News

The legendary (and totally sweet, by the way) Exene Cervenka has confirmed a tour of the West Coast consisting entirely of FREE performances at record stores starting in April!

So, really, you have NO excuse not to come out and see an amazing performer, support your local store and mix and mingle with other folks of outstanding taste and quality.

Bummed that  your city and fave store isn't on this list?  Well, then, tell all your friends, family and total strangers you know on the coast to show up and make this a resounding success and she'll do more and possibly come your way!

Check out the dates HERE.

A few weeks ago, Nan and Rob appeared on Chicago's own talk show The Interview Show in front of, as they say in the TV biz, a LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE (or, in this case, The Hideout).

Now it's been edited and posted on the Huffington Post.  Have a gander at Nan's silver space lady boots and purple hair.  Marvel at the oddly placed microphone that hides most of Rob's face, but not his dry wit.  Listen as they talk of the cruel vicissitudes of the music racket and check out the Blacks performance

See it HERE.

Justin stopped by the venerable radio station KEXP in Seattle for a video during his current super long tour.

Check out the video of the session HERE where he plays some new songs, as well as the title track from Midnight at the Movies

Top shelf Chicago music scribe Greg Kot gives the low down on the Blacks' improbable reunion in the Chicago Tribune, as well as a review of their new digital only release In Sickness and Health

A snippet:

"In true Chicago fashion, Danny Black doesn’t sugarcoat things. When asked whether he thought his band the Blacks would ever get back together after breaking up acrimoniously 10 years ago, he says, 'No way. I would say no [frigging] way. When it’s going well with this band, it’s pretty incredible. But when it’s bad, it’s really bad. There was no way I thought it could happen.'”

Read the whole piece HERE.

The Blacks return from a 10-year hiatus next week with the Digital-only EP, In Sickness and Health—and we've got the first review! The Assault Blog says of it, "In Sickness and Health’s core four songs all rise up from a certain swagger. They’re rhythm driven with hooks to keep you there. They make up an assured 'fuck yeah we’re back!' that’s hard to disagree with."

Right now, when you buy this limited-edition, screenprinted poster, you'll be sent a download code for the EP. You'll also be able to download the album via iTunes, eMusic, Rhapsody and Fina starting March 9 (but you want the pretty poster, don't you?)

Check out Justin on the nationally syndicated PRI/NPR radio show BOB EDWARDS WEEKEND this coming weekend (Feb 27-28)

Go HERE to find a station near you and the air time.

Or pick up the free podcast HERE

Local blog the Beachwood Reporter sat down with our local gal Jane Baxter Miller to talk about her recent CD "Harm Among the Willows." She talks about what brought her to Chicago from her native Kentucky, some local cheap food hotspots she likes and why you must never, EVER touch the water in the Chicago River.

Read it HERE.

Taking a break from their busy tour schedule (the boys will be on the road from now til into the summer), Ha Ha Tonka stopped by Chicago's online radio station, Fearless Radio, for an hour-long chat that included a couple of live songs and lots of obscure Presidential trivia. Listen to the podcast here.

Whoa!

Something about the antics and musical attack of Herr Biram inspires some good writing and provides some far out interview material.

Check out this interview in the LA Record as Scott talks about how much metal he's got in his body from all his accidents, locking himself in a Port-a-Potty while on mushrooms, and taking acting classes and figgering out how not to freak out around people.  It's a great read.

From the intro: "Scott H. Biram is an American hollerer with a bunch of room to himself between David Allan Coe and Jack Oblivian. He likes Black Flag but sometimes he gets weird and reedy like Dock Boggs, and he decides here that he is probably not going to take shrooms again for a little bit."

Read it all HERE