Guitar legend Adrian Belew talks about career ahead of shows in St. Charles, Chicago

By ERIC SCHELKOPF

Frank Zappa once referred to guitar legend Adrian Belew as the person who “reinvented the electric guitar.”

With a new album in tow, Belew will perform at 8:30 p.m. July 15 at the Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. He will also perform at 7:30 p.m. July 18 and July 19 at City Winery Chicago, 1200 W. Randolph St., Chicago.

More information is available at arcadalive.com and citywinery.com.

I had the honor of interviewing Belew about the album and his career.


Q – “Elevator” is your 25th solo record. What did you want to do with the album? Did you have any specific goals in mind? 

I certainly did. I wrote most of this material during the COVID lockdown and that kept me alive during that. 

And during it, I realized that when this is all said and done, whatever happens in the future, I want this record to be uplifting, I want it to have things that make people feel good about life again – an elevating feeling.

Q – And you are also on a new label.

It’s the first time I’ve been on a label in a long time, because we’ve always done everything ourselves since sometime in the early ‘90s. And that works really well in the climate today. But there are some things that can be done by other people better than me.

We finally found the right people that we thought would help us out. And we actually put out a single for once, "a13." We never do that either.

Q – And I understand that this is actually your first solo record released through streaming. What made you want to go that route?

Well, I’m trying to do all the different things you can do to get your music out to people. You can still buy the CD if you want it. I recommend it, because if you buy the CD, then you get the artwork.

Over the COVID time, I also taught myself to do digital artwork. And there’s 38 of my paintings included in the CD.

I’ve done several hundred by now. I just fell in love with doing it. It’s the same form of expression as writing a song or playing music is to me. It taps into the same part of your creativity.

There’s 12 new songs on the album. I played everything and sang everything as I’ve been doing on most of my records. And this is the 25th solo record. That amazes me.

Q – You seem to be a real musician’s musician. Everybody wants you to play with them. Was it an honor to hear Frank Zappa say that you reinvented the electric guitar?

Yeah, what an honor that is, to have someone like that say that. I would have never guessed it.

I sent him one of my records. I sent him my third solo record.

I didn’t even know if he’d even listen to it. But I guess from that, he managed to make that quote.

Q – I understand that he was your first and only mentor.

Frank was the first person that I actually sat down with and who taught me how to do things, in particular how to play in odd time signatures. And there were so many other things that Frank taught me, stuff you need to know about being a professional musician, touring the world and making your own records.

One year under his tutelage was like worth 20 years to me. It was like going to college.

He taught me a lot.

Q – When you joined King Crimson, you helped take the band in a different direction and gave them a new audience. Do you feel like you did that?

Oh, sure. I was a huge fan of the original band and I knew their music really well.

But it’s really a different brand of music. It’s very English, it’s very prog rock and sort of flowery kind of thing.

And then by the time we started, it was a whole different thing. You know, Robert Fripp called me and asked me to join the band with him and Bill Buford, which is an incredible offer in itself.

We kind of reinvented the wheel a little bit with that first record, “Discipline,” and everyone’s told me that.

Q – It seems like you are an innovator in everything you do. What was your idea in creating the FLUX  by belew app?

Well, the idea of it was to have a way to make music that’s never quite the same twice. So we set up an app – it took 2/12 years to do all the computer work behind it – in which every time you press play, you’re going to get a half an hour of stuff and it’s never going to be in same order.

It has kind of an engine in it, that’s what they call it at least, that randomly picks things every time you press play. And the visuals will do the same thing. The visuals are connected to the music.

It’s meant to be a different listening experience. Currently it’s not available because Apple changed its operating system, but I’m working on it being available again.

Q – Are there any projects that you are itching to do that you would like to tackle in the next few years?

I have a lot of different things that I think will happen. I’d like to take this new band around the world, for one thing.

And I already have half of the new record recorded, so they’ll be more records of mine coming out. I’m always up for a new adventure, though.

Doing a symphony piece, which took three years to write, was one of the biggest things I ever did in my life. And I never really expected that would happen.

Doing the Pixar film, “Piper,” which also took three years to complete, I never thought that would happen. And that won an Oscar and everything.

So I think there are things that are sitting out there. I don’t know what they will be. I don’t know what those collaborations are.

I just wait until something presents itself and hopefully it will be great and I’ll make the best of it.

Chicago band The Handcuffs pays homage to musical influences on new album

Photo by Christy Bassman

 

By ERIC SCHELKOPF

 

On its fourth studio album, “Burn The Rails,” Chicago band The Handcuffs lovingly pays homage to some of the bands that have provided musical inspiration over the years, such as T-Rex and Mott The Hoople.

As it so happens, Mott The Hoople keyboardist Morgan Fisher is featured on the album. “Burn The Rails” was released in June on Chicago record label Pravda Records. The Handcuffs recently performed at a concert celebrating the label’s 38th anniversary.

The CD release party for "Burn The Rails" will be on July 23 at Liar's Club, 1665 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago. Doors open at 8 p.m.

The Handcuffs is led by drummer Brad Elvis and his wife, singer/guitarist/saxophonist Chloe F. Orwell. Elvis and Orwell formed The Handcuffs following the breakup of their band Big Hello.

I had the pleasure of talking to Brad about “Burn The Rails.”


Q – Great talking to you. What were your goals for the album?

The same goal as for our first three albums. We always try to write good songs.

Our approach on this album was to kind of pay homage to all those bands and albums that we loved and inspired us and influenced us when we were starting out and all the way through our careers.

There’s so many influences on this album. And we kind of make it our own, obviously.

Q – You were talking about Mott The Hoople being an influence and Mott The Hoople keyboardist Morgan Fisher is featured on this album. So that must have been an honor to have him on this album.

Oh, definitely. That came about after we went to see the band perform as part of its 1974-lineup reunion tour in 2019.

Chloe was just knocked out. They were so great. And so she wrote this great review just for the fun of it for her Facebook page.

And then a national magazine wanted to use the review. Someone had sent the review to Morgan Fisher and he reached out to us.

He knew that we were working on a new album and he told us, ‘If you need any one to play the keyboard or synthesizer, let me know.’ He played on two of the tracks on the album.

It was just an honor. And now we’re friends.

Q – It seems like there is a meaning behind the name of the album “Burn The Rails.” Is there any sort of meaning behind the name of the album?

There is. I actually discovered it myself probably about 10 years ago.

I saw a picture of rails in flames during zero and subzero temperatures. They put stuff under the tracks and they burn the rails.

It’s really kind of weird and eerie looking, especially the nighttime photos. But it’s such a Chicago thing and we wanted to do that because it’s such a compelling photo of tracks on fire.

And it sounds like a line out of a Mott The Hoople song. So we thought that would be a cool title and a cool image.

Q – And I understand you wrote a book about your life as a musician.

It’s about my long rock ’n’ roll life. I've always documented and wrote experiences down for many of my gigs.

We would go out on the road as youngsters and do crazy rock ’n’ roll things because it was fun and that’s what we thought were supposed to do.

We were emulating “The Who” or whatever. We would just get out of our minds after a show.

I was in my first band in 1970. There’s stories about me meeting David Bowie and Pete Townshend and playing with The Ramones and playing with The Clash.

I’m kind of hoping it will be released by the end of the year.

Q – You’ve been in the music business so long that I’m sure a lot of people look up to you as a mentor. Do you see yourself as a mentor?

I don’t see myself as that, but I realize at this point there are people that say that.

And it makes me feel good. I just keep going like the Energizer Bunny.

Q – I understand that the late Keith Moon is a big influence of yours. 

I always had a natural ability to play drums and without thinking about it, I just started playing and teaching myself. I started playing drums at the age of 11.

I would play along to records in my bedroom. One day, I thought to myself that I should find a drummer that I relate to and learn from.

I really liked The Who’s song “I Can See For Miles.” The drumming on it really stood out and I never had heard anybody playing like that.

Long story short, I started buying anything related to The Who which helped develop my style of drumming and performing. Add many other influences and here I am, still performing, writing and releasing albums like I had always dreamed of doing.


 

 

 

Chicago band The Queue to open for Cracker, Marcy Playground as part of The Alt Rock Rager in Aurora

Photo courtesy of The Queue

By ERIC SCHELKOPF

For those interested in songs that contain gorgeous melodies and thought provoking lyrics, it is time to queue up the music of Chicago band The Queue.

The Queue will open for Cracker, Marcy Playground and Ike Reilly on June 4 as part of The Alt Rock Rager at The Piazza, 85 Executive Drive in Aurora near the Fox Valley Mall.

Also on the bill are fellow Chicago bands Prizefighter, The Giving Moon and EGxBH and Villa Park band Unlikely Souls. Rock ’n roll burlesque and entertainment troupe The Vaudettes also is on the bill.

The show starts at 3 p.m. and tickets are available at afterlifechi.com.

I had the pleasure of interviewing The Queue frontman and lead singer Sean Mulligan about the show.
 

Q – Great talking to you. As far as naming the band The Queue, how did you come up with the name?

I’m a huge Oasis fan and they have a song called “Part Of The Queue.” I just thought it was kind of a cool name.

Q – You guys just played at the International Pop Overthrow festival in Chicago. That’s not the first time you played at the festival, right?

I’ve been doing it with The Queue or as a solo act for 10 years, at least.

Q – Why do you like performing at it?

I love just being in that energetic kind of environment and seeing the other performers and being able to enjoy all the music.

There are a lot of like minded musicians at the festival. I’ve done some crazy shows with bands I shouldn’t have been a part of.

At one show at the Double Door, a guy took off all of his clothes except for his underwear and jumped on the bar. I thought this guy was nuts, but people were digging it.

It just wasn't my scene, man.

Q – It seems like you guys have been busy this year. In January, you released an EP, “Get Out Of Now.” The EP is described as ”Part love letter, part retrospective, and hopeful perspective on change, recovery and the human condition.” Did you write this in reaction to the pandemic?

No, it was actually due to a breakup. It led me down a dark tunnel.

I went out to Texas and then I came back and worked on the EP. I wrote for I think a month or two and then I brought the band into the studio.

I hope I wrote it in a way where it could be interpreted for any situation. I was trying to keep some level of positivity to it.

Because we all go through dark things, you know.

Q – The first track on the EP is “Own The Enemy.” What is the meaning of the song?

The feeling for me was, whatever darkness you have, just own it. Make it positive. Transition it to something else.

Q – In March, you released a cover of the Oasis song “Don’t Look Back In Anger.” Is Oasis a big influence for you and the band?

Yeah, I would say so. Definitely Noel Gallagher is one of my favorite songwriters.

Obviously The Beatles is another huge influence. The reason I picked up the guitar in the first place was because of The Beatles.

The turning point was watching “The Beatles Anthology” television series in 1995. My mom made me watch it and I told her, “Why would I want to watch these geezers?”

When I watched them play “Twist and Shout,” something snapped in me. I told my mom, “I want that guitar and I want to learn how to sing that song.”

So I’m glad she made me watch it.

Q – What was going through your head when you were watching The Beatles?

I think it was John Lennon’s voice, just being so raspy and so empowered on that song. And I thought their guitars looked cool.

I collected all their records and I just sat and listened to their music and it was just mind blowing for me.

Q – Are you excited about the upcoming show? Are you fans of any of these bands?

Yeah, absolutely. Everyone knows Marcy Playground’s song “Sex and Candy.”

We’re inspired by ‘90s bands like Cracker and Marcy Playground.

Q – What would you like people to get out of your music?

I want them to enjoy it, for one. I want people to really listen to the lyrics and I want them to have their own perspective on it.

Hopefully it means something to someone. I’m trying to always convey a message.

Glenbard West grad provides fresh take on vampire genre in new novel

 

By ERIC SCHELKOPF

 

In “Vampyre: The Past Never Dies,” Warrenville resident David Nordmeyer aims to provide a fresh take on the vampire genre.

I had the chance to talk to Nordmeyer, a 1982 Glenbard West High School grad (and my classmate), about the novel, which is his first published book. “Vampyre: The Past Never Dies” is available at amazon.com.

Reach out to him through his Facebook page, facebook.com/Authordreamer.

Q – I know that you have written stories in the past, but this is your first published story. What made you want to publish this story?

It’s something that I always wanted to do. I’ve always liked the horror genre. I wanted this particular story to be published because it was something new and original and I felt I could put a fresh spin on the vampire genre.

As I wrote the book, I kind of pictured in my head a movie. If I was making a movie, what would I want to see? How would I want it to unfold?

Q – What is the story about?

Well, it’s basically a story of this Chicago homicide detective. She’s kind of cynical and world-weary.

She’s forced to confront something that she didn’t think was real and that she didn’t think was possible.

It changes her whole perspective of the world.

Q – So is the book about people having to confront something that they never confronted before and then realize they can actually handle it? Is that one of the themes in the book?

It’s partly that. It’s about people encountering something new and different.

There’s also themes in there about family. The character has some family issues and that provides motivation for her, without giving too much of the story away.

Q – As far as your influences, who or what are some of your influences? Are you influenced by any authors in particular?

A little bit. Stephen King is definitely somebody I admire.

I always like how he brings horror and these terrifying things into the real world. It makes them scarier because he sets them in a real location.

I think that’s something worthy of emulating. He brings terror into everyday situations.

Q – Of course, many of his novels were made into movies. Could you imagine your novel being made into a movie?

Yeah, it’s just a fantasy, but again, I just kind of wrote it and paced it like it was a movie. When I’m writing, I kind of think of it as a movie.

I like it because I’m in control of everything. A writer can pretty much visualize anything.

I tried to picture it like if I was producing a movie with an unlimited budget.

Q – How long have you written stories?

Probably for most of my life. This is the first time that I’ve had the chance to publish one of my stories.

Self-publishing gives people a chance to get their stuff out there. Another nice thing is that the author has control of the process from beginning to end.

Q – Can you remember the first story you wrote?

I think it was a science fiction adventure story about a character who is traveling through different solar systems.

Q – Why do you like writing?

It’s therapeutic. It’s a good way for me to work some stuff out sometimes.

And I enjoy sharing my stories with people. I get a lot of satisfaction from that and people seem to enjoy reading them.

It’s a good way to share my thoughts and my vision of the world.