Independent Music Chicago
Ween yourself from the corporate teet!
Music, Reviews, Pics, Articles, Show Schedules, Audio*
- - - - - - -
Featured bands for August:
Callaghan - Chicago punk
Wicker Man - Chicago stoner sludgecore
JOYGiRL - Chicago chick rock
Singer Tommy McCarthy is a strange guy. I had a chance to ask him some questions, and he was just drunk enough to oblige.
Where's the coolest place you've ever played?
No one place in particular, although we've played at some pretty cool places, usually parties is where we have the most fun. Rob from the Flytrap loft when we were on tour was really cool. Philly was deadly and he's mostly to thank for that. Um. Historically, we've always had fun and played well at the Hysterics' house. They're a cool post-Bollweevils, melodic Chicago punk band, great guys and Gifford's cousin plays drums. We sucked at Ruvolo's picnic, but it was a long day. No further explanations needed. We always have fun when we play at this crazy West-Side place, Luney Tunes with our buddies Morte. They're some Mexican dudes who play hardcore rock shit, and all their friends come out and get into it and really support. Their crew has showed nunbers at a lot of our shows and we appreciate it, and owe them big time. We work together. Um. Every show we play is cool..
Who are the band's influences?
This is totally different for each member. Gifford likes Adam Sandler, Angry Samoans and Black Flag. Mikey likes greaser shit at the moment and I guess Oi and SoCal shit too. Ken likes Ty Cobb, Jake LaMotta, Naked Raygun and SLF. Ogre is from the scum punk school: GG, Bloody etc. & all the classic 70s punk and metal too. McCarthy likes Shane McGowan, Iggy, Jigga & Ozzy.
What have you been listening to lately?
I'm not totally sure about everyone else. I know Ken's been listening to a lot of country and there was a Cock Sparrer record out last time I was at Gifford's. I've been listening to Jay-Z all over and over. Jigga is the most important mc since Krs1. He is a personal inspiration.
If you could be any animal?
Animal? I would be a barfly. Oh wait...Nah. Not anymore. Um. I would be that frog with the psychotropic ass. I wanna go to South America and get one so I can sell licks at the Dead for six bucks a pop.
Um, Do you like girls?
Girls are cool.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what FIVE things would you want and would you ever want to leave?
Isalnd stuff. Factotum (book), Deadboys - Young, Loud & Snotty (vinyl), seeds (various), still (mash tun, tubes etc.), Salma Hyek.
Callaghan Official Website - MP3s, pics, show schedule, news and more! - VERY COOL!
Wicker Man is a massive onslaught of pure glorious sludgecore! Once the pummeltous groove hits you, the rich bottom end forces your body back and forth in a rock-sway, and you are absolutely helpless in it's wake! I remember the first time I ever saw them play at the now demolished Connoly's, I thought to myself "My God, these guys just blew my f***ing brains out, I better go say thank you!" My favorite places to see them are The Fireside and Metro. Check out some awesome pics of them playing at Cubby Bear!
Wicker Man Official Website - Real Audio soundclip (7/4) and contact info
See Wickerman live at:
Roby's in Chicago August 13th
Metro - playing with Queens of the Stone Age - August 30th
JOYGiRL
Can you say Chicago Chicks Rock? I had the pleasure of seeing JOYGiRL at the Cubby Bear a couple of weeks ago. Not only did they totaly rock, but they also pissed off that Tara girl from the Mancow Show, which makes them even cooler in my book than before. Tara introduced them as "just coming off of their tour with Cheap Trick". The band let Tara's pompous slip go until after their first song, then supercool Melanie of JOYGiRL said, "Sorry to say we never toured with Cheap Trick, but we did play a gig with them once!" and then the band immediately ripped into song two. <sigh> Ok, maybe Mancow's Tara doesn't know her "technical band terms" very well and it's not her fault.
Like girls with spunk do ye? Here's some pics from above mentioned show at Cubby Bear and don't forget to check out JOYGiRL's super cool and super cute website that includes soundclips and <giggle> recipies!
JOYGiRL Official Website - soundclips, pics, show dates, recipies and more!
Cool Independent Music Links :
Hop on over to
A page dedicated to the girls of rock!
Check out my other websites:
All comments welcomed!
Page by Traci Thomas
* I want you to hear the best soundclips available, so if the band has better clips than I can make, I link you to their site. If the band has no website or soundclips available, I will make my chunky .wav file version and include it here. I have the ability to make MP3 files of entire songs, but due to copyrights and such, I won't do that without direct permission from the band.
