The Great Society Mind Destroyers takes Crown Tap to the cosmos.

    In 1966, Roky Erickson single-handedly invented psychedelia. The 13th Floor Elevators introduce the world to a new adventurous  and innovative sound.  Rocky was held by the United States government for experimental evaluation. After being nailed for possession of a marijuana cigarette, authorities believed he was a threat to decency! The turbulent '60s brought social tension to a new threshold of insanity.  The CIA was doing experiments with LSD on soldiers and ordinary citizens.  So was it the government that gave us the drug culture?  Or was it Timothy Leary telling us to "drop out?"  Regardless, the use of drugs definitely made an impact on the political climate of the 1960s.



Anjru


    Today, one would question who was more psychotic: musicians or the government? Law enforcement attacked long-haired crowds at the  Chicago 1968 Democratic convention, for merely sharing the solidarity of love and music.  It's amusing to imagine what law enforcement might have thought 10 years later, with the arrival of angry moshing punk rockers.



Will

    Like all styles of music, nothing really ever goes away.  Psychedelia, often called acid rock or stoner rock, emulated the affect of mind-altering drugs in the beginning of its reign.  Middle Eastern music and improvisational jazz played a role in the development of this adventurous and colorful sound. Friday, I went down to Crown Tap on Chicago's north side, to catch some neo-psychedelia with The Great Society Mind Destroyers.


Brett

     It was truly psych-rock with a relentless rumbling thunder, that makes you envision yourself entering the mythological baffling matter of an ancient temple. At one point, the journey through the temple leads you to the cosmos.  Space rock latches on to rhythmic, but not overindulgent elements of their bizarre and mind-twisting introduction, that drifted off into exhilarating hyperactive instrumental "rave-ups."



Jim

     Featuring Andrew Kettering (Anjru Kieterang) from the retro '60s garage-jam group Strychnine on vocals and guitar, Jim Lechocki on drums, Will Sauceda on bass, and Brett Borden on second guitar, the chemistry of The Great Society Mind Destroyers resonates anachronistic echoes of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Blue Cheer,  Sun Ra, Acid Mothers Temple, Sonic Youth, early Pink Floyd, and Hawkwind. Yes, I was reminded of the fact that Hawkwind featured Lemmy Kilmister, who was a roadie for Hendrix, and later started Motorhead, which had elements of both punk and metal. So it's all good in the scope of the wide musical spectrum.

     May the soul of psychedelia lead me to grander pastures! Nowadays, you can get off on great psychedelic music without drugs. Today is GSMD day...with black coffee. The Great Society Mind Destroyers pretty much register these timeless vibes from the past, and add their current twist, thus making them new again. Roky Erickson and Syd Barrett would have been proud of the roots they planted. In the mist of an insane world, it is always great to escape to the cosmos.




Anjru



    You can find their music on Commune Records, Galactic Zoo, and Slow Tapes.



Brett



Summer Girlfriends rock to that endless summer of fun!

 "Summer of Fun" is a song I remember from one great Chicago band called Johnny and the Limelights. They were a totally fun group, featuring Brian Costello of the current Outer Minds and Sara Bassick, formerly the bassist for The Pumps.  Sara is now a member of Summer Girlfriends with four other ladies. It's Monday night and I seize the opportunity to catch this group at the Empty Bottle, in Chicago's Ukrainian Village neighborhood. What a delight they were, continuing that ageless punk mindset that rock 'n' roll must be done for the fun of it. To borrow from a Beach Boys song, that summer of fun is endless. Yes, it is an "Endless Summer."



Nikita and Sara



Elisse



Sara and Caitlin


 Summer Girlfriends joins Sara with guitarist Nikita, guitarist Elise, drummer Nicole, and singer Caitlin.  The spirit of the Runaways is ever present in their sound. The Shangri-Las, The Luv'd Ones, Goldie and the Gingerbreads, and L7 come to mind, upon hearing this band. '60s garage-pop, '70s post-punk, '80s power-pop, and girl-group mania all come together for some fine tuning that gives new life to these vibes. Yes, that monster called rock 'n' roll had a feminine side, which was longing to make it clear...girls rock! 



Nikita



Nicole



Caitlin


 In 1920, Mamie Smith recorded "Crazy Blues" and passed the mysterious female language to Big Mama Thornton and Big Maybelle. They were two of the first women to rock in the late '40s and early '50s.  Maybelle and Sarah Carter were an influence on Rose Maddox, who performed early proto-rockabilly in 1952 with the song "Hangover Blues." Influenced by all five, it was Wanda Jackson who opened the door for women in rock 'n' roll.  Women were determined to speak their mind in a louder and angrier style.  Patti Smith and Courtney Love continued the chain of chick-rock, which lives on in 2011, in the form of new bands like Summer Girlfriends. Rock 'n' roll is an endless summer of fun!




Elisse



Nicole



Call Me Lightning and Magic Milk at Treasure Town

Chi-town nights brings me to Treasure Town on the near south side.  Wall to wall artwork everywhere, many cutting-edge bands, and great folks promoting activism. I arrived just in time for Call Me Lightning, who are an indie group from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Definitely influenced by the Minutemen, and named after the 1968 song "Call Me Lightning" by The Who.  Led by Nathan Lilley on guitar and vocals, they were just what the doctor ordered.  The rhythm section was pulverizing, featuring Tyler Chicorel on bass, and Shane Hochstetler on drums.  At one point, I could not focus away from Shane's drumming.

The first record, "The Trouble Were In" was released in 2004 on Revelation Records.  The follow-up release "Soft Skeletons" was pressed by French Kiss Records in 2007.  The album was recorded at Steve Albini's Chicago studio.  Their 2010 release "When I Am Gone My Blood Will Be Free" is available through Dusty Medical Records.

There were echos of The Who's "Live at Leeds" resurrecting at this artsy loft space. The ghost of Keith Moon seems to follow me around, as I encounter newer bands. Shane's drumming had an evil gravity that almost pulls the rest of the band to the point of a pertinent zenith! It felt like Shane was racing with Nathan and Tyler. They were on a mission to rock the f--k out of you! Stealing thunder and marching to the land of the rocked!

Kenny Alden of  Magic Milk



Next up, I witness the wild Kenny Alden fronting Magic Milk.  What a spectacle it was to see Kenny doing this interesting type of dance with several members of the audience.  It somewhat looked like ska dancing. From the opening song, there was a retro 1960s garage rock vibe that sounded like the ghost of the Sonics paid a visit to Treasure Town. '60s rhythm & blues was also present, with grooves and hooks that complemented their minimalist punk-pop. Vibes from the past get some fine tuning, and out of the garage comes that monster called rock 'n' roll, in the form of Magic Milk, launching confetti, and in your face once again!

Guitarist Nico was performing a unique style that had me looking for a keyboard. I remember thinking "where is that organ sound coming from?" Yeah, his guitar  sounded like a farfisa organ. There was that ambient echo sound in the vocals, which were accompanied by harmonica. Distortion-heavy, and slightly psychedelic-bubble gum in the opening notes of the songs "So Cool" and "Lights Out Party" will make you wanna get up and dance. They  are featured on "Luke Tokyo Drifter," their first release.  It is so in enlightening to see a new band like Magic Milk with this type of energy.

$1,100 was raised last night for housing, employment, and prevention services for 1,000 Chicagoans living with HIV/AIDS.

Irish Eyes Are Smiling for Stiff Little Fingers!

It was July 4, 1976 and the Ramones invade Great Britain!  Shortly after, the Sex Pistols vomit for the queen, during the summer of 1977.  August 16, 1977 was the day Elvis left us. He was a southern country boy that brought black music to a white audience. Rock 'n' roll was an uncontrollable monster that could never be tamed.  With rock 'n' roll's evolution into punk, it got louder and angrier, and was determined to shock the world into examining its inhumanity. 

1977 was about the time that punk rock started flaring up in Ireland.  An explosive Belfast-based punk band Stiff Little Fingers (named after a Vibrators song) had the questionable distinction of being referred to as "the Irish Clash." At the time, it might have seemed like a complement, but it did little to help their career, because of the constant comparisons between the two bands.

August 16, 2011 marked the thirty-fourth anniversary of Elvis Presley's passing. Driving home from work that day, I heard Elvis singing "Danny Boy," and it made me reflect on 1977. As one of the architects of rock 'n' roll ascends to the universe, another is passed the torch. It was the year 1977, that Stiff Little Fingers began its rumblings in Belfast. Thirty-four years later, I witnessed the return of Jake Burns and Stiff Little Fingers to Chicago's Double Door.

 The show began with an awesome band from Chicago's south side called Flatfoot 56. Oh yeah, South side Irish punk rock with a bagpipe and a mandolin. They were a fun bunch of guys that I will definitely make an effort to go see again. Stiff Little Fingers assaulted the stage at 10:00 PM, and to my surprise, it's Mark DeRosa on bass. Mark is a current regular at Double Door, and the bassist-singer for the great Chicago band Dummy.  Stiff Little Fingers stirred up the crowd into some civilized moshing.  Typical of a punk rock crowd, but tonight was uniquely Irish.


Jake Burns of Stiff Little Fingers


Stiff Little Fingers debut record "Inflammable materials" hit the streets in 1979.  After two years of absorbing the new wave of punk that was smothering America and England, a sandpaper voiced frontman named Jake Burns launched a ferocious collection of songs that reflected the anger and despair of growing up in violence-torn Belfast, Northern Ireland. Jake Burns was a political voice, and had an interest in reggae, like Joe Strummer of the Clash. Stiff Little Fingers did turntables justice, at a time when corporate culture had a stranglehold on the music business.



Mark DeRosa of Dummy joins Stiff Little Fingers

 
Punk was a restless child of that monster called Rock 'n' roll. The monster's language was universal and timeless. Old jams like "Alternative Ulster" and "Suspect Device" were in full form. It was a mesmerizing performance that landed two encores. Last night's show was a testament for aging rockers.  It was such a delight to see youngsters dancing with old-school punk rockers. Irish eyes were smiling in Chi-town.

Vee Dee rocks and Chicago Independent Radio Project rolls!

Last night, on Chicago's north side, Whistler club hosted the amazing Vee Dee. It was a benefit to support the Chicago Independent Radio Project, which is a progressive movement to bring a low power FM community radio station to the city. We need to encourage Congress and the FCC to allow more citizens access to the airwaves.

The year was 2004, that I stumbled upon Vee Dee.  At first glance, this trio looked like a psychedelic throwback to the late 1960s San Francisco scene.  Within a few songs, the garage-punk vibes had folks pogo dancing.  On closer examination, they were mixing punk and psychedelia...  acid punk!

Vee Dee is led by chief songwriter Nick D'Vyne on guitar and lead vocals.  I have never seen Nick play any other guitar than his 1966 non reverse firebird.  On bass and vocals is Dan Lang.  His bass is loud, heavy, and intensifying. Nick and Dan do choruses together that have a hypnotic enthusiasm.  Ryan Murphy completes the trio on drums.  He pounds away like it's his last show.

Vee Dee has evolved on their three albums.  They were all over the music map last night.  Some bands like AC/DC, Ramones, and Motorhead did one thing.  They did that one thing so good that they just kept on doing that one thing. We have learned to love them for that one thing.  However, I believe there is plenty of room for bands to experiment with different sounds that bounce all over the music spectrum. I remember seeing Vee Dee when they released their second record, and there was one song that sounded like "Are You Experienced" by Jimi Hendrix.  Another song reminded me of Blue cheer, and then another reminded me of the MC5.  The new record has overtones of Black Sabbath.  It's all good!

I was always annoyed by that stupid notion that pre-punk and post-punk were worlds apart. "Out with the old and in with the new" made no sense to me.  Rock 'n' roll's family tree is a long chain of genres that each added a new coat of  paint to the art form.  In 1977, the punk revolution said "to hell with corporate control of music!" But that did not mean that the roots no longer mattered.  In 2011, I am glad to see that there is a new breed of music fan that can dig it all.

Everything comes full circle eventually. Vee Dee borrows from the past to complete the full circle, and with some twisting of notes, these vibes become new again.  In the mist of Vee Dee's garage-punk attack, they took a turn back to the blues, drifted off into  dimensions of psychedelia, did some head banging, and then finished with some vibes that could only be classified as rock 'n' roll.

Call your member of Congress and ask them to cosponsor the Local Community Radio Act.    congress.org

Write to the FCC and asks them to prioritize low power radio stations programmed and managed locally over "translator" signals that only carry distant network programming.    fcc.gov/contacts.html

Visit    chicagoindieradio.org

Listen to CHIRP Radio now!    http://www.chirpradio.org/

Chi-town nights with TJ Superfan: The Sleepers put the roll back in rock!

Chi-town nights with TJ Superfan: The Sleepers put the roll back in rock!: "

David Johansen and Sylvian Sylvian New York Dolls July 27, 2011
 In these days of 'corporate controlled radio' and lame bands dr..."

Rockit Girl and Ladies & Gentlemen at Double Door

Rockit Girl is back!




Mike

 

Skid Marks



Ladies & Gentleman



Rockit Girl really rocks it!



Kathryn & Gina



John





Gina & Kathyrn

  



The ghost of Keith Moon paid a visit to Double Door last night!

Chad Romanski orders you to rock!



Rockit Girl return to Double Door Friday and what a rock 'n' roll rendezvous it was. Opening the show was one of my longtime favorites. Skid Marks and the Ladies & Gentlemen delivered a great danceable set of retro new wave, glam, and power-pop. They borrow from  early '80s Brit-pop and add a fresh new twist that makes one get down on the dance floor.

Rockit Girl was formed in the summer of 1999 by Gina Crosley (former Emil Muzz front-woman). Power-pop, punk, and a slightly riot-girl attitude was the chemistry of this great two girl-two guy Chicago band that reminded me of that endless "summer of fun." That never ending drive to get out there and play for the fun of it, has always been a part of Chicago's music scene.

Rockit Girl are one of many bands that never really seem to go away. They disbanded in 2006, but no one really thought that was the last show. These bands just go into a moratorium for awhile and when the time is right, that monster called rock 'n roll comes knocking at your door again. Gina, Kathryn, John, and Chad liberated the "land of lameness" from any attempts to keep us from rocking and dancing to that endless summer of fun.

Echos of the Breeders, Sleater-Kinney, Throwing Muses, Hole, Elastica, and the Luv'd Ones reverberated through both doors of the Double Door, and out on to North, Damen, and Milwaukee Avenue of Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. The special thing about last night, was seeing Chad Romanski on drums again. It's been a couple years since he played drums at the last show for the Dials. It was also great to see Dials keyboard player Emily hanging out. The Dials were one of my favorite bands during the 2000's decade. Chad was asked to join the Dials in 2005, after the passing of original drummer Doug Meis. The late-great Doug Meis, John Glick, and Mike Dahlquist will always be in our memory.

Lawrence Peters Outfit at Burlington on Fullerton

Tonight I went back to one of the roots of the monster. This monster called Rock 'n' roll was born when white country music stumbled upon the black man's blues. African-Americans absorbed European folk music in the 1800's, while chanting gospel hymns on the plantations of Mississippi. The black folks eventually created a distinct American art form called the blues. Jazz, rhythm & blues, and soul would soon follow. This new art form caught the attention of poor white folks, who understood that the blues was not just a style of music, but a state of mind. Rooted in despair and suffering, the blues is an outlet to express the desire to survive.

In 1927, Jimmie Rodgers performed "T for Texas" which was basically his interpretation of the blues. Way up in the mountains of Virginia, the Carter Family was doing their version of the blues. These early recordings became the birth of country music. It was passed down to Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee. At Sun Studios in 1955, these country dudes showed their desire to mix their country roots with the various black styles they absorbed: gospel, swing jazz, rhythm & blues, jump blues, and Mississippi blues. After mixing these vibes, the monster was born! The monster's original name was Rockabilly.

Country roots reverberated the Burlington Club in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood Monday night. The Lawrence Peters Outfit was refreshing to remind me of how much I love old-school traditional country. They did songs that were reminiscent of Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, the Louvin Brothers, George Jones, Hank Williams, and Lefty Frizzell.

Lawrence Peters is currently the drummer for Plastic Crimewave Sound with Chicago music historian Steve Krakow. Plastic Crimewave Sound do some venomous psychedelic acid punk. I remember seeing Lawrence perform with Kelly Kessler and the Wichita Shut Ins. It was during the '90s Americana insurgent country scene. Kelly Kessler was totally doing a retro homage to Maybelle Carter of the Carter Family. Lawrence later performed with Western Standard Time.

The Lawrence Peters Outfit features guitarist Pennsylvania Dave of the Blue Tear Drops and Gin Palace Jesters. Matt Gandurski handles the other guitar in a way that makes it sound like a steel pedal guitar. There was that traditional dual harmonizing that is often called the "high lonesome sound." Unfortunately, current country radio does not play real country music. The Nashville corporate controlled machine has produced some really bad pop music. Much of it is an embarrassment to the early outlaws and fathers of the high lonesome sound.

Our great American art form has a rich heritage that will make the curious music lover journey back to rock 'n' roll's family tree. There is a special place on that tree for country roots. The best country songs were a reaction to the Great Depression. As our economy falters on the brink of collapse, we need the black blues folks and real country folks to sing the blues again. The Lawrence Peters Outfit will be at the Empty Bottle this coming Friday. Come on out if you want an outlet from your lover's cheating heart.