One of the third-wave ska’s stars, Save Ferris, out of Southern CA, hit Reggie’s Rock Club in Chicago. Lending support was a trio of Chicago area bands: Burn Rebuild, and Blood People from the city, and Bumsy and the Moochers from the Chicago suburbs. Grammy winning ska outfit Save Ferris takes its name from an […]
Grammy winning ska outfit Save Ferristakes its name from an iconic Chicago set film, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,”
The band showcased its latest single “Lights Out in the Reptile House.” The tune was released less than a week before. It tore through “What You See Is What You Get,” “Turn It Up,” and “Spam,” as well.
Save Ferris also performed a couple of covers, Dead Kennedys, “Too Drunk to Fuck,” and “Come On Eileen.” The band is particularly well-known for performing its version of that latter tune originally recorded by Dexy’s Midnight Runners.
Monique Powell, with her blazing red hair and fierce vocals, is a dynamic frontwoman. Powell, who has lent her vocal prowess to many groups, including No Doubt, Goldfinger, and Foxy Shazam, among many others, is a marvel to watch. Witnessing her move on stage it’s hard to believe that just under a decade ago she underwent high-risk surgery to repair a broken neck.
Powell and her terrifically talented bandmates topped off a fun weekday evening on the near southside of Chicago.
Save Ferris continues with its summer tour. Check its upcoming dates here.
Burn Rebuild played an entertaining set, roaring through “Monsters,” “Skin And Blood,” “Therapy,” “The Beginning,” and “Save The Date,” among others.
Reggie’s has been a main spot for the band and this show was special. Per lead singer and bassist Frank Tsoukalas [he fills the same roles for Much The Same]:
“We’re really grateful to Brendan [Joyce, booking for Reggie’s] and the whole crew there for always giving us a place to play. As I said at the show, it was also the first time I played a show with other bands where the majority were fronted by women, and it’s nice to see that more and more.“
Tsoukalas also revealed what Burn Rebuild will be up to in the near future,
“We have plans to record in August and hopefully release 2-3 songs by September. We also have two shows coming up in October. One at Tivoli Bowl the 5th with Take The Reins and the 26th with The Hallow at The Irish Legend.“
If you get an opportunity to check out this band, I’d advise you to take advantage of it.
Blood People blasted through a robust set including “Phantasmagoria,” “Recluse,” “Teeth Thief,” and “Shapeshifter,” among others. The band describes its music as heavy punk. It’s a fitting description. The muscular performance was a complement to the other band on this bill. I’ll be on the lookout to catch them again and you should be as well. Hopefully sooner than later.
Bumsy and the Moochers, from the Chicago burbs, was the first of the ska bookends on this night. The rollicking set included, “Stupid Habits,” “IOWA,” “Hey Margarita,” “Rewind 99,” and “Cathy Anne.” When you see Bumsy and the Moochers in the bill you know you are in for a blast of a time. A multi-horns blast at that.
For singer Caitlin Edwards, there was a cinematically special connection to the headliner, but not the film related to its name.
“I loved how they were in 10 Things I Hate About You. That scene was iconic.“
Edwards added:
We used to cover their version of “Come on Eileen” in the early Bumsy days. We’ve never shared the stage with them before, but they always been an influence of ours especially in our early days of being a band. They’re a staple in 90s ska for sure.“
Bumsy and the Moochers recently was in the recording studio. The group can next be seen at Punk Rock Paradise 2 on August 17. They also have a Cobra Lounge show on September 29, followed The band is also participating in a domestic violence awareness show in October, in honor of a friend of the band All the proceeds are going to Guardian Angel Community Services in Joliet, IL. Oh, and a little event known as Fest 22 on October 26.
If that was not enough, Bumsy and the Moochers has a 7-inch vinyl coming out soon. There are two new songs plus a digital download bonus track. It will be released by Sell the Heart Records.
Lawrence Fletcher founded Motoblot, the motorcycle rally and music fest in Chicago. The three-day festival melds music, motorcycles, and a nod to the 1950s. Professionally, Fletcher works in Marketing and Events for Royal Enfield. Royal Enfield began production in 1901in Redditch, England, and is the oldest continuously manufactured global motorcycle company. I caught up with […]
Lawrence Fletcher founded Motoblot, the motorcycle rally and music fest in Chicago. The three-day festival melds music, motorcycles, and a nod to the 1950s. Professionally, Fletcher works in Marketing and Events for Royal Enfield. Royal Enfield began production in 1901in Redditch, England, and is the oldest continuously manufactured global motorcycle company.
I caught up with Fletcher during and after the festival as he reflected on how his passion for motorcycles and love of punk converged to create Motoblot.
Mer Gold: Let’s start with the basics. Where are you from if not from Chicago? When did you come to the city?
Lawrence Fletcher: I am from Germantown, Wisconsin, just North of Milwaukee. I moved to Chicago in 1984.
How did you get into motorcycles and what do they do for you?
I rode motorcycles growing up in Wisconsin. I started on Mini Bikes and Dirt Bikes on trails around my house in Germantown. “On Any Sunday” came out in the Summer of “71” and was definitely a big influence on me.
I know it is a cliche, but it has always about freedom, when I was young, and it still gives me that feeling today.
(Pictured: Lawrence Fletcher, L, and Kevin Dunworth, Motoblot MC)
How and when did you decide to start Motoblot?
Motoblot basically evolved from an event called Mods vs Rockers Chicago which started in 2005 on Lincoln Avenue in front of Delilah’s. It began as a Motorcycle and Scooter show where like-minded enthusiasts gathered to salute the rival youth cultures of early 60’s England. The event steadily grew over the years and we basically outgrew being a renegade street party. In 2014 we rebranded as MOTOBLOT to be more inclusive of all things Moto and I teamed up with the legendary Sean McKeough and brought the fest to Fulton Street and Cobra Lounge. This year’s MOTOBLOT was the 20th anniversary of the first Mods vs Rockers Chicago.
Where does the name of the festival come from?
“BLOT” is a Norse/Pagan word which loosely translated means “a Gathering with Sacrifice”. I borrowed Blot from my friends in the Ton Up Club London who host a WINTERBLOT every January.
What was your original vision for it and has it changed since the first festival?
The early years, we were just hosting your basic Motorcycle and Hot Rod Show and we slowly added more vendors and bands and it really evolved into a lifestyle event where the music and fashion are as big a part of the festivities as the machines.
Was Miss Motoblot and a nod to the 50’s always part of it?
Yes, the Pin-Up contest has always been a nod to the 40’s & 50’s… and we also consciously knew we needed to reach a wider audience and attract more female attendees. The Pin-Up contest has always brought a bit of color and glamour to the festival. It wouldn’t be MOTOBLOT without it!
(This year’s crowned Miss Motoblot is Carla Panico.)
Music-related, many punk and punk sub-genre bands are always on the schedule. Does that reflect your own musical tastes?
Punk is in my DNA. I was a teenager when Punk broke in the mid seventies and it was the soundtrack of my High School years. I always strive to book the best Punk, Psychobilly, Country Punk and other sub-genre bands that I think our moto-community will enjoy.
(Dozer also won the Valhalla Custom Motorcycle Show. As a trophy, Dozer was awarded the GUNGNIR (The spear of Odin) forged by Marcin Matlakowski.)
Why do you think punk music and motorcycles go so well together?
Punk music and motorcycles are both inherently rebellious, Punk rockers, hot rodders and bikers share similar tastes in music, fashion and attitude. It is what makes Motoblot a unique festival.
This year, Rick Dozer, an extra in the acclaimed film The Bikeriders was at Motoblot. How cool was that? Another cool coincidence was that the movie about a Chicago motorcycle club opened the weekend of Motoblot.
It was an awesome coincidence. The Bikeriders book has always been highly regarded in the motorcycle community. The photojournalist/author, Danny Lyon is legend, and his book perfectly captured a unique moment in motorcycle culture.
Funny story, When I first heard that the movie was opening Motoblot weekend, I originally contacted the Music Box Theater to try and set up a screening. I was speaking to Rebecca, a very nice woman who works in events and programming at the theater.
We were having a conversation about a potential Bikeriders screening and she drops “Danny Lyon” is my Dad”… I said “WHAT!” I was blown away that I was talking directly to his daughter. The Bikeriders screening didn’t work out with The Music Box so we set up the “Quadrophenia” screening in honor of the 20th Anniversary of Mods vs Rockers Chicago. Later, I was contacted by the studio behind The Bikeriders and I was also able to work with them on a Chicago screening of the film during Motoblot week. It made for a fantastic kick-start to the festivities!
(Pictured L- R: Builder Josh Longfellow/Gashawk Customs, Kevin Dunworth (Motoblot MC and Valhalla Coordinator) Rick Dozer (Valhalla Winner), Lawrence Fletcher, Brett Conway of Torc Helmets (Valhalla co-sponsor), and Marcin Matlakowski.)
Back to your love of riding motocycles. Your favorite rides and destinations?
I am very lucky that I am able to ride motorcycles for a living. My job with Royal Enfield takes me all over North America doing demo events and marketing rides. Every corner of the country has great and unique riding opportunities. From California’s Pacific Coast Highway to the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina / Virginia and everywhere in between.
Do you prefer riding solo or in groups? How do they differ and what does each do for you?
Nothing is better than riding in a group with your friends, that feeling is actually very well depicted in a scene in The Bikeriders.
Were you ever part or are you a part of a motorcycle club?
I started a Chicago chapter of the Ton Up Club back in 2005 with a few of my friends and it has grown to 30 plus members. The Ton Up Club is an international enthusiast club inspired by the Rocker era of 1960s England and the motorcycles of that era.
What bikes do you own and how often do you ride?
Like most of my friends, I have a garage full of motorcycles and projects. My favorite bike is a 1960’s era Triton, a London-built custom cafe racer that features a Triumph 650 motor in a Norton frame. It is considered a Unicorn in Rocker culture.
You have family in the Motobot biz as well correct? Your daughter?
Motoblot is definitely a family business. I couldn’t do it without the help and support of my wife [Marya Fletcher] and daughter [Tenley Fletcher]… and they put up with me and my obsession to host a great fest and the 365 days I spend planning for next year.
Finally, Other than The Bikeriders, what do you believe are some of the best films, about motorcycle riders/culture?
The obvious classics are The Wild Ones, Easy Rider, and On Any Sunday. The Wild One, in particular, inspired all of motorcycle culture that came after it. One gem that has always been below the radar is The Loveless (1981) directed by Katherine Bigelow and starring Willem Dafoe. Check it out if you can find it.
The annual Motoblot weekend is not the only motorcycle and music-related event Fletcher organizes. He also organizes Motorcycle Mondays, a monthly event, at O’Donovan’s; Pints & Pistons, a monthly event, at Montrose Saloon… and Hexe Moto, once a month at Hexe Coffee. He also is working on a Motoblot Holiday Party on December 13th at Cobra Lounge. Bands have not been announced but he has confirmed Hillbilly Casino and The Rumours. You can find the schedule of upcoming events here.
Thanks Lawrence! We’ll see you at Motoblot 2025. Cheers!
Feature Photo by Paul Natkin The death of Steve Albini on May 7, 2024, due to a fatal heart attack, sent shockwaves throughout the music world. None more so to those who called Albini a friend, a mentor, or a collaborator in making their music. CHRIS CONNELLY Scottish-born, Chicago-based musician Chris Connelly has known Steve […]
Feature Photo by Paul Natkin
The death of Steve Albini on May 7, 2024, due to a fatal heart attack, sent shockwaves throughout the music world. None more so to those who called Albini a friend, a mentor, or a collaborator in making their music.
CHRIS CONNELLY
Scottish-born, Chicago-based musician Chris Connelly has known Steve Albini for decades. He recalls the 2 weeks spent in Minnesota, in 1991 with Albini. He sent me this reflection and calls this time the Mouse and the Elephant.
“In the summer of 1991 I went to Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, about 40 miles outside of Minneapolis, to record what would be the first and only album by the somewhat volatile Murder Inc, a band which was basically Killing Joke minus Jay Coleman, and with the addition of myself and original drummer Paul Fergusson along with later drummer Martin Atkins. We had toyed around with some song ideas in Chicago and Steve was going to record us.
I already knew Steve, through my friendships with various Jesus Lizards, Butthole Surfers, Naked Rayguns, etc, this was Chicago in the very early 90’s, it was a hotbed of vicious talent, it was a great place to be after fleeing the often baffling blue eyed major label soul boys of the Scottish music scene. Chicago had teeth and fangs.
I was not a part of the music writing or recording: My choice, I would go into the studio late in the day and listen back to what we had done and write accordingly. It was just myself and Steve, he was honest to a fault, blunt, not rude, not opinionated, I soon learned that he was serving the record, not me, not the band, but the album: truth be told, I had worked with many engineers who were often yes men, so this was refreshing. I have repeated this phrase Steve said to me once whilst recording and I mentioned something I wanted to try “SURE! It’s your album! If you wanna go ahead and ruin it, go right ahead!”, to which I laughed so hard…
The “title” song “Murder Inc.”was a long groove, about 6 or 7 minutes of organic sounding angular lopsided funk, and I wrote the lyric and came into the studio and told Steve it was “kind of a rap,” his face fell and he said “oh GOD!”, but I went ahead and tried it, a little sheepishly, understandably, we were hovering at the border of rap/metal, it could have been a horrible idea, BUT after I did the pass, Steve was noticeably relieved, more John Cooper-Clark than Ice T, …the day was saved.
We spent many a night having a great time, he had me sing a vocal lying on the ground, another one where he rigged a 3-foot square of plywood unevenly balanced on a couple of bricks whilst I jumped up and down on it as if throwing a toddler tantrum, and another one where he found the most expensive vocal microphone in the place and had me swing it around my head as if I was trying to coral a wild horse. This became the song “Mrs Whisky Name,” an ode to my favorite whisky, which at the time, I was too drunk to remember, so that’s what Steve wrote on the tape box…
Late evenings were spent with the band and Steve having dinner and drinking (not Steve, no, but the band, YES) stories were swapped and jokes told, Steve had an endless supply of great ones, including the legendary MOUSE AND ELEPHANT joke, which I cannot for the life of me remember, but it was a great one (if you know it, let me know!)
Honest, adventurous, inspiring, and a hell of a storyteller, these are some ways I would describe Steve, and in my very long career in music, these 2 weeks in rural Minnesota were a shining highlight for me. Thank you Steve!
MARC RUVOLO
Author and Musician Marc Ruvolo shared numerous memories of his friendship with Steve Albini. He permitted us to share them here: Posting those memories here as he did on Facebook:
COMPILING ALL MY ALBINI MEMORIES INTO ONE PLACE AGAINST THE DAY MY BRAIN FINALLY BRICKS (Not in chrono-illogical order). My heart goes out to Heather Whinna, and anybody else that adored him. ????
1. Steve recording dOUBT in his original home studio. We were in the basement and he was upstairs. Never heard a home studio sound so good. His house was like a dragon’s hoard of cool shit: books and records and movies and posters and porn (erotica!). I looked on the back porch which was filled with records and saw a box of the limited edition Big Black “Headache” EPs with the original shotgun suicide cover.
2. Steve introducing me to Fluss, his cat, he credited much of his production work to. He also used these producer aliases, which always made me laugh: A Skinny Bespectacled Guy, Arden Geist, Buck Naked, Ding Rollski, Don Moist, Engineer, Frank Francisco, Harry Schnell, King Barbecue, Lenard Johns, Mr. Billiards, Reggie Stiggs, Robert Earl Hughes, Some Fuckin’ Derd Niffer, Terry Fuckwit, The Li’l Weed, The Proprietor, Torso Man, Whodini.
3. Steve flying back early from recording Bush’s “Razorblade Suitcase” to finish the Traitors record because he promised us the date and then we of course didn’t have all the money to pay for the session so he kindly put us on a payment plan.
4. Steve, Heather, Ethan, Kim and Kelly Deal and I sitting around playing wholesome party games, eating snacks and laughing our asses off before the Breeders show because Kim and Kelly wanted to stay away from drugs and alcohol.
5. Steve letting me bang on his Travis Beans through his amps and play with his vintage mellotron. When he recorded dOUBT I was kinda embarrassed to be playing through a Peavy Bandit but he was stoked to record it and said he loved Peavy because you could beat the hell out of them. He even made it sound kinda good.
6. Steve inviting Traitors to play shows on a Shellac tour he booked where they only played in Comedy Clubs and had standup comedians for an opener. In SF, he and I were sitting outside some pizza place shooting the shit when he said he was going back to his hotel. As soon as he walked away, some weirdo ran over and grabbed the plastic chair he was sitting on and ran away yelling, “I got Steve Albini’s chair!” Earlier at the show, people in the audience were spitting (gobbing?) on him while he played and he stopped playing and said, “What the fuck? Stop that shit. This isn’t 1978!”
7. Seeing Big Black reunite at the Hideout Block Party (Touch & Go 25th) and after they were done Steve saying to the crowd, “See? They’re just songs. You didn’t miss all that much not seeing it until now.” or something to that effect.
8. Steve giving Gar Brandt a free car. Steve was incredibly generous with his money and time and loved 80s Subarus and would drive them until they were about to die and then sign the title over to whoever wanted them. The back seat well of this particular one was filled with hundreds of unmarked black tapes, all various mixes of bands he was recording. You could just pick one up at random and pop it in the tape player and try to figure out who it was. A bootlegger’s dream, and we had such a ball driving around listening to that shit.
9. Steve taking dOUBT to record for an overnight session at Chicago Recording Company (where they recorded Eye of the Tiger, turned out it was designed more for commercials than music= no fun) and when we didn’t like the way it came out he told the studio we were some crazy Belgian band who stiffed him on the bill and skipped the country so we didn’t have to pay.
10. Steve generously helping me try and salvage the only copy of a No Empathy song from a broken DAT tape, failing, and then gently telling me what an idiot I am for not making a backup and that DAT tapes were not meant to sit in a moldy box for ten years.
11. Steve blowing off firecrackers on stage at Metro and getting banned.
12. Steve keeping the actual physical copy of “Two Nuns and a Pack Mule” porn magazine on his toilet tank so anyone could read it while they took a shit.
13. Shellac playing Fireside not on New Year’s Eve, but on New Year’s Day–at NINE A.M. in the damned morning. It was sold out, of course. Steve bought coffee and pop tarts and asked if we would man a table, toasting them and handing them out, which we did, feeding the whole crowd.
14. Steve showing us around the under-construction Electrical Audio [Albini’s Chicago recording studio], culminating with the incredible reverb bed he was having built in the basement.
15. Shellac playing on Halloween as the Sex Pistols (with David Yow as Johnny Rotten) and Steve wearing a handkerchief hat like Glen Matlock. Steve was amazed I could play full barre chords for so long. I never realized he didn’t play almost any barre chords. He said he never built up the stamina in his hand. On tour Traitors relentlessly made fun of Shellac because they had a Sex Pistols chord book to learn these three chord songs. I asked Steve to show me the chords to “Copper” once and he showed me these jazz chords and I said “can’t you just play it as barre chords like this?” And he said, “Where’s the fun in that?”
16. For some unknown reason, Traitors appealed to Steve. I remember one show he attended and in the midst of the usual sweaty drunken stupidity orgy that was our “music performance,” I saw him sitting in the back, drinking an espresso, with a big smile on his face. When we played with Shellac he always seemed to sit behind the Traitors merch reading a book so that anyone who wanted to talk to him had to look at our records first. We never discussed it, but I believe the now-famous silkscreened Electrical jumpsuits were inspired by the Traitors jumpsuits (you can see Steve wearing what was probably one of the first in the pic below. This was a sound check at Lounge Ax). We both liked the idea of putting on the work clothes to do the job of making music. Chicago in a nutshell. Godspeed Steve, it’s a real kick in the nuts when good, honest people go early while the evil asshats seem to live on and on.
NICK NOVAK
Steve Albini and Nick Novak. Photo by Tash Cox.
Nick Novak, Lead Engineer at Smashed Plastic, and Staff Engineer at Mystery Street Recording Company, once worked for Steve Albini at Electrical Audio. In his Facebook bio, Novak describes his role at that time as “Steve Albini’s Minion.” For Novak, Steve Albini was a great and generous mentor. Novak shared his reflections on the time:
I interned for Steve several years ago. I was there for maybe 7 months [2017-18].
I was very fortunate to have learned from him. He was always very generous with his knowledge. Any question he would have a very thorough and well thought out answer. Steve’s technical knowledge was incredible and he had no hesitation to share what he had learned over his decades in the studio. No question was a bad question to him.
I don’t think Steve got the credit he deserved for how humble he was. He went to great lengths to not ever take or accept credit for the success of any project he had worked on. He saw himself as a facilitator for bands. His goal was to capture an accurate representation of the music and allow musicians to achieve what they wanted with their music. He refused to ever take any credit for other people’s art.
He truly believed that every single client matters. When on the topic of how he handles working with major bands and artists he made it very clear that every client, big or small, should be treated the same. He felt he could be doing a “disservice” if he treated any of his clients differently from any other. This client could be recording for their first time ever, recording for the last time ever, or this could be their only opportunity ever to record. So he needed to treat every project, every client, with the same level of care, skill, and professionalism.
Steve was a person who showed me that you can run a business ethically in an industry that often isn’t. It was always his goal to serve the band. He made sure that everyone who entrusted their music with him got their money’s worth.
Steve was great. He was truly a “no dumb questions” guy. There’s nothing you could ask him that he wouldn’t give a thorough and well thought out response to. I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from him.
DARYL WILSON, M.D.
Daryl Wilson, founding member and singer for The Bollweevils, is also a medical doctor in the emergency department at Edward Hospital in Naperville, IL. He sent us these recollections of Steve Albini, including the time The Bollweevils recorded with him:
The recording session was pure Albini. He believes you sound like you sound. Bob [original bass player Bob Skwerski], and Ken [guitar player Fitzner] were fighting the whole recording session. I was just fascinated talking to Albini about life and anything but music. He was big on everything being on physical media because he was adamant about things being real. Digital stuff was just vapor is what he was preaching. He is so right. He had me record vocals in a bathroom shower. The first mix sounded pretty good, then Albini hit some stuff on the board and the mix sounded horrible to Ken and Bob. He just said, “that’s how you sound”. I find that funny as hell looking at it. We played straight-up punk rock. We weren’t some 80s hair metal band or anything like that. What were we supposed to sound like? A punk band. He was spot on. RIP.
There are some great stories about him hearing our cover of Naked Raygun’s “I Lie”. He was in Reckless Records and it was playing over the speakers. He looked up and just shook his head. Hahah.
He called out folks on their bullshit and that is the best. He was real. 100% of the time. That is the most admirable quality a person can have.
STEVE SILVER
Writer Steve Silver and Steve Albini had a complicated relationship at the start. But eventually, it was one of mutual respect. Silver recalls the invaluable advice he received from Albini.
Steve and I did not like each other when we met. For sure. I was the muscle head door guy at Exit and he was the pretentious prick band guy who wrote nasty shit in fanzines.
But those were titles other people had saddled us with, and soon after we met through mutual pals, he was the first to drop the curtain on all that foolishness. He decided I was ok, and I did the same for him, because we actually talked about dumb shit, and we liked that the other guy wasn’t backing down from his opinion.
He told me once he pushed people just to see if they would blink because he was using his intelligence OR band shit to intimidate them. And if he did cave too easily, he never really forgave that much. He liked strong opinions. He and other people.
I sit in a weird spot in all of this. I wasn’t what I would ever call close to Steve, we just knew each other forever. And it wasn’t always fun being around me. I had some bad years of my own doing and I sort of disappeared for a lot of years. But, when we reconnected, it was nice and Steve actually at the beginning of our reunion, said he had no idea how bad I had been and he was so glad I could put it behind me. Which was really my first time noticing that HE had really changed for the better since our long-ago days.
Everyone is talking about how Steve would do the most unexpected, nice things to help musicians and engineers get better at the craft. Or, how he would answer the phone or door at his studio and spend a ton of time giving his perspective on things (I think he hated to use the word advice, it sounded condescending to him I think) but the world is filled now with stories like this about him.
Steve and I never, ever had that kind of relationship for a simple reason…..I wasn’t in a band, I was never going to produce or engineer music. I did a long stretch as a roadie or security for a bunch of bands, then I became a tour manager. It’s going to sound too simple, but the truth of the matter is, we never were going to need anything from each other like that, and I think it freed us up to just be our idiot selves when we were young and appreciate where we were when we reconnected later in life.
Here’s the funny part though….. he did completely ALBINI me at a time when I really needed it.
I had just finished writing my first book, and because it was a DIY publishing thing, and because I had no fucking idea how things worked in the business of being a writer, after it came out, other than Facebook, I had no way of getting it out there.
I sent Steve to the book page on Facebook and he wrote back in seconds that he was happy I had finally done it. And he asked how it was going. And I told him bookstores didn’t want me to do events and literary events only cared about letting writers with publishing deals do their showcases. I was basically lost with what to do next. I should have been out of my mind with happiness and I was so fucking angry and frustrated I couldn’t see straight.
He asks me…“you want to be famous or do you want to be a writer?”
A writer.
He proceeds to explain to me that I have the opportunity to do the whole punk rock work ethic thing but for my book. He reminds me of how the first punk shows weren’t in established places, we used gay bars or rented cheap nights in the week at VFW halls and bowling alley lounges. We made our spots until it made sense for the people with money to let bands play at their places or sell the records. He tells me, I am sitting on a goldmine that is only available to me as a writer and really no one else. “You know everyone who owns nightclubs and bars. You know some gallery owners. you know all the bands from the old days. Read there, tell stories before they go on, MAKE THE SPOT FOR YOURSELF.”
And, I do. Slowly but surely. And one night at Live Wire he catches a few minutes towards the end of my reading. Smiles at me and says “I fucking told you so!”
He continues to give me the same as he gives bands…. “Do it yourself, don’t follow the money, own the entire process. DON’T SIGN ANYTHING with a publisher who says they know what’s best to sell you. Fuck that.“
Write, tell stories, pester your friends to open, sell books at bars, sell your t-shirts. Build what you want on your own.
When he first told me this stuff, I told Claudia my wife and editor, a writer of her own, and she lit up immediately. She knew he was right. He fucking was.
And later, he would tell me, “All these writers running around, you have something the will never have.
He was fucking right. Again.
We chatted online a bit. We got into fights with trolls on Twitter a lot, which I loved and when my friend John invited me to Bluesky. John was my first connection and Steve was my second. I didn’t add anyone else for months.
Recently, I was asked to tell some stories before Deep Tunnel Project played for the vinyl release of their album. It was a huge honor for me. John Mohr is an old friend and this record is as Chicago as fuck. John had a lot to do with the trajectory of my new book, and that happened at the service for our old friend John Kezdy after I spoke.
And then, four days before that show, Steve passed away. The world, especially Chicago was stunned. A huge hole was ripped out of our lives and we were adrift in disbelief and absolute shock.
The four guys in Deep Tunnel Project were all very close to Steve, had all worked, played, argued, and yelled with him for decades. Actual friends. Lifelong.
We weren’t sure that the show would happen. The decision was made by the band to go ahead.
And that’s how I found myself in a great record store, packed to the rafters, band standing right there, telling some Steve stories, and just some in general stories I thought fit. I spoke for what seemed an eternity, hoping to ease some pain. Then, the band played this amazing set of beautiful, loud, magnificent music that has Chicago and Steve stamped all over it. A grown-up punk rock gathering that helped everyone there heal a little bit.
John Mohr used the word “prescient” several times to describe that show that day.
First of all, nice to have a smart rockstar around.
Secondly, and more importantly, he was right.
And, because Steve was Steve, he really did set those wheels in motion. If I never do anything else with my writing, I will have that day when we all came together and healed a tiny bit. Just a tiny bit.
He’s going to be missed. He already is. His kindness and generosity will never be forgotten, and we all will try our best to pay back the debt we owe him.
Im gonna miss that Jagoff. You are too.
Yes, we will.
One more thing to add: in 2015 Steve Albini wrote about Christmas with his wife Heather Whinna and how Letters to Santa came about. Whinna is the president of the non-profit whose mission statement is:
“Poverty Alleviation Chicago is a nonprofit organization on a mission to use Art as a conduit to transform passive compassion into immediate assistance through the distribution of money given, without expectation or judgment, directly to families experiencing poverty.”
All of us at Dying Scene extend our deepest condolences to Steve’s wife, Heather Whinna, and all of his family and friends.
Stiff Little Fingers (SLF), the legends from Northern Ireland, are presently on their final coast-to-coast tour of the United States. Barring any future festival or one-off appearances, this show at the iconic Metro may have been the farewell to Chicago. It was especially poignant as SLF founder and frontman and his wife, Shirley Sexton, called […]
Stiff Little Fingers (SLF), the legends from Northern Ireland, are presently on their final coast-to-coast tour of the United States. Barring any future festival or one-off appearances, this show at the iconic Metro may have been the farewell to Chicago. It was especially poignant as SLF founder and frontman and his wife, Shirley Sexton, called Chicago home for several years. The couple moved to rural West Virginia in 2023. In addition, the tour’s name comes from the “Hate Has No Home Here” campaign here in Chicago.
SLF brought along fellow Northern Ireland musician Ricky Warwick for a fun acoustic solo set.
Jake Burns recently spoke with Dying Scene about this coast-to-coast tour of the United States being the last the band will be doing. He left the door open for possible one-off shows and festival appearances.
And what a show this night at the Metro was. Look in one direction there were many friends from the Chicago punk scene, including members of Pegboy and Naked Raygun, as well as many other musicians. Look in another direction and you saw people representing Liar’s Club and other venues in which Burns, with SLF or with other musicians performed. The show also brought fans from across the country and the Pond. Right up front was Martin, a fan with a large SLF tattoo on his arm. Martin informed me he had just flown in from Belfast, the city in which Burns was born and raised.
Following some introductory music, the band – Jake Burns, Ali McMordie, Steve Grantley, and Ian McCallum – tore into one of its most famous songs, “Suspect Device.” The song is from the band’s landmark album Inflammable Material. Stiff Little Fingers’ roaring performance of the song set the mood for the night.
Burns also spoke of how special it was to be back in Chicago and the campaign that inspired both the title of the tour and the song they then launched into — “Hate Has No Home Here.” The song also indicates the powerful music the band is still capable of producing.
Stiff Little Fingers put in a solid 75 minutes. The set included the classics, “Wasted Life,” “Gotta Getaway,” and “Tin Soldiers.” Burns spoke of how Joe Strummer of The Clash inspired SLF as an introduction to “Strummerville.”
The band closed out the night with a fiery rendition of its most famous and greatest song, “Alternative Ulster.” With the crowd singing loudly along, there was no doubt this was a special night for the band, and for all those in attendance. I felt so fortunate to witness Stiff Little Fingers retiring from regular touring on such a high note. Stiff Little Fingers is one of the pioneering bands of punk music from the genre’s first generation. The band’s power never wavered.
Thank you gentlemen!
Ricky Warwick, from Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland, kicked off the night with a blasting performance. Warwick has a long-time affiliation with Stiff Little Fingers, having performed with the legends in Glasgow in 1993. The performance appeared on the live record Pure Fingers in 1995. Warwick listed his favorite SLF songs in 2016. Warwick, also a member of The Almighty and Black Star Riders, among other bands, took the stage with just an acoustic guitar and his powerful voice.
Warwick ripped through a set including the Black Star Riders’ “Kingdom of the Lost,” and songs from his solo work, the rousing “The Arms of Belfast Town,” and “The Whiskey Song – Feckin Whiskey.”
Warwick performed a stirring rendition of Thin Lizzy’s “Jailbreak.” Ricky Warwick, in 2009, joined Thin Lizzy as its lead singer. In 2011, he toured with the band in Europe as it commemorated the 25 years since the death of lead singer Phil Lynott. Warwick was a charismatic and compelling presence and a great opener for Stiff Little Fingers.
House of Blues welcomed Bayside back to Chicago. Winona Fighter and Armor For Sleep lent support. Finch, with the penultimate set, was billed as a special guest. Bayside, named for the Bayside, Queens neighborhood of its origin, brought its There Are Worse Things Than Being Alive tour to Chicago at the end of April. The […]
Bayside, named for the Bayside, Queens neighborhood of its origin, brought its There Are Worse Things Than Being Alive tour to Chicago at the end of April. The tour name doubles as the title of the band’s brand new album from Hopeless Records.
It’s an album garnering positive reviews and it pulls no punches. “The Devils” haunting intro sets the mood:
“We are the trade-ins, the souls that needed saving Counting on a tired god who didn’t really want the job If he’s on vacation, as I wait to be taken Then nothing really matters now So what am I so worried about?“
As for the Monday night show, Bayside’s powerful performance was a 21-song salute to its 2-plus decade history. Included in the set (not in order of how played at the show) were “Devotion and Desire” from Bayside’s 2005 self-titled record, “Sick, Sick, Sick” off of 2011’s Killing Time, and “Prayers” from 2019’s Interrobang.
Of course, the band also peppered the set with cuts off of the new album, including, “Castaway,” “Go To Hell,” and “The Devils.”
Bayside will be playing the Not Just A “Phase” Fest in Kansas City, KS on June 2nd. The band will then head to The United Kingdom to play a couple of headling shows, in Brighton on June 11th, and in Huddersfield on June 12th. On June 14th, Bayside will hit the Avalanche stage of Download Festival, at Donington Park, in Leicestershire, England.
Finch, out of Temecula, CA, returned to playing shows in 2023 for its What It Is to Burn 20th Anniversary Tour. The band played shows in NYC, Chicago, Boston, and Anaheim. Being the special guest of Bayside this year has allowed even more Finch fans the opportunity to see the band live again or for the first time.
Finch’s set, including, “Rainy Day,” “Letters to You,” “Post Script,” “A Piece of Mind,” “New Beginnings,” “Insomniatic Meat,” and “What It Is To Burn,” was a throttling one. The reception the band received made it clear that its fans are glad to see it back on stage.
Teaneck, New Jersey’s Armor for Sleep, disbanded in 2009 and reunited in 2020 for the 15th Anniversary of its album What To Do When You Are Dead. The band then released a new album, The Rain Museum in 2022. This year the band is spending a great deal of time on the road. Along with providing support to Bayside, Armor For Sleep will be joining Hawthorne Heights‘ 20 Years of Tears tour. That second tour celebrates the 20th Anniversary of Hawthorne Heights’ debut album, The Silence In Black And White.
Blasting through a set including “Remember to Feel Real,” “Dream to Make Believe,” “Williamsburg,” and “Awkward Last Words,” Armor For Sleep gave a solid and tight performance. When the band returns to Chicago on June 28, on the above-mentioned tour, no doubt many of the same fans at this House of Blues show will be amped up to see them at The Salt Shed.
The fantastically named group, Winona Fighter, from Nashville, TN, kicked off the evening with a massive bang. The highly energetic lead singer Coco utilized all sections of the stage as she led the band’s propulsive performance. Winona Fighter ripped through a set including “Hamms In A Glass,” “I’m in the Market to Please No One,” a cover of Blur’s “Song 2,” and “You Look Like A Drunk Phoebe Bridgers.” She got her first taste of punk in Boston, MA before moving to a city more famous for country music. Winona Fighter, formed in 2022, was the revelation for me on an evening stacked with decades-old veteran bands. I am looking forward to seeing the band again, whenever that might be. I am also curious to find out what other punk bands call Music City home.
The punk community around the world is mourning the loss of Steve Albini, one of its iconic figures. This is especially true for Chicago, where he helped shape the punk scene, and where his Electrical Audio recording studio is located. Staff members at Albini’s Electrical Audio confirmed to Pitchfork that Steve Albini suffered a fatal […]
The punk community around the world is mourning the loss of Steve Albini, one of its iconic figures. This is especially true for Chicago, where he helped shape the punk scene, and where his Electrical Audio recording studio is located. Staff members at Albini’s Electrical Audio confirmed to Pitchfork that Steve Albini suffered a fatal heart attack late Tuesday night, May 7, 2024
Albini’s death also comes on the heels of the announcement that Shellac, one of Albini’s bands would be opening for OFF! at that band’s farewell shows in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago in July. Shellac is also scheduled to release its first new album in a decade, To All Trains, next week.
Steve Albini was born on July 22, 1962, in Pasadena, CA. While Nirvana’s In Utero and The Pixies’ Surfa Rosa are among the most famous of the classic albums he recorded, he also worked with such musicians and bands as PJ Harvey, Jesus Lizard, Breeders, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Helmet, Low, Dirty Three, Slint, and Brainiac.
As a musician, Albini founded Big Black in the early 1980’s. Naked Raygun’s Jeff Pezzati and Santiago Durango were members of the band. Pezzati left the band, replaced by Dave Riley before Big Black’s two most seminal albums Songs About Fucking and Atomizer.
Albini, Bob Weston, and Todd Trainor founded Shellac in the early 1990’s. The aforementioned To All Trains will be the band’s sixth studio album upon its release, and Shellac was scheduled to join Off! on its farewell tour, sharing the bill with Fucked Up and Surfbot as well.
Albini was also, at times, a controversial figure, especially in years past. In more recent years, he expressed regret over some of those things.
Outside of music, Steve Albini had another noted talent: championship poker player. Albini won two World Series of Poker bracelets.
All of us Dying Scene send our deepest condolences to Steve Albini’s family, friends and fans. Stay tuned for more Dying Scene coverage of Steve Albini’s life and legacy in the near future.
John Reis, best known as the guitarist for Rocket From The Crypt, brought his brand new band Swami and the Bed of Nails to Chicago’s Subterranean. In support was Meat Wave, the Chicago group riding a massive wave of acclaim. It was a night of double delight. Swami and the Bed of Nails, is making […]
John Reis, best known as the guitarist for Rocket From The Crypt, brought his brand new band Swami and the Bed of Nails to Chicago’s Subterranean. In support was Meat Wave, the Chicago group riding a massive wave of acclaim. It was a night of double delight.
Swami and the Bed of Nails, is making its new band debut with a series of shows. Though John Reis is mostly known for being a member of Rocket From the Crypt, he has also been a part of Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes, The Sultans, and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, just to name a few groups in which he has played an integral role
In SATBON, he is joined by other well-known punk veterans: bassist Tommy Kitsos (Night Marchers and CPC Gangbangs); Lady Dottie and the Diamonds’ Joe Guevara on piano and synthesizer, session player Richard Larson on drums; and Mark Murino (of Radio Wendy and Dirty Sweet) also guitar.
The band entranced the crowd with a set including, “Do You Still Wanna Make Out?,” “Rip From the Bone” “When I Kicked Him in the Face,” “Vape in the Dark Alone.” While all of those songs are off of Reis’ solo album, Ride the Wild Night, the group also performed its first single, “How Are You Peeling?“
Swami and the Bed of Nails’ lively performance inspired hope in me, and I’m sure in many others in the crowd, that we will be enjoying more music from this group of punk vets.
The band kicked off the night with a raucous performance. Sutter’s growling vocals and guitar playing were complemented by Ryan Wizniak’s pummeling work on drums, and Joe Gac’s fierce bass playing.
The band was runner-up to the legendary Naked Raygun in the 2022 Chicago Reader’s Poll Best Punk Band category. That same year it released Malign Hex with the driving single “10k.” The combination of the two introduced the band to even more listeners, no doubt growing its number of fans.
If you have yet to check out Meat Wave, I recommend you do so soon. The band is just another reason why Chicago’s punk scene stands strong.
This show was a lively and fun one and on a night when the city hosted concerts all over the place, SubT was a pretty good place to be. Thanks and Cheers!
Main photo by Will Byington Stiff Little Fingers (SLF) is embarking on its final coast-to-coast U.S. tour. The tour also celebrates the 45th anniversary of the band’s seminal debut album, Inflammable Material. I caught up with SLF’s founder and frontman, Jake Burns, in advance of the tour’s commencement. Jake Burns founded Stiff Little Fingers in […]
Main photo by Will Byington
Stiff Little Fingers (SLF) is embarking on its final coast-to-coast U.S. tour. The tour also celebrates the 45th anniversary of the band’s seminal debut album, Inflammable Material. I caught up with SLF’s founder and frontman, Jake Burns, in advance of the tour’s commencement.
Jake Burns founded Stiff Little Fingers in his hometown of Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1977. Burns grew up during the “The Troubles,” as the sectarian civil war raging in Northern Ireland was known. Inflammable Material, which included amongst its classic songs, “Alternative Ulster” and “Suspect Device,” addressed the political turmoil and violence all around it, and brought them to the attention of music fans, and others, worldwide. It is still considered one of the greatest and most important punk albums ever made.
As stated on the band’s site, “Along with The Clash, Sex Pistols, The Damned, Buzzcocks, they were there at the start of the punk rock movement and are still recording and touring today.“
Burns, and his wife Shirley Sexton, moved to West Virginia a few years back from Chicago, where they resided for almost two decades. Burns and bandmates, Ali McMordie; Steve Grantley; and Ian McCallum, kick off their US tour on May 1st, 2024, starting on the East Coast and heading west.
Mer Gold: Please tell us about the inspiration for the title of the tour and the latest track from the band. I understand it is inspired by the “Hate Has No Home Here” campaign in Chicago.
Jake Burns: Yes, that’s correct. That local campaign had such a powerful title that I wanted to share it with people outside of Chicago. I felt it applied not just to a neighborhood or a city but, in fact, to life. So, I broadened the scope of the idea in the lyric to be pretty much all-encompassing.
This is SLF’s last US coast-to-coast tour, how did you decide the time was right to make it the final one?
To be fair, my knees pretty much made the decision for me! LOL. Seriously, though, we are all getting older and SLF have always prided ourselves on a pretty high bar when it comes to live performance. So, I decided I wanted to scale back the amount of touring we undertake to try and keep that bar as high as possible. I’ve seen a number of bands move into their 60’s and try to play as often as they did in their 20’s. In a lot of cases, they simply can’t pull it off and “ease up on the gas” a bit. Understandable, but I didn’t want to do that.
Photo by Michael Steff
What are you looking forward to most on this tour? What can your fans look forward to?
Playing a lot of towns that I know I’ll probably never see again. Most of the places we’re playing have incredibly fond memories for me and I’m looking forward to seeing them one more time. Also, they now contain friends I’m hoping to catch up with, even briefly, especially in Chicago. The tour set will be much the same as the recent one in the U.K., which means we’re putting in a couple of songs we rarely, if ever, play, as well as most of the old favorites.
Will you miss touring coast to coast?
I’ll miss the people, but not the travel. That’s one of the main reasons for scaling back. But, we’ll still do the occasional festival if we get asked. They usually involve a few shows around the main date, so it’s almost certainly not the last time we’ll play over here, but it will be the last “long scale” trip.
Last year, you and your wife Shirley, moved from Chicago to a rural area in West Virginia. How did that decision come about for you both?
Well, without banging on about my age all the time as I don’t “feel” that old(!), but 65 seemed like a good time to look at slowing things down in all aspects of my life. Take a bit of time to “smell the roses”, if you know what I mean. Both Shirley and I have always lived in large-ish cities, Washington DC and Chicago in her case, Belfast, London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Chicago in mine. So, I fancied living in a small town before I shuffle off this mortal coil. I looked at a lot of small towns, not just here in the U.S. but also back in Ireland and Scotland and we decided on this little one in West Virginia. Shirley has family in the State, so we’d been coming out this way for Thanksgiving etc for many years and knew we loved the area.
Is country life what you expected? I’ve seen some of the photos you have shared elsewhere, which are beautiful.
It’s fantastic. Everything we could have hoped for. We’re still finding new stuff after almost a year here. It’s such a change of pace to come from Chicago to a small town with around 3,500 residents. You know you’re not in a major city anymore when the main story on the local news is a runaway cow blocking the main intersection in town!
Photo by Will Byington
You are married to an American from the DC punk scene, and became a US citizen partially to vote against Trump. What is your reaction to his continued support? And in general, the support for those worldwide whose own autocracy flourishes?
I find it incredibly saddening. From the selfishly wealthy who can never see beyond their bank accounts when it comes to elections to those who have been duped into buying the scapegoat nonsense that his campaign relies upon, it’s all very dispiriting that this is where humanity is in the 21st century. That an obvious charlatan and snake oil salesman such as Trump can deceive and delude so many people, so easily it would seem, is heartbreaking. I refuse to believe that all of his “fanbase” are rabid racists, although a proportion undoubtedly are. I think that we have all been fed such a diet of mis-information over the past few years that it’s very difficult for some people to see the wood for the trees. And, the consequences of that are truly terrifying.
You are well known to be a supporter of Newcastle United FC of the English Premier League. How do you think your Club will finish out the season? Dying Scene readers will recall that you have noted your love for the NUFC in our World Cup special. Have you found a “Newcastle Pub,” in your new stomping grounds?.
A: No pub here, I’m afraid. I did buy the biggest television I could find and install it in the basement so I can watch the games. Newcastle have had a frustrating season to say the least. Hampered by an unbelievable injury list and also by over-achieving last year, I always felt we were a year ahead of schedule. As I said, the injuries haven’t helped, nor has Sandro Tonali’s ban. If they manage to get into any sort of European competition, that will constitute a decent season at this point.
Photo by Michael Steff
Stiff Little Fingers kicks off its final US Coast to Coast tour on May 1, 2024, at the Paradise in Boston, MA. Ricky Warwick, from Belfast, Northern Ireland. It ends (as solo headliner) at Observatory in Santa Ana, CA on May 26, 2024.
Dying Scene will be on hand for the Chicago stop at The Metro on May 10, 2024.
SLF will also be one of the headliners at Punk Rock Bowling in Las Vegas on May 27, 2024. In August they play Rebellion Fest in Blackpool, England; followed by dates in Cork and Dublin in Ireland; and Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Photo by Craig O’Connell
Whether you are longtime fans of the band or are just discovering the punk legends, whether you have seen them live or have yet to do so, make sure to catch them on the road while you still can.
Dan Wleklinski, aka “Dan Precision,” is one of the Chicago area punk scene’s top-level multi-hyphenates. As a musician, Wleklinksi was a founding member of 88 Fingers Louie; Rise Against; Soulscape; Break the Silence, and now The Iron Spiders. He is also a prolific record producer. I recently spent a few hours documenting his production work, […]
Dan Wleklinski, aka “Dan Precision,” is one of the Chicago area punk scene’s top-level multi-hyphenates. As a musician, Wleklinksi was a founding member of 88 Fingers Louie; Rise Against; Soulscape; Break the Silence, and now The Iron Spiders. He is also a prolific record producer. I recently spent a few hours documenting his production work, on the upcoming Bumsy and the Moochers record, at The Bombshelter Recording Studio. He founded the studio in the basement of his suburban childhood home in 1999. Later, in a wide-ranging interview, in which we discussed his work as a musician and as a producer, he recalled some of his wildest experiences, his love of road trips on his motorcycle, and more.
MerGold (Dying Scene): How did you get into music to start with?
Dan Wleklinksi: My parents had a very slight musical background, and my dad started to teach me some basic piano playing when I was around 5 years old. I started taking actual piano lessons at the age of 10, but I really wanted to play guitar. Unfortunately, my parents didn’t have enough money to buy a guitar for me and said that I couldn’t take guitar lessons. I told them that I would quit piano out of spite if I couldn’t take guitar lessons, and being the little a**hole kid that I was, I quit piano a few days later. Looking back, I wish I hadn’t done that because I would have been a much better and learned musician at this age. Luckily I started learning guitar at the age of 13.
Were there any shows or events you find particularly memorable? Good or bad?
The memorable events and shows are beyond count…both good and bad…like having 13 cop cars called on us in 2004 [in Fresno, CA when a member of Break The Silence] after we threatened a venue owner for not paying up. We were on tour with A Wilhelm Scream and Much the Same. Or in 1999, [with 88 Fingers Louie], almost fighting some Germans in Hamburg for accusing us of trashing their van. The dudes in At The Drive-In were going to back us up if that fight ever happened, but we got out of that one.
One of my favorite times was the weekend in 2014 [again, with 88 Fingers Louie] where we played Rock Fest in Montebello, Canada. There were so many cool bands that we shared the stage with, including Blink-182, Primus, Motley Crue, Megadeth, Danzig, Weezer, Cypress Hill, and so many more. Most of the bands stayed in the same 5-story hotel on the site of the festival, so we got to hang out and talk with so many cool musicians. We also had a view of several stages from our hotel rooms, so if we didn’t feel like going down, we could watch the bands from the comfort of our own rooms.
Favorite venues and events in Chicago; the same question for other locations?
How do you decide which projects, bands, or musicians with whom to work?
As a musician, I really enjoy working with other players who share the same long-term vision and talent. I’ve been lucky to have started bands such as 88 Fingers Louie, Rise Against, Break the Silence, Soulscape, and now The Iron Spiders. At this point in my life, if I were going to consider being in a professional band, they would need to be a touring band. One of the most difficult things to deal with is the fact that I have the freedom to tour while several bands I’ve been a part of have lost that ability over time.
How did you then get into producing records? What was your first record?
My first real band, 88 Fingers Louie, recorded multiple times starting in 1993 with the esteemed producer, Mass Giorgini, at his studio, Sonic Iguana in Lafayette, Indiana. We recorded a bunch of EPs and 2 full albums there, including “Behind Bars” and “Back on the Streets.” During the “Back on the Streets” sessions, Mass commented that I had a very good ear for music and asked if I wanted to learn how to be an audio engineer. I agreed. I started by comping vocal tracks on “Back on the Streets” so that was technically the first record I ever worked on.
I opened my studio, The Bombshelter Recording Studio, in 1999, and the first band I recorded was The Poonanies. The singer, Tony, went on to form Chicago’s very own, Shot Baker.
How do you decide which musicians to work with? Are there parameters for which you will turn down bands or projects?
Typically, bands ask to work with me from word-of-mouth of past clients, or seeing my name in the credits of albums I’ve recorded. I feel that with the rise in streaming over the last decade, the latter has been increasingly difficult to achieve visibility. I believe Spotify recently has started showing recording/producing/mixing credits if you click on the release, but the bands still need to input that information.
Most bands are great with sharing the recording credits to streaming platforms, and I feel it’s in their best interest to do so. Not only could it possibly open up other avenues of listeners, but it also helps the engineers and producers get their names out to other musicians who might like their production.
I don’t really turn down bands or projects. I’ve worked with bands who were 13 and 14 years old who were eager to learn. I’ve also worked with seasoned musicians in their 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s…and everything in between.
I have suggested bands to possibly go to a different producer if I feel we wouldn’t be a good fit. For example, I feel that bands and producers need to take time in the studio to make their recording the best it can be. If a band wants to record 10 songs in 2 days, I let them know that I don’t work that quickly as I believe the process and the quality suffers.
How collaborative is the process? Do you want the bands to come in with specific ideas, or do you take the lead?
The recording process can be very collaborative, and that’s one of my favorite parts in producing bands. I enjoy when bands have specific ideas and together, we can combine all of our musical experience and hone each song. However, there are many times when the band would like me to take the lead, and I am happy to do so.
That can be a little more difficult when I work with a band for the first time, but luckily, I have a lot of repeat clients, and each subsequent time, the collaboration becomes easier and more fruitful. It really is a beautiful thing to be creative with other musicians who may have different musical styles and backgrounds.
Have you worked on some musician’s debut albums? As in the musician has never been in a studio? What is that experience like?
Yes, I’ve worked with a few bands’ with it being their first time in the studio. Typically, those are teenaged bands looking to cut their first EP. I’ve also worked with guest musicians who are singing backing vocals or playing an accompanying part on an established band’s recording. Sometimes they are young…like a band member’s son or daughter. Other times they are talented mothers and fathers of the band currently in the studio. Either way, it’s always an enjoyable experience as they leave having learned something. I think I’m a bit like my father, who was a great teacher. It’s an awesome feeling to have bands return and to see the progress they have achieved since their last recording with me.
Related to being a producer, what are the best parts of owning your own studio? Are there challenges you were not fully aware of before owning your own studio?
As you may have gathered frommy earlier answers, I love being in the studio, working with musicians, and also mixing and mastering on my own…basically, I love the audio portion of running the business. One of the more difficult parts for me is the advertising aspect. While I’m proud of the work I do, and I enjoy promoting bands’ releases, I don’t really like “talking myself up.” When I first started, I think I was lucky because people heard about the Bombshelter through the bands I was in. Over the years, word-of-mouth from happy clients has helped me continue to do what I love…for 25 years! I’m still slightly shocked that the month of September 2024 will be the 25th anniversary of The Bombshelter Recording Studio. “Thank you” to all of my past and especially return clients who have helped me do what I love for so long!
Last year you left the studio and the stages for a really cool reason. You embarked on a solo motorcycle road trip across part of the country, and brought your friends and fans with you via photos and video. How and when did you start riding? What does riding do for you?
Although I started riding 30 years ago, my first solo motorcycle tour was in 2022. Riding is usually very relaxing for me, and I believe the joy I experience on longer tours are an extension of my time touring with bands. There are so many memorable moments I’ve experienced the last few years, like riding the “Million Dollar Highway” in Colorado and through the “Needles Eye Tunnel” in South Dakota.
What was the journey like? Were there any particularly memorable moments good or bad? Any hair-raising moments?
I ask that last question recalling some of my own hair-raising moments riding in vans through Southeast Asia, and buses when I lived in Guatemala. Some of those steeply curved mountainsides were pretty scary. I can’t imagine how nerve-wracking it might be on a motorcycle.
I try not to think back too much on the “bad” or “hair-raising” moments like when animals jump in front of you, or trying to stay awake during the last hour of your Saddlesore 1000 (traveling 1000 miles in under 24 hours). However, I will always remember last year’s 10-hour ride from Fort Collins to Montrose, Colorado over Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park. It was both hair-raising and memorable to cross the highest point of 12,183 feet in 34 degree (1 degree Celsius) weather with snow on the sides of the road. Luckily the roads were mostly clear of snow and ice due to the warmth of the rising sun.
One of the more difficult things when touring in a band is having the time to enjoy the cities, environments, and scenery along the way. I get to enjoy all of those things while on my motorcycle trips. It is a goal of mine to combine both touring in a band while riding a motorcycle. The late Neil Peart wrote about his time doing that exact thing on several Rush tours, and it sounds heavenly to me!
Wleklinski is one of the most genuine, humble, and all-around nicest people I’ve met, not just in the punk scene, but anywhere. And of course, he has one of the best heads of hair in this scene as well. His long silver mane makes for some amazing on-stage images as he rocks it all over the place.
Those of us photographers who have had the pleasure to shoot him in concert will rue the day he ever decides to cut it off. However, that’s one move I don’t see Wleklinski making.
I do look forward to the future moves he makes in music, in record producing, as well as documenting further two-wheel adventures.
Thanks Dan, safe travels on your next road trip, and cheers!
Road trip images courtesy of Dan Wleklinski. All other photography by MGold for Dying Scene.
The Bouncing Souls returned to Chicago for a three-day stand recently. Night Two had the Garden State legends playing its albums Hopeless Romantic and The Gold Record. Bouncing Souls were joined by Chicago’s own Blind Adam and the Federal League, as well as Bronx, NY’s Vic Ruggiero, of the Slackers, performing a solo set. The […]
The Bouncing Souls returned to Chicago for a three-day stand recently. Night Two had the Garden State legends playing its albums Hopeless Romantic and The Gold Record. Bouncing Souls were joined by Chicago’s own Blind Adam and the Federal League, as well as Bronx, NY’s Vic Ruggiero, of the Slackers, performing a solo set.
The Bouncing Souls, formed in New Brunswick, New Jersey in 1989, is hitting four cities this year for 3-night, 5-record celebrations. Brooklyn, NY will welcome the band in April; Denver, CO in August; and Garden Grove, CA, in December. First up was Chicago with the band playing a full band acoustic set at Epiphany Center for the Arts on night one. The next two nights took place at The Bottom Lounge where the band played the records How I Spent My Summer Vacation from 2001 and 2003’s Anchors Aweigh on the final evening.
Night two featured the seminal 1996 album Hopeless Romantic and The Gold Record from 2006. The Bouncing Souls was in fine form, as energetic as ever, as it drove through its signature bursts of up-tempo and buoyant songs. Singer Greg Attonito roaming the stage as he belted out the songs; Pete Steinkopf, dynamic on guitar; Bryan Kienlen’s muscular bass playing; and George Rebelo’s potent work on drums added up to an outstanding set. Highlights for me included “Fight to Live,” Bullying The Jukebox, and “¡Olé!,” all off Hopeless Romantic.
I will add a personal note on that last mentioned song. As a long-time Arsenal FC, I find it to be fantastic pump-up jam play it on repeat when headed to cheer on my favorite football club. It’s also our second song on Dying Scene’s 2022 World Cup Playlist. Steinkopf and Bad Religion’s Brian Baker have been “football teammates” for a while. But I’ll have to wait until there is a Gunners-style kit as the one in the above link is an obvious take-off of Manchester City, FC, and that’s a hard no from me.
The Bouncing Souls (and Bad Religion) however, is always a hard yes.
Blind Adam and the Federal League, out of Chicago, is staunchly anti-fascist. Frontman Adam Gogola, who for a while ran a charitable organization called the People’s Pizza Party, is not shy about expressing his views and putting those words into action. This was made clear by the “Free Palestine” shirt he wore on stage. During the set, he also spoke of Nex Benedict, the 16-year-old Oklahoma transgender student who died a day after they were brutally beaten by three girls at school. Gogola urged the crowd members to do what they can to fight transphobia, homophobia, and other vulnerable communities, as well as to fight back against rights being taken away from women and others.
In addition, it was a family affair for Gogola, with his parents in attendance, and his wife, Jessica Ever, joining him onstage for a song.
Gogola, his bandmates Alex Simotes and Nick Cvijovic, and Sean McGill filling on drums for Athen Erbter, drove through a powerful set. It was heavy with songs from the band’s most recent record, 2023’s The Fields We Know, including “The Sower,” “Before It Gets Better” (with Jessica Ever), “Meet Me at George Floyd Square,” “One for the Bootlickers,” and “Cold Dead Hands.” It is worth noting that Pete Steinkopf of Bouncing Souls produced The Fields We Know.
Members of Blind Adam and the Federal League will be continuing their regular “Pick a Side” DJ night at The Native in Chicago on March 28, 2024. The event takes place every last Thursday of the month.
Vic Ruggiero, best known as a member of NYC’s ska/rock-steady The Slackers, hails from the Bronx. However, as he told me post-set, he hasn’t spent much time there as of late due to extensive touring.
On this night (he also opened up night 3) Ruggiero was a one-man band, holding his guitar; harmonica at mouth level, playing a kick drum with his left foot and a tambourine with his right. Ruggiero, as solo troubadour, looks as if he would fit in perfectly at the Greenwich Village coffee houses of the 1960s. Venues such as The Gaslight where Bob Dylan and others could be found. The casting agents of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel missed the opportunity to cast him in a cameo at The Gaslight Café where the eponymous character started her comedy career.
The charismatic Ruggiero jammed through an entertaining set that included “Vacant Stare,” “Junkie Parents,” and a terrific cover of the Ink Spots’ “I Don’t Want to Set The World on Fire.”
Ruggiero rejoins his Slackers bandmates for numerous upcoming shows across parts of North America. The band will then head to Europe just a few days short of the start of Fall for several weeks of shows.
