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The CHIRP Blog
Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Flavor Flav Edition
Let’s give a birthday salute to the man who’s in everything you eat, because everything you eat gots Flavor. The Clown Prince of Rap provided a welcome contrast to the declamatory serious rapping of Chuck D., adding texture and humor to Public Enemy’s groundbreaking music. I still remember seeing Public Enemy, supporting their debut album, take the stage as one of the first acts at Def Jam ’87 at the UIC Pavilion. While Chuck D. slowly prowled the stage and the SIW’s dazzled with their choreography, my eyes kept being drawn back to Flavor Flav, who was non-stop motion with the big clock around his neck. Forget the reality shows, forget Flav ranting against lip syncing at Pitchfork and two songs later lip syncing “911 Is A Joke’, and remember that he has always been entertaining. Let’s pay tribute to Flavor Flav by grabbing your iPod or MP3 player, hitting shuffle, and sharing the first 10 songs that come up.
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesCHIRP Night at the Whistler with Population & Secondary Modern
It’s time for another CHIRP Night at the Whistler! This evening’s fundraising get-together features Chicago’s own Population, and Secondary Modern from Carbondale! CHIRP DJs will be spinning between bands, and a percentage of the bar sales will benefit CHIRP Radio.
We’ll also be selling raffle tickets for great prizes throughout the night. Come out and join us for a great night of music!
The Whistler / 2421 N. Milwaukee / 9:30pm -2:00am / No Cover / 21+
Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday John Cale Edition
For the second week in a row, we have a former Velvet Underground member to pay tribute to. Today is John Cale’s birthday. While Cale’s contributions to the band aren’t as lauded as Lou Reed’s, as Cale rarely was in front of the mike, he played a big part in the band’s sound. For me, however, it was after VU split up that Cale became really interesting. Although his solo career has not been as commercially successful as Lou Reed’s, I think there’s a good argument to be made that Cale’s solo work is more artistically fulfilling, and not just because he didn’t make an album with Metallica. Cale has covered a wide swath of music in the past four plus decades. He’s performed modern classical based music with Terry Riley, He put his own spin on glam pop with his marvelous albums on Island during the ’70s (on par with Brian Eno’s solo work). He became one of the earliest orch-pop practitioners with the amazing Paris 1919 album. And he continues to make fine albums today (oh, and don’t forget the great album he did with Brian Eno). Let’s celebrate this talented and diverse performer by grabbing your iPod or MP3 player, hitting shuffle and sharing the first 10 songs that come up.
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesThis Week with CHIRP Radio (Week of March 5)
Tuesday, March 6
CHIRP Radio welcomes Korallreven and Young Magic to Shubas, with a DJ set from How to Dress Well!
Schubas / 3159 N. Southport / 8:00pm / 18+
Last Week On chicagoindieradio.org…
- Chicago Theatre Off Book, with guests John Bucchino of Porchlight Theatre and Erica Daniels of Steppenwolf Theatre
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Happy Birthday, Lou Reed!
Mike Bennett writesFriday March 2, 2012 iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Lou Reed Edition
He is one of the most influential figures in rock history, both for his seminal work with The Velvet Underground and subsequent solo career. For all of the many great songs he’s penned in his career, he has taken monumental chances and is certainly not afriad to fail (see last year’s collobaration with Metallica for evidence of that). His legend looms so large, it’s almost hard to wrap one’s head around it. It’s just enough to know that rock music would not have gone into many places it ended up without Lou Reed. Let’s celebrate Uncle Lou’s birthday by grabbing your iPod or MP3 player, hitting shuffle, and sharing the first 10 songs that come up.