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The CHIRP Blog
Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Jeffrey Lee Pierce Edition
In a parallel universe, Jeffrey Lee Pierce didn’t die young, he made more great records, got the recognition he deserved belatedly and headlined the Pitchfork festival as a legacy act. Well, some of those things haven’t come true, but the frontman of The Gun Club deserves a further look by current music fans. Pierce and company looked at blues rock through a post-punk lens and produced great album after great album, all of which still hold up to this day. Perhaps the closest contemporary may have been X, as both bands were rooted in certain rock traditions, but added something different to the mix. Pierce also put out a terrific solo album, Wildweed, that showed he could thrive outside the band format and how much depth and dimension he possessed. The late ‘80s and early ‘90s were rough for Pierce, as drugs and other problems really took their toll, likely contributing to his death at age 37 in 1996. In honor of Pierce’s birthday, please grab your iPod or MP3 player, hit shuffle and share the first 10 songs that come up.
Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Brian Wilson Edition
He was two years old when he heard “Rhapsody in Blue”, and it resonated with him. This toddler with sophisticated taste soon joined family members in creating the most commercially successful American rock ‘n’ roll band, The Beach Boys. Brian Wilson got the songwriting bug early on, co-writing the first Beach Boys hit, “Surfin’”, in 1961. He grew by leaps and bounds as a composer, producer and arranger. In 1962, he wrote the sublime “Surfer Girl” and with each Beach Boys album, and they were quite prolific, he mixed old time rock ‘n’ roll, California style with introspective songs with increasingly complex structures. This culminated in one of the signature moments in pop music, the Pet Sounds album. Perhaps no album creates such emotional resonance just with the music, with lyrics just adding to what Wilson had brilliantly portrayed in sound. After Pet Sounds, Brian was still capable of brilliant work and he has had a new career touring with his band. This led to the actual completion of his other masterwork Smile. I saw Wilson on that tour at the Auditorium Theater, and it is certainly one of the best concerts I have ever attended. In honor of this musical genius, please grab your iPod or MP3 player, hit shuffle, and share the first 10 songs that come up.
Azure writesJoins Us for Merchandise This Sunday at Schubas!
End your weekend the right way with CHIRP! Come hang out with us this Sunday, June 15th at Schubas as we welcome the amazing rockers in Merchandise! The Florida-based outfit will be sharing the stage with bands, The Ukiah Drag and Final Grin. Merchandise is hitting the road this summer to support the release of their upcoming album After the End, due out August 26th. After gracing us with their musical presence last summer at Pitchfork Music Festival, the band is back to “up the punx” here in Chicago. If you missed that set, better make sure you hit up this show!
Sharing the stage is The Ukiah Drag, who released a 7 inch single this spring on Wharf Cat Records called, “Dirt Trip”. Check out the band’s video for the song here! The Ukiah Drag will also be supporting Merchandise on their tour throughout the summer. Also, make sure you get to the show early and catch local Chicago trio, Final Grin, hit the stage to bring you’re their death rock drenched tunes at its best.
Be sure to stop by the CHIRP table while you’re there and say hello!
The show is ALL AGES and the show starts at 7:00 PM. Schubas is located at 3159 N. Southport Ave., Chicago, IL 60657. Get your tickets here or visit: Schubas.com for more information.
Kelsey Phillips writesJoin Us at the Bottom Lounge This Wednesday for F*ck Buttons!
Join CHIRP on June 11th at the Bottom Lounge to take in the musical spectacle that is Fuck Buttons. Duo Benjamin Power and Andrew Hung started in the Bristol noise-rock community in 2004, but have since moved on to something much bigger. They met back in art school working on a soundtrack for one of Hung's films, but soon began performing live and quickly gained fans. A product of heavy drums, synthesizers, and even children's toys (think Fisher-Price karaoke machines), their sound doesn't fit any mold or genre, and truly needs to be experienced to be understood. They've been lying low for a while, but they're kicking off their US/Canada tour on June 11 at the Bottom Lounge. Doors are at 8pm, and the 17+ show is at 9pm. Stop by and check out some music that is truly unlike anything else out there right now!
Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Levi Stubbs Edition
In 1954, Levi Stubbs formed a singing group with three high school friends called The Four Aims. Two years later, they changed their name to The Four Tops. Over 43 years, those four performed together, with Stubbs in the front. Initial recording efforts were not successful, but after they signed with Motown, the hits came one after the other. Stubbs was known for his passionate voice. Although a baritone, he was given songs written for tenors, to get that desperate passionate sound heard on classics like “(Reach Out) I’ll Be There” and “Bernadette”. Stubbs became one of the most distinctive voices in soul music, but spurned chances to go solo out of loyalty to his friends. He also became a noted voiceover talent, providing the voice of Audrey in the 1986 remake of the movie Little Shop of Horrors. Stubbs kept on singing for the Tops until he suffered a stroke in 2000 and passed away in 2008. In honor of Stubbs on his birthday, please grab your iPod or MP3 player, hit shuffle and share the first 10 songs that come up.