Tuesday, January 31, 2012

What's It All About, Bare Mutants?

Each week, Reglar Wiglar Magazine asks a band, artist or musician: What’s it all about? What's the point and why go on? This week, we ask Chicago's nude transmorgifier, Jered Gummere of  BARE MUTANTS:

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

Radar Eyes, Bare Mutants and Outer Minds. February 6th at the Empty Bottle. We get to play with two of my favorite Chicago bands. It’s also a show to bring about awarness that nobody uses phone books anymore. Please stop putting them on our porches, they go straight to the recycling bin. I haven’t used a phone book in at least ten years.

WHAT'S THE POINT?

It’s Radar Eyes record release show and our 7” release show. Both records courtesty of our good buddies at Hozac Records.

WHY GO ON?
 

We are currently working on a full-length. Hopefully, we’ll get to tour every dive bar in the world and go on to sell hundreds of records.
MONDAY, 2/6/12

Radar Eyes, Bare Mutants, Outer Minds @ Empty Bottle

1035 N. Western Ave.

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

TUESDAY, 1/31/12
Hay Perro, Knife of Simpson, Today's My Super Spaceout Day @ Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave.

Hay Perro are serious about punk rock music, as is evident from this photo.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Music Review: Mermaid Bones

MERMAID BONES
The End of Days (self-released)
Fall 1989, the first time I saw guitarist Dave Gill: One night a groovy, now defunct, Hyde Park coffee house found room on the schedule for all the usual suspects. The rumor going around being, some radical noise guitarist is killing it, duo style, with an effects cat. Their operating moniker: !Glrnaap. So I glugged a slug from the jug, took a few tokes and made my way to the Fullerton el stop. When I got to the performance I wasn't late, but the show had already started. Some academic music school characters were considering how it would look on paper. Gill proceeded to set up his flea market light show, plug in a 25-watt practice amp, and level the room. The last audible remark I heard was a reference to frog sterilization. A few years later I would hear Gill perform more times than I can remember with the wildly popular and critically acclaimed Hog Lady.

And now this! The End of Days is an absolute masterpiece. Track 4 "December" is worth the price of admission alone. When the vocals kick in the result is nothing less than chilling. After a pause, the hook and riff will leave the most consummate of professional musician blushing with jealousy. Lead vocalist Sophia Anita possesses a huge voice. I don't know if the limited vocal range she tends to hover in is really that limited, or she just prefers to maintain the power there. This is definitely not daddy's little girl cooing lullabies. In any event, her ears produce juicy, hard-to-forget melodic lines. Track 2 is a whopper, clocking in at 20 minutes of brutal prog. Even after multiple listening, I'm still caught, not catching the razor sharp changes. The excellent minimal bass playing, Chase Carter, locks in and propels formidable drummer Brian Davy. This rhythm section provides an exquisite platform for Gill to launch into his signature extraterrestrial solos.

Word on the street is The End of Days marks the end of Mermaid Bones. I don't know what could possibly compel this band of once-in-a-lifetime collaborators to proclaim such a thing. What could possibly prevent them from performing from time to time, at least locally in their West Coast Bay Area region, I don't know... Whatever it is, I hope these kids can find a way to continue to make music of this caliber. Anyone with the slightest affinity for rock music deserves to give this a listen—Dr. Heironeous B. Naughty Has brain will travel.

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

MONDAY, 1/30/12
Tijuana Hercules, The Canoes @ Pancho's, 2200 N. California

Tijuana Hercules has a heart of beef and the soul of a messed up juke joint junkie. Tijuana Hercule's got the legs of an old diabetic blues player; the arthritic hands of an old jazzbo, the iron-clad stomach of an old goat and the hard steel balls of a young buck-a-roo.

Video: Tijuana Hercules, Quicksand Passing Through

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

SUNDAY, 1/29/12
Modern Day Rippers, The Ridgelands, Flesh Panthers, Posters @ Ultra Lounge, 2169 N. Milwaukee Ave.

I don't know anything about the Modern Day Rippers, but look at 'em for chrissakes! How could they not be awesome? And Flesh Panthers? I don't even know what that means, but it's the best band name I've heard all week—and I've heard some band names this week, let me tell yah.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

SATURDAY, 1/28/12
Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival: Drive-By Truckers, Joe Pug, Bailiff, Van Ghost, Jaik Willis, Shams Band, and others @ Congress Theater, 2135 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Bunch a blue grass bands are playin' the Chicago Blue Grass and Blues Festival at the Congress including this cat, Joe Pug. I like this mug, Joe Pug.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Video: Bachelorette, Sugarbug (Live)


#3: Bachelorette from PoA Live on Vimeo.

Zine Review: Simple History #9, The Congo

THE CONGO
Simple History #9
J. Gerlach (Microcosm)
To quote the Daily Show’s Earth, The Book: “...no other continent could more truly say, I was raped.’” Talking of course about the continent of Africa. Pretty blunt, but there you have it. The area in central Africa known as the Congo is just one region, albeit a very large one, that was ripe for exploitation by European powers in the mad rush to secure the world's land and resources that started in the 16th Century. In the Congo's case, it was Belgium that took the lead, but they seemed to hardly have the heart for it. Control of the Congo was ceded and regained countless times as slave trading, foreign meddling and the indigenous peoples' inability to work out their own tribal differences and prejudices would plague them for decades to come. Congo's recent history is no less blood-free and has been mired in civil war and struggles with power-hungry dictators and staggering poverty. And that's a summation of J. Gerlach's simple history of a very complicated region of a very complicated continent. If I may again quote from Earth, "our species arose from Africa and we punished it for our failures ever since." Up next: Extreme climate change. Sorry again, Africa.

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

Forecast: Cloudy with not a chance in hell that I'm going out of the house this week. But if I was, I would probably make a reasonable effort to go to this show.

FRIDAY, 1/27/12
Tutu  the Pirates, Hotlips Messiah, Mentally Ill, Claw Toe @ Ultra Lounge, 2169 N Milwaukee Ave.

These dudes were old a hundred years ago.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

RIP Juan Luis Pedro Philippo DeHuevos Epstein (aka Robert Hegyes)

Zine Review: Simple History #5, Hawai'i

HAWAI'I
Simple History #5

J. Gerlach (Microcosm)
Number five in Microcosm's Simple History Series chronicles the history of the Hawaiian Islands from their "discovery" by Caption Cook in 1778 to the eventual statehood granted by the United States in 1959. Hawaii's story is a tale of colonization, exploitation, imposed capitalism and governments and corporations slicing themselves up the biggest piece of the poi. It's a story of Kings, Queens, Politicians, Missionaries and, as always, ordinary People caught in the middle. And that, folks, is pretty much the history of everything everywhere. Unfortunately.

Hawai'i's history post 1959 would continue to have highs (the alleged birth of the 44th President of the United States) and lows (Honolulu's perpetual hosting of the National Football League's incredibly pointless Pro Bowl) and then of course there was Bobby Brady's "discovery" of an ancient tiki on September 22, 1972.

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

THURSDAY, 1/126/12
Eight Bit Tiger, Audiences, Il Tandre Neu @ Schuba's, 3159 N. Southport Ave.

I just think the whole 80s retro thing is fascinatin'. Nintendo, boomboxes, over-sized glasses, the stripey shirts... just fascinatin'.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Cassetty's Most Humiliating Moments!

Cast among the detritus of the floor of an '86 Chevette.

















The Barbie and Ken Three-Way of 1979.

















The excruciating Terry Gross interview on Fresh Air, 2003.


















The indie record store collectible cassette years of the late 90s.




















Check out more Cassetty Comics:
Cassetty Takes Chicago
Cassetty Meets a CD

Thanks Dan Kiss!

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

WEDNESDAY, 1/25/12
Static Age, Digeometric, Nate Moralez, Castor & Pollux, Frosting @ Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave.

I picked this Static Age band just for the Misfits reference. Someone tell me if they sound anything like the Misfits.

How To Set a Mouse Trap

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Zine Review: Simple History #4, The Spanish Civil War

THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR
Simple History #4
J. Gerlach (Microcosm)
Microcosm’s Simple History Series is a collection of small zines on big historical events. They're sort of like the notes that a really good student would take in a history class while the rest of us doodled and decorated the covers of our notebooks with our favorite bands' names (Me: Hüsker Dü, You: Mötely Crüe, probably). The subject of issue number four is the Spanish Civil War—another major turning point in the war between left and right-wing ideologies that would preoccupy world powers for the next few wars (hot and cold) for the bulk of the 20th Century. This edition is interesting, easy to digest and kind of a cool thing to have on the bookshelf next to your Johnny Ryan comics—kinda classes things up a bit (no offense, Johnny)—Chris Auman

Always read Reglar Wiglar!

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

TUESDAY, 1/24/12
Tortoise, Dent-de-Lion @ Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave.

Tortoise (left to right): Dan Bitney, Doug McCombs, Jeff Parker, John Herndon. Not pictured: John McEntire

Monday, January 23, 2012

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

MONDAY, 1/23/12
Swedish National Youth Orchestra @ Symphony Center,  220 S. Michigan Ave.

You think Muggsy doesn't appreciate music of a more classical nature? Well, you're wrong. I'm not sayin' I'm goin' to this gig, I'm just sayin' you should. Tönu Kaljuste is a real bad-ass.

What's It All About, The Cell Phones?

Each week we ask a band, musician or artist: What's it all about? What's the point? and Why go on? This week, we put a call in to Chicago's, THE CELL PHONES:

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

It's about blast beats, bass slaps, and gutsy pipes. It's about pizza and whiskey and MORE whiskey. It's about playing shows with bands just as wacky and passionate, like the show we're playing at Pancho's with The Baby Magic and The Vatican Junkies on January 26th! It's about enthusiasm and exclamation points!

WHAT'S THE POINT?

To play every Chicago venue that can be played (and even some that can't)! To be the first band to play on the moon! To record our music wherever we can including our living room, and more recently, with Caffeinated Records to make our first full-length album! And so we can tour America's face off!

WHY GO ON?

We've been going on for four years, why the heck stop now? The Cell Phones has become a necessity to each of us. Especially now that the Empty Bottle finally has us on their bill (free Monday, Feb 27th)!

THURSDAY, 1/26/12

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

SATURDAY, 1/21/12
Hollows, Dirty Dancing, Runnies, Little Boy Jr. @ Ultra Lounge, 2169 N Milwaukee Ave.

There's not a whole lot I like about the Ultra Lounge, but I like the idea of these bands playing together at the same club on the same night, so I'll let it slide.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Music Review: Vermillion Sands

VERMILLION SANDS
"Summer Melody" b/w "A Sweet Bitter Winter" 7" (Shit Music for Shit People)
The Italian band Vermillion Sands give us the two seasons on this 7" record. Vivaldi would certainly roll over in his grave and laugh (possibly outloud) at the thought of excluding fall and winter from any musical work concerning the seasons. But then maybe Vivaldi would've had the bread to kick in for a double seven inch. Yeah, that's true, he did die poor, but I was thinking more like when he was at the height of his popularity—like when Charles VI was all up on his jock. Well, that's ridiculous and a completely unnecesary digression at any rate. "Summer Melody" is provided for the A side and it is bouncy and infectious and has a carnival-like vibe that would make it hard for Vivaldi not to smile and tap a toe along too. "A Sweet Bitter Winter" on the other hand, is also an upbeat number but in a garage/blues kinda way. I must confess, I have not a clue how Antonio V. would feel about it, but I like it—J.S. Bach [Vermillion Sands]

Always read Reglar Wiglar!

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

FRIDAY, 1/20/12
Greek Fire, Amrita, Model Stranger @ Reggies Rock Club, 2109 S. State St.

Greek Fire may be comfortable in their own skins as a cool rock band, but are they comfortable in their own clothes? Doesn't look like it. It's called an iron fella's, pack one for the next tour.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

THURSDAY, 1/19/12
Dastardly, Brighton, MA, Santah @ Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln Ave.

These geographically confused Chicago indie rockers have had songs licensed by tv shows like "Gossip Girl" and "Community" and by boozemaker Jack Daniels. That's the equivalent of selling a bunch of a records back in the day.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

WEDNESDAY, 1/18/12
Summer Girlfriends, E+, Pearls, Magic City @ Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont

I need another girlfriend like I need (another) hole in my head, but Summer Girlfriends? That's another story. I could use some Summer Girlfriends right about now.

Read the Reglar Wiglar Interview with Summer Girlfriends!

Monday, January 16, 2012

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

MONDAY, 1/16/12
Clip Art, Paper Thick Walls, Damn Choir @ Schuba's, 3159 N. Southport Ave.

Gonna be another night of guitar playing and singing at Schuba's.

What's It All About, Panda Riot?

Each week we ask a band, musician or artist: What's it all about? What's the point? and Why go on? This week, we ask Chicago's furry shoe-gazers, PANDA RIOT:

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?
Panda Riot is playing at the Empty Bottle on Tuesday, Jan 17th with Advance Base (formerly of Casiotone for the Painfully Alone) and The Hit Back....and it's free with RSVP!

WHAT'S THE POINT?
We've been busy recording a new record, so it's really nice to switch gears and start playing all these songs out live. And we just got one of those Octopad drum pads, which we are excited to try out for this show.

WHY GO ON?
Because we have gold drums and 4 tickets to paradise.

TUESDAY, 1/17/12
Panda Riot, Advance Base, The Hit Back @ Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

Photo by Rob Karlic
SUNDAY, 1/15/12
White Mystery, Mannequin Men, Mister Loveless, City Center @ Schuba's
3159 N. Southport Ave.

Oh, it's no mystery why White Mystery has captured the hearts and minds of the local music press... it's the hair. Yes, it is.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

SATURDAY, 1/14/12

Nepotism, cronyism, favoritism?—let's just say it was strongly suggested to Muggsy to pick this show. Shameless plug? Nah, I feel a lot of shame. It's Soft Targets last show though, so... there you go.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

FRIDAY, 1/13/12
Bad Cop, Magic Milk, Wishgift @ Crown Tap Room, 2821 N. Milwaukee

If you like bluesy, trashy rock and roll music played by young, snarly upstarts AND you like divey bars (with liquor stores attached) that are located at six cornered intersections and across the street from where Muggsy himself often waits for the Kimball 82 northbound bus, then you're gonna wanna get to this show!

Read the Reglar Wiglar Inteview with Bad Cop

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

THURSDAY, 1/12/12
Daemon Familiar, Day Lewis, Percolator,
I Lost Control
@ Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Not even Muggsy himself knows why he picks the shows he picks. Sometimes it all comes down to a good band name... or four bad ones.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

WEDNESDAY, 1/11/12

Com Truise, Dom, Lazer Crystal, Chandeliers @ Schuba's, 3159 N. Southport Ave.

Yah got yer Crystal Antlers, yer Crystal Skulls, yer Crystal Castles, yer Crystal Stilts and those Chandeliers? Probably crystal, but the future (unlike their press photo) is crystal clear: Lazer Crystal.
Listen to Lazer Crystal's Quack Another Lame Duck

Muggy's Got a Gripe

From: XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Date: Wed, Jan 11, 2012 at 12:22 AM
Subject: WHAT THE FUCK AUMAN?
To: reglarwiglar@gmail.com


Yo Dickhead!

You can't even spell my fucking name right on your stupid website!? Cheesus flippin' Christ, Auman, do you ever edit sober? Fix that shit, please. I've been writing for this lame-ass publication before Gore invented the Internet and still this shit?! It was barely forgivable in print, but this is the internet--you can make corrections from your cell phone on your couch for godsake! I know it's the last week of One Life to Live, but get your shit together, bro! Fix it. Don't make me ask twice.

Love you, buddy!

XOXOXOXOXOX!!!!

Muggsy McMurphy

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Reglar Wiglar Movie Critic Makes Good


Electric Literature

Muggy McMurphy's Rock Pick


TUESDAY, 1/10/12
Creepy Band, Jon Drake & The Shakes, Johnathan Young, Ryley Walker
@ Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave.
If you like your guitar music all strummy then check out guitar player, Ryley Walker. All of twenty-one and he's already got some serious chops and a release out on local cassette label plus tapes

Monday, January 09, 2012

What's It All About, Kaspar Hauser?

Each week we ask a band, musician or artist: What's it all about? What's the point? and Why go on? This week we ask Tom Comerford, frontman for the band, KASPAR HAUSER:

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

On January 13, I will be playing guitar and singing in the band Kaspar Hauser at the Ace Bar, 1505 W. Fullerton—music starts at 9pm. Joining us for the show are two excellent Chicago rock bands, The Safes and Magic Gloves. The bar looks to have a number of great tap beers!

WHAT'S THE POINT?

Because live music is where it's at, people. Kaspar Hauser has developed a bunch of new songs over the last year or so, and they make a lot of sense live. We are going to record them in 2012, and when we do, we'd like it to resemble the live performance. There will be a drum kit, a left guitar, a right guitar, a bass guitar and a voice.

WHY GO ON?

Because we believe in Rock music. We like to play it, and we like to hear it played. That is what we were thinking about when we set up this show. We hope you will come out and join us.

FRIDAY, 1/13/12
1505 W. Fullerton Ave.

Muggy McMurphy's Rock Pick

MONDAY, 1/9/12
Radio Moscow, The Velcro Lewis Group, Strychnine @ Ultra Lounge @ 2169 N Milwaukee Ave.

If Story City, Iowa has a tale to tell, well, here it is: In 2004, guitar playing Parker Griggs forms a band with himself which turns into a duo with Luke McDuff, they foist a demo on Dan Auerbach of Black Keys fame, Auerbach enjoys (showing a certain affinity towards two-piece bands), pushes for Radio Moscow to release on Alive! with himself producing, touring drummers come and go, the dudes record and release a couple more records for Alive! and here they are at the Ultra Lounge on a Monday night in January ready to heat this town up with a scorching dose of full-on, psychedelic blues fury. Bring it.
Listen to Radio Moscow's No Time

Sunday, January 08, 2012

Muggy McMurphy's Rock Pick

SUNDAY, 1/8/12
Phantom Works, Rabid Rabbit, Three Cheers for One Dead Man @ Quenchers, 2400 W. Fullerton

One cheer for three great local bands! Ahh, fug it—three cheers for three great bands! Turns out Muggy's an old softy after all. Shucks.

Saturday, January 07, 2012

Muggy McMurphy's Rock Pick

SATURDAY, 1/7/12
The Lawrence Arms, Holy Mess, Lords @ Metro, 3730 N. Clark St.

The Arms return to Chicago on a mini-Midwest tour. We welcome all bands with Lawrence Arms.

Friday, January 06, 2012

Muggy McMurphy's Rock Pick

FRIDAY, 1/6/12
This Is My Fist, Canadian Rifle, Daylight Robbery, Scabs @ Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave.

If this doesn't sound like a punk rock show then what does? Friday night punk rock show at The Bottle, brah!

Thursday, January 05, 2012

Reglar Wiglar Interview: Comics Artist, John Porcellino

Indy comics maven and distro champion, John Porcellino has been publishing comics for, oh I'd say about thirty years or so. With his long-running, autobiographical King-Cat Comics currently on its seventy-second issue, Porcellino shows no sign of slowing down any time soon. The Reglar Wiglar caught up with Spit & a Half proprietor between zine & comics fest jaunts and asked him a few questions.

Muggy McMurphy's Rock Pick

THURSDAY, 1/5/12

Loaded, Deathface, Greg Corner, Phenom, Sleepers @ Lincoln Hall,  2424 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-525-2501

Is this Loaded as in Duff McKagan's Loaded? Can't seem to find out. If it is, then this show just might be worth the $5 advance ticket price, but personally I think Duff's career took a nosedive after The Fartz broke up in '84.

Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Music Review: Robyn Hitchcock

ROBYN HITCHCOCK
Chronology (Yep Roc)
Robyn Hitchcock is one of those rare musicians that there just aren't enough of—or maybe there are. Maybe there shouldn't be too many like him. Maybe it would get a little too crowded in the pantheon of highly prolific artists with decades-spanning careers and reputations for producing consistently great work, even throwing in a classic album every five years or so. Maybe.

Chronology is Hitchcock’s current offering—no doubt just a placeholder while he continues work on some other musical project or another, with whatever group of musicians he's currently chosen to conspire with. The songs on this digital-only album display some of Hitchcock's best work, at least according to him—Hitchcock selected all sixteen tracks for the record—and I agree. With three songs coming from the Soft Boy's 1980 classic Underwater Moonlight, through his early solo recordings (including my fav "If You Were a Priest" from 1986's Element of Light) and work with the Egyptians and a reunited Soft Boys whose six minute "Mr. Kennedy" from 2002's Nextdoorland features an excellent double guitar solo that ranks right up there with the best of Television's Marquee Moon—proof positive that the boys did not get soft. Three more recent solo songs end the album including the beautiful "Full Moon in My Soul" from 2003's Spooked.

Chronology is as good an intro as any into the world of Robyn Hitchcock but it really barely scratches the surface of a remarkable career that shows no signs of slowing down—Manfred Lightbulbhead [Robyn Hitchcock]

Always read Reglar Wiglar!

Muggy McMurphy's Rock Pick

WEDNESDAY, 1/4/12
My My My, Mr. Russia,
The Bright White @ Schuba’s,
3159 N. Southport Ave., 773-525-2508

Call me old school, but when I think of 'My, my, my' I think of 'once, bitten twice shy, babe'. But when I think of Mr. Russia, I think of the band Mr. Russia and their double bass barrage!

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Top Ten Used Records of 2011

10. Rolling Stones - Undercover
9. UFO - Mechanix
8. The Fluid - Roadmouth
7. Gas Mask - Their First Album
6. Free - Highway
5. Sam and Dave - I Thank You
4. Lazy Lester - Harp and Soul
3. Ramones - Pleasant Dreams
2. Metallica - Garage, Inc.
1. Buck Owens - Arms Full of Empty

Top Ten Guest Stars on Hawaii Five-0 in 2011

10. Nick Lachey
9. Dane Cook
8. Mrs. Ari
7. Diddy
6. Rick Springfield
5. Keith David
4. David Keith
3. Peter Fonda
2. Chuck Lidell
1. Jimmy Buffett

Book Review: Rad Dad

RAD DAD
Dispatches from the Frontiers of Fatherhood
Edited by Tomas Moniz & Jeremy Adam Smith (microcosm) (pm press)
The Rad Dad book is a greatest hits package of the zine Tomas Moniz has been publishing for going on twenty issues now. It’s written for men who may be struggling with all the complexities of being a father in this or any age. The book is broken up into sections: "Birth, Babies, and Toddlers," "Childhood," "Tweens and Teens," and "Politics of Parenting." The last section of the book features interviews with rad dads like hip hop writer Jeff Chang (Can’t Stop Won’t Stop) and Ian MacKaye (Minor Threat, Fugazi, The Evens, Dischord Records). I am most certainly rad but not a dad, so I haven’t read every article and essay in this book, but some are interesting regardless of your parental status ("Notes From a Sperm Donor" for example). If, however, you have achieved fatherhood and are looking for advice, find comfort in the fact that you can turn to the pages of Rad Dad, now in handy book form.

Always read Reglar Wiglar!

Muggy McMurphy's Rock Pick

TUESDAY, 1/3/12
Dumpster Babies, Bohannons @ Schuba’s, 3159 N. Southport Ave., 773-525-2508

Pardon me, boy, is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo? No, sir, that's a band, they're called Bohannons but they are from Chattanooga, so I can see how you might be confused. And much like that song of old, they play 'Merican music. Dumpster Babies? That name sounds pretty 'Merican too, come to think. Stay warm tonight, you pukes!

Monday, January 02, 2012

What's It All About, Phantom Works?

Each week we ask a band, musician or artist: What's it all about? What's the point? and Why go on? This week we ask precision noise trio, Phantom Works;

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?
Our first LP is out for potential public consumption and we're damn pleased about that fact, so we're going to play a show at one of our favorite joints in town. This joint is called Quenchers. Two other rock-type bands will be preceding us on the bill: Rabid Rabbit (who have way too many bass players) and Three Cheers for One Dead Man, both from Chicago, just like Phantom Works (ahem).

WHAT'S THE POINT?

The LP is self-titled, but not because we're lazy. Someone at Sick Room Records thought it'd be a good idea to put it on their label. We'll take their assistance, but not because we're lazy. Hell, we even like a lot of the other bands on this label, but can't claim reciprocity. The album was recorded and mixed in the Phantom Works' basement, a.k.a. Da Shanks, which is on the border of Logan Square and Humboldt Park in Chicago. We used 1" 16-track tape for the recording and 1/4" 2-track tape for the mixing. We also used lots of microphones. Prove us wrong.

WHY GO ON?

We'll continue much like we've been, because that's what we do. Originally, there was a grand plan spelled out before our first practice, but in the end we realized that all the specs in that plan were just the way we tend to do things anyway. They didn't need to be verbalized, at least not to each other. We know what's right and we'll continue to maintain that correctness, but there will likely be more e-mail involved.

SUNDAY, 1/8/12, 9pm
Phantom Works, Rabid Rabbit, Three Cheers for One Dead Man, @ Quenchers
2400 W. Fullerton, 773-276-9730

Muggsy McMurphy's Rock Pick

Mountains for Clouds
MONDAY, 1/2/12
Dowsing, Empire! Empire!, Brave Bird, Mountains for Clouds
@ Pancho's, 2200 N. California, 773-772-7811

Now that Pancho's has new owners, I for one will miss Pancho. For example, I will miss his fascinating bar tricks (Remember the one with the upside down rocks glasses and the lighter and the... thingy?), his hilarious bar gags (The fake hand? Come on, that's genius!) and his spot-on percussion and saxophone playing (You'd think it'd be annoying, but no way!). Good luck to him as well as to the new regime. Hopefully, the new coat of brown(?) paint on the walls won't dull the vibe. And good luck to these four bands playing on the first cold Monday of a miserable new year!

Always read Reglar Wiglar!