Chicago - A message from the station manager

Local Music Notebook: Mods vs. Rockers vs. Rappers

By The Beachwood Rock Local Affairs Desk

A loose collection of whatnot.
1. An Indoor/Outdoor Festival of Urban Hooliganism.
“MODS vs. ROCKERS CHICAGO 2013 is Friday and Saturday June 14th & 15th and is the Largest Urban Vintage Motorcycle Rally in the United States. Watch this page for up to the minute news on the Windy City Rumble.
“We are proud to announce the REVEREND HORTON HEAT as our first signing for MODS VS ROCKERS CHICAGO 2013. THE REV will join Stray Cat Lee Rocker as the first two bands that are officially on THE BILL. These two legendary artists are just the beginning, so watch this space as we are currently seeking out the best acts to jam at the Aragon for our ROCKABILLY RUMBLE.



2. This New York Times post about a new Eagles documentary led us to this 1982 People magazine article that contains this nugget:

No doubt they were “monstering” in 1978 when manager Azoff was seen nodding gleefully while Eagle Joe Walsh caused $20,000 worth of damage to a Chicago hotel room with a chain saw.

The Eagles were in town for a concert at Comiskey Park that summer. Further investigation led us to this ESPN interview with Chuck Klosterman:

When John Belushi was playing host to Joe in Chicago, John wanted to eat in the best restaurant in town but didn’t have a reservation. Despite a $500 bribe, John and Joe were turned away because they were wearing jeans as opposed to dress pants (oh how times have changed). Belushi came up with a brilliant solution. He bought a black can of Krylon spray paint and he and Joe proceeded to spraypaint their jeans in an alley and were eventually allowed to dine in the restaurant. Upon leaving, they realized that they completely destroyed the plush velvet Victorian chairs in said restaurant!

The Tribune published a similar remembrance last year:

“The first time he showed up at the radio station, he showed up in the bathrobe of the hotel he was staying at. That’s sort of the persona he was living back in those days,” recalls Bob Stroud, who worked at Chicago’s WLUP radio station and is now mid-day DJ for classic-rocker The Drive (FM-97.1). “At one point, back in his crazy heyday, you might have looked at him and thought, ‘God, he’s never going to get out of this.’ A lot of guys didn’t make it out. I’m glad he did.”


3. More on Chicago finally getting a rap scene.
“Two years ago, during a Freddie Gibbs show at Bottom Lounge, Atlanta rapper Young Jeezy made an onstage appearance to announce that he was signing the Gary, Indiana, artist to his CTE label,” the Tribune noted earlier this month. “At the time, it seemed as though this type of high-profile endorsement were the only avenue of legitimation for Chicago rap.
“Gibbs and CTE recently parted ways, but the intervening period has seen the city find new types of exposure. Headlining a showcase of local rappers curated by the influential Chicago blog FakeShoreDrive Thursday night, Gibbs once again offered a look at the state of Chicago hip-hop, again at the Bottom Lounge.
“The city’s rap scene is the most vibrant and exciting it’s been in recent memory – perhaps ever – right now, a fact underscored by both the diversity of the night’s bill and the deep catalogue of local singles played between acts. While a Chicago hip-hop show two years ago might have warmed the crowd up with national hits and a Twista song or two for the purists, Thursday’s playlist from DJ Victoriouz was heavy on tracks from artists like Chief Keef, King L and Lil Durk, all of whom have helped draw national attention to the city in recent months.”
*
And here comes trouble.
“Major record labels have flocked to Chicago, signing about a dozen hip-hop artists last year, and some entrepreneurs hope to seize the city’s opportunity,” Crain’s reports.

4. Chicago Hip Hop Against Violence.


5. Inspired By Chief Keef, Fredo Santana Going Straight In.


Comments welcome.

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Posted on February 19, 2013