mother had just had a minor
medical procedure the day before. So I called to
make sure she was doing okay. She said it went
well and she will be reporting to training camp in
about ten days. Dad was doing all right as well.
If there is any point to all this it might be
something my Uncle Bernard used to say--don't
put off until tomorrow what you can do
today...because it might be fun and you'll want
to do it again. Do not wait until next time—the
next time that band comes to town, the next time
you think about your folks,
the next time they show a
cool movie at that old drivein out west. Saddle up. Grab
a-hold. Do it now. Our
heroes (musicians, buildings,
institutions) are dropping like
flies. Make like Edward R.
Murrow and "See It Now."
Re-Vue Chicago
Feb/March
2007
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Mysterious Wisconsin
“Wonder Spot” soon to go
By TODD RICHMOND, Associated Press Writer
Mon Feb 5, 5:56 AM ET
LAKE DELTON, Wis. - In a wooded ravine tucked away from
the water parks, restaurants and mega-resorts that dominate
this tourist town, a piece of history is quietly dying.
. . . Recent news
"It seems like to spend a lot of scientific effort to debunk these
places you're just sucking the fun out of a tourist attraction a
lot of people enjoy," Kirby said.
The Wonder Spot lies just off U.S. Highway 12, the main drag
between Lake Delton and Wisconsin Dells in south-central
Wisconsin. Together, the two cities constitute Wisconsin's
answer to Las Vegas. The corridor between them is packed
with water parks, giant resorts, museums, hotels and
restaurants. The area convention bureau boasts the region is
the
water
park capital of the world.
After more than half a century of wowing tourists (and
causing probably more than a few cases
of nausea), the Wonder
Spot, a mysterious cabin
where people can't stand
up straight, water runs uphill
and chairs balance on two
legs, is no more.
Owner Bill Carney has sold
the iconic attraction to the
village of Lake Delton for
$300,000. The village wants to
build a road through the crevice
where the Wonder Spot has
stood since the 1950s.
Now, the Wonder Spot, one of
more than a dozen sites around
the nation dubbed "gravity
vortexes" and a throwback to
postwar, family-oriented tourist
attractions, has a date with a
bulldozer.
"We're kind of wondering how the town is going to deal with
the gravitational forces under the road. That might be an
issue with driving and how you bank a curve," joked Doug
Kirby, publisher of RoadsideAmerica.com, which catalogs
odd tourist attractions.
Kirby's site lists the Wonder Spot as one of 21 so-called
"mystery spots." Lake Wales, Fla., has Spook Hill. Irish Hills,
Mich., has the Mystery Hill. California has the Mystery Spot in
Santa Cruz.
The story behind each one is similar — gravity doesn't work
in them. People seem to grow smaller, can't stand up straight
and can barely walk.
Promotions boast that strange forces in the spots trump the
laws of physics. Others say they're just elaborate hoaxes.
In many ways, the Wonder Spot is
the antithesis of those giant parks.
Louis Dauterman of Fond Du Lac
took out the first permit for the
spot in 1952, making it the
longest-permitted attraction in the
area, said Romy Snyder,
executive director of the
Wisconsin Dells Visitors and
Convention Bureau.
The spot itself is a plain, worn
gift shop at the top of a ravine
and a crooked cabin built into
the slope.
A review on CitySearch.com
calls the Wonder Spot "wonderfully goofy."
The Yahoo! travel site describes the spot as a "scientific
conundrum — where the laws of nature have gone awry."
According to a sign proudly placed at the base of the ravine,
the Wonder Spot was discovered June 16, 1948. People who
enter the spot, the sign warns, won't see correctly, stand erect
"or feel quite normal ... in fact, on the cabin site the laws of
natural gravity seem to be repealed."
Kirby called the Wonder Spot one of the top five most-visited
mystery spots.
Generations of people have stopped to see it. Children who
visited would return grown up, their own children in tow,
Carney said. During the mid-1990s, he saw up to 50,000
people per summer.
Snyder, who grew up in the Dells, visited the Wonder Spot
when she was a girl.
(Continued Next Page)
Re-Vue Chicago
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Mysterious Wisconsin “Wonder Spot”
soon to go
"We thought it was very cool. We always tried to figure out
how they did that and never could. We did it all. We sat on a
chair and it was only suspended by its back two legs, the ball
rolling uphill, hanging from a doorway and your body slanted,"
Snyder said.
Carney, who bought the Wonder Spot from his sister in 1988,
said he loved watching people's reactions.
"I don't know how many times I heard, 'Do you sell
Dramamine?'" he said.
One woman, after stumbling through the cabin, sprinkled her
mother's ashes on the ground.
"She just said, 'This was mom's favorite place and she
wanted to be here,'" Carney said.
When people asked what caused the Wonder Spot, Carney's
guides blamed it on igneous rock or simply replied they didn't
know. He's seen people at the spot studying it with
instruments who declared a force was at work. When
pressed, though, Carney said it's all an optical illusion.
"We said don't try to figure it out," Carney said. "Just have
fun."
Carney, a high school history teacher and baseball coach,
said the road wasn't going to go directly through the Wonder
Spot, but it would come within yards. With the mega-parks
dominating tourism in the Dells and the spot's nostalgia
compromised — "it's hard to run water uphill when a car is
driving right by the fence," he said — he decided to get out.
"This town has changed," he said.
Joseph Kapler, the Wisconsin Historical Society's domestic
life curator, plans to salvage as many souvenirs from the spot
as he can before it's razed so he can create an exhibit. The
Wonder Spot represents a bygone era, he said.
"We need to look back and see where it came from," Kapler
said.
It isn't easy to say goodbye, Carney said. The most
heartbreaking moment came a few weeks ago, when his 6year-old daughter, Cassie, came to him, echoing a
generation of Wisconsin children who visited the Wonder
Spot before her:
"Daddy, can we go down there one more time?"
. . . Recent news
Bill Haley Museum Opens
In Munich, Germany
For many years now, Hydra Records of Munich,
Germany, has been in the forefront of promoting the rockin'
music and influence of Bill Haley and his Comets. To take this
a logical step forward, they are proud to announce the
establishment of a museum devoted to all matters relating to
Bill Haley.
With the song 'Rock Around The Clock', Bill and his
Comets not only launched a musical revolution but changed
youth culture forever. All in all, the outfit has sold in excess of
135 million records and are still rock 'n' roll leaders. It is not
exaggerating to state that they are one of the most important
bands in musical history.
In their Bill Haley museum, Hydra Records has on
display a never before seen quantity of their records, original
documents, music instruments, gold records, awards, movie
posters, pictures and much more relating to the genius that
was Haley. There are also additional exhibits concerning
Bill's musical contemporaries and the musical styles involved.
In short, this is a breath taking in-depth overview of one of the
leading figures of rock 'n' roll. It has all been carefully set up
to entertain and be of interest to anyone who has an interest in
music, both past and present.
The legend and importance of Bill Haley and his Comets
cannot be over estimated and should be preserved in our
memories forever.
Museum concept:
Dr. Winfried GrŸndel
Klaus Kettner
Ponderosa Stomp Back in
New Orleans for 2007
NEW ORLEANS, LA - Tickets sent on sale Saturday, February
10th for the 6th Annual Ponderosa Stomp, the world's only
music festival with cult rocker Roky Erickson, master arranger
Wardell Quezergue, soul songwriter supreme Dan Penn,
rockabilly wild man Dale Hawkins, R&B soprano Little Jimmy
Scott, and dozens more rarely seen - and seldom heard American music legends in its line-up.
A marathon eight hours-plus music festival that celebrates and
pays tribute to the unsung heroes of rock 'n' roll, rhythm &
blues, and other forms of American roots music, the
Ponderosa Stomp will rock two stages, the Big Room and the
Parish, at New Orleans' House of Blues from 5:30 p.m. to 2
am on Wednesday, May 2, 2007.
(Continued Next Page)
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Ponderosa Stomp Back in New
Orleans for 2007 (cont.)
"The audience won't even know what hit them," promises Dr.
Ike Padnos, executive director of the Mystic Knights of the
Mau-Mau, the 501c3 organization that's producing the 6th
Annual Ponderosa Stomp, which also features Texas Tornado
co-founder Augie Meyers, Stax sessions guitarist Skip Pitts,
Gulf Coast guitar empress Barbara Lynn, Mardi Gras king Al
"Carnival Time" Johnson, Excello harp master Lazy Lester,
keyboardist extraordinaire Willie Tee, tremendous trumpeter/
famed New Orleans bandleader Dave Bartholomew, President
of Soul Rockie Charles, hillbilly bopper Jay Chevalier, tough
Texas shouter Roy Head, and rockabilly wailer Joe Clay.
Also appearing at the 6th Annual Ponderosa Stomp: Motown
guitar slinger Dennis Coffey, hill country bluesman Kenny
Brown, chitlin' circuit showman Bobby Rush, "Mr. Big Stuff"
singer Jean Knight, piano man Henry Gray, six-string
demolition expert Eddie Kirkland, rockabilly drummer Matt
Lucas, Memphis sessions genius Bobby Emmons, swamp pop
singer Grace (Dale & Grace) Broussard, New Orleans
heartbreaker Tony Owens, Muscle Shoals veteran Ralph
"Soul" Jackson, and backing bands Lil Buck Sinegal and the
Top Cats with special guest Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural, Deke
Dickerson & the Eccofonics, and the New Orleans Rhythm
and Blues Revue.
The efforts of the Mystic Knights of the Mau-Mau go well
beyond the Ponderosa Stomp: Since the non-profit's inception
in 2000, the Mystic Knights have considered it their mission to
rediscover and celebrate America's overlooked musical
pioneers and re-educate the community about their impact on
music. Through past partnerships with the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame, Sun Studios, The Stax Museum of American Soul
Music, The New Orleans Musicians Clinic, and The New
Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund, the 501c3 group
has helped resurrect the careers of several legendary
musicians, including Jody Williams, Howard Tate, and Barbara
Lynn.
The Mystic Knights of the Mau-Mau also produces various
events throughout the year, including showcases at Austin's
South By Southwest Music Festival (SXSW) and New Orleans'
own Voodoo Music Experience, one-off concerts in New
Orleans and Memphis, and The Ogden Museum of Southern
Arts' monthly After Hours music series.
"The Ponderosa Stomp has become a national treasure made
of national treasures. They've shone the spotlight in the
shadows and found that yesterday's musical starts are just as
intriguing, exhilarating, and as powerful as ever.
. . . Recent news
Through
the
fans it draws,
the Stomp has
developed and
united
a
community. It's
culturally
rewarding,
artistically
gratifying, and a
whole lot of fun,"
says
Robert
G o r d o n ,
Memphis-based
filmmaker
and
author
of
It
Came
from
Memphis
and
Can't Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters.
Tickets for the 6th Annual Ponderosa Stomp are mow
available through Ticketmaster beginning Saturday,
February 10th.
For more information, visit
www.ponderosastomp.com.
Don’t Say We
Didn’t Warn You …
April 2007 Dates
5—The Big C Jamboree with Exotics
(Milwaukee) @ Martyrs
6—Everett Dean and Spitfire Deluxe
@ Flossmoor Station, 1035 Sterling Avenue
Flossmoor, IL 9:30pm
6—The Crown Vics @ Chicago Bull’s PreGame United Center 1901 W Madison
7—The Crown Vics @ Sandbar Tiki Grill &
Lounge 3733 Grand Blvd., Brookfield, IL
Great Food, No Cover Charge
22 - 5PM - All Ages @ CHAMPS ROCK
ROOM, The Rosedales, Calabrese, Grave
Robber
27 Everett Dean and Spitfire Deluxe @
Flossmoor Station
27 The Crown Vics @ Sandbar Tiki Grill &
Lounge
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What a fun time we had. There will be countless details left
out of this as the details are far and wide and the time and
space of such things is limited.
My luggage did not arrive with us at the airport. In fact, it
never arrived period-After much back and forth, it arrived at
my house just this morning (5 days after I flew).
We made our way down Sunday afternoon/evening just in
time to stand at Lee's Circle for the Bacchius parade. We
had an ice chest (what everyone down there calls a coolerours had wheels) full of beer and ice. It was cool outside and
we drank like fish and caught beads.
Monday we awoke to get down to Decatur street to hit
Central Grocery for a Muffuletta-I got a whole one, intending
to eat the whole thing until I learned that John had ordered up
15lbs of boiled crawfish for 1:00pm at this place in Metarie. I
settled for half for the time being-we ate down by the
riverside.
After this, but before picking up the crawfish, we made our
way to the 9th Ward and parts of Lakeview to view some
destruction. This was important for me to see as I had done
some volunteer work in Chicago for refugees after Katrina hit
(though I had still never been to NOLA). It appears to be a
division of the haves and have-nots all around town. Those
that had money before the hurricane are back up and
running, those that did not, are not. There was still visible
destruction in the areas we went along with water marks on
the underpasses and sides of taller buildings from where
things settled after the levees broke. From what all I could
take in, this is a city on the mend, with a very clear and
angered mind of how things were handled and forgotten after
the hurricane hit.
Then we had crawfish by Lake Pontchartrain. It was a nice
relaxing moment after a late night and an already busy
midday. We spent the better part of the afternoon walking
about and seeing sights. In the evening we grabbed the ice
chest and headed for the Lundi Gras parade-this time we
scored a spot on the balcony opposite Lee Circle. This was
very cool. We caught tons of beads-I looked like Mr. T by the
end of the night. All in all, I had enough beads to bring back
for everyone on my floor at work (about 150 people) when I
returned-because hey, I had no luggage besides my guitar.
After this parade we went around and hit a few bars in the
quarter-the Spotted Cat had a really cool old style jazz band
that was tearing things up. We hit several other places I can't
recall the names of due to a combination of my forgetful mind
Dennis
Leise
s
y
o
B
r
e
l
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H
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u
Poss
t
u
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B
s
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a
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O
Ne w
with names of things and the flow of alcohol. I was amazed
that bars would let us come in with a cooler full of our own
drinks and hang out. The lack of open container laws was
quite nice too.
Fat Tuesday started early for us. We caught part of a
broadcast on TV that was downtown already. After some
showers and 'some' clean clothes (Clothes could not be
gotten save for from Casey and John as virtually everything
was closed.), we headed out to see the Mardi Gras Indiansstreet gangs that, instead of killing each other with guns,
have a costume and dance contest as part of Mardi Gras.
We caught part of the Zulu parade and part of the St. Anne
(In a very gay area of town, very freakery/costume heavy
walking parade), before heading down to look for the Indians,
which we never found. We took a stroll down Bourbon street
just to take it all in.
Since we were playing at 8ish, we decided we needed try to
get to the Kerry Pub early as parking in the quarter (which is
basically shut off to cars during Mardi Gras) would be a
nightmare. As luck would have it, we crossed a blockade
barrier on the street and found a parking spot right in front of
the place.
As we set up, the jukebox played Johnny Cash, the Clash,
Social Distortion and Sublime-I immediately had affection for
this well trodden pub. The stage was small-about 2 feet off
the floor and about 8 feet wide and about 3 feet deep from
the wall. Just big enough for all of us. A guy who came in to
use the bathroom blew us some shit for not having a
drummer...as he continued on to the bathroom, John-who
had just illustrated that he 'IS' the drummer on the upright
bass, said 'Man....that guy just needs to leave....'. As the guy
came out he apologized and said he was a drummer and
didn't mean to be a dick-too late buddy. This set kind of an
odd tone as I was not sure what to expect.
We decided since we were going to play from 8-12, we would
take hourly breaks. Just as we got to our first break and
declared that we were going to do so, the crowd that was
there (and had accumulated) insisted we keep playing-so we
did. Our first set ended up being 3.5 hours long. The people
would just not let us go. They loved us. There were more
free drinks on the stage than I could handle and the tip jar
was coming back heavy after two passes. Finally after the
huge set, we were permitted by the audience to take a break.
We played again after about a half hour for another half hour
or so.
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Musically I feel our high point of the evening was when we
did "I'll Fly Away"-from the "Oh Brother, Where art Thou"
soundtrack. I hit the high part and our 3 part harmonies blew
all three of us and the crowd away. It was amazing. The
whole evening was moment filled. It was some of the best
performance I have ever been a part of. Upon departure at
the end of the night, people were wondering when we would
be back-with comments that they don't get to hear enough of
that kind of music around town.
Wednesday we had breakfast at Liuzza's-a place that was
adorned with pictures of itself under water after Katrina on the
walls and on the menu. It was excellent.
At about 2:00, our train-#58 "The City of New Orleans" left for
Chicago. 20 hours later I was at Union Station and heading
to work.
Next on tap for the Possum Holler Boys-March 15 at
Fitzgerald's Night Club with our good friend Scott Ligon,
trading sets with our friends the Gin Palace Jesters.
My hope is to have some recording done in short order.
Dennis Leise
Lawyer: DNA agreement
reached on Brown
Tue Feb 27, 8:51 AM ET
Copyright © 2007 The Associated Press
A lawyer for James Brown's partner says an agreement has
been reached over obtaining DNA samples from the late soul
singer's body.
Lawyers for Brown's trustees wanted DNA samples to help
sort out several paternity claims made against the singer
since he died two months ago.
Brown's partner, Tomi Rae Hynie, originally didn't like the
way the trustees wanted the DNA collected, her lawyer,
Robert Rosen said.
But both sides have reached an agreement on how to collect
the samples, leading to the cancellation of a hearing
scheduled for Tuesday, Rosen told The Augusta (Ga.)
Chronicle.
Instead, the lawyers plan to present
an order for the judge to sign, Rosen
said.
Rosen did not return a phone
message from The Associated Press
left at his office Tuesday.
Brown, who died Dec. 25 at the age
of 73, has yet to be buried. His
trustees have said it would be easier
to collect the DNA samples before he is entombed in his final
resting place.
Representatives of Hynie and Brown's six adult children have
said they reached an agreement on where to bury the singer,
but have not made the arrangements public.
Hynie says she is the singer's fourth wife and has a child with
Brown. She says she wants a paternity test to prove it.
Attorneys for the singer have said Brown and Hynie weren't
legally married when he died because she was married to
another man when they said their vows.
Got $400? Don't toss that vinyl
By: Eric Gwinn
February 22, 2007
Crosley Radio--makers of vintage-looking radios, record
players and jukeboxes--wants you to dust off your 45s, LPs
and 78s so you can burn them to CD. But while you're at it,
dust off your wallet too.
The $400 Crosley Songwriter CD Recorder is expected back
on store shelves this week, after selling out over the holidays.
That's welcome news for anyone looking for an easy way to
convert vinyl to CD, so old favorites can be played in the car
CD player or copied to the iPod.
"Our products are not just components thrown into a box,"
says Keith Starr, Crosley Radio vice president. "We try to
enhance the look by making a handcrafted wood cabinet to
go along with electronics."
Sporting a record player, AM/FM radio, CD player and
cassette player, the Songwriter plays vinyl, as well as records
to a CD-R or CD-RW with the touch of a button. The results
are decent, but I expected more out of this $400 nostalgia
piece.
Re-Vue Chicago
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Feb/March
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Got $400? Don't toss that vinyl (Cont.)
The Songwriter's stately stained wood and woven cloth grille look great from a
distance, but the closer I got, the more disappointed I became. The plastic platter
and plastic-and-metal tone arm assembly lent a feel of cheapness. And that's
before seeing the humdrum-looking remote--great for fast-forwarding or skipping
songs from the sofa--that feels cheap and plasticky.
I'm sure advances in plastics and manufacturing make the Crosley's slimmer,
lighter parts more modern. But I missed the reassuring heft of the turntables I
grew up with. That says more about me than about the Songwriter, but having to
slip the included rubber disk onto the platter to protect records reaffirmed that the
Songwriter wasn't living up to its price tag.
I forgot about all that, though, when I put on a James Brown record and started
doing the Mashed Potato to "Say it Loud." The Songwriter's stereo speakers
sound good enough, a little boxy, but I heard the highs of the horns and the lows
of the bass clearly. Fortunately, the Songwriter features speaker connections in
the back and even a headphone jack in front to accommodate my own listening
devices.
The CD player worked like a champ, and the cassette player makes me glad I
never threw away my collection of tapes. Like all Crosley Radio products, the
Songwriter is made for Baby Boomers like me.
It's also made to record LPs and cassettes to CD easily. And it does that. Where
lower-priced LP-to-MP3 turntables need your computer, and record player-tocomputer connectors assume you have a record player, a computer and the right
software, the Songwriter is a solo performer.
Pop in a CD-R or CD-RW (on which data can be written, erased and rewritten);
cue up your record, touch the CD Recording button and away you go. When the
record's A side plays through, flip the record and keep going. After the last note
fades away, touch the Finalize button, then wait a few seconds. Now you have a
CD that can play anywhere.
Disappointingly, I noticed faint scratchiness in the audio of my James Brown CD
that I'd just created on the Songwriter, and it wasn't because the LP was scratchy.
The Songwriter has no recording settings to adjust--it's designed to be as
straightforward as possible--so I was stuck with what I had. The only solution is to
pump up the volume when playing back the CD.
I love the idea of the Crosley Songwriter CD
Recorder. As Starr says, "The Songwriter is the
simplest solution to digitizing your LPs." Plus, it's a
great conversation piece in a living room or rec
room decked out in a vintage look. I just hope
Crosley Radio or someone else comes out with a
no-frills model in the $200 to $250 range.
Crosley Songwriter CD Recorder
crosleyradio.com
Suggested retail: $399.95
Re-Vue Chicago
Who Doesn’t Love a
Parade???
SOUTH SIDE IRISH
PARADE ! March 11
28th Annual South Side Irish St.
Patrick's Day Parade
103rd Street and Western Avenue
10300 S. Western Ave.
The more boisterous of the city's two
parades, the event features a slew of
floats, bands, Irish dancers and more.
Stepping off at 103rd Street and
Western Avenue, the parade heads
south on Western to 115th Street.
Partiers usually set up camp on the
west side of Western (where all the bars
are), and families stick to the east side
of the street. Be warned: bathrooms are
hard to come by and parade organizers
are promising a crackdown on outdoor
drinking and other unruly shenanigans.
Mar. 11: noon
Price: Free.
Phone: 773-393-8687
We’re calling this the February/
March 2007 issue in case there
is not enough available content
for a March/April 2007 issue. If
you’ve got something to share
with Re-Vue’s readers in March…
let us have it!
Send an e-mail to:
[email protected]
Feb/March
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For current listings visit: www.chicagorockabilly.com
11
18 Nevely
MON
5
12
19
TUE
6
13
20
WED
MARCH
2007
THU
FRI
SAT
1 The Big C Jamboree with Two
Timin Three
(Austin) @ Martyrs
2 Nevely Borthers @
115 BOURBON ST. Merrionette Park, IL
3 Git Gone Boys @
Duke's 6920 N. Glenwood 9pm-12 am
The Nevely Borthers @
SHAKERS Ottawa, IL
Cocktail Preachers @
Sandbar, Brookfield, IL
7 Grandchil- 8 Nevely Borthers 9 Nevely Borthers @
dren of Roy
Clarke @
Smokedaddy's
Harrah’s Casino, Joliet
@ ED & JOE'S
PIZZA PUB, Tinley Pearls Mahone & The
OneEyed Jacks
Park, IL
@ Shooters
Gin Palace Jesters @
Fizz Bar and Grill
Everett Dean & Spitfire
Deluxe @ Flossmoor
Station, Flossmoor, IL
14
15 Gin Palace
21
25
Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard & Ray
Price backed
by Asleep at
the Wheel at
Rosemont
Theater
26
27
28
The Crown Vics @
Sandbar
Nevely Borthers @ CHICAGO BLU GRILL &
BAR, Frankfort, IL
16 Nevely Borthers @
Jesters @ Fitzger- HACKNEY'S RESTAUald's Nightclub RANT, Palos Park
Berwyn, IL-with
the Possum Holler
Boys
17 Nevely Borthers @
22
24 The Crown Vics @
Borthers @
ONEIDA BINGO &
CASINO, Green
Bay, IL
Be sure to check with venues before shows.
Schedule subject to change. Dates are compiled
through several sources: gunthermurphys.com, beatkitchen.com, abbeypub.com, fitzgeraldsnightclub.com,
schubas.com, metromix.com, martyrslive.com,
[email protected], chicagorockabilly.com
(Amy Ott), myspace accounts, and yeproc.com.
10
29
Nevely
Borthers @
BELLA MARTINI,
Frankfort, IL
NEKO CASE @
Park West
23
Git Gone Boys @
The Heartland Cafe
The Nevely Borthers @
BALLYDOYLE IRISH
PUB, Downers Grove, IL
30 Nevely Borthers @
*WINDY CITY GRILL &
TAP, Orland Park, IL
The Crown Vics @
Sandbar
CLADDAGH IRISH PUB
& RESTAURANT, Algonquin, IL
Sandbar
Nevely Borthers @ GALWAY TRIBES IRISH PUB
& RESTAURANT, Frankfort, IL
31 Everett Dean and
the Hip Noz @ DeMito’s
Bar & Grill, Villa Park, IL
Bill Kirchen & Too Much
Fun @ Fitzgeralds