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Music News and Other Musings
Before we fall into the pile of notes on our desk, we thought we'd post a plea for more information. If you or your band has something to pass along, like you got a new singer or are in the studio recording new material, or you're going to be on TV or the radio, let us know at least a week in advance, and we'll get it out there every Sunday, God willin' and the creek don't rise. Send info, and attached MP3s and hi res pix, to guy@rockingchicagoland.com. Now for this week's news, and some ketchup.
New Releases
Blind Pig Records sneaks one last release in before Santa comes down the chimney. It's Popa Chubby coming down instead with The Essential Popa Chubby.
Former KingstonMines waitress, and "American Idol" runner-up to Lee DeWyze, Crystal Bowersox entered the Top 200 Albums race last week with her Farmer's Daughter CD for 19/Jive Records. Among the 12 tracks is her version of Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" and eight of her own compositions.
The CD Release Party for Dean Milano's Something to Think About CD is set for January 21, 2011, at Two Way Street coffeehouse in Downers Grove.
This one came out last year, but we weren't around then, so we thought you'd want to know about Joe Cantafio and Paul Brian's "A Soldier's Christmas—The Night before Christmas." It's one of the emotionally written and read (by Brian) Christmas poems that make us sit back and think about the ways of the world, with Cantafio's acoustic guitar providing background. There's a YouTube vid, and you can download it for free here: http://www.SoldiersChristmasProject.com/
Artists
She was only 55 years old, but Blind Pig recording artist Robin Rogers has died from liver cancer. The singer had just released her most recent album, Back in the
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New vocalist Jeff Stevens from Random X has joined Second Seal as they revamp their set list to include modern rock radio hits. He's replacing Andrew Merrill, who's opting to concentrate on family obligations. Kudus to Merrill for giving six months notice. The old "scheduling conflicts" bugaboo has bitten former Dot Dot Dot drummer $tephan Kohnke's new dance-happy band Hip Hugger. It's caused an amicable split with now-former keyboard player Justin Zucker, but that means they're looking for a new guy to play the keys (info@hiphuggerband.com). |  Robin Rogers |
One-time Holland guitarist Michael Angelo Batio, he of the two-fisted double neck guitar, was recently in Tampa, Florida, where he signed a new batch of his signature guitar line for Dean Guitars. They'll be shipping in 2011.
It may have been recorded in 2008, but nobody told Josh and the Empty Pockets that there was a Sell By date on Christmas music, so the band is still working its "Baby It's Cold Outside"/"Baby Please Come Home," their spirited medley that's again receiving some airplay around the country. Watch for a new album from them by the spring.
Books
Local music and celebrity photographer Linda Matlow has issued a revised edition of her Hardcover photo book. Featuring on- and offstage photographs
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taken by the omnipresent Matlow from 1979-2010, and differs somewhat from the original Limited Edition. To order, go to pixintl.com.
Looking for more reading material? You may have to wait until early in 2011, but Buckinghams leader Carl Giammarese and co-author Dawn Lee Wakefield are expecting to finish their in-depth look at Giammarese's career and the music of the Buckinghams, according to what Wakefield told Kent Kotal and his Forgotten Hits blog.
Venues
So you think Minneapolis has it tough? How would you like to be onstage at the 1,500-seat Skyline Stage at Navy Pier and have the roof blow off? Two things: 1. The roof did blow off the Skyline during the same storm that collapsed the "Rollerdome" in the Twin Cities, and 2. Nobody was on the stage at the time, because it's too cold to play guitar, not to mention trumpet, outside in Chicago in the winter.
Crystal Lake has a new entry in the rock club category with Buzz, a hard-to-find but worth-the-effort spot with plans to regularly feature live entertainment and DJs in a gorgeous room. Located next to the Chase Bank on Northwest Highway, some of the newly remodeled appointments include a 50-foot bar with Cocktail-style bartender, marble bathrooms and wall-hugging couches, but no food service. Classic rockers Phidget opened the place December 18.
Gigs
Just on sale are tickets for a Plain White T's show at the House of Blues in Chicago, set for February 28 with Parachute and MIGGS opening. The T's are supporting their new Wonders of the Younger record.
Out at Harper College in Palatine, on February 24 Chicago music critics and WBEZ "Sound Opinions" co-hosts Greg Kot (Chicago Tribune) and Jim Derogatis (WBEZ VocaloBlog) will present a live version of their recent book, The Beatles vs. the Rolling Stones.
Suburban hip-hoppers and blues genealogists are surely thrilled at the prospect of seeing Buddy Guy's daughter at Penny Road Pub. On January 7, 2011, the first woman signed to Def Jam Records through Ludacris' Disturbing the Peace Records, Shawnna, will be performing her rapid=fire raps at the South Barrington club. She's a former member of Infamous Syndicate, and boasts a #1 single, "Stand Up," with Ludacris.
Once the second place finishers in the INXS search for a new singer, but always #1 in our hearts, Marty Casey and The Lovehammers will play at Metro on February 12. Opening the all-ages show will be Strain Busy Sky, Simple Simon, Athel, and Midnight Outlaw.
The next performance by Jim Peterik and World Stage takes place January 15 at the College of DuPage McAninch Arts Center in Glen Ellyn.
The Polkaholics will be giving away an Epiphone Les Paul Junior guitar to one lucky New Year's Eve reveller at their gig December 31 at Dank Haus, 4740 N. Western (near Lawrence) in Chicago.
Awards
The Blues Foundation has announced its nominations for the 2011 Blues Music Awards, to be presented May 5, 2011, in Memphis, Tennessee, and it's no surprise that Chicago is well represented on the list. Local nominees include last year's Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Buddy Guy, who leads with five nominations, as well as fellow Grammy Award nominees James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite, Pinetop Perkins and Willie "Big Eyes" Smith. Other Sweet Home Chicagoans who made the list include The Kilborn Alley Blues Band, Eddie Shaw, Junior Wells, the late Little Smokey Smothers, Shemekia Copeland, Zora Young, Tail Dragger, Big James Montgomery, Luther Allison, Bob Stroger and Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith. Go to www.blues.org for the complete list.
There might not be much of a Chicago connection in the Class of 2011 to be inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, but so much discussion goes on with regard to methodology and eligibility each year that we thought we'd mention it anyway. Musicians to be added to the list of Hall of Famers include Alice Cooper Band, Neil Diamond, Dr. John, Darlene Love, and Tom Waits. Joining the class as Non-Performers are Specialty Records founder Art Rupe and Elektra Records founder Jac Holzman, and Sideman extraordinaire (and a pretty good all-around musician, performer, producer and songwriter, too) Leon Russell. We'd be happy to read and post your comments. Send them to rockingchicagoland@gmail.com.
Get yourself to Excalibur, 632 N. Dearborn St. in Chicago, on January 16 for the 30th Annual Chicago Music Awards, presented by Martin's International. We couldn't possibly all the nominees in all 45 categories, but they include musicians, radio stations, nightclubs, record labels, video shows and comedians. Go to www.martinsinterculture.com for the complete list.
Our apologies to Evanston's Justin Roberts for neglecting to include him in our list of local Grammy Award nominees last time. He gets the honor for his Jungle Jim album in the Best Musical Album for Children category.
Send info and comments to guy@rockingchicagoland.com.